The Inferno · Chapter
VIII: Swedenborg explained
The narrator shares his mystical and terrifying experiences with his mother-in-law and aunt, who recognize his suffering as similar to their own occult trials.
What happens
The narrator shares his mystical and terrifying experiences with his mother-in-law and aunt, who recognize his suffering as similar to their own occult trials. They introduce him to Swedenborg's writings, which depict hell as earthly life itself. The narrator finds his surroundings increasingly hellish, with symbolic objects, oppressive atmospheres, and tragic local stories confirming his damnation. He moves to a new cottage but is overwhelmed by depression and discord, ultimately attributing his torments to the Devil.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Punishment
The narrator experiences hell on earth through physical and psychological torments, mirroring Swedenborg's descriptions.
The Invisible and the Occult
Occult studies, witchcraft symbols, and invisible furies drive the narrator's persecution and fear.
Religion and Spiritual Crisis
The narrator's crisis deepens as he confronts damnation, penance, and the failure of religious consolation.
Characters to notice
- August Strindberg
The narrator, who recounts his suffering and discovery of Swedenborg's hell.
- Swedenborg
His writings describe hell as earthly life, directly influencing the narrator's worldview.
- The Devil
Attributed as the source of the narrator's torments and the discord in his life.
- Dante
Mentioned in comparison to Swedenborg's depiction of hell and the narrator's vision of oven doors.
Key passages
“Earth, earth is hell—the dungeon appointed by a superior power, in which I cannot move a step without injuring the happiness of others, and in which others cannot remain happy without hurting me.”
The narrator concludes that life on earth is itself a hell, a prison where every action causes harm to others and vice versa.
This is the core revelation from reading Swedenborg.
“The fire of hell is the wish to rise in the world; the powers awaken this wish and allow the damned souls to get all they want. But as soon as the goal is reached, and the wish is fulfilled, everything is seen to be worthless and the victory is null and void.”
Hell's torment is the endless cycle of ambition and disappointment, where achieving desires only reveals their emptiness.
Swedenborg's description of hellish punishment as psychological rather than physical.
“Thus the Devil suffers everlasting punishment, for he gets all he wants at once, so that he cannot enjoy it.”
The Devil's punishment is instant gratification that prevents any pleasure.
A paradoxical view of damnation.