Divine Comedy-I: Inferno Lesson Plan

What is the symbolism of the giants guarding the path to Cocytus? What exactly distinguishes these beings from the other denizens of hell?

Some students will correctly perceive that the answer to this question lies in the biblical story of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. Accordingly, the sin of Nimrod and the other giants is most likely their overreaching ambition: the prideful Nimrod sought to build a tower that would reach as high as Heaven itself, and the legendary Titans of Greek legend sought to oust the gods from Olympus. Although not all students may be familiar with these stories, at least a few of them are likely to have heard them, and the teacher can fill in the...