8/10/2019 Dante Discussion Paper

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/dante-discussion-paper 1/2

Dante Discussion Paper

The Divine Comedy is a reaction to the politics of Medieval Florence. To delve further, Florence

was divided between the Whites and Blacks political party. The Whites were against the rulings of the

Pope while the Blacks supported him. When Pope Boniface VIII associated himself with the Blacks in

order to seize Florence, Dante was ultimately exiled. Dante’s hatred towards the Pope can be seenthroughout his works.

In Inferno, the reader follows Dante towards his journey through hell. Using himself as the main

character, the book starts off with Dante getting lost in the Dark Woods. Just as three wild animals

threatened his safety, he is guided by the Ghost of Virgil. Puzzled by the fact that his idol was in hell,

Dante inquire about the precarious situation. Virgil explained that the Virgin Mary and Santa Lucia pitied

Dante and asked his deceased lover, Beatrice, to send down a helpful guide. Lo and behold, she chose to

send down his most treasured hero.

The two spiral down into the nine circles of Hell, the first of which is Limbo. This ring contained

all unbaptized and virtuous people that could not be saved by God. They do not suffer, but they also do

not know the warmth of God’s love. It is possible to be transported out of this ring into Heaven as

demonstrated by Noah, Abraham, and Moses.

Delving deeper into the flames comes the circle of the lustful. It is in this ring that the lustful are

tormented by an endless array of storms. Here, Dante meets Francesca da Rimini who recounted her life

before Hell. As she approached the conclusion of her story, Dante felt the sorrow in his soul and passed

out.

The third circle contains those of the gluttonous. Dante wakes up in a rainy, polluted region. He

talks to the Ciacco who prophesizes the disaster that will occur in Florence. Soon after, Danteapproaches the fourth circle containing the greedy. It is here that the avaricious and prodigal roll their

heavy weights in eternal circles. After a soapbox speech performed by Virgil, the two heroes venture

down the river Styx, where they are lead towards the fifth circle. This circle contains the Sullen and

Wrathful, all of who are dirty and constantly trying to hurt one another and unable to speak.

Approaching the gates of Dis, the two heroes are aided by an angle who forces the gates open

for them. The reach the circle of the Heretics where Dante converses with Farinata degli Uberti, who

also prophesies Dante’s arduous journey to come back from exile.

In the path from the sixth to seventh layer, Virgil explains the full structure of Hell. Mainly, each

layer falls under three big sins: incontinence, fraud and treachery. Circles one through six has fallen

under incontinence and the following sins are soon to come. In the seventh circle, shows the violent

sinners. Dante and Virgil encounter the beat Geryon who leads them into the eight circles.

Now the eight circle have ten pouches in totality. Dante and Virgil encounter the simonists in

the thirid pouch and as well as the soul of Nocholas III. The former pope mistakes Dante for his

successor.

8/10/2019 Dante Discussion Paper

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/dante-discussion-paper 2/2