Essays on Dante Alighieri

The Lord of the flies written by William Golding and Inferno by Dante Alighieri are allegorical books that expound common themes and similitude in the usage of styles. In particular, the common theme that resonates in these two books is the nature of man and the evil that men harbor in their hearts. In essence, the two novels delve to answer the question as to who is the real enemy of humankind. Though the two authors dexterously use different stylistic devices to answer the question, the convergence is that man himself is the worst enemy to each other. According ...

This paper considers the shared ideas among Homer, Dante Alighieri, Virgil, and the anonymous writer of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The idea of paradise and hell, right, and wrong, retribution, and reward are evident in the texts with some of them bearing a close resemblance to each other. For the conclusion, there will be an analysis of how the authors’ perceptions echo in present-day societies. Perhaps the most common theme availed in all the reading is pride. In the texts, pride dominates the actions of the heroes and even propels some to act irrationally for the sake ...

Compare and contrast Achilles in Dante’s Inferno and Homer’s Iliad

Compare and contrast Achilles in Dante’s Inferno and Homer’s Iliad

Introduction

Dante Alighieri in his legendary text, Inferno, believes that anyone who committed unacceptable deeds would be damned eternally among the nine circles of Hell. Without a doubt, people like Achilles were to be found in these circles. Specifically, Achilles existed in Hell’s second circle. He qualified for this circle by being not only extremely selfish but lacking self-control, having raging passions and betraying his country at times. These descriptions paint Achilles largely in weakness. His description of Hell focuses mainly on his failings rather than his ...

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 ...

In this paper, I will look at the themes in The Odyssey and Inferno. The theme I will look at first is journeys. In the Odyssey, Odysseus struggles to return to his home and family. His journey takes ten years to complete. Unlike Odysseus, whose journey is physical in the Inferno, Dante’s journey encompasses the struggle between good and evil within himself. Dante see’s the afterlife as consisting of three level heaven, purgatory and hell. In the Odyssey as Odysseus is traveling back to Ithaca he encounters a number of mythological and supernatural creatures like Poseidon, Circe, ...

Abstract

Three types of examples from the genres of world literature are integral to the strength of investigating the works of different periods and cultures. Different eras represented sweeping views of war, the sacred, the secular, and expressions of stories that culminated in philosophical lessons or important pieces in historical sagas. This essay develops a critique based upon the prompt which looks at the literary works of: (a) Homer’s “The Iliad”, (b) Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy – Inferno”, and (c) Elphinstone Dayrell’s “Nigerian Folk Stories”. The richly contrasting nuances of the literary comparisons provide a marvelous rubric and background from which ...

Dante’s depiction of hell in his Inferno is arguably what makes Inferno the most famous of his Divine Comedy trilogy. It is a fascinating piece for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it is an epic poem written in the vernacular-- the language of the common people. Along with the other two parts of the trilogy, Inferno tells part of the story of the Christian mythos. It continues to draw readers because of the sensationalist nature of the poem. However, despite being about Hell, Dante’s Inferno is not only an allegorical poem about Hell, ...

Dante Alighieri wrote the Divine Comedy (Divina Comedia) in the thirteenth century. The work was divided into three stages namely, Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory) and Paradiso (Paradise). It was a well-renowned religious epic during Dante’s time which tells about his journey from Hell to the Paradise. Virgil, who was also a great Roman poet and Beatrice, Dante’s beloved lady guided him through the different circles of hell. The poem which was written in the Tuscany dialect also establishes the modern Italian language. The poem was divided into nine circles. Each circle represents the deadly sins of the mortal world ...

Dante’s Confession – A Literary Analysis

In his “Inferno” Dante Alighieri, the author of The Divine Comedy, portrays himself as the 35 year old Dante the Pilgrim, who is “Midway along the journey of [his] life” (Alighieri & Musa, 2002). Alighieri’s Dante the Pilgrim is a man who has “wandered off from the straight path” (Alighieri & Musa, 2002) and has gone astray from “the path of truth” (Alighieri & Musa, 2002). Dante wrote the Inferno as a public confession of his sins, to make his readers comprehend the redemption of the soul. After all, confession is the first step toward redemption. In the Inferno, Dante the Pilgrim feels ...

According to Hartt and Wilkins (2010), the name Giotto di Bondone became synonymous to the Early Renaissance period. Most of the details of Giotto’s birth and death is speculated by experts due to the lack of public records and statements about the artist. In some recounts, the Italian artist is said to be from Colle di Romagnano in the northern region of Florence. Records in 1267 noted that his father is called “Bondone”, a man with high standing in Florence. While records have no clear idea as to where Giotto was born, a hamlet in the northern region of Florence ...

Dante Alighieri in his illustrious book “The Inferno” has classified sins at nine different levels in the form of circles. Dante has mentioned nine circles of hell as; first circle as Limbo, second circle as Lust, third circle as Gluttony, fourth circle as Avarice, fifth circle as Anger, sixth circle as Heresy, seventh circle as Violence, eighth circle as Fraud and ninth circle as Treachery. Dante has also mentioned about the provisions of punishments for these crimes according to their gravity. Dante describe the journey of people in hell and elaborated that how people who have done sins ...