Dantes Inferno

1
Dantes Inferno

• Cantos I II

2
The Dark Wood

• Midway in our lifes journey, I went astray
• from the straight road and woke to find myself
• alone in a dark wood (1-3).
• Dantes age- 35 (according to bible)
• Pretense for the poem
• He was heading down the wrong path in life

3
The Dark Wood

• Characterization
• I never saw so drear,so rank, so arduous a
  wilderness!/ Its very memory gives a shape to
  fear/ Death could scarce be more bitter than that
  place! (4-6)
• Presents setting for what is to follow
• How I came to it I cannot rightly say,/ so
  drugged and loose with sleep had I become/ when I
  first wandered there from the True Way. (10-13)

• Doesnt know how or why hes there

4
The Dark Wood

• Symbol of Divine Illumination
• Its shoulders glowed already with the sweet
  rays of that planet/ whose virtue leads men
  straight on every road,/ and the shining
  strengthened men against the fright (17-19)
• Reflects the way to heaven
• Seeking salvation
• The True Path

5
Struggle of Sin and Virtue

• Struggles to climb
• I faced a spotted Leopard, all tremor and flaw
  (33)
• ...I shook with dread/ at the sight of a great
  Lion (43-44)
• ...a She-Wolf drove upon me, a starved horror
  (48)
• Struggles with the animals
• Leopard- lust
• Lion- pride
• She-wolf- envy (avarice)
• Animals represent the 3 divisions of hell
• 7 deadly sins greed, gluttony, lust, envy,
  sloth, wrath, pride

6
The Dark Wood

• Easter season, Good Friday- resurrection of
  Christ with him to light the new creationthe
  sweet season of commemoration (39-40).
• Rebirth/ resurrection
• 1300 A.D.
• Symbolization of straight road and dark wood
• Serves as a means to transition Dante and Virgil
  to the entrance of hell

7
Virgil

• a presence
• gathered before on the discolored air,
• the figure of one who seemed hoarse from
  long silence.
• (62-64)
• Represents human reason
• Actual mentor
• Shows his admiration for him
• And are you then that Virgil and that fountain
• of purest speechFor you are my true master
  and first author the sole maker form whom
  I drew the breath
• of that sweet style whose measures have
  brought me honor. (77-84)

8
Dantes GuideVirgil

• Shade
• Sub Julio
• Virgil is the symbol of Human Reason- he will
  lead Dante through hell

9
Virgil

• I will be your guide
• and lead you forth through an eternal place.
• There you shall see the ancient spirits tried
• In endless pain, and hear their lamentation
• as each bemoans the second death of souls
  (106-110)

10
Virgil

• To which , if it is still your wish to climb,/
  a worthier spirit shall be sent to guide you./
  With her shall I leave you, for the King of
  Time,/ Who reigns on high, forbids me to come
  there(115-117)
• He will take him as far as he can- St. Peters
  gate (purgatory)
• He cant go farther than God has permitted

11
Canto IIThe Descent

• Why Dante?
• I was a soul
• among the souls of Limbo, when a lady
• so blessed and beautiful, I prayed her
• to order and command my will, called to me.
• Her eyes were kindled from the lamps of Heaven.
• Her voice reached through me, tender, sweet, and
  low.
• An angels voice, a music of its own (53-57)
• Beatrice saw Dante taking the wrong path

12
Canto IIBeatrice

• Beatrice who send you to him. I come from the
  blessed height for which I yearn (heaven). Love
  called me here
• She worried that Dante would be lead astray so
  wanted to show him the right way
• Lucia- allegory that represents Divine Light-
  Patron Saint of Eyesight (saw Dante)

13
The Descent

• Beatrice
• my dearest friend, and fortunes foe, has
  strayed/ onto a friendless shore and stands
  beset/ by such distresses, that he turns afraid/
  From the True Way, and news of him in Heaven/
  rumors my dread he is already lost.
  (61-64)
• Says love led her to help
• Dantes love of his life in reality

14
The Descent

• How is Beatrice able to come to hell?
• But tell me how you dare venture thus
• so far from the wide heaven of your joy
• to which your thoughts yearn back from the
  abyss (84-86)
• I am so made by Gods all-seeing mercy
• your anguish does not touch me, and the
  flame
• of this great burning has no power upon me
  (91-93)
• Power of God allows her

15
Lucia and Rachel

• Thy faithful one is sorely pressed/ in his
  distresses I commend him to thee/ Lucia/saying
  to me Beatrice, true praise of God,/ why dost thy
  sake he left the vulgar crowd(98-105)
• Beatrice Divine love
• Lucia patron St. of eyesight