The link between Virgil and Limbo is that Limbo is the area of hell which is the home of Virgil. When he and Dante reach this first circle, Virgil tells his companion that his pale complexion is not a sign of terror; instead, it is sympathy for his fellow people, as they all share Limbo as their home. In fact, he has friends in here. In this realm, the sinners also sigh, but not as noisily or excruciatingly as the neutrals. Distressed by these peoples’ troubles, Dante solemnly questions Virgil as to whether anybody is permitted to escape Limbo, providing they are good at heart. Virgil replies that this can happen and he has seen it.
The spirits being punished wish to speak to Dante as they wish to enlighten him of their plight. Dante needs to tour hell in order to get back onto a righteous path. As a result of this, speaking to sinners is an important element of his journey. As punishment, those overcome by lust are blown about to and fro by a violent storm. Such sinners are thrown and whirled by winds as in life they were helpless in storms of passion (Dante). As with the others, this punishment is directly relevant to the crime.
Plato's parable of the cave is similar to Dante’s journey through hell. Plato’s is a metaphor for unawareness and information. Visualize, says Plato, a cave in which detainees are bound so that all they can view are shadows on a wall opposite. This view of enslavement is similar to the setup of hell in Inferno, as is the concept of darkness, both literally and metaphorically.
Works Cited
Dante. “Inferno.” World Literature Anthology: Through the Renaissance. Vol 3. Apus Epress. 2011.
