The Divine Comedy: Introduction (03:53)

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Dante's Divine Comedy is the greatest epic poem of the Middle Ages. It is unique in that it is written in Italian and Dante places himself as the main character in the poem. The poem is heavily influenced by the Bible and other Latin literature.

Dante's Influences (05:30)

The Divine Comedy is a great work of literature that has been influential for many centuries.

Dante's Inspiration (05:57)

Dante is making an important statement about how humans should conceive of their existence. After her death, Beatrice became an inspiration for Dante. In The Divine Comedy, she is the embodiment of his experience of love who intervenes for his salvation and is the image through which Dante comes to understand the love of God.

Ancient Mythology: Hell (05:59)

Dante's Inferno is a journey through the nine circles of hell, each one reserved for a different type of sinner.

The Order of Sins in The Inferno (04:17)

The Inferno is a poem about a man's journey through hell, which is ordered according to the sins of man. The sins are ordered according to a framework that is largely Aristotelian, not Christian.

Dante and Virgil Enter Hell (05:17)

The Divine Comedy is an epic poem by Dante Alighieri, written in the 14th century. It tells the story of Dante's journey through hell, purgatory, and heaven. The poem is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.

Dante Enters Purgatory (06:38)

The Divine Comedy is a poem that is full of hope and positive messages, but it is also full of horror and grimness.

Dante in the Garden of Eden (04:03)

Dante's heaven is a place where the love of God is emanated to all. It is based upon the astrological beliefs of Dante's time and has 10 levels that are ascended in turn.

Monastic Vows and Free Will (08:58)

The Divine Comedy is a journey through the different realms of heaven, each of which is ruled by a different planetary deity. In each realm, Dante meets a different group of souls who are representative of that particular realm. At the end of his journey, Dante is overwhelmed by the light of God.

Credits (00:36)

Credits