The Ethical Structure and Moral Symbols of Inferno in Dante’s Divine Comedy

Abstract

The three-level ethical structure of Dante’s Inferno (incontenenza–matta bestialitade – malizia) is analyzed in this article in relation to Aristotle’s “triad of vicious morals” (kakia, akrasia, thēriotēs). The interrelation of the Christian scheme of sins with the circles of Inferno is investigated. It is emphasized that Dante uses four kinds of similar terms that characterize the guilt of Inferno sinners: 1) peccato (sin); 2) colpa (wine, offense); 3) vizio (vice); 4) cattivo (bad). This makes it possible to establish more clearly the correspondence of sin and punishment.

The contents of article is revealed through commenting of disputable moral collisions and ethical problems of Dante’s poem and through the interpretation of moral symbols of the Inferno. The author singles out nine ethic and philosophical, symbolical values of the idea of Inferno including: Inferno as a symbol of moral freedom; Inferno as a symbol of absolute loneliness; Inferno as a symbol of “bad infinity” of sufferings; Inferno as a symbol of eternal and “incomplete” dying, etc. In the conclusion humanistic sense and mission of the Inferno expressed in the concepts of “the will to Inferno” and “the right to Inferno” are discussed.