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Dante’s Inferno, the first part of The Divine Comedy, is one of the masterpieces of Western literature, a poetic journey through the nine circles of the Underworld (Hell), each circle depicting a specific sin, or egocentric action, in such a way that we become alive to the nuances and ramifications of the different types of Excess, Violence and Fraud. We meet many damned characters from history, myth and Dante’s contemporary late-medieval Italy, several of them giving us vivid, revealing accounts of their actions while alive. Each week we read two or three of the thirty-four cantos, with supportive notes and podcasts to help us on the way. In the Zoom sessions we examine some of the major features of the reading and address questions, welcoming discussions on any issues arising from the cantos. In the Canvas platform there is a chance to continue the discussion with comments, questions and observations about the Inferno, or to share experiences or other works of art that can supplement what Dante has been telling us.

This course leads onto The Purgatorio which will start in the Spring Term.