The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: The Inferno
Dante Alighieri
Book Club
The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: The Inferno
8 ways to start a deeper conversation.
Contains spoilers for the entire book.
Discussion topics
Topic 01 of 08
The dark wood
What has brought Dante to the dark wood, and why can't he climb the hill alone?
Keep the conversation going
- What do the three beasts stand for?
- Why is it Beatrice who sends Virgil to him?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.
Discussion topics
What has brought Dante to the dark wood, and why can't he climb the hill alone?
Keep the conversation going
- What do the three beasts stand for?
- Why is it Beatrice who sends Virgil to him?
What kind of guide is Virgil, and what does he mean to Dante?
Keep the conversation going
- Why can't Virgil, of all people, enter Paradise?
- How does their relationship change through Hell?
Why does Dante faint after hearing Francesca's story?
Keep the conversation going
- Is she more victim than sinner?
- What did you make of the book that led them on?
Which punishment in Hell struck you as most fitting, and which as most disturbing?
Keep the conversation going
- How does each punishment mirror its sin?
- Do you agree with Dante's ordering of sins?
Why does Virgil rebuke Dante for his pity in some circles?
Keep the conversation going
- Is pity for the damned wrong?
- When does Dante himself show cruelty?
What did you make of Ulysses's account of his last voyage?
Keep the conversation going
- Why is he in Hell, and does his speech make you admire him?
- What does it say about the hunger for knowledge?
How did you respond to Ugolino's story of his imprisonment with his sons?
Keep the conversation going
- What does his final line suggest?
- Why does Dante place him gnawing on Archbishop Ruggieri?
What did you make of Lucifer, frozen at the centre of Hell, and of the climb out?
Keep the conversation going
- Why is Hell's centre ice, not fire?
- What does seeing the stars again mean after this journey?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.