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The best-known and most influential description of the afterlife is Dantes
Divine Comedy. In his first book, The Inferno, Dante explores Hell, the place in which sinners reside after they die. ...
The similarity between Dantes The Inferno and Book VI of Virgils The Aeneid is, in many cases, clear. ... The Inferno follows Dante (a character in his own book) as he journeys through Hell. ... Both Dantes journey (taken as the complete passage through both Heaven and Hell in the Divine Comedy and Aeneass follow Joseph Campbells model-separation, trial, victory, return, and reintegration-of the archetypal hero journey. Although Dantes hero status, unlike Aeneass, is not clearly presented, his successful passage through Hell is a feat any of his contemporaries would hail as hero worthy. ... In The Inferno, we often see Virgil confront the demons of Hell while Dante hides in fear. ... The Inferno. ...
Looking at the structure of the Underworld, we see differences between Virgil and Dantes portrayals. ... Dantes Hell, however, is more well-defined, with land barriers separating the different circles. This absolute separation of sinners in Hell is a result of the religious views of Dantes time. ...
Dantes notion of Limbo is markedly different from Virgils. ...
The segmentation of Hell in The Inferno points to a further influence by the Church. Each of Dantes Circles houses souls based upon their sin, grouped generally into sins of incontinence, violence, fraud, and betrayal. ... Dantes Hell is far more unforgiving. ... This notion of eternal suffering is unique to Dantes Hell (and the Christian beliefs it represents). ... Contrapasso also fits well with Dantes segmentation and ranking of sins: If a sin is worse, its punishment is worse. ...
It is clear that the two Underworlds envisioned in The Aeneid and The Inferno are similar. ... The transition from Virgils to Dantes view of the Underworld reflects the social evolution from Augustus reign in Italy to Italys Middle Ages. ... Dantes Styx fits in accordance with Virgils description (Inferno VII: 103-108), but its boatman is instead the spirit Phlegyas. ...
Very soon after Dantes crossing through the Gate of Hell, he encounters the river Acheron and the ferryman Charon. He is described as "an aged man -his hair was white with years" (Inferno III: 83). ... Dantes life, though, is evident in his weight in the boat. ...
As noted, there are quite a few similarities and differences between the two texts, but it it quite obvious that Virgils Hell was a significant model for Dantes. A very important parallel between the two texts, is the boats proof of both Aeneas and Dantes status as living. ... (Inferno VII: 25-27)
Styx is described more as a swamp than a river in both texts, filled with wailing bodies, fitting with traditional descriptions of Styx. ... " (Inferno VII: 115-120)
In many ways Dante has honored Virgil with his depiction of Hell, but he still uses his freedom to make his own story.
Approximate Word count = 2700
Approximate Pages = 10.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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