How Does The Pilgrim Change In Dante's Inferno

When Dante together with Virgil arrives to next circle – Gluttony, his views change only slightly when they meet Gluttons there. Ciacco, also known as “the pig” recognizes Dante the Pilgrim. But Dante could not remember him, and to make things better and not to offend the feelings of his fellow Florentine, he tells him that perhaps his appearance has changed due to his “suffering”. When Dante hears his name, he then recognizes Ciacco as a man who was cheerfully unconcerned about future. Dante the Pilgrim shows sympathy to him and tells him: “Ciacco, your distress weighs upon me so that it moves me to tears.” And that was Dante the Author who chose him to represent the third circle of Hell. But still, up till this point in Hell, Dante is sympathetic to the sinners and feels sorry for their sufferings. However, Dante starts to lose some of his compassion beginning with fifth circle – Anger. Here, the wrathful are fighting each other, and Dante, was attacked by one of them, and had nothing to do, but to defend himself. His behavior and his action …show more content…
Dante started to fear the sinners who were in these lower circles, and also he encounters Giants who were another scary creatures that Dante the Pilgrim must fight and overcome, but Virgil reassures him. However, in some instances, Dante becomes scared when Virgil, himself, shows signs of weakness and confusion. Dante believes Virgil, because he symbolizes human reason and wisdom, to help him to go through the Hell, and when his guide shows signs of weakness, Dante the Pilgrim becomes angry, uncertain and fearful. For example, when “Malacoda” deceives Virgil in eight circle of Hell, Dante the Pilgrim becomes uncertain about Virgil’s intentions and qualities. And here we should understand that Dante the Author made this confusion on purpose, so as to show the fallibility and limitations of pure