DANTE’S INFERNO
The Circles of Hell
DAY 1
ACTIVATOR: PERSONAL CONNECTION
INSTRUCTIONS: You have received slips of paper
that you should number 1-9. Around the room are
nine different sins/evils that humans are punished
for in Dante’s fictional depiction of Hell, called the
“Inferno.” Walk around the classroom and place a
post-it note on each poster. Number 9 should be
what you consider the worst sin/the most evil, and
number 1 should be what you consider the least
evil. Once you have used all of your post-its, sit
back down and explain your reasoning behind your
#1(least evil) and #9(most evil) choices.
ANTE-INFERNO AND CIRCLES 1-2
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The Ante-Inferno: The Indecisive
 People: The souls of those who did not commit to either
good or evil dwell in the entrance to Hell. Both Heaven
and Hell have denied them entry.
 Punishment: Constantly chasing a blank banner, and
are continually bitten by flies and wasps.
Circle 1: Limbo
 People: This is where souls who never knew Christ exist.
This includes those who were born pre-Christ, and babies
who were not baptized at birth. (Homer, Socrates,
Aristotle, Cicero, Hippocrates and Julius Caesar.)
 Punishment: They live in a fog away from the grace of god.
Circle 2: Lust
 People: These souls committed sins of the flesh.
 Punishment: Torrential rains always fall and gales of
wind tear through the air. The souls of the damned swirl
about in the wind, swept helplessly through the air.
(Cleopatra, Tristan, Helen of Troy and others who were
adulterous during their lifetime.)
CIRCLES 3-4
Circle 3: Gluttony
 People: The souls of those who over-indulge, typically
in food and/or drink.
 Punishment: Rain that consists of filth and
excrement falls ceaselessly, and a horrific stench fills
the air. These souls must lie on the ground as the
sewage rains down upon them.
 Circle 4: Greed
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People: This is where souls who during their lives, hoarded
and squandered their money.
 Punishment: In a ring-shaped ditch around the circle, two
groups of souls push weights along. Each group completes a
semicircle before crashing into the other group and then
turning around. The souls are condemned to this jousting
match for eternity. (many clergymen including cardinals
and popes)
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CIRCLES 5-6
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Circle 5: Wrath
People: The souls of those who were consumed
with anger during their lives.
 Punishment: The souls forever crouch on the
bank of the river Styx, covered in mud, and
striking and biting at each other.
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Circle 6: Heresy

People: The souls of those who rejected
Christianity. (the ancient Greek philosopher
Epicurus, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II
and Pope Anastasius II.)

Punishment: The tombs of these souls are on fire,
glowing with fierce hot flames.
CIRCLE 7
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Circle 7: Violence
 People: Contains those who are violent, subdivided into
three smaller circles: violence against one’s neighbor,
against oneself, and against God. (Alexander the Great
(disputed), Dionysius I of Syracuse, Guy de Montfort and
many other notable historical and mythological figures)
 Punishment of Level 1: In a river of blood, the sinners
boil and a group of Centaurs sit on the bank and shoot at
any soul that tries to raise itself out of the river.
 Punishment of Level 2: Those who committed suicide
and squandered their possession have been transformed
into trees. The trees are black and gnarled and experience
pain when a branch is broken.
 Punishment of Level 3: Three zones: the Blasphemers,
the Sodomites, and the Usurers. Fire rains down upon
them for eternity.
CIRCLES 8-9
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Circle 8: Fraud
People: Made up of those who consciously and willingly
commit fraud, like thieves, hypocrites, corrupt
politicians, counterfeiters, false prophets, and
impersonators.
 Punishment: Each soul is in a ditch guarded by
different demons, and the inhabitants suffer different
punishments, such as feet enduring flames for eternity.
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Circle 9: Treachery
People: Divided into four zones of different types of
traitors: family traitors, political/national traitors, guest
traitors, and lord/master traitors. (Cain, Judas, Satan)
 Punishments: Most of the punishments deal with ice—
it is frigid cold in this circle. Some are frozen in lakes,
others are gnawing on each other’s heads. This is where
Satan resides because he is the ultimate betrayer—he
betrayed God.
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TERMS TO KNOW:
contrapasso- from the Latin contra and patior,
"suffer the opposite": refers to the punishment of
souls in Dante's Inferno, "by a process either
resembling or contrasting with the sin itself.
 Poetic Justice- in modern literature it is often
accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to
the character's own action.
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POETIC JUSTICE EXAMPLES
In the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, the wicked
stepmother and sisters watch as Cinderella
becomes queen-after they made her their servant
for most of her life. In many versions of the tale,
they end up living in the castle as her servants.
This is poetic justice.
 A wealthy character who disrespects his
housekeeper ends up penniless, and has to work
as a servant.

With a partner, come up with three examples of
poetic justice. They can be examples from
literature, or examples that you create on your
own.
LEVELS AND PUNISHMENTS
Anti-Inferno
 People there:
For those who live without disgrace and without
praise.
 Punishment:
They are stuck crying and sighing in depression for
never knowing the presence of God.
 Poetic Justice:
LEVEL 1: LIMBO
People there:
For those worthy but not baptized and/or before the
time of Christianity.
 Punishment: They live in a fog away from the
grace of god.
 Poetic Justice:
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LEVEL TWO
People there:
For the Lustful, Carnal Sinners
 Punishment: They are blown around by a violent,
never ending storm, never to rest.
 Poetic Justice:
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LEVEL THREE
People there: For the gluttons
 Punishment: They are rained upon by foul rain
and garbage, and stand in worms decomposing
the mess.
 Poetic Justice:
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DAY 2
ACTIVATOR: REVIEW
Place the 9 Circles of Hell, plus the Ante-Inferno,
in the correct order according to Dante.
A. Fraud
B. Gluttony
C. Greed
D. Heresy
E. Indecisive
F. Limbo
G. Lust
H. Treachery
I. Violence
J. Wrath
SUMMARIZER: PROGRESS REPORT
INSTRUCTIONS: As you exit the classroom today, I
need you to give me the following update on your
project. These are the MINIMUM requirements!
1. Partner or group member names (if applicable)
2. Theme of your Inferno
3. Sins/Evils of your 9 levels
4. Guide and Tourist identities
HOMEWORK
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Bring in materials for your inferno!
DAY 3
ACTIVATOR: WHAT’S THE QUESTION?
 The
answer is “a person, place, or thing
used to represent something else.”
 What’s the question?
INFERNO = ALLEGORY
An allegory is a story in which the characters,
settings, and events stand for abstract or moral
concepts.
 In other words, an allegory can be read on one level
for its literal meaning and on another level for its
symbolic meaning.
 The journey of Dante’s character in Dante’s Inferno is
an allegory because of its clear literal and symbolic
levels.
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Literal:
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Symbolic:
SUMMARIZER: TAKING QUESTIONS
 In
order to help me help you prepare for
the Unit 1 Exam, please take this
opportunity to peruse your Study Guide
and then write down on a piece of paper
the terms, concepts, texts, etc. that you
would like to review as a class next time.
If you have any specific questions, write
down those as well.