Sin and Salvation

Paper Summary:

Dante's "Inferno" and the anonymous French epic "Of Aucassin and Nicolette" were both written in Mediterranean Europe during the thirteenth century, an era dominated by wars, corruption and the supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church. The paper shows that both works provide descriptions of the afterlife, and both versions conform to the traditional Catholic view that sinners must endure Hell while faithful, good Christians will achieve salvation in Heaven. The paper shows, however, that while Dante's work is basically a political commentary and farce about Italian affairs, set in a heavily detailed depiction of Hell, the French romance incorporates a view that traditional concepts of Heaven and Hell encourage sin and offers a new, more pleasurable vision of Paradise.

From the Paper:

"Although each layer of Hell represents a more horrifying torture, with the antics of such beings as horned devils described alongside the sounds of excruciating pain, the Inferno is the first book of the Divine Comedy. Indeed, Dante's work is meant to be a farcical commentary on contemporary Italian affairs rather than a theological discourse, as Dante 'plays God' and places contemporary luminaries in various regions of Hell. In fact, one of the difficulties the modern reader faces is understanding the references which would have been easily identifiable and amusing in thirteenth century Italy."

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