What Dreams May Come + Dante’s Inferno =

Question

I have a report to write on the connection between Dante’s Inferno and What Dreams May Come, but I’m having trouble finding common themes and/or motifs that tie the two together…aside from the whole afterlife thing. Are there any other literal, or metaphorical connections?

Answer

Have you read the book? They have a lot in common!

Dante travels through hell with the promise of finding his way home and with the promise that his love for Beatrice will protect him.

Chris travels through hell to get his wife who committed suicide.

Dante encounters several people he knew in life and sees how they are being punished. There is a distinct punishment for every type of sinner…not to mention the whole, suicide section of Hell.

Chris meets up with people he knows and they are being punished in unique ways. I could go on, but then I’d be writing your paper for you.

I don't see how you can't think of the book when you see the movie or the movie when you read the book.

Go back to the book and read it. Watch the movie again. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070403042000AAnjayA

What Dreams May Come + Dante’s Inferno = Fun Facts

We do not see all of the levels of hell from Dante's inferno. Missing are the eighth and ninth circles. In the movie, Annie commits suicide which places her in the 7th circle of hell. All levels up to the 7th circle are accounted for, but they are out of order at times.

Listed in order from the Divine comedy, not the movie order:

1. The Gate of Hell

 1:05-The Tracker says they are at the Gateway to hell, but it does not match Dante's description.

2. First Circle (Limbo)

 1:01-Most likely the library they are floating through on the boat symbolizes limbo. Limbo had such famous thinkers as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. This happens right after they leave heaven.

3. Second Circle (Lust)

 1:01:20-After the boat floats out of the library into the water we see souls being buffeted by the wind.

4. Third Circle (Gluttony)

 1:06-Albert Lewis notices a ship named 'Cerberus' which is the guardian of the gluttons

 1:16-Albert Lewis has left the group as we find out it is actually the character 'Ian'. The Tracker and Chris Nielsen take a lift up and find bodies buried in the mud up to the neck.

5. Fourth Circle (Greed)

 1:09-We see the denzins of hell using weapons and some sword play shortly before this.

6. Fifth Circle (Anger)

 1:02-This circle is supposed to be the river styx, the group is in the boat floating on some body of water. The tortured souls in the water pull them in.

7. Sixth Circle (Heresy)

 1:18:31-As we see Chris falling deeper into hell, we glimpse the sixth circle. Indicated by the flaming tomb in the background on the right hand side.

8. Seventh Circle (Violence)

 1:20-Chris sees their house. Since Annabella is a suicide we know she's in the seventh circle.

9. Eighth Circle (Fraud)

 We don't make it to this circle

10. Ninth Circle (Treachery)

 We don't make it to this circle http://movies.stackexchange.com/questions/171/what-layers-of-hell-are-shown-in-what-dreams-may-come