The Descent into Hell

In his creation of The Inferno, Dante aligns himself with a rich tradition of writers who utilize the hero's descent into hell to explore the concept of spiritual death and rebirth. In this archetypal situation, the hero must recover from a wound and travel into the depths of darkness in order to emerge healed and able to continue on his journey.

This situation is one seen not only in ancient works such as Homer's Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid but also in more modern works. In the clip above from Star Wars : The Empire Strikes Back -- consider the imagery used when Luke learns of his father's true identity. There seems to be a clear connection to Dante's hell in the circular nature of the fall that Luke takes. He descends into his own personal hell as he battles the evil that is not only external but also within.