Guide Through Hell

13th Picture

Canto IV

Dante’s Inferno Canto IV

Summary:

The Canto starts with Dante waking up to a thunder like sound. He wakes up feeling as if he was sleeping for a very long time. Virgil had carried him off the boat. Dante and Virgil had reached the first circle of hell (limbo). We learn from Virgil that this is where the virtuous pagans live. The virtuous pagans are people born before Christ or infants who were not baptized before their death. Virgil himself lives in Limbo. Dante asks Virgil if anyone from limbo has had the opportunity to go to heaven and Virgil tells him that god had granted permission to a few to come to heaven, some of which were Moses, Noah, and Adam. As Virgil and Dante walk and talk Dante notices the famous spirits or souls are separated from the normal ones. Virgil explains to Dante that the separated souls had gained this status through their achievements on Earth.  Virgil introduces some of the honored souls to Dante which turn out to be Homer, Horace, Ovid, and Lucan. The famous souls as well as Dante and Virgil walk toward a castle (which has seven walls and surrounded by a stream) and talk, Dante does not tell us what they talk about. Dante and Virgil walk into the castle and meet other famous souls such as Cicero, Seneca, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Eventually Dante and Virgil leave the castle heading into the dark once again.  (http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/divine-comedy-inferno/summary-analysis/canto-iv.html#top)

Their Sins:

In the first circle of hell also known as limbo the people in there never really committed a major sin. The only reason they are there is either cause they were born before Christ or were not baptized as babies. Most of limbo is in darkness. Dante though allows reason itself to create its own small light.

Punishment for their Sins:

In limbo there is no punishment for their sins like the rest of the circles of hell. The souls in limbo do not experience any kind of excruciating pain the other souls do in the lower circles of hell.  Limbo is mostly darkness.  Most of the souls that live in limbo lived their life based off thought and knowledge, not god and religion. So Dante made limbo in a way that the souls could live with human wisdom but without the “light of god”.  “Socrates, for example, wrote that he envisioned the afterlife as a place where one would have discussions with great people that came before or that lived in the present. Therefore, Socrates gained his ideal eternity.” (http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/divine-comedy-inferno/summary-analysis/canto-iv.html#top)

Link to Contrapasso:

         There is a small link, in limbo the souls live in an area with meadows, forest, and a castle, and with their knowledge and wisdom. The souls get to share their knowledge and wisdom but have to live their life without the “light of god” and hope. So since the people sent to Limbo either didn’t have option to know Christ before their death or weren’t baptized as babies, they didn’t have god beside their side in limbo, causing limbo to be mostly covered in darkness.

Character Analysis:

Philosophers (Aristotle, Socrates, Plato)- These are the three  great philosophers of their time that Dante sees as he goes through limbo with Virgil.  Dante specifically called Aristotle "The master of those who know" (Inf. 4.131). Aristotle was a major influence during his time which is apparent in the fact that all his works were translated into Latin while Plato had one translated.  “The influence of Aristotelian thought on Dante is perhaps most apparent in the content of a philosophical work (Convivio), the argumentation of a political treatise (De Monarchia), and the moral structure of hell (Inferno).”(http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/circle1.html) They were sent to limbo because they were born before Christ.

Poets (Honer, Horace, ovid, Lucan)- These are the four great classical poets of all time. Dante recognized their greatness, and being a poet himself he looked up to them, but not as much as he loved Virgil though of course. Homer was the author of the epic poems Iliad and Odyssey. Ovid wrote the Metamorphoses, which were mythological tales of transformations, based on the relationships between the mortals and the gods. Lucan was best known for his Pharsalia, which was about the Roman civil war between Pompey and Caesar.  Lastly Horace was mainly known for his classical work Arspoetica that was an influential poem about the making of poetry itself. The poets were sent to Limbo cause they were born before Christ, and they were mentioned specifically because they are were the four great classical poets of all time and Dante uses their work and influence in some of his own work.  (http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/textpopup/inf0403.html)

Discussion questions:

1.   Why do you think Dante referred to Aristotle as "The master of those who know" (Inf. 4.131)?

2.   Why do you think Dante made limbo to always be in complete darkness with no light?

Multiple Choice:

1.   What woke Dante up?

a)             Sound of thunder

b)             Virgil slapped him awake

c)             Charon poured water on him

d)             He was done sleeping

2.   What part of hell are they at?

e)             First Level

f)              Second Level

g)             Limbo

h)             Both e and g

3.   Who lives at this level of hell?

i)              Rapist

j)              Murderers

k)             Greedy people

l)              Virtuous pagans and non baptized babies

4.   Which of the following got to leave Limbo for Heaven?

m)           Virgil

n)             Noah

o)             Aristotle

p)             Lucifer

5.   What is the time period called when Christ descended into Hell during the time between his death and resurrection?

q)             Redemption into Hell

r)              Harrowing of Hell

s)              Giver of Second Chances

t)              The Beginning to an End

6.   Who is the “Mighty One”?

u)             Adam

v)             Virgil

w)            Christ

x)             Lucifer

7.   Who did Dante call the "The master of those who know"?

y)             Virgil

z)             Christ

aa)          Aristotle

bb)         Moses

8.   How many walls surround the Castle or Citadel?

cc)          Nine

dd)         none

ee)          three

ff)            Seven

9.   What kinds of pain do the sinners in Limbo experience?

gg)         Bees stinging them

hh)         Walk on sharp nails

ii)            Pitch black darkness to never see anything again.

jj)            Experience no pain

10.                 Why are they some figures of honor that were separated from the “normal” souls?

kk)          Their achievements on Earth

ll)            Their belief in god now

mm)      Their practice of Ben Commune

nn)         All of the above

Canto X

Summary

In canto ten Dante and Virgil are still wandering the sixth circle of hell. Dante and Virgil are walking among the tombs of the Heretics. Virgil talks about the Epicureans and how they always aimed to find pleasure in life, mainly because they believed that when they died their soul died with them. Farinata who was a political leader during Dante’s life interrupts Virgil and Dante and addressed Dante as a Tuscan. Then while Dante and Farinata talk another souls interrupts them and that’s the soul of Calcante de’ Cavalcanti, the father of Dante’s close friend Guido. The father of Guido questions Dante on why Guido has not came with him. Dante answers by saying the maybe it is because Guido does not like Virgil. Calcante assumes that his son has died and goes back into his tomb. Meanwhile Farinata keeps talking about Florentine politics. Dante and Farinata are from opposite parities and argue politely. Dante figures out the souls in Hell can see the future but not the present. Farinata predicts that Dante will get exiled. Virgil and Dante wander through the remaining parts of the Sixth Circle. Dante now thinking about his exile in the future becomes nervous and anxious but Virgil reassures him. (http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/inferno/section5.rhtml)

Sins

            The sinners in the Sixth Circle of Hell are Heretics. They are first guilty of not believing in the Christian faith and in the resurrection of Christ and believed that the body did not contain a soul. Second, they are guilty of always seeking pleasure.

Punishment/Contrapasso

            As a punishment the Heretics can only see the future and not the present, and most lay in a burning tomb. This is contrapasso because for not believing in the resurrection of Christ they must stay in a burning tomb for the rest of eternity. Also since the Heretics always lived for pleasure in the moment they could not see the present. They could only see the future.

Characters

            Farinata- He was a political leader during Dante’s life time. Him and Dante had different views on politics. He was also a leader of the Ghibellines.

            Cavalcante de’ Cavalcanti- Father of Guido, who was one of Dante’s close friends. He was also a contemporary poet.

Discussion Questions-

1)     Why do you think as a punishment the sinners in this level can only see the future?

2)    Do you think that now Dante knows he is going to be exiled is going to affect him as he goes down to the lower levels of hell? If so, how?

3)    What do you think Farinata represents?

Multiple Choice Questions.

1.    What level of Helll is Dante at?

a)        fifth

b)        seventh

c)         fourth

d)        sixth

2.   Who first calls out to Dante?

e)         Virgil

f)         Beatrice

g)        Christ

h)        Farinata

3.    Who are the sinners at this level?

i)         Rapist

j)         Murderers

k)        Greedy people

l)         Heretics

4.   What part(s) of time can the heretics see?

m)       future

n)        past

o)         present

p)        all of the above

5.    What part(s) of time can the heretics not see?

q)        future

r)         present

s)         past

t)         both r and s

6.   Which of the following is one sin of the Heretics?

u)        Always seeking pleasure in life

v)         Committing a murder

w)        stealing

x)        always looking out for him or herself

7.    Which of the following is another sin of the Heretics?

y)        Denial of Christian beliefs

z)         Denial of after life

aa)      Denial of muslim beliefs

bb)      gluttony

8.    What does Farinata address Dante as?

cc)       Roman

dd)      Italiam

ee)       Tuscan

ff)       Greek

9.   Why does Dante feel sad at the end of the Canto?

gg)      Because Farinata told Dante that Beatrice hates him

hh)      Farinata hit him

ii)       Because Farinata predicted his exile

jj)        All of the above

10.What does Virgil do at the end of the Canto?

kk)      Reassure Dante

ll)        Make Dante faint

mm)    Curse Dante

nn)     Praise Dante