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This book is similar to Shakespeare's plays in that it has an odd combination of the modern Christianity of the time, ancient mythology, and literary figures combined in one setting. It reminds my of dreams. There are many character that are very familiar, but they interact in a setting were it is unlikely that they wold ever meet. The characters cross cultures and time periods. The book as a whole is very anti-biblical. This could be because during this time period common people did not have access to the bible and had to rely on the small bits of Latin text that the clergy would share. It is very interesting how Dante is so literal in the punishment he chooses for the characters. It shows how sin is hurtful on Earth, but in Hell all pleasure from it is gone and all that is left is the hurtful part of the sin. I imagine Dante's Inferno was even more amusing to read to its first audience. They would be able to pick up on all the references to the people. It would be the Saturday Night Live of Renaissance Florence: political jabs with a Hellish twist.
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