Reference no: EM133368035
Question 1. Whom is Dante speaking to here and what does Dante accuse him of? Why does Dante think this is a terrible crime?
Canto XX, lines 118 - 120
Question 2. The sinners here tried to see the future using different methods, including astrology. This violates the laws of nature, which according to Dante are the laws of God. He mentions Guido Bonatti, who was an important astrologer at the time. But Bonatti was also a member of the political party that caused Dante to be exiled from Florence. Does Dante put Bonatti here because he was an astrologer or because he was part of the group that defeated Dante in real life?
Canto XXI, lines 133 - 135
Question 3. What does this statement by Virgil show about the structure of Hell? What theme does this suggest?
Canto XXII, lines 121 - 123
Question 4. In this example, the man speaking with Dante escapes from the demons and dives back into the slightly less painful torture of the flaming lake. What does this passage show about the demons?
Canto XXIII, lines 115 - 120
Question 5. Why would Dante have placed Caiaphas, the priest who advised the Pharisees and helped crucify Jesus Christ, in the area of the Hypocrites?
Canto XXVI, lines 55 - 60
Question 6. This passage says that Ulysses (Odysseus) is in Hell because he created the Trojan horse that enabled the Greeks to conquer Troy. Why would Dante think Odysseus belongs in Hell even though he's a hero of the ancient Greeks?
Canto XXXII, lines 76 - 81
Question 7. Montaperti was a battle that Dante fought in during his real life. His side lost and this led to his exile. The man he kicks, Bocca Abbatti, helped cause Dante's side to lose the battle. What do these lines show about Dante's intentions in writing the Inferno?
Canto XXXIII, lines 130 - 133
Question 8. What does this passage say about how some crimes are punished?
Canto XXXIV, lines 28 - 36
Question 9. What reason does Dante give for Lucifer to be trapped in Hell?
Canto XXXIV, lines 61 - 63
Question 10. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to the Romans, who then crucified Jesus. How does Judas's punishment support Dante's theme of justice?
Canto XXXIV, lines 88 - 101
Question 11. What happens in this passage? Why is it significant for Dante's journey?
12. What do all the sins of the eighth circle have in common?
13. How would you describe the role of Virgil in the eighth circle?
14. How does the storytelling change between the eighth and ninth circles? How do the roles of Dante and Virgil change?
15. What is the worst sin in all of Dante's Hell, and what does that tell you about the author's values?