Open Post: Death and the Underworld

The discussions that are ahead of use for the last few weeks have been the one's that I have been waiting for all semester. I am excited to discuss Death and the underworld and especially Dante and The Inferno. I read The Inferno in High School and found it to be very interesting. The seven levels of Hell as well as the experiences of the people who are in "Limbo" or the waiting room between Heaven or Hell will be interesting to explore further. The word "Inferno" is actually "Italian" for Hell. It is interesting that this interprutation of Hell believes that there is multiple sections each being worse than the other. The levels make sense as they are based on the seriousness of cime or sin.  

The nine layers of Hell include:

1 Limbo

2 Lust

3 Gluttony

4 Avarice

5 Anger

6 Heresy

7 Violence

8Fraud

9 Treachery

It is interesting because it was rumored that several famous characters were seen in many of the 7 layers of Hell as Dante ventured through them. Famous names such as Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, Achilles, Paris, and  Lancelot and Guinevere were believed to be seen in the 2nd layer of Lust as Dante passed through. Death plays such a significant role in our lives and every human searches for answers to what might possibly happen when we die. Theories on death for pas civilizations such as the Greek's is fascinating to read about. It's mysterious how they developed the beliefs that they did and their interpretations of life after death.

It seems that the concept of Death is ever changing. Death evolves through the generations and comes to signify something that it didn't mean before. Throughout time people have learned to fear death, to embrace it, celebrate it, and dwell on it. In some cultures such as Grease there was no greater honor than dying on the battlefield. Dying in battle was so glorious that for some it was more valuable than living. For example Achilles was foretold by his mother that if he ventured to Troy it would be the end of him. His fame would walk hand and hand with his doom. Knowing that he went anyway as he would have rather died and have his name remembered for thousands of years then live a normal long life where people would forget his name.

Death seems further away to the people of the world today with the advances of medical technology and quilty of life. There are still things that we still can't over come with death such as old age or diseases. That doesn't stop people. There are some people with diseases that if they could would freeze themselves until a cure for a disease or the stopper of old age is dicovered. The answers to these impossible questions are connected with the many other questions of life. Questions that have plauged mankind for centuries such as what happens when we die, how did we get here, is there really a God led me to the disturbing question.

What if we Humans are the Aliens of Earth and that we came here from someplace else and somehow forgot how we got here?