Abstract
This paper discusses Dante Alighieri's allegorical tale, "The Inferno." It describes the concept of Divine justice within the work and discusses how the work can be seen as a journey to one man's acceptance of Divine judgment, as part of the objective will of God. The paper discusses the journey that Dante goes through and how it affects him.

From the Paper
"Even to the very monsters of hell does Dante Alighieri extend his belief in divine justice, as is seen in the wood of the suicides. He describes the woods as "the nesting place of the foul Harpies." (Dante, Cant. 13), who, according to ancient Greek lore, were "fierce, filthy, winged monsters, with the faces of women, bodies of vultures, and sharp claws who served as ministers of divine vengeance, and punished criminals." (Harpies, Par. 3). Undoubtedly, the Harpies are most appropriate guardians of the wood of the suicides, as they are ministers of divine justice, and, in addition, there exists a strong contrast between the Harpies who are prophetic, and the suicides who believed themselves to be prophetical in assuming that there was nothing left to live for in their futures, furthering the idea of contrapasso in The Inferno, and providing a delicate and profound example of divine justice."

Tags:god, sin, soul, hell

Abstract
The paper examines the primary influence of Dante Alighieri on art and religion in the modern world. The paper discusses the effect that education and the separation of church and state have had on modern American life, and shows how Dante had a great influence on how religious doctrine was affected through the historical rise of the Protestant faith.

Tags:biography, poet, philosophy

Abstract
This paper suggests that, while the notion of Heaven and Hell perhaps has its origins in Dante's "Inferno", there is, in actuality, a far more intimate duality to be examined: the paternal relationship between a father and son. The paper relates that Dante establishes Virgil the guide as a father figure to the pilgrim Dante. Yet, as in all father-son relationships, there is a metamorphosis. Virgil progresses from a strict father to becoming tempered by love and maternal instincts, while his son Dante, progresses from a helpless child to a rebellious teenager. The paper discusses this metamorphosis and concludes that the tender and affectionate relationship the two characters share is a counter-point to the nightmarish discourse of heaven and hell.

From the Paper
"However, as in most parenting relationships, children grow to the rebellious stage of adolescence. Dante begins to experience great fear and doubt concerning Virgil's power. In the beginning of Canto IX, Virgil is unable to open the gate of Dis. The all-knowing Virgil has failed. Dante thinks to himself, "the colored cowardness displayed in me when I saw that my guide was driven back..."(9.1-2), "Nevertheless, his speech made me afraid, because I drew out from his broken phrase a meaning worth- perhaps-then he'd intended" (9.13-15)."

Tags:evolution, guiding light, maternal instincts, teenager counter-point

Abstract
This paper discusses how goodness is viewed in two distinctly different historical and cultural contexts, namely, Dante's "Inferno" and Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics." The writer explains that Aristotle is primarily concerned with the practical dynamic of relationships between behavior and human interaction, while the "Inferno," an intellectual descendant of the rationality of "Nicomachean Ethics," reflects equally the influence of medieval Christian ideas of justice and goodness. The writer shows where Dante concurs with Aristotle and where the 'good of intellect' in Dante does not refer to a core morality but to goodness as part of Christian morality. The paper concludes that although Dante's Christian ideology provides a stark contrast in perspective, the works remain equally committed to the idea of goodness as a function of human interaction.

From the Paper
"Indeed, morality is the underlying matter of consideration in Dante's Inferno, with the human interaction being an extension of Christian justice. Any divergence therefrom represented an idea that, while not necessarily erroneous in its nature, was presented to be an emanation from error. The unwavering and mathematically unbiased law of God as in Dante's work is the body to which human beings are the nearly vestigial extremities. As Socrates' and Plato's presence in Hell illustrates, such extremities could often even be counter-intuitive to the necessary functions of this body."

Tags:Christianity, hegemonic, God, Socrates, happiness, concurrence, philosophy, self-love, virtue

Abstract
This paper examines the scholars and the de-contextualization of Dante's "Inferno" - with special emphasis upon canto III. The paper summarizes the scene when a fearful Dante first enters Hell and discusses its significance in terms of understanding Dante and his world. The paper also looks at how intellectuals view Dante's "Inferno". The writer believes that the work stands out as a classic example of the medieval allegory play taken to new rhetorical heights. The writer concludes that it is also an example of how even the simplest works, if powerfully wrought, can spark wide discussion among academics who seek out meanings unimagined by the author.

From the Paper
"Ultimately, the canto, like the rest of the cantica, is a potential mirror into the world in which Dante Alighieri lived as well as a mirror into his own inner turmoil as a devout Christian seeking a purpose to his life as well as answers to questions that presumably many devout Christians were asking in the fourteenth century. To start with, the canto (in the original Italian, anyway) was written in the demanding terza rima rhyme pattern (Scott para.2) and, even in English translations, the text can be difficult to follow as Dante tries to bend the language into shapes and forms to which it does not adhere willingly."

Tags:Christian, medieval, allegory, Italian, hell, bible, devout

Abstract
This paper begins with an explanation of what is meant by allegory and then discusses the use of allegory in Dante's "Inferno", using Robert Pinsky's translation of the text. Specific examples are cited and analyzed to demonstrate the allegorical and symbolic concept of Dante's writing.

From the Paper
"When Dante writes of the dark woods so hard, tangled and rough he is referring to the fact that he feels as if he has lost himself. This is reiterated by the words "the rightroad lost". When we are lost in the woods we have lost the right road. The rightroad lost is symbolic of a dark night of the soul as in one falls to side of the road or spiritually loses one's way."

Tags:narrative, literal, meaning, representative, sustained, medieval, morality, play, episode, literature, genre, historical, political, ideas, characters, personify, abstract, concepts, didactic, purpose

Abstract
The paper looks at the compelling epic simile used in Canto 12, in which Dante compares a bull on the way to slaughter to the dreaded Minotaur, that Dante must face on his way to Paradise. The paper explains how using a bull as the symbol of the beast allows the reader to immediately understand the violence and force of the Minotaur. It also discusses the knowledge that Dante must gain during his journey in order for him to achieve victory.

From the Paper
"Another analogy also fits the image of the bull that gains strength in the last minutes of life, and fits the image of the Minotaur, half bull, and half man. Bulls are notoriously violent, they charge at the least little thing, and are not known for their brains. They are also hopelessly lost outside of their element, as the "bull in the china shop" analogy clearly shows. Thus, this "bull man" that is the Minotaur can be overcome when it is outside its element, where it is no longer comfortable. Remove this ultimate beast from its position in the labyrinth, and you will have the upper hand, as Dante and his guide discover. Therefore, the Minotaur serves yet another purpose in Dante's growing knowledge as he moves along the pathway toward Paradise. The Minotaur shows that the violence of the Minotaur is a result of his environment and his comfort level, and if these are removed, the Minotaur is vulnerable. This is a valuable lesson in life, for it shows how even the most violent among us use their environment as a shield to hide their vulnerability."

Tags:labyrinth, guardian, rage, Beatrice, Lucifer

Abstract
This paper is an analysis of the poem "Inferno" by Dante Alighieri. The author discusses the comedy in "Inferno" and the importance of its style of writing and use of language for the times it was written in.

From the paper:

"When a man steps up to construct a work of art, they do it for a plethora of ideas. These can be either to change viewpoints, express personal ideas, or insure their name in the years to come. Yet the creator cannot simply be the only one to make a work of art one of importance. It must include the passion of the times and the eagerness for something new and vivacious. To break traditions from the past is to set traditions for the future. Dante Alighieri created a poem in the 1200's that Florentines and the world had never conceived up."

Tags:alighieri, dante, florence, italy, literature

Abstract
This paper discusses how in Homer's The Odyssey" and Alighieri Dante's "The Inferno" we see the universal quest of the hero. It looks at how "The Odyssey" is an epic adventure that would certainly be deemed heroic in its very being. In comparison, it discusses how "The Inferno", is less overtly so and how it is more of a personal journey, told in first person by the writer himself, Dante Alighieri. The paper contends that the theme for both is one of transformation and enlightenment. Both "heroes" of these stories had a need for personal fulfillment and reunification with their own spirit.

From the Paper
"One of the striking differences in these two quests is that one is full of a pantheon of gods and goddesses and the other is full of people. Homer gives us a lesson in Greek mythology and introduces us to many of their gods, yet they are somehow familiar. These gods have all too human attributes of love, greed, jealously, pride and so on. They are in essence human except for the fact that they are immortal and have power over nature. This reminds one of Jungian Archetypes, large scale emotional and psychological myths that represent the subconscious in human beings (Jung), except that these gods have the power to make their needs a reality, while humans may only be able to dream about it. However, this dreaming, these myths, reveal a panorama of psychological depth that is unattainable otherwise. "

Tags:odysseus, gods, hell, ithaca, mortal

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the book "Inferno," by Alighieri Dante. Specifically, it describes two characters, Beatrice and Lucifer. Beatrice and Lucifer could not be farther apart in this poem. They represent good and evil, savior versus destroyer, and they are both present in the poem in order to illustrate the ultimate theme of good versus evil, and Dante's ultimate salvation.

From the Paper
"The "Inferno" is the first of three books that make up Dante's classical work "The Divine Comedy." The "Inferno" follows Dante's journey through Hell on his route to finding God. He begins at the bottom in sin, and must fight his way to the top, where lovely Beatrice awaits him in Paradise."

Tags:Hell, Beatrice, Lucifer, good, evil, savior, destroyer, poem, Divine