Dantes Inferno

Dante Alighieri's Inferno: A Work of Religious and Metaphysical Literature


Dante Alighieri's literary work Inferno is regarded as one of the most extensive works of religious and metaphysical literature. Its theological undertones are apparent in the story, with repeated references to death, purgatory, limbo, and heaven. The bulk of the characters of the poetical novel are often made up of angels, devils, and the ghosts of the dead. Dante Alighieri, the poet, is regarded as a new world philosopher with strong theological convictions and an interpretation of the supernatural nature of life and death. Dante's imagination and use of symbols in his writing must also be emphasized as a man of letters. His distinct use of allegory lends his writing a solemn tone. His imagination is quite notable with its detailed and precise placing of time and location throughout the literary work. Allegory and use of imagery in Dante's poem Inferno qualify it as a work of imagination and art for all audiences.

Imagination in Dante's Journey


The precise placement of Dante throughout his journey in both time and place show a considerable amount of imagination on the author's part. The author, Dante Alighieri, functions as an artist with his unique ability to paint the whole setting of the poem. Dante's transition from location to location is also quite notable. What really amazes audiences however, is the singular description he gives to each place. It is almost as if Dante made the journey himself in the flesh to these places he seems to know so much about. A notable depiction of imagination is seen when Dante describes the several stages of hell and the horrid beasts that lay guard of hell's domains: "There standeth Minos horribly, and snarls/Examines the transgressions at the entrance" (Alighieri, Canto 5, 64). Minos has been given the role of judge and executioner of the second circle of hell. A noteworthy aspect is the fact that Minos was actually a real-life allegory of the King of Crete: "Minos, the king of Crete, so renowned for justice as to be called the Favorite of the Gods, and after death made Supreme Judge in the Infernal Regions" (Longfellow, Gustave, & Nygrin 30). Dante using Minos in his work as an allegory to a judge of hell contributes to the creative and artistic value his work has on all audiences. The author is acclaimed for using real-life characters to further articulate the purpose of his work.

The Transition of Dante's Journey


The transition from one scene to the next by Dante is perfectly timed by the author himself. Dante Alighieri takes audiences on a journey with clearly distinct stages of play and action. In the first scene, Dante is in a dark forest where he is cornered by three creatures who mean him harm. He is saved by the Virgil and they descend to hell, then to Acheron, then to limbo and so forth: "From rock to rock they fall into this valley/Acheron, Styx, and Phlegethon they form" (Alighieri, Canto 14, 176). Dante's journey seems all planned out by the author, a sure proof of the imaginative power of Alighieri. Alighieri uses an earthquake which leaves Dante unconscious and when he is revived, he is in hell. The use of the earthquake has an artistic side to it. It is a way used by the author to show the magnitude of the punishment and suffering found in hell. Dante Alighieri makes an allegory of Beatrice, a woman he fell in love with in real life: "In Inferno V, she is immediately coupled and more dangerously romanticized (in the most literal sense of the world, she becomes a heroine of romance" (Barolini 11). Dante Alighieri had fallen in love with Beatrice when he was twelve years old back in 1277. In the poem, Dante is reported to have found Beatrice in heaven and she helps him find Virgil. Beatrice is the symbol of Spiritual love in the poem.

The Carefully Devised Characters


Imagination is seen in the carefully devised characters of the poem. The character of Dante is carefully sculptured into that of a man who wants to escape from the clutches of sin. Dante meets various characters in hell who are being punished: "Each Canto identifies at least one figure from history, literature or mythology, subject to punishment due to their wrongful action relative to the misgivings of Dante's contemporary Florence" (Aung 2). An example is the pair of Paolo and Francesca da Rimini who has been condemned to the second circle of hell for committing adultery. Dante feels sorry for them but he cannot do anything to save them from their torment. Dante also meets Lucifer who is tormenting Judas Iscariot: "But lightly in the abyss, which swallows up/Judas with Lucifer, he put us down" (Alighieri, Canto 31, 394-395). A surprising character also in the realms of hell is Pope Boniface VII. He was a very corrupt papal leader. (Kosinski 1). Dante can be termed as a very critical writer but being critical also constitutes imagination. Alighieri is both precise in his admonitions as he is in his allegory. He eludes the dark forest he was in at the beginning of the poem to the human soul when it is clouded by sin. The creatures that were assailing him, he alludes them to his sinful behaviors. He also introduces Virgil as a guardian angel sent to save him from his sin. All the characters introduced by Alighieri serve a specific purpose, whether it is to warn, encourage or save Dante.

The Universality of Dante's Work


The role of Dante Alighieri's work to audiences is varied. It is, however, at a general consensus that his work is universal and puts across a common theme. It serves the purpose of being a religious guide to many, and Dante can be termed as an evangelistic poet. This is because of the main purpose of the persona in the poem. His purpose is to be rid of sin and to return to the light which is likened to gaining spiritual salvation. Dante's work serves to warn the current sinners of the consequences of their sinful acts and to encourage the sinners to seek salvation.

A Rich Source of Creative Insight


It also serves as a rich source of creative insight to a more literal audience. The imagery used by Alighieri in his work is concise and serves its intended purpose. The imagery used such as metaphors serve to make the narration livelier and to discourage monotony in his work. It also makes the story more appealing to any audience as well as serving an educational purpose. Dante's absolution from discriminatory characters also makes the work more universal. In the circles of hell, purgatory, limbo, and heaven, all the characters are placed there because of the choices they made in life; Pope Boniface VII is in hell because of his corrupt practices despite him being the holy voice of God on Earth. Dante endeavors to remove any sort of discrimination from his work and only centers on the moral choices which every human being is free to make. This common theme is what makes Dante's work accessible and understandable by every individual.

Identification with Dante as a Character


Audiences can also identify with certain characters in the poem. The most prominent character, Dante, is far from perfect, which most people will confess to being. However, audiences are inspired by Dante's efforts to better himself even though the path he is on is hard and very painful. Dante is a character to emulate.

Conclusion


The work of Dante Alighieri is a work of fiction but is still inspirational to many audiences. The critical nature of the novel acclaims it as one of the best works of literature to the present day. Its wide range of themes discussed in the poem makes it a recurrent reference material for audiences. The imagination put into the poem by the author is deserving of emulation. Considering the philosophical nature of the work, it is widely acclaimed as a rational guide to religion by literature critics. However, the artistic side of the poem is also prominent in the imagery created by the author. The Inferno is attributed as an imaginative work of art by many critics, and it is well deserving of that title.

Work Cited


Alighieri, Dante. Inferno. Modern Library, USA. 2003


Aung, Myat. The Social Hell of William Blake: The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Blake’s interpretation of Dante’s Inferno. University of North Carolina. April 7, 2016.


Barolini, Teodolinda. Dante’s Poets: Textuality and Truth in the Comedy. Princeton University Press.2014.


Blumenfeld-Kosinski, Renate. Avignon and its Papacy, 1309-1417: Popes, Institutions and Society. 2016.


Longfellow, Henry. Gustave, Paul. Nygrin, Josef. Divine Comedy-Inferno. 2008

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