The True Meaning of Dante´s Inferno

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Religious people always fear that they will not make it to Heaven or the place their God resides. The bible and other religious text give advice on how to avoid the pain of Hell. Dante Alighieri, a famous Italian poet, wrote about the physical description of Hell and the punishments each sinner would receive for their sins. Although The Divine Comedy chronicles Dante's journey from the depths of Hell to the glory of Heaven it contains a deeper meaning. Dante reveals the true meaning of the Inferno through his leading motif, his interactions between the sinners, and the intertwining of other literary works into the Inferno.

The repeated motif of the number three is used to represent the Holy Trinity and all things holy. The first evidence of the number three comes not from the story but from the The Divine Comedy itself and the stanzas of the poem. The Holy Trinity is made up of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three entities are compiled to form God, the creator of all things. Just as God is composed of three things the epic poem The Divine Comedy and the stanzas of the poem are also composed of three things. The Divine Comedy is composed of three books titled the Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise. The stanzas in each cantos are composed of three lines. The books of The Divine Comedy and the stanzas of the epic poem have similarities between the Holy Trinity and thus God.

At the beginning of his journey Dante encounters three beasts. The first beast he meets is a leopard, the second a lion, and the third a she-wolf. These three beasts represent the three categories of sin presented by Dante in the Inferno. The she-wolf represents self-indulgence. The female gender of the canis species has the reputation of ...

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...condemned to hell.

A new trend is emerging. Churches of every denomination are loosing members. Some would even say that the devil is winning and the world is coming to an end. Today's population could learn a few lessons from Dante's leading motif of the number three, the interactions he has between the various sinners, and the intertwining of portions of the Bible and the seven deadly sins into the Inferno. Dante's portrayal of the human soul as it journeys to find morality and achieve the glory of heave is raw and abrasive. The punishments you receive in hell will be harsh and unrelenting. Hell is eternal and once you are there the chance to repent and go to heaven will be lost forever.

Works Cited

Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Volume 1 Inferno (Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri Reprint Series). New York: Oxford UP, USA, 1997. Print.

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