Ch. and Religion and Morality in Dante’s Inferno

Religion can spark many thoughts in the minds of their followers. Religion influences our everyday lives. Religion created the term morality, meaning knowing the difference between right and wrong. In Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, The author was inspired by the Roman Catholic Church. Christianity discussed the idea of an afterlife but, never actually created a large concept of it. Through his work, Dante created the idea of three separate places in the afterlife: Inferno meaning hell, Purgativo meaning purgatory and Paradiso meaning heaven. The first book of this series is Inferno. Dante's work was an attempt to influence the protests and unrest of the Middle Ages into fear, Inferno served as a warning for the consequences of bad behavior. Dante's goal was to persuade people to the path of good. Dante Alighieri's Inferno proves to show the powerful influence religion and morality have over his work. To begin, Dante uses the Bible all throughout Inferno. The first example of this is the Holy Trinity. Well known cable network for true stories of notable individuals throughout time, an article on Biography, Dante: Biography explains that The Divine Comedy's use of hell, purgatory and heaven symbolize the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Biography notices that The Divine Comedy is a somewhat autobiographical work, set at the time in which he [Dante] lived. An example of this is the woman Beatrice. In The beginning of the Inferno, Dante wakes up in dark forest unknowing of how he got there. The poet Virgil appears to him and explains that Beatrice has sent him. The men must walk through Hell to get to her. Biography points out that Dante was actually in love with a woman named Beatrice Portinari. Even though he was promised to Gemma di Manetto, his heart bled for Beatrice. Dante named his only daughter out of four children, Beatrice. His love for Beatrice Portiagoria sparked his interest in the afterlife after her death in 1290. The timing of the trip can be considered realistic and religious towards the Catholic religion. Well known cable network for true stories of important historical events an article on History, Dante is Exiled From Florence notes that The journey lasts from the night before Good Friday to the Wednesday after Easter in the spring of 1300. This date is after Beatrice died and also takes place in part on Good Friday, the day of Jesus' crucifixion. Professor of Religion and Literature at Yale Divinity School, Author Peter S. Hawkins of Dante and the Bible confirms throughout Bible is referenced 575 times throughout The Divine Comedy. When the men reach Hell, it is obvious Catholic religion plays a large part in Dante's Inferno. According to History, Virgil guides Dante through hell and a phenomenal array of sinners in their various states. The men walk through the 9 circles of hell divided by the actions made by the sinners in each circle. History notes that

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