The Leon M.

Goldstein High School For The Sciences

The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Cantos 1-17 Test Review

Aim: Can Dante’s medieval Christian values be applied to the modern World?

Motivation: Is Dante right, should the punishment fit the crime?

Test format:

Part 1: Allegorical Figures Ten matching questions. For example can you identify
Ciacco the Hog- Canto 6 Glutton
Cavalcante dei Cavalcanti- Canto 10 Heretic
Bruno Der Latini- Canto 15 & 16 Sodomite & Dante’s teacher (favorite teacher)
Fillipo Argenti- Canto 8 The wrathful He makes obscene gestures.
Pope Anataseus-Canto 11 The most punished Heretic
The Old Man of Crete-Canto 16 Statue who’s cracks form the rivers of hell.
Capaneus- Canto 14 Blasphemer show human anger
Paolo-Canto 5 – fell in love with Francesca the lustful
Francesca-Canto 5 fell in love with paolo the lustful
-Dante gets in trouble for feeling pity for them (Paolo and Francesca)

Part 2: Allegorical Punishments: Ten matching questions Can you match the
punishment with the crime. Do you know the punishment for
moral neutrality-confined to the vestibule, carry a blank banner while being stung
by gnats and wasps.
lust- Whirlpool or tornado; represents inability to control their passions.
gluttony- Live in their own waste products
wrath- Live in the river of excrement
heresy- Live in burning tombs
blasphemy- Live in river of boiling blood up to their eyelids
suicide- Transformed into trees with bleeding branches
sodomy- Burning sand and rain of fire
paganism- Live separated from light (complete darkness)

Part 3: Multiple choice ten theme or literary questions with four possible responses.
1) an you identify the three allegorical figures that blocked Dante from the true way.
She-Wolf, Lion, Leopard
Do you know the symbolic meaning of the earthquake that Dante witnessed as he
entered the City Of Dis.? According to scripture, there was an earthquake at the
precise moment Christ died.

Do you know the sinners Dante felt sympathy for?

Paolo, Francesca, Bruno

Do you know what special abilities the damned have? They can see the future.

Part IV: Essay 50 pts. You should prepare an outline especially if you are a slow
writer as extended time will only be granted to those legally entitled to it.

Compare and contrast a sin of incontinence (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath) with a
sin of violence (Heresy, Murder, War, Suicide, Sodomy)

1) explain how and why these sins are classified in this manner

2) explain the agents or elements of punishment ( water vs. fire)

3) explain how the offenses grow in severity and show an erosion or corruption of
humanity

4) explain how the punishments build in intensity

5) explain how this division reflects Dante’ s moral code.

The Leon M. Goldstein High School For The Sciences At Kingsborough

Mr. Scott Hughes, Principal Mr. Wotypka, Instructor

Dante’s Inferno Composition Outline

Name __________________________________________ Date _______

Dante divides sins into three categories. Those categories are incontinence, violence
and fraud. Circles one through six cover the sins of incontinence. Sins of
Incontinence are sins of personal weakness like greed, gluttony and lust. Circle 7
and its three rounds are devoted to the sins of violence. The Sins of violence include
violent acts against neighbor, self, art, nature and God. The striking contrast that
exists between punishments for incontinence and violence can be observed by
comparing the penalty for Gluttony with the penalty for Waging War Against
Neighbors. The severity of the punishments depends on the degree to which the
offense involved the corruption of others. Gluttony is an isolated form of personal
corruption while waging war results in the loss of innocent lives.

Step 1: Making an opening statement about Dante’s division of crimes. (See above)

Step 2: Explain Dante’s rationale for these divisions (See above)

Step 3: Identify a Canto that reflects a sin of incontinence and a canto that
demonstrates a sin of violence. For example: The striking contrast that exists
between punishments for incontinence and violence can be observed by comparing
the penalty for Gluttony with the penalty for Waging War Against Neighbors.

Step 4: Thesis: The severity of the punishments depends on the degree to which the
offense involved the corruption of others. Gluttony is an isolated form of personal
corruption while waging war results in the loss of innocent lives.

Body Paragraph One: Sins of Incontinence

Topic Sentence: Gluttony is a sin of incontinence for which an appropriate

punishment has been designed.

Detail A:

Detail B:
 Detail C:

Body Paragraph 2: Sin of Violence

Topic Sentence: Waging war against one’s neighbor is a grave offense that demands
a more severe penalty than a sin of incontinence.

Detail A:

Detail B:

Detail C:
 Conclusion: Crimes which lead to the corruption or harm of others receive a more
severe punishment. Incontinence sins are the result of personal weaknesses. While
these offenses probably made the lives of those who come into contact with these
souls unpleasant, their crimes did not cause the corruption of others. If the crimes
corrupted others, Dante believed they deserved harsher punishments. Gluttons
allowed their tremendous appetites to dominate their lives. As a result, they did not
achieve their full potential. For this, they are justly punished in the river of
excrement. War makers are regarded as greater criminals because their lust for
world domination led to the early deaths of innocent people. For this reason, they
are immersed in the boiling blood of their victims up to their eyelids. The separation
of sin into categories and the increase in the severity of the punishment reflect
Dante’s strict belief in moral retribution, a philosophy that dictated that the
punishment should equal the crime.