Reading Notes: Dante's Inferno, Part B

It would be difficult to write something that could encapsulate everything the Inferno offers its readers. And there are already a ton of adaptations, but aside from translations, these are complete works in themselves. 

It would be hard to write one self-contained story, unless it were something like the story of Paolo and Franchesca. Still, it wouldn't be complete with out the complete context of Dante's whole Inferno. What to write that could fit under 1k words?

I like the idea of writing a multi-chapter short story about someone who is traveling through a place like the Inferno, but an adaption of it. Since the Inferno is an allegory, I think it would be cool to write a story to re-purpose the allegory. So, maybe it's not religious in nature, but still illustrates the consequences of various sins by way of punishing them as either a natural consequence or committing those sins (like how Dante's diviners can only see behind them as a result of trying to discern the future), or via some kind of punishing device (like the three humans in the devils' three jaws). The setting could be somewhere on earth, like a city where crimes against human rights run rampant--like, a city of rain to contrast the fires of hell, or a city of cold fire.

I think this should be less religious and more based on human rights so it can be more general. Back in Dante's day, 99% of his readership would have subscribed to the same religion as him, but today there's much more discussion of human rights and happiness and laws in a secular sense. Not all of Dante's circles would fit in this context, but some would. Here are a few:

Limbo, the first circle, "contains the unbaptized and the virtuous pagans, who, although not sinful, did not accept Christ... After those who refused choice come those without opportunity of choice." Maybe one way to translate this would be those people who witnessed crimes against humanity but didn't take action against them?

Heresy, the sixth circle, condemns its sinners to "eternity in flaming tombs." This would be the most difficult to adapt, since heresy is religious by definition. But there's also this: "any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs, customs, etc." So, maybe, going against the norm in a harmful way? Or in a way that provokes additional consequences? You have things like not paying taxes, which isn't always considered morally terrible, but definitely has its consequences. But what about something taboo that doesn't fit into any of these other categories? It would be like pouring the milk before the cereal--but actually, you know, serious.

The other circles--lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, violence, fraud, and treachery--are self-explanatory.

I don't think I'd be able to write this in under 1k words, so this post will be part of my future writing wishlist. Ideally, it would be in a journal or epistolary format.




Sources:
Tony Kline: Dante's Divine Comedy
Wikipedia: The Inferno
History Lists: The 9 Circles of Hell
Dictionary.com: Heresy

Image: Pixabay: Journal