6th Circle
Types of sins: heresy (denial of the soul's immortality)
Types of punishments: shades are eternally crammed into fiery tombs with other shades and the bottoms of their feet being burned off
Who is there: Farinata degli Uberti- a leader of Florence. In Hell because he belonged to a political party that wanted to limit the power of the church.
7th Circle
Types of sins: violence against people and property (outer ring), violence against self/suicide (middle ring), violence agains God/nature (inner ring)
Types of punishments: (outer ring) immersed in a river of boiling blood with centaurs shooting arrows at the shades if they try to escape. (middle ring) transformed into gnarly, thorny trees with their own bodies hanging from the branches and the Harpies feeding off of them. People who destroy their lives by destroying their means to sustain life, like money and property, are chased by ferocious dogs through the thorny trees and bushes. (inner ring) desert of flaming sand with fiery flakes falling from the sky onto their naked bodies and the tears being forced out of their eyes.
Who is there: Pyrrhus- son of Achilles. In this level for killing King Priam of Troy.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Cantos 23-25
Canto 23
"Not like his mere companion, but like his child" (pg. 237). It is interesting that Dante compares Virgil to God in this level of Hell. This section of Hell is reserved for those who spent their lives as hipocrites. It can be argued that the whole purpose of this text is to try to scare everyone into converting to the "true" religion, but now the author is going against that agenda by putting someone who is in Hell on an even higher level than God. Dante puts everyone in Hell because they aren't perfect, but when he himself isn't perfect, it's considered to be normal.
Canto 24
"and tears the mist and strikes at every White" (pg. 255). White is usually symbolic of purity and innocence, but in this part of Hell, it is something that brings even more punishment on the sinners. This also plays into the level of hypocrites by showing that something that seems pure and wonderful before death can serve to punish you after you die.
Canto 25
"a serpent darted forward that had six feet" (pg. 261). In the Bible, the serpent that appears to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden originally has feet until it is cursed by God to crawl in the dust. This serpent isn't cursed to slither on the ground because it is in a place where everything is considered evil, so it is equally as cursed as everyone else. It is almost like a backwards ressurection. The serpent starts out evil, then it's legs are taken away because of its sins while it is on Earth. Then, when it returns to where it came from, its legs are restored.
"Not like his mere companion, but like his child" (pg. 237). It is interesting that Dante compares Virgil to God in this level of Hell. This section of Hell is reserved for those who spent their lives as hipocrites. It can be argued that the whole purpose of this text is to try to scare everyone into converting to the "true" religion, but now the author is going against that agenda by putting someone who is in Hell on an even higher level than God. Dante puts everyone in Hell because they aren't perfect, but when he himself isn't perfect, it's considered to be normal.
Canto 24
"and tears the mist and strikes at every White" (pg. 255). White is usually symbolic of purity and innocence, but in this part of Hell, it is something that brings even more punishment on the sinners. This also plays into the level of hypocrites by showing that something that seems pure and wonderful before death can serve to punish you after you die.
Canto 25
"a serpent darted forward that had six feet" (pg. 261). In the Bible, the serpent that appears to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden originally has feet until it is cursed by God to crawl in the dust. This serpent isn't cursed to slither on the ground because it is in a place where everything is considered evil, so it is equally as cursed as everyone else. It is almost like a backwards ressurection. The serpent starts out evil, then it's legs are taken away because of its sins while it is on Earth. Then, when it returns to where it came from, its legs are restored.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Cantos 20-22
Canto 20
"Lake Benaco, fed by a thousand sources" (pg. 203). Water is usually used to symbolize purity and cleanliness, but in this case, it serves to emphasize the pain and suffering. In the first part of this Canto, the author tells about how the ground is watered by the tears of the sinners. He uses this to reinforce the contrast between good and evil. Because these people tried to contort the miracles of God into their own beliefs in magic, they are forced to be twisted in their awkward position for all eternity.
Canto 21
"The demon's pride fell so much he let loose his hook" (pg. 215). It is interesting how Dante keeps putting Virgil up on a pedestal. In this case, the demon is humbled by Virgil's words much like how most sinners can be humbled by God's words. The relationship between Dante and Virgil is similar to a religious person worshiping God. Many of the things the author says make Dante seem just as bad as the people he puts in Hell. Technically, he is worshipping someone other that the true God, so he should be punished just like the people in Hell.
Canto 22
"one must go with boozers in the tavern and saints in the church" (pg. 223). This emphasizes the fact that Dante isn't familiar with the world of Hell. He has to have Virgil as a guide because Virgil not only lives in Hell, but he has also travelled through all the levels before. It is a reminder to the reader that, since Dante isn't one of the great heroes from the past, he is very human and he needs the help. It also helps the reader to remember that Virgil is in Hell for a reason.
"Lake Benaco, fed by a thousand sources" (pg. 203). Water is usually used to symbolize purity and cleanliness, but in this case, it serves to emphasize the pain and suffering. In the first part of this Canto, the author tells about how the ground is watered by the tears of the sinners. He uses this to reinforce the contrast between good and evil. Because these people tried to contort the miracles of God into their own beliefs in magic, they are forced to be twisted in their awkward position for all eternity.
Canto 21
"The demon's pride fell so much he let loose his hook" (pg. 215). It is interesting how Dante keeps putting Virgil up on a pedestal. In this case, the demon is humbled by Virgil's words much like how most sinners can be humbled by God's words. The relationship between Dante and Virgil is similar to a religious person worshiping God. Many of the things the author says make Dante seem just as bad as the people he puts in Hell. Technically, he is worshipping someone other that the true God, so he should be punished just like the people in Hell.
Canto 22
"one must go with boozers in the tavern and saints in the church" (pg. 223). This emphasizes the fact that Dante isn't familiar with the world of Hell. He has to have Virgil as a guide because Virgil not only lives in Hell, but he has also travelled through all the levels before. It is a reminder to the reader that, since Dante isn't one of the great heroes from the past, he is very human and he needs the help. It also helps the reader to remember that Virgil is in Hell for a reason.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Inferno: Cantos 17-19
Canto 17
"His face was just a man's face, outwardly kind" (pg. 171). The author uses this to emphasize not only the evil that there is in Hell, but also how fake the people were when they were still alive. Right now, Dante and Virgil are in the ring with the sins of fraud, so it only serves to reinforce that idea that the monster's face seems kind when the monster was made to punish the evil for their sins. The demon's deceptively kind, human face lulls souls into a false sense of security before he makes sure that they are tortured as much as they should be for lying their way through life.
Canto 18
"the bridge with all those bound toward St. Peter's, facing the Castle, while those headed..." (pg. 181). Dante uses this to show the difference that there is between the people who did good in their life and those who did evil. The way he portrays these sinners in Hell as going two opposite ways is meant to give a visualization of the way that the sinners and the people who follow God are going two opposite ways. The memory of people heading for St. Peter's is used to show how the character Dante needs to reassure himself that his goal is right. He is only going through Hell in order to gain the ultimate prize of knowledge, as well as being with God. The only way he can truely come befor St. Peter's gates is if he learns about the suffering that he would have to endure if he wasn't an obedient servant to God.
Canto 19
"...a lawless shepherd of the west..." (pg. 195). In most religious views, the shepherd is a symbol of Jesus. I think the author placed this picture of the evil shepherd in Hell in order to show how discouraging it is for Dante to try and travel through the evil without some of it starting to get to him. He feels sympathy for some of the sinners and the punishments that they have to suffer, and starts to wonder if he might have acted in some of the same ways as them. The author put the picture of the evil shepherd in the fradulent ring of Hell in order to show that nothing is as it seems and Dante just has to trust in God in order to be saved from the same fate.
"His face was just a man's face, outwardly kind" (pg. 171). The author uses this to emphasize not only the evil that there is in Hell, but also how fake the people were when they were still alive. Right now, Dante and Virgil are in the ring with the sins of fraud, so it only serves to reinforce that idea that the monster's face seems kind when the monster was made to punish the evil for their sins. The demon's deceptively kind, human face lulls souls into a false sense of security before he makes sure that they are tortured as much as they should be for lying their way through life.
Canto 18
"the bridge with all those bound toward St. Peter's, facing the Castle, while those headed..." (pg. 181). Dante uses this to show the difference that there is between the people who did good in their life and those who did evil. The way he portrays these sinners in Hell as going two opposite ways is meant to give a visualization of the way that the sinners and the people who follow God are going two opposite ways. The memory of people heading for St. Peter's is used to show how the character Dante needs to reassure himself that his goal is right. He is only going through Hell in order to gain the ultimate prize of knowledge, as well as being with God. The only way he can truely come befor St. Peter's gates is if he learns about the suffering that he would have to endure if he wasn't an obedient servant to God.
Canto 19
"...a lawless shepherd of the west..." (pg. 195). In most religious views, the shepherd is a symbol of Jesus. I think the author placed this picture of the evil shepherd in Hell in order to show how discouraging it is for Dante to try and travel through the evil without some of it starting to get to him. He feels sympathy for some of the sinners and the punishments that they have to suffer, and starts to wonder if he might have acted in some of the same ways as them. The author put the picture of the evil shepherd in the fradulent ring of Hell in order to show that nothing is as it seems and Dante just has to trust in God in order to be saved from the same fate.
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