’s Inferno- A Journey Through Hell Essay, Research Paper
A Journey through Hell
The Inferno, the first part of the Divina Commedia, written around 1307 to 1314, is the masterpiece of Dante Alighieri. The story tells of a pilgrim Dante, not to be confused with the writer Dante, and his journey through hell to the base of the mountain of purgatory. Along the way, Dante accompanied by Virgil (human reason), meet many of Dante?s political rivals and many mythological creatures and sinners from throughout history. In the end, the travelers climb down Satan?s back, through the center of the earth and find themselves inside mount Purgatory. Dante develops many themes throughout the adventures of these travelers. The Inferno is a work that Dante used to express his ideas on God?s divine justice. Because of this, Dante was one of the most popular poets in the world when he died in 1321. Dante develops this theme with skill unparalleled even today. In an essay by Friedrich Von Schelling, the Inferno is described as, ?the most objectively terrible [part] in its subject matter, so it is the strongest in expression and the strictest in diction, sombre and full of dread in its very choice of words? (21). He even invented a new rhyme scheme, terza rima, to use throughout his epic work. Dante develops the theme of God?s divine justice through the punishments the sinners receive, his own personal journey through hell and the power God has given the characters that help Dante along the way.
The characters that help Dante through hell exemplify God?s divine justice because God knows it is right that Dante be showed the way to enlightenment. The first help Dante receives from God is that of Virgil. In Moss and Wilson?s Literature and it?s Times, the point is made that, ?By associating himself with Virgil, Dante is perhaps making a claim for the comparable importance of his own work as a celebration of a Christian empire?(178). Little did Dante know that his works have been compared with Virgil?s and that irony is stunning. God?s divine justice is shown through Virgil because he has great power in the upper circles of hell and becomes less confident in himself as the pilgrims descend (Moss, Wilson 178). Virgil easily overcomes many obstacles in the first circles of hell, such as getting across the river Styx. As the two descend he needs more help from God, like when the encounter the heretics, and God must decide, using divine justice, to help the pilgrims by sending help (Moss, Wilson 178).
Then there is Beatrice. In the Inferno she is made reference to many times. She represents divine revelation. It is because of her request that God grants Dante this journey into the depths of hell. This represents God?s divine justice in that God, being omnipotent, knows that it is right for Dante to make this journey and be shown the way of light. After all, the whole reason Dante has undertaken this journey is, ??to learn all there is to know about sin as a necessary preparation for the ascent to God?(Musa 426). As a result, it is revealed that God?s divine justice is also made clear by the fact that Dante is even on this journey.
Every thing God does is just. So when He allows Dante to pass through hell He cannot be wrong. It is the fact that justice is being done, through Dante, that illustrates this point. When the Inferno begins, Dante finds himself in a dark wood (worldliness) and wants to attain paradise by climbing a mountain silhouetted by the sun (God). The three beasts of sin stop him, and divine justice leads him to find Virgil and begin the descent into hell. By relating the idea that his experience was predestined and thus part of God?s will, Dante has let himself become God?s justice embodied. He is doing God?s work. His actions throughout the Inferno show his belief that he is doing God?s bidding. When he first enters hell, he feels sorrow for the sinners he encounters. After a few cantos though, he realizes that these people are not part of God?s plan and he begins to actually enjoy tormenting the sinners. In this he is an extension of God, for these people were placed here by Him to be punished and Dante is fulfilling this aspect of God?s divine justice. Beside just the fact that Dante helps in the torment of the sinners, the way in which the sinners are punished shows God’s divine justice. The torments are a reflection of the sins they committed and this irony is part of God?s divine justice.
Through these torments a vision of the sins they committed is drawn by Dante. He eloquently describes the sinners and their hell in vivid and imaginative language. Von Schelling again comments, ?The diversity and variety of the punishments in the Inferno have been thought out with an almost unparalleled inventiveness? (21). These torments though, are what Dante believes God would impart on the lost souls, His divine justice coming to fruition. Every sin that can be committed on earth has its counterpart in hell as a punishment. These punishments are not only a reflection of the sins themselves, but more than that. They were also, ??revealed truth of the hereafter,?. To deny this would be to make the poet?a materialist of the nineteenth century? (Scartazzini 22). A materialist, Dante was not. His view on hell was one of continuation. He believed that the afterlife was a reflection of what people prepare in this life, thus the torments in hell reflect their sins and exemplify God?s divine justice (Scartazzini 24). The spiritualization of the torments received in hell, give the Inferno powerful moral bearing (Hugo 24). Dante shows that God?s justice is most supreme in the fact that the sinners caught in hell have no hope of ever attaining paradise. These sinners were called by God but refused to answer that call and as a result God has denied them what they long for, to be closer to Him. Dante though, has to take God?s divine justice and make it material. For true death is inconceivable (Knight 26). So Dante has to describe an immaterial thing in terms of the world. He does this quite well and this makes the Inferno the easiest of the three parts to understand, on the surface. Dante lays many ideas underneath the literal context of his writing. One of these ideas being that of God?s divine justice. Dante also used God?s divine justice on his enemies. As he progresses through hell Dante continually encounters people he knew from Florence and people from antiquity. Whether these people were deserving of the punishment they received from God is debatable, but Dante believed they got what they deserved. Salvatore Quasimodo reflects this by saying, ?We already know the disgust felt by the poet when he sees the third infernal river run where the ?horrible art of justice? is at work?? (32). This horrible art of justice is just that, God?s divine justice. Throughout the entire work, Dante never falters in relating this idea through every thing that happens in the Inferno. In the final canto, Dante and Virgil climb down Lucifer?s back and into the base of the mountain of purgatory. This is metaphorically when Dante has finally seen and rejected all sinful acts and now is ready to experience God?s divine justice himself, and the ascent to heaven through purgatory and cleanse himself of sin to fulfill God?s judgment.
The purpose of Dante?s Inferno was to show the people of his own time the eternal issues of life and death, present his own views on sin, and the redemption of those infractions (Ralphs 34). He also used this story as a way to discuss and show God?s divine justice. Dante?s use of the character of Virgil as a representative of God sent to lead him through hell and into salvation is a prime example of this. Along with his use of the idea that the mere fact of his being allowed to see what Virgil is showing him is another manifestation of the divine, all knowing power of God. Again Dante skillfully develops the punishment of the sinners to reflect the divine justice that God shows his followers. Above anything else, though, Dante tried to convey the fact that anyone who is willing to be led on the same path can and will be shown the way. This is the true nature of God?s divine justice. The people Dante encounters in hell are those souls who were offered the way but chose to turn their backs on God and only fulfill those hungers of the world system. They never stopped and looked around them to see what was being offered. As a result, they now can never realize the true potential of the human spirit and what it really means to have eternal life. This is the true meaning of God?s divine justice; people will reap what they sow.
a1e
Hugo, Victor. ?Book II: Men of Genius,? in William Shakespeare. A. C. McClurg, 1887, p 36-94. Rpt in World Literature Criticism Supplement 1, ed. Polly Vedder, Gale press, New York, 1997.
Knight, G. The Christian Renaissance, Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1962, p 95-121. Rpt in World Literature Criticism Supplement 1, ed. Polly Vedder, Gale press, New York, 1997.
Moss, Joyce and George Wilson. Literature and its Times, Gale press, New York, 1997.
Musa, Mark. European Writers: Selected Authors, Charles Scribner?s Sons, New York, 1983.
Quasimodo, Salvatore. ?Ancient Poets,? in The Poet and the Politician and Other Essays, translated by Thomas Bergin and Sergio Pacifici, Southern Illinios University Press, 1964, p 46-108. Rpt in World Literature Criticism Supplement 1, ed. Polly Vedder, Gale press, New York, 1997.
Ralphs, Sheila. Dante?s Journey to the Centre: Some Patterns in his Allegory, Manchester University Press, 1972, p 63. Rpt in World Literature Criticism Supplement 1, ed. Polly Vedder, Gale press, New York, 1997.
Scartazzini, G. A. ?On the Congruence of Sins and Punishments in Dante?s Inferno,? translated by Thelka in The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, Vol. XXII, Nos. 1&2, January & April, 1888, p 21-83. . Rpt in World Literature Criticism Supplement 1, ed. Polly Vedder, Gale press, New York, 1997.
Schelling, Friedrich. ?On Dante in Relation to Philosophy,? in German Aesthetic and Literary Critacism: Kant, Fichte, Schelling, Schopenhauer, Hegel, ed. David Simpson, translated by Elizabeth Rubenstien and David Simpson, Cambridge University Press, 1984, p 140-148. Rpt in World Literature Criticism Supplement 1, ed. Polly Vedder, Gale press, New York, 1997.
Другие работы по теме:
Symbolic Structure And Content Essay Research Paper
Symbolic Structure and Content The journey of Dante through hell, in both its structure and content, symbolizes the nature of sin and punishment. The structure of the book takes the reader step by step through greater and greater sins. The content of the book shows the different punishments for sins, which they are symbolic of the sins themselves; it also, through its language, shows how hell compares to life.
Gayism Essay Research Paper literary scholars have
Gayism Essay, Research Paper literary scholars have argued the fact that Dante had homoerotic tendencies. This poin Many t has been justified with the help of Dante s own work of art, the Inferno, a divine comedy where Dante goes down to visit the nine circles of hell. The sin of sodomy is seen in the seventh circle of hell, where sodomites, blasphemers and usurers are punished in three independent rings.
Count Of Montecristo Essay Research Paper Well
Count Of Montecristo Essay, Research Paper Well noticed in the novel The Count of Monte Cristo, as in The Merchant of Venice , The themes vengeance, conspiracy and love are clearly shown throughout the book. The
Movers And Shakers Dante Essay Research Paper
Movers and Shakers: Dante Have you ever thought about what comes next? What comes after life? The great Italian poet Dante Alighieri pondered this same question, and over the course of his 56 year life, he would come to change the world, touch lives, and question faith all with the power of his words. For this reason, Dante can be considered one of the greatest poets that the human civilization may have ever seen.
Literature Essay Research Paper Overtime peoples opinions
Literature Essay, Research Paper Overtime peoples opinions tend to change, as well as their views on situations. The waythat we view sins today and the way that sins were viewed around Dantes time hascompletely changed. My beliefs are that something is a sin if it is against God s will, or breaking theten commandments.
The Nature Of Humanity
– Dantes Inferno Essay, Research Paper The Nature of Humanity There are many differences between modern society and Dante s perception Florence, Italy. These differences are caused by the passage of time. The society depicted in Dante s Inferno is almost completely different than modern society, when taken at face value.
Paolo And Francesca
– Dante’s Inferno Canto V Essay, Research Paper Icee@itookmyprozac A Daughter of Eve As Eve was to Adam, Delilah to Samson and Cleopatra to Anthony, so was Francesca da Rimini to Paolo Malatesta.
Dante On Islam Essay Research Paper Divine
Dante On Islam Essay, Research Paper Divine Retribution ( in Italian contrapasso) is clearly shown in canto 28 by showing the punishment of the sowers of schism and scandal in the 9th bolgia of
Punishments In Dante
’s Inferno Essay, Research Paper Cindy Kenney English 355 Burn in Hell The Comedy, later renamed The Divine Comedy was written by Dante Alighieri of Florence, Italy. In the early 14th century,
DanteS Inferno Second Circle Of Hell Essay
, Research Paper Canto V In Dante’s Inferno, part of The Divine Comedy, Canto V introduces the torments of Hell in the Second Circle. Here Minos tells the damned where they will spend eternity by wrapping his tail around himself. The Second Circle of Hell holds the lustful; those who sinned with the flesh. They are punished in the darkness by an unending tempest, which batters them with winds and rain.
Inferno Versus Paradise Lost Essay Research Paper
Inferno vs. Paradise Lost The two stories Inferno by Dante and Paradise Lost by Milton were written about the biblical hell and its keeper; Satan. Both of these authors had different views about hell and Satan.
Dante S Inferno Essay Research Paper In
Dante S Inferno Essay, Research Paper In Dante s Inferno, hell is described as a place full of torture and hopelessness. Within the circular body of hell, each level contained unique punishments for various types of sin. The further Dante descended into hell, the worse the punishments became. Due to the time period in which Dante wrote the Inferno, only the individuals of that time, along with their respective sins, are addressed.
Political Context Of Dante
’s Inferno Essay, Research Paper The political context of Dante’s Inferno Dante’s “Inferno” was a great epic poem of the early Renaissance. It was known for its astute commentary on political and religious levels, both deeply woven into the work through allegory. Dante wrote his Divine Comedy in a specific historical and political context.
Dantes Inferno Essay Research Paper Dante the
Dantes Inferno Essay, Research Paper Dante the Pilgrim was once a spiritual and holy man, but as of recently he had felt less than holy. Yet, he still wants to remain spiritual. To do this, Dante must recognize the true nature of his sin(s), renounce them, and pay penance for them by travelling though the nine levels of hell.
Dantes Inferno Essay Research Paper Canto XThe
Dantes Inferno Essay, Research Paper Canto X: The Perils of Pride In The Inferno, Dante describes his journey through hell. Throughout his pilgrimage, Dante learns from the sinners that he meets along the way. One influential group of sinners is those in Canto X. In this Canto, Dante is warned that those filled with pride suffer eternally.
Dante AlighieriS Inferno Essay Research Paper Dante
Dante Alighieri`S Inferno Essay, Research Paper Dante Alighieri was born in Florence in May, 1265, of an old family, of noble origin but no longer wealthy. He studied the triviun and quadrivium, he spent a year of so at the University of Bologna, and while there he came under the influence of some of the learned men of his day.
Dante And Homer Essay Research Paper Dante
Dante And Homer Essay, Research Paper Dante makes many references to Homer and the Iliad throughout the Inferno. The fates of favorite characters are described during the course of Dante?s
Alighieri Dante The Divine Comedy Essay Research
Paper “The Divine Comedy” is an epic poem brimming with information and eloquent literary devices. (The word “comedy” is used here in its classical sense – to denote a story which begins in suspense
Allegory In The Divine Comedy Essay Research
Paper Dante wrote The Divine Comedy between 1308 and 1321. The Divine Comedy was written as an allegory, Which is a narrative that takes place on both a literal and a figurative or symbolic level. Dante uses himself as the main character and uses allegory to describe himself in the epic.
JOHH Essay Research Paper Divine ComedyDante
JOHH Essay, Research Paper Divine Comedy Dante’s Divine Comedy is a moral comedy that is designed to make the readers think about their own morals. The poem could have been used almost as a
Inferno By Dante Essay Research Paper Although
Inferno By Dante Essay, Research Paper Although it is hard to read Dante’s triple rhyme, I am thrilled by the Inferno’s ambiguity and allegoric power. It is really “a three-dimensional art.” Just like Picasso in his paintings, Dante makes me think about the meaning of the situations and their implications.
Spiritual Journeys Essay Research Paper The Tale
Spiritual Journeys Essay, Research Paper The Tale of Saigyo and The Inferno both trace the unique journeys of two interesting figures, Saigyo and Dante. The two journeys are differing in that one is a journey through the life of a Buddhist monk, and the other is a journey through the different circles of hell.
Dante Alighieri
’s The Divine Comedy, Purgatory Essay, Research Paper Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy, Purgatory Dante’s The Divine Comedy section of Purgatory is a depiction of Dante and his struggle to reach paradise. He is a character as well as a narrator. The purgatory section deals with the seven deadly sins and Dante’s task of cleansing himself on his journey to heaven.
Paradiso Essay Research Paper In spite of
Paradiso Essay, Research Paper In spite of all the sheer effort put behind it, Dante?s Paradiso is not easy to enjoy. It is an alliance between difficulty and controversy. It is a narration of
Dante 2 Essay Research Paper Dante s
Dante 2 Essay, Research Paper Dante s Influence on Italian Culture Dante Alighieri was a very well known and influential poet in early literature. He was not only a poet, he was also a philosophical thinker, an active politician, and a religious visionary (Holmes 1). Dante was born in Florence in 1265, into the Guelph political party, one of the two main parties in Florence.
Dante Reaction Paper Essay Research Paper Dante
Dante Reaction Paper Essay, Research Paper Dante Reaction Paper In his lecture, Professor Mark Dantmore says that Purgatorio is “almost science fiction” to people of the time it was written. I find it very interesting that a book in the Divine Comedy, something the Catholics take as truth, might be described this way.
Christianity In The Inferno Essay Research Paper
Shannon Burger Literature of the Western World Christianity in The Inferno In The Inferno, Dante Alighieri gives his audience a clear vivid presentation of what he as a follower of the Christian religion perceives to be hell. Dante shows that human sin is punishable in various degrees of severity and that this is dependent on the nature of one^+s sinful actions.
The Inferno Essay Essay Research Paper The
The Inferno Essay Essay, Research Paper The Inferno Essay The Inferno, translated by John Ciardi, is a poem of Dante s immortal drama of a journey through Hell. Sensory imagery is established throughout the poem in the course of Virgil s attempt to aid Dante through the different symbolic retributions that make up the structure of Hell.
The Inferno Essay Research Paper The Inferno
The Inferno Essay, Research Paper The Inferno The Inferno, written by Dante, is a poem that deals with the afterlife. It deals with the ideas that actions and practices taken up in this life will determine the
Dante Essay Research Paper Dante s InfernoDeath
Dante Essay, Research Paper Dante s Inferno Death and what comes after has always been a topic of great interest and uncertainty. Many have tried to depict their own vision of the afterlife, be it heaven or hell, paradiso or inferno. The inferno is more than just a fictional story about someone traveling through the universe; it s more like an autobiographical journey of life through its author, Dante.
Dante Essay Research Paper In Dantes Inferno
Dante Essay, Research Paper In Dante?s Inferno, Dante narrates his descent and observation of hell through the various circles and pouches. One part of this depiction is his descriptions of the various punishments that each of the different sinners has received.
Dante Algheiria Essay Research Paper Dante Alighieri
Dante Algheiria Essay, Research Paper Dante Alighieri wrote when he was poor. Dante Alighieri wrote when he lost his loved ones. Dante Alighieri wrote when he was exiled out of Florence, Italy. How could he do it? Simple, he was prepared for challenges, independent, he had a focus, and always had a sense of higher purpose.
Dante Inferno Essay Research Paper Dante Alighieri
Dante Inferno Essay, Research Paper Dante Alighieri s Divine Comedy is said to be the single greatest epic poem of all time. The opening story of the character of Dante the Pilgrim is told in the first of the three divisions: The Inferno. The Inferno is a description of Dante s journey down through Hell and of the several degrees of suffering and many mythical creatures that he encounters on the way.