Canto XV

La Divina Comedia: Inferno

Canto XV

 

Summary:

Dante and Virgil carry on their journey in the Seventh Circle of Hell as they enter the circle’s Third Ring. Crossing the banks of the river, Date and Vigil notice the fiery rain that falls in this Ring. This Ring contains those who were violent against nature; the Sodomites. The Sodomites are forced to walk under a fiery rain for eternity. As Dante and Virgil walk on their journey, Dante recognizes one of the Sodomites: Brunetto Latini. Brunetto Latini was a kind of former mentor to Dante. Brunetto Latini asks Dante why he is in Hell and they talk about politics. Bruntetto Latini warns Dante of the dangers of the political structure in Florence yet predicts he will take great power. Dante almost shrugs this off as Brunetto Latini walks back to is fateful path and Virgil and Dante continue their journey.

Sin in This Canto:

The sin in this Canto is the violence against human nature and God. Those punished, the Sodomites, have committed acts of violence and Sodomy, the kind of sexuality that cannot lead to the conception of a child.

Punishment:

Sodomites are punished by walking underneath a fiery rain for eternity. The rain singes their body without halting.

Contrapasso:

The Sodomites broke human nature and polluted their bodies and the bodies of others. The Fiery rain represents the purge of this. Additionally, rain is normally rain not fire, thus a representation of the breaking of the natural order of things.

 Important Character:

Brunetto Latini: Brunetto Latini (1220-1294 C.E.) was born in Florence to a Tuscan noble family. He wrote Tesoretto and Li Livres dou Trésor. He was a member of Guelph party and mentor to Dante. Brunetto Latini was also exiled from Florence like Dante would be. Brunetto Latini represents a key figure in Dante’s life, and his stake in Hell hurts Dante, who sees another person he admired regulated to the fires of Hell.

 

Multiple Choice Questions:

1.      What part of the Seventh Circle do Dante and Virgil enter?

A)     1^st B) 2^nd C) 3^rd D) None

2.      Dante encounters who in this Circle?

A)     Charon B) Medusa C) Pope Pious D) Brunetto Latini

3.      Who are punished in this Circle?

A)     The Violent B) The Violent against Nature C) The Greedy D) The Vengeful

4.      How are the sinners punished?

A)     Flogging B) Fire Rain C) Acid D) Unending Tasks

5.      What is Virgil’s reaction to Brunetto’s wisdom?

A)     Unmoved B) Happy C) Frustrated D) Content

6.      How does Dante feel after seeing so many he admired in Hell?

A)     Shocked B) Happy C) Helpless D) Unimpeded

7.      What is Brunetto doing?

A)     Walking B) Burning C) Climbing D) Moving

  Cont.

8. What are the Sodomites sinful of?

A) Violence B) Sodomy C) Greed D) Avarice

9. How many sections of Circle 7 are there?

A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4

10. Is Brunetto Latini happy to see Dante? Is Dante happy to see Brunetto Latini?

1. A) Yes B) No

2. A) Yes B) No

 

Higher Order Thinking Questions:

1. How would you feel if one of your mentors was regulated to Hell for eternity? How does Dante feel?

2. What does the fire rain symbolize? Are there any parallels to actual life?

3. There are many river ways in Hell, do these river ways hold any significant symbolic purpose besides being the transportation method in Hell?