The Divine Comedy
A Study Guide
1. How are the punishments in the Inferno symbolically appropriate to the sin being punished?
2. Why might Dante have used Charon and Minos and other pre-Christian historical and mythological figures in his description of hell?
3. Scholars of the Middle Ages knew the Roman writers much better than the Greek writers. This is why Homer is the only Greek whom Dante lists among the great poets. On what basis does Dante place himself among these great poets? Is he merely vain, or does he see himself as continuing their tradition? Explain your response.
4. Some readers have misinterpreted the Francesca and Paolo story (Canto 5) as a romantic tale which shows that love can conquer death and hell. Refute this interpretation, using evidence from the selection.
5. Guinevere and Lancelot are, of course, representative of the tradition of courtly love. Why is it especially appropriate that Francesca and Paolo should have been reading about them when they were “overcome”?
6. Several times during the journey through hell, Virgil censures Dante for the sympathy he shows suffering sinners. In the cantos here, where does Dante show such sympathy? In Dante’s view of the workings of divine justice, why would Virgil’s censure be justified?
7. In Canto 10, Farinata shows concern for his reputation among the living, and Cavalcante wonders that Dane should apparently be honored more than his own poet son. Does their concern with worldly esteem seem consistent with their present state of existence? Does their obvious interest in affairs one earth seem convincing? Dante’s astronomy placed the earth at the center of the universe, and his theology made man just slightly lower than the angels. Do these facts give any clues to the questions above? Explain.
8. Unlike souls in hell, the souls in purgatory eventually go to heaven after being purified of their sins. Ulysses’ ship (see Canto 25) would have landed on the mount of purgatory had it not been sunk. Why was it necessary for Dante to write the shipwreck into his story? What theological idea would have been violated if Ulysses had landed on purgatory? Why was Ulysses in hell?
9. How would you explain the assignment of Judas, Brutus, and Cassius to the very pit of hell, in the jaws of Satan himself (Canto 34)?
10. One measure of a poet’s talent is his ability to use language appropriate to his subject. Find passages which, even in translation, make it clear that Dante is fully capable of doing this. What images present most vividly the horror of various sinners' conditions? Which passages convey most strongly Dante'’ terror of eternal damnation?
11. In hell the names of heaven, God, and Christ are never uttered. What are some of the circumlocutions Dante uses to avoid these names? What is the dramatic effect of such phrases and of Dante’s avoidance of the names?
12. Why is this work termed a comedy?