The Good Place and Dante's Divine Comedy: Exploring Parallels in Afterlife Ethics and Punishment
By Akshitha Sriperambudhuru
In the realm of afterlife narratives, The Good Place stands out as a contemporary exploration deeply inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy. Specifically, the series creatively adapts and modernizes Dante's Inferno, weaving thematic parallels that explore the intricacies of morality, redemption, and divine justice.
Drawing from Dante's Inferno, the foundational inspiration for The Good Place, the series follows Eleanor, its protagonist, as she navigates a utopian afterlife with other deceased souls. This mirrors Dante's journey through the nine circles of Hell under the guidance of Virgil. In both narratives, each circle or neighborhood represents distinct sins met with corresponding punishments, prompting characters to seek repentance through various forms of atonement. As Eleanor and Dante delve deeper into their respective afterworlds, they encounter historical and mythological figures, intensifying the severity of both sin and punishment.
The Good Place further mirrors Dante's Divine Comedy by categorizing its afterlife into two neighborhoods, akin to Dante's circles of Hell. The ethically diverse neighborhoods, The Good Place and The Bad Place, draw clear parallels to Dante's representation of sin-specific circles, separating souls based on their earthly actions. The Good Place is for those who have done good in their lives, and the Bad Place is for those who have committed crimes and acts of violence (Episode 1, [2:50])3
A notable connection is found in the character Janet, an AI assistant in The Good Place, resembling Dante's guide Virgil. Janet aids characters in navigating the afterlife, providing information about the universe and history. This parallel underscores the significance of guidance in both narratives, helping characters navigate surprises and eliminate doubts.
Torture, a prominent element in Dante's Inferno, finds a modern counterpart in The Good Place. Mythical animals and a metaphorical torture ring reflect the torment experienced by souls in Dante's Hell. The constant ring of torture becomes a pivotal revelation for Eleanor, echoing Dante's realization of the true nature of the afterlife.
The assignment of punishment in both narratives reveals a compelling similarity. In The Good Place, celestial beings, led by Michael, judge and assign souls based on a points system assessing moral value, where it is discovered that gaining points is tied directly to being good4. This parallels Dante's Divine Comedy where Minos judges damned souls, determining punishment levels based on confessed sins.
In conclusion, the comparative analysis unveils intriguing parallels between Dante's Divine Comedy and The Good Place. While exploring the afterlife and consequences of earthly actions, both works do so with distinct narrative approaches. The Good Place adds a modern twist to ethical dilemmas, showcasing timeless themes of morality and redemption across different eras and storytelling forms.
Works Cited
1. Hulme, Robin. "The Good Place: Dante's Inferno." Better Living through Beowulf, https://betterlivingthroughbeowulf.com/the-good-place-dantes-inferno/, May 14 2020. Accessed November 5 2023.
2. "Inferno 1." Digital Dante, https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/dante/divine-comedy/inferno/inferno-1/. Accessed November 6 2023.
3. Michael Schur. The Good Place. Fremulon, 3 Arts Entertainment, Universal Television, 2016, Netflix, www.netflix.com.
4. Turner, Laura. “Religion - the Washington Post.” The Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/religion/.