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• 1 media/Sutherland_DC_1497_outside0017.jpg 2024-04-30T13:10:47-07:00 The Divine Comedy and The Inferno 9 plain 2024-05-26T06:55:10-07:00
  Saint Mary's College holds copies of many different editions of the Divine Comedy, written by Dante Alighieri. One of these editions was printed in 1497. It is an incunabulum, meaning that it was printed before 1500, in the early years of printing. This edition of The Divine Comedy was published by Barnadindo Vinarda and someone else, whose name has since been lost to history, in Florence, Italy. Florence was the town from which Dante was exiled in 1302. This is important because Florence was the town that Dante had most connected with; it was a symbol of his heritage and his identity. The Comedy is an allegorical narrative. It is believed that Alighieri's interactions with his love, Beatrice, which took place in 1274, had an influence on his later works. This work is considered a comedy in the classic sense of the word, in that it is a story that moves from sadness or disruption to joy and peace. The poem is about the author's story journey towards God.
  
  The Divine Comedy is split into three parts, the Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Heaven). The Inferno contains thirty-four cantos, while the other two each contain thirty-three; in total, these one hundred cantos explain the journey that Dante takes. The purpose of this poem was to show the people the terrors and horrors their souls would go through if they did not obey God's laws or live righteously. In the first section of the Inferno, Dante finds himself lost in a forest, when he meets Virgil, a man who was sent by Beatrice, Dante's love, to help him. Virgil guides him on his journey, accompanying him throughout the Inferno and Purgatorio. Dante encounters the horrors within the Inferno and goes through the nine circles. As he goes through these circles, he has compassion and pity for these sinners. He knows that they are guilty of their sins, however, he still believes that there is good in them and finds their suffering heartbreaking. He is terrified by all of the horrors he ran into. He is very curious during this part of the story, as he attempts to talk with many of the sinners along the way.
  
  There are nine circles of hell in total. Limbo, the first circle, is not for sinners, but for people who are not baptized. Many people lived before Christ, and Virgil is one of these people. The second circle provides a more traditional depiction of Hell and punishes those who were lustful throughout their lives. The third circle punishes gluttony, and the people in this circle had weak wills and could not resist the earthly pleasure of indulgence. The fourth circle is guarded by Pluto, the Roman god of wealth, and is reserved for the greedy; the sinners are divided up into two groups--those who hoarded and those who overspent. The fifth circle is for those people who are guilty of wrath and fury. The sixth circle is reserved for heretics, people who have opinions that are contrary to the opinion of Christian beliefs. The seventh circle is where those who have committed violence are sent, including the souls of those who killed themselves. The eighth circle, where many types of fraud are punished, is one of the most full circles; the path is dangerous, as many kinds of people are there. The ninth circle is designated for those who commited treachery; in this circle can be found the classical depiction of Satan where he is frozen from the waist down.
  
  Eventually, Dante and Virgil survive their journey through hell. Purgatorio is the next section of the Comedy in which Dante and Virgil travel through seven mountains, each representing one the seven deadly sins. In Paradiso, then, Beatrice guides Dante through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven. Being the final section of Comedy, it differs from the previous two sections. In Paradiso, Dante encounters virtues rather than sins, and, because of this, the poem ends on a happy note.  
  
  How might this narrative relate to Saint Mary College? This collection of poems looks at the intricate parts of religion and ultimately shows how Dante ends up in a better place than when he began, with the help of a partner. Similar concepts taught at Saint Mary’s College. This is because the importance of spirituality, collaboration, and teamwork are all things that Saint Mary’s College prides itself on teaching and implementing into the day-to-day lives of those who live there. These may not be glaringly obvious when initially reading the story, but, when looking below the surface of the story, it makes sense. The story of the Inferno, specifically, is a bit harder to relate to Saint Mary's College, but there are some connections that I can see. There is a strong sense of justice, compassion, religion, and love throughout this story that is carried over into the morals and standards of Saint Mary’s College. The core values of Saint Mary’s College include spirituality (religion), justice (justice), and community (compassion and love). While these connections might not be outwardly obvious, when looking at how Dante portrays those in the Inferno and those who are a part of the circles of hell, a lot of his ideas and talks reference these ideas. 
  
  Another copy of the Inferno that can be found in the Rare Book Room was published in London, England, in 1867. This copy of the Inferno is interesting as it was printed in England by Chapman and Hall, a publishing company that is still around today. This is not an extraordinary copy of the book by any measures, however, it is very interesting because it has survived as long as it has and is in such good condition. This book is a prime example of something we would want in the Rare Book Room, as it was kept in good condition before we got it, and then we had the opportunity to provide it with a safe home where it will continue to be kept in such good condition.