Discuss in an essay The Inferno as a satirical document. What real-life misfortunes had Dante Alighieri suffered prior to writing the poem, and what targets did he have in Florence? Citing specific examples in the text, show how Dante uses the fires of Hell as a means of revenge on those who have wronged him in life. What iniquity does he reveal about his targets over the course of The Inferno? How does he make them pay for them?

Essay Topic 2

Because the realm of Hell in The Inferno is a bureaucratic location where souls are assessed and assigned punishments, sin takes on a quantifiable form. Write an essay about sin as object in the poem. How does sin become the only quantifiable commodity when a soul dies? How is the soul completely assessed based on the quantity of this sin on it? Cite examples from the text to illustrate how souls in Hell are entirely defined by their sins.

Essay Topic 3

Dante's poem serves as something of a hodgepodge of allusions. He draws from several different sources. In a three-part essay, discuss these various sources. Cite several examples of individuals who appear in the text. Why are they in Hell? How does the poet-pilgrim of the text react to their presence? Does he interact with them?

Part 1) Classical Greek mythology

Part 2) The Christian Bible

Part 3) Contemporary Italian politics

(see the answer keys)

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