Inferno discussion

Inferno, is the first part of The Divine Comedy, an epic written by Dante Alighieri. It follows Dante and his descent into Hell guided by Virgil. As Dante descends, he passes through nine circles of damnation, each pertaining to a particular set of sins, the ninth circle also imprisoning Lucifer.

Dante, the author surrogate and protagonist of Inferno, changes in many ways throughout the book. As Dante encounters more and more shades and learns of their sins, he becomes increasingly aware of his own personal sin. At multiple times throughout his journey, Dante loses consciousness after being overcome by fear, guilt, or pity for his or other’s sins. Upon every descension, he finds himself increasingly aware of his own sins, especially his transgressions pertaining to the current circle of punishment in which he finds himself.

Dante’s mix of a mythological and christian underworld forms a unique setting for his quest to be redeemed from/of sin. Throughout his journey to the deepest level of the Inferno, Dante encounters many infamous people and creatures that contribute a feeling of macabre to the story. While most of the Inferno is dark, both metaphorically and literally, it is also punctuated by moments of light and hope that add depth and invest the reader in the story, making the grim scenes more pervasive and meaningful.

Though clearly against my and any other religion's’ views on an afterlife, Dante’s Inferno was a satisfying read with a few instances of mental and philosophical stimulation. Dante’s design of Hell is interesting and entirely unique, though his insistence on combining classical mythology with common christian underworld attributes produces somewhat irritating confusion in my knowledge of Greek and other (not my own) Christian views of the afterlife.