The Divine Comedy

The afterlife has all been speculation based on ones own beliefs. Some people believe there is simply nothing while others believe that there is a heaven or hell. In the “Divine Comedy”, Dante is lost in a forest when he is found by the spirit of Virgil. This spirit then leads him through the circles of Hell the terraces of Purgatory and the spheres of Heaven. On his journey he sees spirits either punished or rewarded for their decisions on earth. The main theme of The Divine Comedy, written by Dante Alighieri is the choices made in a man’s life and where those choices will put him after death.

Dante Alighieri’s version of Hell describes all of the punishments of those condemned, in accord with their sin. On entering Hell, Dante and Virgil read a sign, describing the horrors of hell and that there is no escape. “Through me you enter the city of woes… Abandon all hope ye who enter here.” (Dante Inferno Canto III) As they travel through Hell they see all of the various punishments for the condemned. They find that each sinner is condemned to a punishment that is in relation with his or her sin. For example, the Misers and the Spendthrifts are in Circle IV. Their sins were that they worshipped money so much that they hoarded it, or had so little regard for money that they spent it wildly. Nothing is so loathed to a miser as a spendthrift. So, their punishment is to bombard each other continually with huge stones expressing the antagonism between excessive hoarding and excessive squandering. Another example is the punishment of the Thieves, their hands, which they used to steal, are cut off and their bodies are entwined with snakes or serpents. Although Hell contains grave sinners, those without very terrible sins go to Purgatory.

Purgatory is the place where those who sinned but not gravely go after death. In Dante’s version of Purgatory, there are seven terraces; each terrace corresponds to a certain deadly sin. These are: Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Covetousness, Gluttony, and Lust. In each terrace the punishment has to do with the opposite of the deadly sin. For example, in the First Terrace, the Terrace of the Proud, their penance is to walk with huge stones bent over their backs in an example of humility. Purgatory is not a place of punishment, but rather a place of cleansing. “This mountain’s of such sort that climbing it is hardest at the start; but as we rise, the slope grows less unkind. Therefore, when this slope seems to you so gentle that climbing farther up will be as restful as traveling downstream by boat, you will be where this pathway ends, and there you can expect to put your weariness to rest.” (Dante Purgatorio Canto IV) Those put in Purgatory sinned but not as badly as those put in Hell. Of course they must go through some pain to be cleansed of their sins, but it is more bearable for them rather than those in Hell because they know that they will see heaven.

Dante’s heaven is composed of the souls who got out of Purgatory and those souls Holy enough to make it to Heaven without experiencing Purgatory. But most importantly, God and the Angels exist there. In Dante’s version of heaven, there are ten spheres of heaven. Although there are different spheres of Heaven, all of the blessed are equally high, and close to God. “But part of our delight is measuring rewards against our merit, and we see that our rewards are neither less nor more. Thus does the Living Justice make so sweet the sentiments in us, that we are free of any turning toward iniquity.” In Heaven, souls are placed on their blessedness. Each soul is delighted in their rank by just simply being in heaven and in the presence of God. They are rewarded as much as they desire.

Dante Alighieri gives his readers a material version of the afterlife. He depicts Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven in material locations, making it easier for the reader to understand. Dante also depicts where people will end up due to the decisions made during their life time. The worst sinners end up in hell, while those who sinned but less severely go to purgatory to be cleansed. Dante not only tells, he also teaches his readers by giving them a material view on how and where to end up in the afterlife.