The First Circle...

In the first circle of hell, Dante places those who have not been baptized but still led blameless lives. Here we find people such as Socrates, Plato, and Homer; people who had been born and had died before Christ was born. We also see men and women who lived too far away from Israel to have heard the good news before they died. Infants who were born and then died before baptism come here as well.

But let's say that a good Christian lived his life faithfully, but did not receive his last rites. Wouldn't he go to this layer as well? Or would he go deeper into hell? That would not make sense, but we have read up to Canto 8, and discovered five layers of hell. Surely, we should have passed this layer, if there is such a one, by now.

Of course, there is the possibility that these people would go to purgatory. But then, why wouldn't the unbaptized go as well? They did nothing wrong, as did those who did not receive their last rites, why should the unbaptized suffer in hell with no chance of redemption?

~Hannah