DANTE UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
●● Canto 1
Answer: Level of Hell: None. Dante is at the entrance to hell. Characters
Met: Dante - the poet who lived during the Middle Ages and wrote The
Divine Comedy. He is also the pilgrim in this epic who faces the dark
woods (sin) and is prevented from seeking "the crest" (I.41). Virgil -
classical Roman poet who wrote the Aeneid-lived thirteen centuries
before Dante's time. He is also the guide for Dante in this epic. Beatrice:
Dante's ideal of love; she allegorically represents God's love for man.
She died at the age of 24. Dante doesn't marry her; instead, he marries a
woman name Gemma. She will guide Dante through Paradise.
Sin/Punishment: None, however, it seems as if Dante may have sinned
in life; therefore, he has strayed from the straight path and finds himself
in the dark woods.
●● Canto 2
Answer: Level of Hell: Limbo, which is neither heaven nor hell.
Characters Met: Seraphim any of the highest order of angels, above the
cherubim. Lady in Heaven (Virgin Mary). Lucia St. Lucia, messenger of
the Virgin Mary, patron saint of eyesight; here, represents Divine Light.
Rachel an Old Testament figure; here, she is said to represent
Contemplative Life. Beatrice, Dante's childhood and lifelong love and
future guide through Paradise. Muses the nine goddesses who preside
,over literature and the arts and sciences. Father of Sylvius, Aeneas.
Apostolate the office, duties, or peroid of activity of an apostle. Aeneas,
hero of the Aeneid, written by Virgil. Paul St. Paul (he is only referred
to); (original name Saul) died c. 67 a.d.; a Jew of Tarsus who became the
Apostle of Christianity to the Gentiles; author of several letters in the
New Testament. Sin/Punishment: None. Dante is showing cowardice by
not wanting to go into hell and being scared, until the Heavenly Ladies
convince him otherwise.
●● Canto 3
Answer: Level of Hell/Name:
Antechamber or Forehell
2. Characters met:
Charon: Charon is considered a demon in Dante's epic. He is the
ferryman for souls across the river Acheron.
3. Sin being punished:
The sin being punished is remaining neutral and indifferent.
4. Punishment:
There are two punishments. Punishment one is having bare skin galled
by flies, wasps, and maggots to the point where it bleeds. Punishment
two is to endlessly chase a banner that will never be reached.
5. Contrapasso:
The Contrapasso for the first punishment is that the souls never felt the
pain of choosing a side in life, so they are forced to feel pain for all of
eternity. The Contrapasso for the second punishment is that a banner
shows support for a side, but these souls never chose a side. The souls
, are forced to chase after the banner for all eternity, because they never
chased after anything in life. The souls will never reach the banner.
●● Canto 4
Answer: 1. Level of Hell/Name: Limbo, also known as the first circle.
2. Characters Met:
1. Old Testament Figures: These people were residing in Limbo until
Jesus came and brought the worthy to heaven. This event is known as
the Harrowing of Hell. Some of the figures brought out of limbo were
Rachel, King David, and Moses.
2. The Philosophers: The philosophers led virtuous lives but were not
Christian. Dante must look up in order to see these spirits, this shows
their heightened position due to the merit of their contemplations. Some
philosophers include: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
3. The Poets: Honorable souls that were also not Christian. They are
found clustered around a fire and later walk with Dante and Virgil. Poets
mentioned were Homer, Ovid, and Horace.
3. Sin being punished / Punishment:
Sin: The people here were pagans/unbaptised.
Punishment: The souls live in longing for God.
Contrapasso: In life the souls did not long for God, so in hell they live
and long for God for all eternity. This is an internal punishment.
●● Canto 5
Answer: Level of Hell/Name:
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
●● Canto 1
Answer: Level of Hell: None. Dante is at the entrance to hell. Characters
Met: Dante - the poet who lived during the Middle Ages and wrote The
Divine Comedy. He is also the pilgrim in this epic who faces the dark
woods (sin) and is prevented from seeking "the crest" (I.41). Virgil -
classical Roman poet who wrote the Aeneid-lived thirteen centuries
before Dante's time. He is also the guide for Dante in this epic. Beatrice:
Dante's ideal of love; she allegorically represents God's love for man.
She died at the age of 24. Dante doesn't marry her; instead, he marries a
woman name Gemma. She will guide Dante through Paradise.
Sin/Punishment: None, however, it seems as if Dante may have sinned
in life; therefore, he has strayed from the straight path and finds himself
in the dark woods.
●● Canto 2
Answer: Level of Hell: Limbo, which is neither heaven nor hell.
Characters Met: Seraphim any of the highest order of angels, above the
cherubim. Lady in Heaven (Virgin Mary). Lucia St. Lucia, messenger of
the Virgin Mary, patron saint of eyesight; here, represents Divine Light.
Rachel an Old Testament figure; here, she is said to represent
Contemplative Life. Beatrice, Dante's childhood and lifelong love and
future guide through Paradise. Muses the nine goddesses who preside
,over literature and the arts and sciences. Father of Sylvius, Aeneas.
Apostolate the office, duties, or peroid of activity of an apostle. Aeneas,
hero of the Aeneid, written by Virgil. Paul St. Paul (he is only referred
to); (original name Saul) died c. 67 a.d.; a Jew of Tarsus who became the
Apostle of Christianity to the Gentiles; author of several letters in the
New Testament. Sin/Punishment: None. Dante is showing cowardice by
not wanting to go into hell and being scared, until the Heavenly Ladies
convince him otherwise.
●● Canto 3
Answer: Level of Hell/Name:
Antechamber or Forehell
2. Characters met:
Charon: Charon is considered a demon in Dante's epic. He is the
ferryman for souls across the river Acheron.
3. Sin being punished:
The sin being punished is remaining neutral and indifferent.
4. Punishment:
There are two punishments. Punishment one is having bare skin galled
by flies, wasps, and maggots to the point where it bleeds. Punishment
two is to endlessly chase a banner that will never be reached.
5. Contrapasso:
The Contrapasso for the first punishment is that the souls never felt the
pain of choosing a side in life, so they are forced to feel pain for all of
eternity. The Contrapasso for the second punishment is that a banner
shows support for a side, but these souls never chose a side. The souls
, are forced to chase after the banner for all eternity, because they never
chased after anything in life. The souls will never reach the banner.
●● Canto 4
Answer: 1. Level of Hell/Name: Limbo, also known as the first circle.
2. Characters Met:
1. Old Testament Figures: These people were residing in Limbo until
Jesus came and brought the worthy to heaven. This event is known as
the Harrowing of Hell. Some of the figures brought out of limbo were
Rachel, King David, and Moses.
2. The Philosophers: The philosophers led virtuous lives but were not
Christian. Dante must look up in order to see these spirits, this shows
their heightened position due to the merit of their contemplations. Some
philosophers include: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
3. The Poets: Honorable souls that were also not Christian. They are
found clustered around a fire and later walk with Dante and Virgil. Poets
mentioned were Homer, Ovid, and Horace.
3. Sin being punished / Punishment:
Sin: The people here were pagans/unbaptised.
Punishment: The souls live in longing for God.
Contrapasso: In life the souls did not long for God, so in hell they live
and long for God for all eternity. This is an internal punishment.
●● Canto 5
Answer: Level of Hell/Name:
