In The Divine Comedy, Dante organizes both Heaven and Hell into several different divisions. Hell is broken down into nine levels, some with sublevels. Heaven, or Paradise, is separated into ten kingdoms. Each of these sections represents a lifestyle on Earth. The lifestyle in the afterlife is indirectly chosen in the mortal existence. In general, Paradise represents the ideal society functioning completely and pleasantly. In contrast, Hell corresponds to a society in which all its members act for their own benefits and against the common good. It is on this principle that Dante bases his separation of the levels of both Heaven and Hell.
             Dante places great emphasis on the selfishness of those in Hell. All the citizens of this society have failed to satisfy their responsibilities to either God or their own communities. They have even abused these responsibilities for their own purposes. For Dante, the worst kind of sin is that which is detrimental to society. This type of sin causes social disorder, which paves the way for many kinds of injustices. This injustice, based upon self-interest and disregard for society, generally characterizes Dante's Hell.
             In the first area of Hell that Dante visits, he learns the importance of commitment. This is the first step in social action and must be taken. He strives to illustrate that one is not only responsible for himself and his own salvation, but also for the salvation of his society. This failure to commit is irresponsible according to Dante. It is denying the opportunity to accept God. Again, this denial of responsibility leads to a breakdown of social order and justice. These people are torn between good and evil, and are therefore dismissed by both Heaven and Hell.
             The next level of Hell is Limbo. These people are the morally good, yet they did not direct their actions toward God. Without acknowledging the existence of God, one cannot participate i...