Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Honors Thesis (Colby Access Only)

Department

Colby College. Religious Studies Dept.

Advisor(s)

Debra Campbell

Second Advisor

Larissa Taylor

Abstract

The Divine Comedy made famous by Dante Alighieri has captured the imagination of poets, artists and philosophers since its inception. The most compelling piece is the Inferno and Dante’s depiction of Hell which gave new dimension to the afterlife and the terrors that awaited those who turned toward sin. In the present day, the Inferno remains compelling but the religious motivation that inspired it has fallen by the wayside. In 2010 Electronic Arts released Dante’s Inferno, a video game for the PS3 and Xbox 360. The game, a combination of intense brutality and thought-provoking theology, forced players to eventually confront and question their own views on religion. In the United States where individual spirituality is becoming more prevalent and religion is often seen as frivolous, different forms of media have inspired new outlets for critical religious thought. By incorporating religion into popular forms of media it is once again ingrained as a study that is both compelling and vital for the modern day world.

Comments

Full-text download restricted to Colby College campus only.

Keywords

religion, videogames, sexuality, modern

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