Inferno: A Descent into Hell

The Poem

Dante's Inferno, the first part of his epic poem The Divine Comedy, is a journey into the depths of hell. Written in the early 14th century, the poem has been a source of inspiration and terror for centuries.

Characters

* Dante: The protagonist and narrator of the poem, he is guided through hell by the Roman poet Virgil. * Virgil: Dante's guide, he represents human reason and knowledge. * Beatrice: Dante's love and the embodiment of heavenly grace, she appears in the poem's final canto. * Francesca da Rimini: A tragic figure who recounts her love and death to Dante. * Count Ugolino: A political prisoner who tells the tale of his imprisonment and starvation.

Places

Dante's hell is a vast and complex realm, divided into nine circles of punishment. * Vestibule: The entrance to hell, where those who lived without virtue and vice gather. * Limbo: The home of unbaptized babies and virtuous pagans. * Circles 1-5: The sins of incontinence (lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, and sloth). * Circles 6-8: The sins of violence (violence against neighbor, self, and God). * Circle 9: Treachery, the worst of sins, where Satan himself is imprisoned.

Chronology

The poem begins on Good Friday, 1300, and ends on Easter Sunday. Dante's journey through hell takes him through the nine circles of punishment, where he witnesses the torments of the damned.

Sources

Dante's Inferno is heavily influenced by the classical works of Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. It also draws on Christian theology, medieval legends, and Dante's own personal experiences.