All throughout history, writers have been using allegories to convey their message without truly stating what it is. An Allegory is a literal work with two levels of meaning, the literal and symbolic. In the story of “The Inferno” by Dante Alighieri, an allegory can be seen in The Dark Wood of Error, the three beasts, and through Dante’s guide Virgil.
In the Inferno, an allegory can be found in the Dark Wood of Error. Dante says “ How I came to it I cannot rightly say, so drugged and loose with sleep had I become when I first wandered there from the true way” (10-13). The literal meaning is that Dante wakes up and finds himself in dark woods because he has strayed away from the True Way. The symbolic meaning is that Dante has strayed away from the True Way of doing good and has found himself in a Dark Wood which is sin.
An allegory can be seen through the three beasts Dante meets. He meets a leopard, a lion, and a wolf. Dante describes the beasts saying “ Yet not so much but what I shook with dread at sight of the great Lion that broke upon me raging with hunger, its …show more content…
Virgil was sent by God to guide Dante through the Hell. He represents a guide in life and our human reason. Throughout the story, Virgil protects and provides knowledge towards Dante. Virgil tells Charon, the keeper of the river Acheron who leads souls into Hell, “Charon, bite back your spleen: this has been willed where what is willed must be, and is not yours to as what it may mean.” (91-93). This shows readers how Virgil was there to protect and lead Dante into Hell. Virgil tells Dante “Here you must put by all your division of spirit and gather your soul against all cowardice.” (12-15). Virgil also supplies Dante with the knowledge he needs to be able to successfully survive and pass through hell. Furthermore, Virgil was always there with Dante guiding him just like our human reason guides us through
In the Inferno, an allegory can be found in the Dark Wood of Error. Dante says “ How I came to it I cannot rightly say, so drugged and loose with sleep had I become when I first wandered there from the true way” (10-13). The literal meaning is that Dante wakes up and finds himself in dark woods because he has strayed away from the True Way. The symbolic meaning is that Dante has strayed away from the True Way of doing good and has found himself in a Dark Wood which is sin.
An allegory can be seen through the three beasts Dante meets. He meets a leopard, a lion, and a wolf. Dante describes the beasts saying “ Yet not so much but what I shook with dread at sight of the great Lion that broke upon me raging with hunger, its …show more content…
Virgil was sent by God to guide Dante through the Hell. He represents a guide in life and our human reason. Throughout the story, Virgil protects and provides knowledge towards Dante. Virgil tells Charon, the keeper of the river Acheron who leads souls into Hell, “Charon, bite back your spleen: this has been willed where what is willed must be, and is not yours to as what it may mean.” (91-93). This shows readers how Virgil was there to protect and lead Dante into Hell. Virgil tells Dante “Here you must put by all your division of spirit and gather your soul against all cowardice.” (12-15). Virgil also supplies Dante with the knowledge he needs to be able to successfully survive and pass through hell. Furthermore, Virgil was always there with Dante guiding him just like our human reason guides us through