1. First, carefully read “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (any version) and carefully read the excerpts from Dante’s work posted here and on the next page, and while you are reading them, think about the questions I asked you in the LECTURE.  Dante’s Inferno Excerpt.doc

For this week, you have read “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and a short selection from Dante’s Inferno.  For the discussion this week please choose one of the following options: 1) Discuss the theme of good versus evil in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (any version of the story is acceptable) or 2) Discuss the following questions about the selection from Dante’s Inferno. You may also respond to both options if you wish. 

First, think about the term contrapasso.  From the section I gave you, tell me why you think the punishments described are appropriate.  Also in the lecture, I stated that the punishments are ironically appropriate.  What do you think I mean by that? Feel free to look up Dante’s Inferno online to see what other punishments are found in Dante’s Hell.

Next.  One of the things that Dante’s Hell emphasizes is that the world we live in isn’t fair, and that people commit all sorts of crimes and get away with them. The Inferno shows us that all people will eventually have to pay for their sins. Even if one doesn’t believe in the Hell that Dante describes, I think everyone has a secret hope that all criminals will get what they deserve. In our modern world, we see this all the time in literature and Movies.  Describe a work of fiction or movie you have seen recently where the concept of contrapasso is in full effect.  (Example: on a recent Game of Thrones episode, an evil character met his end by being eaten alive by his own dogs, dogs he had previously used to kill his enemies.)