THE POEM

THE PLOT

The story line of the Inferno, quite simply, is Dante's journey
through Hell. He starts at the top and walks through to the
bottom. The specifics, who he meets and what he sees, are
discussed in the section of this guide called The Story.

If you look at the map of Dante's Hell, you will get some idea
of the major divisions and what kind of sinners are contained
in each division.

                        VESTIBULE: Uncommitted                              
-                                                                           
                               Acheron                                      
-                                                                           
                           CIRCLE I: Limbo                                  
-                                                                           
                          CIRCLE II: Lustful                                
-                                                                           
                        CIRCLE III: Gluttonous                              
-                                                                           
                 CIRCLE IV: Hoarders and Spendthrifts                       
-                                                                           
                            CIRCLE V: Styx                                  
                         Wrathful and Sullen                                
-                                                                           
                             WALL OF DIS                                    
-                                                                           
                         CIRCLE VI: Heretics                                
-                                                                           
                        CIRCLE VII: Phlegethon                              
                      Violent against Neighbors                             
                         Violent against Self                               
                 Violent against God, Nature and Art                        
-                                                                           
                          Cliff of the Abyss                                
-                                                                           
                        CIRCLE VIII: Malbowges                              
                      i. Panderers and Seducers                             
                     ii. Flatterers                                         
                    iii. Simoniacs                                          
                     iv. Sorcerers                                          
                      v. Barrators                                          
                     vi. Hypocrites                                         
                    vii. Thieves                                            
                   viii. Counselors of Fraud                                
                     ix. Sowers of Discord                                  
                      x. Falsifiers                                         
-                                                                           
                            WALL OF GIANTS                                  
-                                                                           
                          CIRCLE IX: Cocytus                                
                        Caina: Traitors to Kin                              
                    Antenora: Traitors to Country                           
                     Ptolomea: Traitors to Guests                           
                     Judecca: Traitors to Masters                           
                                SATAN                                       

The overview, listed in chart form below, is intended to help
you keep track of where you are geographically as you go
through the individual Cantos.

Reading through the overviews and looking at the map is good
preparation for what you are about to read. It can also serve as
a refresher in your review, reminding you of what was where.

Table of Contents