Heaven and Hell: Dante's Inferno, the Medieval Church, and Legends of the Saints

For hundreds of years, the Medieval Church was the most powerful force in the world; however, with great power came great corruption. Power-hungry church leaders forsook the humility and compassion taught by Jesus Christ and turned the Church into a financial and political machine. It took reformers like St. Francis of Assisi and St. Benedict to remind the Church of its true function. Eventually, continued corruption led to the Reformation and the breaking away of the Protestant Church.

The greatest work of art to come out of the Middle Ages is Dante's Inferno, an unparalleled masterpiece of symbolism. Although Dante was a devout Christian, he used his great work to address corruption within the Church. In this section you will find resources for studying the Church's role in the Middle Ages.

LEGENDS OF THE SAINTS

Medieval legends frequently center around the saints of the church. This public domain collection of legends about the saints is a great introduction to some of these tales. Saints include St. Jerome, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Nicholas. The quality of this handout is not the best because of its age, but its retelling of the stories is highly quality.

INTRODUCTION TO THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH

This video and accompanying worksheet will give your students a brief overview of the Influence of the Medieval Church, including some of the chief players in its formation and reformation. (Make sure to like this video and subscribe to our channel, so you will know when we post more videos.)

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT This selection from the New Testament, a record of Jesus Christ's most famous sermon, helps illuminate how far the Medieval Church had strayed from Jesus Christ's teaching. Use this excerpt to contrast what your students have learned about the practices of the Medieval Church.

THE PRAYER OF ST. PATRICK This worksheet examines a prayer attributed to Saint Patrick.

ST. BRENDAN THE NAVIGATOR Did an Irish monk really discover North America? Well, he certainly claimed to. This History.com article attempts to the get to the bottom of the mystery of St. Brendan the Navigator.

THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION Corruption within the church finally led to a movement called the Reformation, whose most prominent leader was Martin Luther. This handout gives background on Martin Luther and the Reformation.

INTRODUCTION TO DANTE'S DIVINE COMEDY

This short and informative video gives an overview of Dante's epic poem and its influences. Use the questions and key below in conjunction with the video. (Make sure to like this video and subscribe to our channel, so you will know when we post more videos.)

FIVE REASONS TO TEACH THE INFERNO

This article highlights the various benefits of teaching Dante's Inferno to high school students.

CHARACTERS IN HELL

For this tongue-in-cheek assignment, students sentence fictional characters to the various circles of Hell.

INFERNO ANALYSIS QUESTIONS

After reading about Dante's trip through Hell, ask your students to reflect on the journey by answering these discussion questions.

INFERNO PROJECT LIST

With this assignment students choose from a list of projects related to the Inferno. These projects appeal to multiple learning styles and reinforce student choice.

INFERNO SCRIPT-STORY COLLECTION

Teach the "heck" out of Inferno with this collection of 5 script-stories that dramatize Dante's journey through Hell. All major events from the Inferno are represented. This download also comes with reading guides and keys for students to fill out as they journey into the depths. It also includes three excerpt passages from La Vita Nouva and Inferno for students to analyze. You can also see a preview of these materials by clicking HERE!

MAKE YOUR LIFE EPIC! WRITING ASSIGNMENT

Teach your students some of the elements of an epic and ask them to view their own life as an epic. This writing assignment blends introspection, goal-setting, and character education.