The second part of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedyùthat which is known as the Inferno, acts as a prime example of a pre-modern version of hell. In this hell are sinners of all kinds, from all the centuries. The hell that Dante creates is not the same as the one we imagine today, though Dante's vision has certainly shaped the one of the present.
As the character Dante descends into hell, he is witness to the afterlives of different kinds of sinners. They begin with those of lesser sins, which are closer to the ground. Then, as Dante descends deeper into hell, the shades of worse sins greet him, until finally, he is at the center of the earth, and in the company of the devil himself.
Dante's journey takes the form of an Arthurian quest, an thus, apparent comparisons can be made in this text, and that of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain descends deeper into the depths of his quest to come out at the other end with the Green knight,whom he must bargain with, much like the devil.
In fact, The similarities between the two are so apparent, that Gerould contends that
though the author [of Gawain] owed nothing to any model, the superb artistry which combined richness of poetical effect with control of design convinces one that he, like Chaucer, had learned much from the Italian masters [such as Dante],(31).
Thus, it can be concluded that the Arthurian quest format of literature at the time is owed much to Alighieri, and as such, much to the Inferno.
That said, The Inferno begins much like any good knight's quest. Our hero, Dante, is led into hell by his companion, Virgil. Virgil seems to know the depths of hell well, and proves to be a worthy guide to Dante.
Upper hellùthat is, the parts of hell closer to the ground, rather than the center of the earthùis somewhat less punishing than lower hell, and the city of Dis. To get into Hell, Dante must first pass through the Dark wood. He reaches the gates...