Inferno Canto 19 Study Guide

THE DIVINE COMEDY OF DANTE ALIGHIERI

INFERNO

CANTO XIX

l  Summery

Dante and Virgil are in the third bolgia of the 8^th circle. All the sinner’s feet are burned by fire. Dante goes to meet Nicholas II, who is the most disorderly ghosts in the third bolgia. At the beginning, Nicholas III says something indescribable; it makes Dante feels very confuse. Nicholas II tells Dante his sin and punishment. He also compares his life in the real world and here. After that, they talk about a person who is coming to the third bolgia; his sin is worse than Nicholas III. Later, Virgil and Dante keep walking to the next bolgia.

l  Character

Ø  Nicholas III

Nicholas III's papacy was largely involved with political machinations - arranged marriages, arranged negotiations between different European rulers, and arranged political offices. He decreed that no outside prince could be permitted to become a senator in Rome without papal approval and, out the same time, had himself named senator for life. He also engaged in a major renovation of St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Palace, which he made his official residence. Like many pope of the time, Nicholas III engaged in repeated nepotism - something which caused Dante to depict him in hell in his work The Divine Comedy.

l  Punishment in the third bolgia

The ghosts here are the simoniacs. In the rocky ground, they are buried upside-down in holes the size of baptism basins and their feet protrude, only to be burnt by flames. Eternal suffocation and immolation.

l  10 Multiple-Choice Questions

Ø  What will they do in San Giovnni?

A.    Have fun  B. Baptize  C. Punish the sinners

Ø  Why do the knees of the sinners are shaking badly?

A.    Because their feet are burned by fire

B.     Because they are very happy

C.     Because they are starving

Ø  How does the fire burn the sinners?

A.    From their feet to their head

B.     From their heel to their toe

C.     From their toe to their heel

Ø  What’s the different between Nicholas III and other sinners about their punishment?

A.    He has the harder punishment

B.     He has the better place to stay

C.     He needs to do more work

Ø  What does Dante say after Nicholas III say something indescribable?

A.    “I am the person who save you in the real world”

B.     “I will help you leave the hell”

C.     “I am not he, I am not he you suppose”

Ø  What does the between when Nicholas III in the real world and in the 8^th circle?

A.    In the real world, he is so happy; in the 8^th circle, he is so sad.

B.     In the real world, he put the money into the pocket; in the 8^th circle, he is put him into the evil capsule.

C.     In the real world, he is so rich; in the 8^th circle, he is so poor.

Ø  Why does Nicholas III have the harder punishment?

A.    Because he says something indescribable to Dante

B.     Because he the most disorderly ghosts there

C.     Because he didn’t do anything in the real world

Ø  What does Virgil do to Dante when they go through the bridge?

A.    Cry  B. Hug  C. Pull

Ø  What is the next difficulty for Dante and Virgil?

A.    Lion  B. She-Wolf  C. She-Goats

l  Two High Order Discussion Question

Ø  Why does Virgil tell Dante to say ‘I am not he, I am not he you suppose’ to Nicholas III when Nicholas III says something indescribable?

Ø  Why does Nicholas III compare his life in the real world and the third bolgia?

l  Work site

Ø  http://www.shmoop.com/inferno/canto-xix-summary.html

Ø  http://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/western/bldef_nicholasiii.htm