Guide to the Literary Inferno

Guide to the Literary Inferno
(As found here: [link] )

Vestibule, The Uncommitted-

Thenardier, Les Miserables, Victor Hugo- Loathsome coward! His crimes would surely place him in hell, yet the scum would no doubt view this as a mark of honor. For the crimes of neutrality in war by profiting off the dead of both sides, he is condemned to the Vestibule outside Hell.



First Circle, Virtuous Pagans-

Queequeg, Moby Dick, Herman Melville- Oh brave and noble soul! Strong seaman, and loyal to friends! If only he had followed the straightforward path, he would not be condemned to the first circle of Hell.

Enkidu, The Epic of Gilgamesh, Classical- The wild man, once tamed, became the tamer, a truer brother there would never be known. If only he had followed the straightforward path, he would not be condemned to the first circle of Hell.

Shizarade, One Thousand and One Nights, Various- Courageous woman, salvation of your sex! The threat of deflowering and death hold no sway over your steadfast heart. If only she had followed the straightforward path, she would not be condemned to the first circle of Hell.



Second Circle, Lust-

Wife of Bath, The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer- A tart with a taste for varied grains! For using men for her own lusty gains, she is condemned to the second circle of Hell.

Carmen, Carmen, Prosper Mérimée- Cruel desert flower, fickle creature! Wandering over land, disposing of men's hearts. For the crime of promiscuity, she is condemned to the second circle of Hell.

Lydia "Bennet" Wickham, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austin- Foolish child! Chasing men and bedding the first she sees, this creature would succumb to her baser instincts. For the crime of lustiness, she is condemned to the second circle of Hell.


Third Circle, Gluttony-

Pa Finn, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain- Disgusting figure! Imbibing to the point of constant drunkenness leaves you unfit to watch the one placed in your care. For the crime of drunken negligence, he is condemned to the third circle of Hell.

Augustus Gloop, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl- Grotesque child! Will your engorged stomach ever be sated? For the crime of pure gluttony, he is condemned to the third circle of Hell.

Falstaff, Various, Shakespeare- Slave to your every appetite! Indulging yourself in the finest pleasures of life, ever scheming for more. For the crime of overindulgence, he is condemned to the third circle of hell.


Fourth Circle, Avarice and Prodigality -

Félix Tholomyès, Les Miserables, Victor Hugo- This man frittered away his time on unwarranted luxury at the expense of others, most notably the poor Fantine. For the crime of a wasteful life without compassion, he is condemned to the fourth circle of Hell.

Jehan Frollo, Notre Dame de Paris, Victor Hugo- Ungrateful child! You were a burden to those who cared for you, tossing your money to the winds. You once said that you would take the path to hell. You were right. For the crime of prodigality, he is condemned to the fourth circle of Hell.

Jacob Marley, A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens- Woeful specter, you dogged the poor, collecting coin, never discerning the human cost. Now in death, may you serve as a warning to those that might follow. For the crime of pitiless greed, he is condemned to the fourth circle of Hell.

Fagin, Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens- Miser, miser, miser! Cruel user of children, weighing yourself and others in squalor when your lives might have been full and honest! For the crime of hoarding, he is condemned to the fourth circle of Hell.


Fifth Circle, Wrath and Sullenness –

The Underground Man, Notes from Underground, Fyodor Dostoevsky- Spiteful and wicked man, creature of unending contradiction! In the Stygian waters, you may continue to loathe yourself and others until judgment day! For the crime of sullenness, he is condemned to the fifth circle of Hell.

Queen of Hearts, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll- Cruel monster! Would you never see fit to control that raging temper? Retain your head, for all pity was cut from you long ago. For the crime of wrath, she is condemned to the fifth circle of Hell.

Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte- Cold man! Would you linger forever on the pain of the past, denying future generations the happiness you once tasted? For the twin crimes of wrath and sullenness, he is condemned to the fifth circle of Hell.


Sixth Circle, Heresy-

Ivan Karamozov, The Brothers Karamozov, Fyodor Dostovesky- Weep with joy that you are not counted among the blasphemers! Working against those of true faith, questioning in spite and mistrust, rather than pure curiosity! For the crime of heresy, he is condemned to the sixth circle of Hell.


DIS

Seventh Circle, Violence

Outer ring: This ring houses the violent against people and property-

Alex DeLarge, A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess- Fierce youth! Choosing to delight in cruelty for the sake of cruelty. Better to give fruit in heaven than to rot in Hell. For the crimes of rape, murder, destruction of property, and brutality, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Alec D’Urberville, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy- Cur! Lech! The innocent are to be guided and taught, not taken and used so! For the crime of rape, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Sweeney Todd, The String of Pearls, Thomas Preskett Prest- Greedy man! Boil in the blood you've spilled, and taste naught but this blood of men for all eternity! For the crime of serial murder, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Simon Legree, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe- Bigot! There is no excuse for such treatment of your fellow man, to attempt to break him of his pure love of God, and his noble spirit! Let your own skin be dyed dark with the blood of the life you have spilled! For the crime of brutal murder, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Edward Hyde, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson- Epitome of all that finds its way here! The bulk of your crimes shall not be known but by your own guilty soul. For the crime of brutal murder, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.


Middle ring: In this ring are the suicides-

Inspector Javert, Les Miserables, Victor Hugo- Cold dog of the law! Was your heart of glass so cold that the warmth of God's presence shattered it? We weep for the suicides condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.


Ophelia, Hamlet, Shakespeare- Poor woman! As your mind drowned under the madness of an unfair life, it was to be expected that your life should, too. We weep for the suicides condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Little father time & siblings, Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy- Tragic children! It was not enough to escape your worthless existences, but you took your own little lives so that your parents should be made free. We weep for the suicides condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.


Inner ring: Here the violent against God and nature-

Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein, Mary Shelley- You chose to toy with life and death! This is not in your realm, madman! The dead are to be left to rest, yet you know not even the terrible damage you have done. For the crime of unholy resurrection, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Tom Marvolo "Voldemort" Riddle, The Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling- Monstrous conjurer! You were right to have such terror of death, for this is what awaits a broken soul such as yourself. For the crime of taking lives in order to magically extend his own, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Dr. Moreau, The Island of Dr. Moreau, H.G. Wells- Science may not progress at the cost of nature! Living with God's creatures is one thing, yet attempting to elevate them to the status of man is another. For the crime of tampering with and harming God's creatures, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Griffin, The Invisible Man, H.G.Wells- Emperor of an invisible kingdom! None would follow so cruel a man, and so you shall lead none. Science is a gift from God to aid man, not possess them. For the crime of misusing God's studies of physics and anatomy, he is condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.

Dr. Henry Jekyll, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson- God created man's soul, and it was good. In attempting to make it better, you make man worse. Poor, ambitious fool! For the crime of rending man's soul, be condemned as both parts of your soul, in the inner and outer rings of circle seven of Hell.


Eighth Circle, Fraud-

Bolgia 1: Pimps and seducers:

Don Juan, Classical- Terrible man! Would your taste for other men's wives never cease? Claimed by Hell itself, for leading others to adultery, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Humbert Humbert, Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov- Loathsome pedophile, and corrupter of youth! For the crime of sexual conduct with a child, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Phoebus, Notre Dame de Paris, Victor Hugo- Errant lech! You lead a jewel of a woman to an unkind fate, and left her to die, all for the sake of your urges. For the crime of seduction, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.



Bolgia 2: Flatterers who exploited other people:

Tartuffe, Tartuffe, Moliere- Liar! Indebting yourself to the master of a house, pouring honeyed words while waiting to claim all that he had. For the crime of two-faced flattery, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Mr. Bumble, Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens- Seeking to raise your wealth and status in life through marriage, your sweet advancements stick to heaven. For the crime of two-faced flattery, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.


Bolgia 3: Simony

Here are condemned the abhorrent souls who abused their church offices, selling holy works for the coin of men.


Bolgia 4: Sorcerers, astrologers, and false prophets-

Faustus, classical- Too late to repent! Lazy wretch, the study of God would have raised you, while sorcery felled you. He has traded his soul to the adversary, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Witches, Macbeth, Shakespeare- Liars or seers of the future? Was your black deal telling future events done with true knowledge? Either way, they are condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.


Bolgia 5: Corrupt politicians-

Prince Humperdink, The Princess Bride, William Goldman- Warmonger! Stirring war to sate your own boredom? For the crimes of attempted warmongering and murder, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Richard III, Richard III, Shakespeare- Horrible tyrant! Was there no depth to which you would not sink? Damned among the damned! For crimes too many and too awful to list, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Chauvelin, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Emma Orczy- The downtrodden people of your country looked to you for liberation, not a reign of terror. For the crime of following orders that lead to mass murder, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.


Bolgia 6: Hypocrites-

Claude Frollo, Notre Dame de Paris, Victor Hugo- It is not enough that you lusted. It is not enough that you practiced alchemy when not preaching the word of the Lord. It is that your two-faced nature sought to conceal such practices with a veneer of holiness. For the crime of hypocrisy, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Beatty, Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury- Your unfaithful heart could not abandon books, while your wicked hands burned them. There is no consistency in your soul. For the crime of hypocrisy, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

The Artist- A regrettable individual, guilty of sins of every kind. Yet she sees fit to take up the mantle of Minos himself, judging the sinful dead. For the crime of hypocrisy, she is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.



Bolgia 7: Thieves-

Sikes, Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens- Violent soul! Building your life around the possessions of others, taking coin and life without regret. For the crime of theft of life and property, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Duke & Dauphin, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain- Swindlers! Never caring who you hurt, regardless of age, race, or sex. For lives based upon crime and theft, they are condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.



Bolgia 8: Advised Others to engage in fraud-

Bob Ewell, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee- Racist! Judging others as lower than yourself due to a differences of a few shades! May this shade burn in his black flame until the trumpets sound. For the crime of leading others to lie, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Daisy, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald- Whore! Leading a man's heart on a dangerous ride, and leaving him to take the punishment. For the crime of pinning her crimes on another, she is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Roger Chillingworth, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne- Leech! Adultery is a sin and a betrayal, but worse still is the cuckold who cannot release a woman bound. For the crime of revenge through continued cruel advice, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Lord Henry, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde- Corrupter of pure souls! Would that your debauchery could never have left your lips! For the crime of corrupting youth, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, Shakespeare- Wife, your claws drag others farther down than you can imagine! Trade the red blood on your hands for a red flame around your soul, and let it never be washed away. For the crime of pushing her husband to regicide, she is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.


Bolgia 9: Sowers of Discord-

Iago, Othello, Shakespeare- Vile maggot! You were unfit to lick the sandals of the souls you corrupted. How many lives are enough before you can be satisfied? May you be rent asunder as the relationships and lives you tore from others. For the crime of causing chaos, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Flagg, The Dark Tower Series, Stephen King- Meet your final judgment! You thought you could avoid the punishment of God, but the hand of the Lord crushes all evil, in His time. For the crime of causing chaos, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

John the Bastard, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare- Canker, you will bloom no more. No brother here will show mercy, and no demon here will fall for your trickery. For the crime of causing chaos, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.


Bolgia 10: Various sorts of falsifiers alchemists, counterfeiters, perjurers, and impersonators-

Abigail Williams, The Crucible, Arthur Miller- Heart of a witch! You would stand before God and your fellow man, leading others to spill lies with you. May you be truly afflicted, false victim! For the crime of perjury, she is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Mrs. Lovitt, The String of Pearls, Thomas Preskett Prest- Damned cook! Feeding the flesh of men to your fellow man. May your stomach forever sit as ill at ease as those you've harmed. For the crime of forced cannibalism, she is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.

Dorian Gray, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde- Experiencer of all ills! Blackmailer! Fornicator! And hiding it all behind the face of an angel. For all crimes he committed while wearing his pretty mask, he is condemned to the eighth circle of Hell.



Ninth Circle, Betrayal-

Round 1 Traitors to kindred–

Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austin- Ancient wench! The pride of the upper classes has driven you to manage those of your own family, and you could not consider their needs above your own. For the crime of acting against kin, she is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.

Claudius, Hamlet, Shakespeare- Unworthy King! Incestuous cur! You poisoned your own brother as he slept and bedded your sister-in-law. Listing your crimes is insult enough. For the crime of acting against kin, he is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.


Round 2 Traitors to political entities-

Milady de Winter, The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas- Traitor to all! Your broken heart does not give you the right to break those of others. For the crime of acting against king and country, she is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.

Deloris Umbridge, The Harry Potter Books, J.K. Rowling- Upstart bitch! The academic world has been established in order to cultivate young minds, not to brainwash them! For the crime of acting against headmaster and school, she is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.


Round 3 Traitors to their guests-

Montressor, The Cask of Amotillado, Edgar Allan Poe- Calculating, vengeful heart, inviting a foe to an eternal stay below the earth. Yourself, rot inside the walls deep below Hell! For the crime of murdering a guest, he is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.

Nurse Ratched, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey- Horrible woman! These men were in your care, to be healed and restored, not emasculated and shrunk. For the crime of tormenting her patients, she is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.

Dracula, Dracula, Bram Stoker- Damned demon! You would ensnare a man in your own home! You would take the lives of his friends! You would attempt to seduce his bride! For his unholy crimes, he is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.

Miss Havisham, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens- Aging maiden! Your failed nuptials are a tragedy, but the savage way you attempted to ruin the hopes of the boy you invited in, that is beyond the pale. For the crime of betraying a guest, she is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.

Hannibal Lecter, Red Dragon, Thomas Harris- Monstrous thing! Consuming the flesh of your fellow man! Using the wits that our Heavenly Father bestowed upon you in vengeance against the innocent! For the crime of murdering guests and others alike, he is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.




Round 4 traitors to their lords and benefactors-

Grima the Wormtongue, The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien- Insect! This loathsome man was once a faithful servant to his king, but the influence of the cold Saruman turned him against King Theoden. For sitting at his King's side and feeding him poison words all the while, he is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.

Macbeth, Macbeth, Shakespeare- Spineless follower! How terrible is a man, to court fame and power at the cost of the life of his lord! For the cold-blooded murder of King Duncan, Macbeth is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.

The Creation, Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus, Mary Shelley- Abandoned soul! Torn once from his eternal rest, this soul turned against his creator, vindictively killing those his creator loved. For dedicating his life to the blackmail and destruction of his creator, this monster is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell.



White Witch, Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis- Most loathed and base of all beings, you have dedicated your existence to the destruction of our Heavenly Father, and all He cherishes! For the crimes of all evil, all treachery, and taking the life of our Lord with your own hands, may you freeze in your own unholy ice, weeping in anguish, for all eternity.


For my final project in World Literature, I did a visual depiction of each of the Circles and subsections of Dante's Hell, and placed literary characters in each of the circles, save Bolgia 3 of the Eighth Circle. Simony isn't very common in the books I've read. (Oh dang, some very smart readers pointed out that Richelieu- from Dumas' The Three Musketeers- should've been put in there. How on earth did I think of de Winter and not remember Richelieu? A thousand pardons, readers. Just don't pay for them.)

All of the characters here have done a lot of different things, so it's very possible you might disagree with a placement. But don't take it too seriously. It's all for fun and grades.