How Does Shakespeare Present Hell In Dante's Inferno

Genevieve Gibson

Mrs. Merson

English 4

21 March 2023

Depictions of Hell

Some people see hell as an afterlife, while others see their current life. Throughout history, many authors have written different interpretations of the idea of hell. The poem Dante’s Inferno, by Dante Alighieri, illustrates the more commonly known version of hell. His description of hell involves demons and physical torture. The play No Exit, by Jean Paul Sartre, depicts hell in a more mental way. The sinners are forced to socialize for eternity. Shakespeare's famous play Macbeth paints the idea of creating your own hell. Dante’s inferno depicts the worst version of hell.

Dante’s inferno is interpreted in a biblical sense. Souls are in pain constantly,

Macbeth depicts hell as a mental torment. When expressing his troubles to Lady Macbeth, Macbeth says, “Era we eat our meal in fear, and sleep in the affliction of those terrible dreams that shake us nightly: better be with the dead, whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy.” After murdering for power and ambition Macbeth is thrown into a paranoid state. This shows how Macbeth has created his own personal hell in a mental way. It affects him greatly, and he also feels as though he can’t back out now, just a one cannot be uncondoned from hell. “I am afraid to think what I have done; look on’t again I dare not...How ist with me, when every noise appalls me? What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine eyes! With all great’s Neptune was this blood clean from my hand?” Macbeth’s thoughts after he murders Duncan, the king, show the mental torment he has put himself through. Him verbalizing his thoughts after the murder gives insight into the type of hell Macbeth is in. The aspects of this mental hell for Macbeth includes paranoia, guilt, and eventually death by

Inez, Garcin, and Estelle are stuck in an ordinary room forever, destined to drive each other mad. As she begins to understand, Inez explains, “Obviously there aren’t any physical torments-you agree, don’t you? And yet we’re in hell. And no one else will come here. Well stay in this room together, the three of us, for ever and ever... I mean that each of us will act as torturer of the two others.” Inez realizes the hell she will experience will be from the other two people. Sartre sets up hell as a social torment, contrasting to the biblical version of it. “So this is hell. I’d never have believed it. You remember all we were told about the torture-chambers, the fire and brimstone, the burning marl. Old wives’ tales! There's no need for red-hot pokers. HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE.” Garcin comes to the same realization Inez does. The aspect of hell they are experiencing is having to socialize with each other. This shows that the version of hell is of the mind, and it is not focused on the body. Although the characters cannot be harmed physically, they will forever be mentally