Dantes Inferno Essay - 888 Words

Dantes use of allegory in the Inferno greatly varies from Platos quot;Allegory of the Cavequot; in purpose, symbolism, characters and mentors, and in attitude toward the world. An analysis of each of these elements in both allegories will provide an interesting comparison. Dante uses allegory to relate the sinners punishment to his sin, while Plato uses allegory to discuss ignorance and knowledge. Dantes Inferno describes the descent through Hell from the upper level of the opportunists to the most evil, the treacherous, on the lowest level. His allegorical poem describes a hierarchy of evil. Conversely, Platos quot;Allegory of the Cavequot; describes the ascent from ignorance to knowledge, as one prisoner is freed to make his†¦show more content†¦175) This quote describes the punishment for fortune tellers. In life the fortune tellers foresaw the future. In death they are doomed to exist with their heads on backwards and their eyes overflowing with tears so that not only could they not see what was happening in front of them, but they could not see at all due to these copious amounts of tears. Similarly, each sin had its own logical punishment, and each group of sinners received the same punishment, with only a few exceptions. Such an exception can be found in Canto XXlll when Caiaphas lies crucified on the floor while the other hypocrites walk around him in circles. He is set apart because he counseled a Roman to crucify Jesus. While the sinners represent mans imperfections, Virgil symbolizes human reason. Throughout the poem, Virgil uses logic and reason to convince the monsters to allow him to gain passage to the various circles of Hell. The use of characters and mentors is distinct in each piece. quot;The Allegory of the Cavequot; presents few characters, and except for the one prisoner who ascends from the cave, none are distinguished from the others. The one freed prisoner attempts to become a mentor to the others but fails. As he tries to enlighten the remaining prisoners he is received with anger and threats. Nothing is learned about the characters as individuals. They remain nameless, faceless images. In contrast, there are numerous characters in the Inferno. The sinners are arranged inShow MoreRelatedDantes Inferno.1698 Words   |  7 Pagespaper in a never-ending wind storm. Welcome to Dante s Inferno, his perspective on the appropriate punishments for those who are destined to hell for all eternity. Dante attempts to make the punishments fit the crimes, but because it is Dante dealing out the tortures and not God, the punishments will never be perfect because by nature, man is an imperfect creature. Only God is capable of being above reproach and of metering out a just punishment. While Dante s treatment towards the tyrants is fittingRead MoreDante s Inferno, By Dante899 Words   |  4 PagesIn Dante’s Inferno, one chapter of three in Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, the main protag onist of the poem, Dante frequently uses romance and love as one of the main themes to express his message and vision of Hell he portraits in the story. Dante’s Inferno is an epic poem about a recounting of Dante and his incredible journey through Hell and its many levels while he is being guided by Virgil. In the story, Hell is shown to have nine levels of suffering depending on what kinds of sin you committedRead MoreDante s Inferno, By Dante925 Words   |  4 PagesDante’s Inferno Throughout the story Dante’s Inferno, Dante takes a trip through hell to reach what he calls paradise. During Dante’s journey to hell he goes through the nine circles called: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. With each of the circles in hell, there is a punishment that resembles each of sins committed. Based on the reactions that the pilgrims give through textual conversations between Virgil and Dante. It can be concluded that theRead MoreThe Inferno, By Dante2284 Words   |  10 PagesThroughout the Inferno, Dante has often presented characters in a way that reflects his own personality: there is the amorous and suicidal Dido for whom he shows sympathy and gives a lesser punishment, while there is the suicidal Pier delle Vigne to whom he gives a much harsher punishment. This difference in placement should reflect a strict moral code that agrees with a pre-established divine order, and yet Dante demonstrates such obvi ous favoritism. Why? Dido loved Aeneas too much, as Dante loved BeatriceRead MoreEssay on Dantes Inferno669 Words   |  3 PagesDantes Inferno In The Inferno, by Dante many of the sinners’ punishments are questionable to the sins they’ve committed. Like Dante, one feels great pity for many of the sinners that exist in all of the levels of Hell. Many of their retributions seem much too severe for some of the sins that just don’t seem that dire. Francesca and Paolo di Rimini have no control over the love that develops between the two of them, but are forced to spend eternity in the Second Circle of Hell. Read MoreDante s Inferno : The Inferno1704 Words   |  7 Pages Dante Inferno Ellen Dukes Professor Reynolds December 4, 2015 Dante s Inferno The book Dante s Inferno or is commonly known as Dante s Hell dwells in many issues that are true in today society and is entertaining and thought provocative to the reader. This book shows that Dante’s life, as strange and different as it reads, is no more different than many people’s lives today. The expeditions that Dante takes after he is lost and confused in the gloomy forest and on his way met by VirgilRead MoreDante s Inferno, By Dante The Pilgrim1345 Words   |  6 PagesDante, Inferno Throughout the epic poem Inferno, Dante the Pilgrim travels in the different circles of Hell told by Dante the Poet. The story examines what a righteous life is by showing us examples of sinful lives. Dante is accompanied by his guide Virgil, who takes him on a journey to examine sin and the effects it has in has in the afterlife to different sinners. Through the stories of Francesca and Paolo, Brunetto Latini, Ulysses and Guido da Montefeltro, we are able to understand that peopleRead MoreThe Inferno Of Dante Alighieri1647 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Inferno of Dante Alighieri† translated by Ciaran Carson, originally written by Dante himself is a classical piece of literature. It is the first part of Dante’s three part epic poem entitled, â€Å"The Divine Comedy†. â€Å"The Inferno of Dante Alighieri† transports the reader into a gradual ride, going from an familiar and earthly land, to descending the depths of Hell in the search of salvation. The im agery conjured up while reading this book is plentiful as Dante’s writing is impeccable. NaturallyRead MoreThe Inferno By Dante Alighieri1367 Words   |  6 PagesDante Alighieri must have been an extremely strict and lecture-loving parent. In the first part of his collection, The Inferno, Alighieri filled his story with subliminal messages within the text to teach a greater lesson to the reader. Dante Alighieri purposefully chooses specific moments to express humankind’s weakness and how human reason can positively influence people to react in the correct manner in the eyes of God. Through the interaction of two of his main characters, Dante, who representsRead MoreDante s Inferno, By Dante The Pilgrim1920 Words   |  8 Pagesvery beginning of Dante’s Inferno, a difference in the characterization of Dante the Poet and Dante the Pilgrim is very evident. While Dante the Poet is the one essentially writing the epic poem and shamelessly assigning each sinnerâ⠂¬â„¢s punishment, Dante the Pilgrim is traveling through the different Circles of Hell and experiencing each sinner’s emotions first hand. Dante the Poet has a different perspective on each sinner which permits him to be aware of details that Dante the Pilgrim is oblivious