Dante’s Inferno presents an allegorical biography of Dante’s effort to conquer sins and enjoy God’s love. The author of this compelling book presents the idea of Hell by explaining nine different circles. The levels descend towards the depth of the hell the (9th level), the circle inhabited by the devil himself. Each circle is a reserve for particular sinners. Furthermore, different punishments are administered at each level. The nature and extent of the sins committed define the magnitude of the recommended punishment. The higher the severity of the sin the lower the circle in which one is to spend eternity.
Dante Alighieri and Virgil
Dante Alighieri is the main figure in the story. He presents a person who has diverted from the “true path” of life. In particular, his sins have distracted him from the right path to God. Dante is a character who describes the concept of the nature of sin by presenting his journey through Hell. He witnesses each evil condemned to a punishment that equals its severity as per God’s justice. It is notable that Dante’s account highlights both his life and the author’s opinion of what he viewed as the collective Christian quest for God (Berge 40). This implies that Dante’s character is based on the each humanity’s allegorical custom. Particularly, the scenario depicted by Dante portrays the life of the entire human race.
On the other hand, Virgil is an important character who features in the entire story. It is arguable that Virgil’s spirit embodies human reason that controls and safeguards the individual while in the world of sin. In line with this concept, the author presents Virgil as a calculative, sober, intelligent and resolute character. He protects Dante constantly from brutal demons throughout the inferno. In some instance, Virgil relies on the angelic messenger, which means that the reason is helpless without faith. This depicts a crucial tenet of Dante’s moral assumption; thus, qualifying this work as a Christian poem. In overall, Virgil assumes the role of guiding Dante. He describes to him both the physical way through Hell while reinforcing him morally. For instance, he becomes mad with Dante when he appears not to learn important moral lessons such as in the case where he compromises with the sinners (Dante and Charles 149).
Comparing the Three Beast: Wolf, Lion and Leopard
The three beast, leopard, wolf, and lion present varied sins. The animal symbolism in the story imitates the negative inference within animal imagery emphasized by Christianity. The beasts highlight carnal sins that are categorized into three groups based on their severity. These entail the sins of malice and fraud, violence and desire, and the ones of incontinence. Initially, the Leopard portrays the malicious and duplicitous sins. In the similar way, the leopard masquerades as prey upon spotting a target animal. He takes his time and eventually strike at the most convenient situation when the prey would least suspect. The author develops this connection because individuals who engage in sins of fraud mainly appear to be good to others without showing their true motive. The second beast is the lion that obstructs Dante’s from the right path. Lion exemplifies the sins of violence and desire. This is because the lion is essentially an ambitious and assertive animal that mainly seem highly motivated to satisfy his needs through any way including violence when necessary (Berge 39). The cruelty of the lion is evident in his habitat where he asserts his niche in the food chain without fearing any other animal. The metaphoric representation of the lion embodies individuals who engage in violent and ambitious sins, the similar case with a lion who causes chaos in the entire habitat in search of his food. Lastly, the third beast, the she-wolf explains the sins that humanity can hardly resist such as adultery and lust. She-wolves are cryptic animals, and they often hunt in packs. In this context, sins of this category appear coupled, the same way these animals hunt together. For instance, a person who is lost in lust is likely to engage in adultery. The author also develops the character of this beast through a female wolf. Contrast to a male wolf. The female is popular for her sexual deceit throughout a traditional culture.
Gods’ Relation to Men
God’s relation to men appears to be joyful and happy for the men who follow the righteous path. Dante struggles to work on his sins and live a righteous life to see the God’s goodness. Throughout the story, it is clear that God has prepared a wonderful place where conquers will live happily in the internal. However, the biggest challenge that faces the humanity and obstructs people from experience such a life is their sins. Consequently, God seems to have a nasty relation with the men who commits sins. He has established the Hell in which each sinner is to face a punishment that matches the magnitude of his or her sins. This is evident with the concept of the “God Justice” presented in the Dante’s story where each sinner is judged accordingly (Davis 42).
Punishments and the Nine Circles of Hell: Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery
Limbo is portrayed as the first circle of hell. The author describes this as a place of sorrow without torture. Individuals such as pagans, reputable scholars and other people who do not qualify for a position in heaven inhabit this place. Individuals in this circle meet people like Caesar, Aristotle, and Homer among others. No punishment is practically condemned to at this circle, and the environment is peaceful but sad. The second circle of lust is characterized by strong winds. The lustful inhabits this place and has to spend their entire eternity here (Davis 82). The sinners suffer the wrath of the endlessly and ruthless winds as punishment for their sinful actions. Individuals in this circle have betrayed the reason to satisfy their lustful desire, thus, must remain here forever. The third level a person enters the world of eternal rain, cold and maledict. The circle is a reserve of the gluttons as they face the punishment of residing in a tormenting mixture of shadows and stagnant water. People in this category must suffer because they consumed excess during their lifetime. Accordingly, they must have an unhappy eternal as they persevere the torment of the stinking mud. The fourth circle lies near river Styx, and it presents the category of the greed (Berge 168). In particular, the prodigal and the covetous inhabit here. There punishment includes rolling weights against one another. People who wasted or led a greedy life and the self-centered ones who could not share anything with others are deemed to experience this damnation. The fifth circle includes the category of the wrathful and gloomy. River Styx passes through this level. The wrathful are to suffer by forever tearing each other with anger and furiously. The gloomy struggles in the black mud, sullen and are isolated from the world. Their cries exude to the surface as they attempt to repeat a doleful chorus, but with unclear words. People in this world must face their suffering in river Styx because they led a cruel, hateful and mean life. The sixth circle includes the city if Dis. Sinners here are entangled in flaming tombs. The place characterizes the heresy and individuals here will suffer and have not respite.
The rings of the seventh circle, violence: Outer ring, Middle ring and Inner ring
The seventh level presents the place of violence. It is categorized into three rings that include the outer, middle and inner rings. The outer ring is the place for the murderers other individuals engage in violent actions upon other people and property. In this context, Dante witnesses historical figures such as Alexander the Great. The middle ring comprises of the suicides who have changed to become trees and bushes upon which harpies feed on. There are also the profligates who are attacked and torn to pieces by dogs. Lastly, the inner ring characterizes the blasphemers and sodomites. They inhabit a desert of smoking hot sand and burning rain (Berge 49).
Ten Bolgias of the eighth circle, fraud
The eighth level is the world of the fraudulent. The circle is categorized into 10 Bolgias that are interlinked with bridges. Bolgia 1 has the panderers and seducer while Bolgia 2 comprise of the flatterers. Bolgia 3 has individuals convicted of simony while Bolgia 4 has sorcerers and dishonest prophets. The unjust politicians inhabit Bolgia 5 as the hypocrites reside in Bolgia 6. Furthermore, thieves are condemned to Bolgia 7 while Bolgia 8 is a reserve for the evil counselors and advisers. Lastly, the divisive people occupy Bolgia 9 while other falsifiers like counterfeits and alchemists inhabit Bolgia 10 (Dante and Henr 174).
Four Rounds of the ninth circle, Treachery
The ninth circle presents the land of the treachery, and it is categorized into four Rounds based on the sin’s severity. Here, all individuals suffer the punishment of icy lake, and one condemned for more severe reside deeper within the ice. The Rounds coined after the person who personifies the sin. Round 1 is regarded as Caina after Cain, who murdered his brother. Round 2 presents the Antenora after the Anthenor of Troy while Round 3 is coined Ptolomaea after the son of Abubus. Lastly, Round 4 is stated as Judecca following Judas Iscariot.
Dante’s Satan
Dante’s Satan is presented as the ultimate devil who was once the best angel of God. God threw him out of kingdom following his constant rebellion, which describes the root of the evil and sorrow in the world. The emergence of this evil started with the incident of Eve and Adam that has a biblical reference to Genesis 3. Dante’s Satan presents as a parodic complex of his evil aspect and the divine authority that punish him in hell. The most beautiful angel of God is now the ugliest. He is the King of Hell, and his terrific size stands in contrast with his minimal authority. Satan three faces align with the idea of the three Trinity in one divine nature (Lanzara, Alighieri and Gustave 145). In summary, it becomes apparent that each of the circles of the hell Dante’s Inferno develops the understanding of the concept of sins, their diverse nature and the punishment that characterize each of them.
Biblical References in Dante’s Inferno
Dante’s Inferno refers to the bible in various instances. For instance, the scenario exemplified by the she-wolf beast is in coherent with the depiction of women in the bible. With this example, it is arguable that the author is featuring the situation of women explained in Isaiah 3:16. This verse describes the God’s wrath following the daughters of Zion immoral acts. In this context, women presents as sultry temptresses that target to entice men into doing sins such as adultery that obstruct them from seeing God (Dante and Charles 169). Furthermore, the picture presented by the idea of lion that highlights the sins of violence and desire can be seen to be in line with the bible’s verse, I Peter 5:8. The verse encourages the Christians to be strong and alert as their enemy rooms around like a fierce lion that is searching for someone to devour.
Works cited
Berge, Nels A. An Exploration and Analysis of Biblical References and Allusions in Canto 28 of Dante's Inferno. , 2000. Print.
Dante, Alighieri, and Charles S. Singleton. The Divine Comedy. Inferno. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 1989. Print.
Dante, Alighieri, and Henry F. Cary. Dante's Inferno. Girard, Kan: Haldeman-Julius Co, 1922. Print.
Davis, Anita P. Dante's the Divine Comedy I, Inferno. Piscataway, N.J: Research & Education Association, 1995. Print.
Lanzara, Joseph, Alighieri Dante, and Gustave Doré. Dante's Inferno: The Graphic Novel. Belleville, NJ: New Arts Library, 2011. Print.
