Dante’s divine comedy UPDATED Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Comedy - CORRECT ANSWER - A work where the main character has a happy ending
Canto - CORRECT ANSWER - Three sections of each individual volumes
Hell - CORRECT ANSWER - A place without hope, where those whi didnt recieve or
except salvation are to spend eternity. A place of the wrath of God. The love of God is absent
Limbo - CORRECT ANSWER - The first circle of hell, those who were not baptized into
the church along with those who lived before Christ but failed to worship God in some fitting
fashion.
Purgatory - CORRECT ANSWER - Where souls correct their flaws as they prepare to
enter God's paradise
Terzine - CORRECT ANSWER - The rhyming pattern where the lines are grouped in
threes
hendecasyllabic - CORRECT ANSWER - A line of verse having eleven syllables. Literally
means "one ten"
Heaven - CORRECT ANSWER - All levels experience God, they are based on levels of
love a human is able to give to God
Divine comedy - CORRECT ANSWER - One of the most explicit explanations of
Christian life.
A poem in 3 parts (in Italian)
, 1. Inferno (hell)
2. Purgatorio (purgatory)
3. Paradiso (heaven)
What is the divine comedy in essence? - CORRECT ANSWER - The divine comedy is an
allegory of Christian life. Finding God through the bad. A work of imagination and fiction. Not
divine revelation or a funny comedy but a work where the main character has a happy ending.
(Being with God)
How does Dante describe hell? Why does it progress the way it does? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Dante writes of hell in concentric circles. Each circle of hell has different
kinds of lost souls whose sins vary within the layers of hell. For all layers, the wretchful and
painful noises make it hard to believe there is worse layer.
Who are some of the important people he meets there and why are they there? - CORRECT
ANSWER - He mentions notorious clergy, some popes and cardnals, in the level of
greedily holding positions and wasted their possessions. In level with arch heretics and their
followers; Dante calls out Pope Anastasius. In limbo, Dante mentions famous poets, Homer,
Horace and Ovid.
How has poetry influenced Christianity's understanding of hell? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Dante's poetry and description of hell has influenced the Christian understanding by making hell
more realistic and layouts the real consequences of our sin. To show eternity with the absence of
Gods love.
How does Dante describe purgatory? Why does it progress the way that it does? - CORRECT
ANSWER - He describes purgatory as a mountain island. There are seven terraces of
purgatory. They correspond to the seven deadly sins. The soaps on each level can only proceed
upward, since the goal is to reach God in heaven. Can only move in daylight hours because the
light of God is their guidance
Why has Dante chosen Virgil as his guide? - CORRECT ANSWER - He represents the
classical world, the best it has to offer. A pagan poet who wrote about a heroic decent into hell
(the Aeneid) before Jesus was born.
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Comedy - CORRECT ANSWER - A work where the main character has a happy ending
Canto - CORRECT ANSWER - Three sections of each individual volumes
Hell - CORRECT ANSWER - A place without hope, where those whi didnt recieve or
except salvation are to spend eternity. A place of the wrath of God. The love of God is absent
Limbo - CORRECT ANSWER - The first circle of hell, those who were not baptized into
the church along with those who lived before Christ but failed to worship God in some fitting
fashion.
Purgatory - CORRECT ANSWER - Where souls correct their flaws as they prepare to
enter God's paradise
Terzine - CORRECT ANSWER - The rhyming pattern where the lines are grouped in
threes
hendecasyllabic - CORRECT ANSWER - A line of verse having eleven syllables. Literally
means "one ten"
Heaven - CORRECT ANSWER - All levels experience God, they are based on levels of
love a human is able to give to God
Divine comedy - CORRECT ANSWER - One of the most explicit explanations of
Christian life.
A poem in 3 parts (in Italian)
, 1. Inferno (hell)
2. Purgatorio (purgatory)
3. Paradiso (heaven)
What is the divine comedy in essence? - CORRECT ANSWER - The divine comedy is an
allegory of Christian life. Finding God through the bad. A work of imagination and fiction. Not
divine revelation or a funny comedy but a work where the main character has a happy ending.
(Being with God)
How does Dante describe hell? Why does it progress the way it does? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Dante writes of hell in concentric circles. Each circle of hell has different
kinds of lost souls whose sins vary within the layers of hell. For all layers, the wretchful and
painful noises make it hard to believe there is worse layer.
Who are some of the important people he meets there and why are they there? - CORRECT
ANSWER - He mentions notorious clergy, some popes and cardnals, in the level of
greedily holding positions and wasted their possessions. In level with arch heretics and their
followers; Dante calls out Pope Anastasius. In limbo, Dante mentions famous poets, Homer,
Horace and Ovid.
How has poetry influenced Christianity's understanding of hell? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Dante's poetry and description of hell has influenced the Christian understanding by making hell
more realistic and layouts the real consequences of our sin. To show eternity with the absence of
Gods love.
How does Dante describe purgatory? Why does it progress the way that it does? - CORRECT
ANSWER - He describes purgatory as a mountain island. There are seven terraces of
purgatory. They correspond to the seven deadly sins. The soaps on each level can only proceed
upward, since the goal is to reach God in heaven. Can only move in daylight hours because the
light of God is their guidance
Why has Dante chosen Virgil as his guide? - CORRECT ANSWER - He represents the
classical world, the best it has to offer. A pagan poet who wrote about a heroic decent into hell
(the Aeneid) before Jesus was born.
