Dante wrote three epic poems about heaven, purgatory, and hell. The Inferno is about the latter and is encyclopedic in scope and information. From Dante's own world of politics, theology, and learning, he poured everything he was and knew into this text. This concise supplement to Dante's The Divine Comedy: Inferno helps students understand the overall structure of the work, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author.