Mr. Fallon

1
Mr. Fallon Canto I of Dantes Inferno

• Canto I takes place in the Dark Wood, (which
  represents Worldly Sin) where the character of
  Dante (Mankind) came to his senses in a dark
  forest for I had lost the straight path,(2-3).
  The date is April 8th, 1300, in the middle of
  his life around the age of 35.

2
A Hill and Beasts

• Dante (the character) sees a hill clothed
  already in the rays of the planet which leads men
  straight on every path. (24) This represents
  the hill that ascends to Salvation and
  Righteousness.
• Three Symbolic Beasts block his path
• Leopard Deception/Fraud/Excessive Luxury
• Lion Violence
• She-Wolf Lust/Gluttony/Incontinence

3
Modern Connections

• The three beasts apparently represent worldly
  sin, and keep mortals from rising to salvation.
  Today we see these everywhere
• Deception/Fraud Enron, Political Scandals,
  Credit card fraud, Identity theft, Lying
• Violence Gang violence, School violence,
  Shootings, Iraq War, Terrorism
• Incontinence/Excessiveness Hyper-sexuality in
  movies, ads, commercialism buying of houses we
  cant afford, gas prices, Capitalism in general,
  keeping up with the Joneses Extra-Value Meals,
  Huge portions at Restaurants, obesity obsession
  with medication, depression, psychological
  disorders.

4
A Guide

• Virgil appears as a guide to Dante, and says he
  will guide him through Hell and Purgatory but a
  female entity (Beatrice) must guide him into
  Heaven.
• Virgil represents
• the Roman poet of the Aeneid by the same name.
• Human Reason
• Virgil is a pagan who lived during the time of
  Christ and Augustus, and therefore is barred from
  guiding Dante into Heaven.
• Dante (the poet) makes clear that Human Reason
  alone is not enough to comprehend/enter Heaven.

5
Gustav Dore illustration of Dante in the Dark
Wood.