Adrian Monk says of speed dating: “that’s like Dante’s Seventh Circle of Hell.”
Contributed by Lisa Peterson (Bowdoin, ’07)
Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture
“The game revolves around P.I. (Private Investigator) Dante and his one-man devil hunting agency ‘Devil May Cry’, which he runs in hopes of finding and killing the demons that killed his mother. Dante also has a twin brother named Vergil, whom we learn very little about during the course of the game. The story alludes to The Divine Comedy in the game’s areas (roughly resembling and representing inferno, purgatorio, and paradiso) as well as in some of the character names; however it is purely an aesthetic similarity, and indeed the game borrows from a very wide range of sources for inspiration. After a less than proper introduction, a woman named Trish, who bears a striking resemblance to Dante’s mother, convinces Dante to help her defeat Mundus, the Emperor of the Underworld, who is the leading antagonist of the game. The duo then sets off to Mallet Island, where Mundus’s resurrection is about to take place, and where the majority of the game plays out.” [. . .] —Wikipedia
See Also: devilmaycry.com and devilmaycry.org
Contributed by Charlie Russell-Schlesinger (Bowdoin, ’08)
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In Shin Megami Tensi 3 players also encounter the persona Dante from Devil May Cry and reference to the circles of hell.
Contributed by RJ Chatellier (Clemson University ’23)
This Nike ad from a 1983 magazine shows Dante and Virgil in the Infernal circle of the Simonists, browsing for shoes.
Contributed by Dennis Looney
“CITY OF DIS, NETHER HELL. After nearly four years of construction at an estimated cost of 750 million souls, Corpadverticus, the new 10th circle of Hell, finally opened its doors Monday. The Blockbuster Video-sponsored circle, located in Nether Hell between the former eighth and ninth levels of Malebolge and Cocytus, is expected to greatly alleviate the overcrowding problems that have plagued the infernal underworld in recent years.” —The Onion, September 23, 1998
Contributed by Ted Reinert (Bowdoin, ’05)
All submissions will be considered for posting. Bibliographic references and scholarly essays are also welcome for consideration.
Coggeshall, Elizabeth, and Arielle Saiber, eds. Dante Today: Citings and Sightings of Dante’s Works in Contemporary Culture. Website. Access date.