“Inferno”: A Polysemous Literary Work In the Divine Comedy written by Dante Alighieri, the title of this epic poem may imply that this timeless piece of literary work contains the writings of wit and humor. However, the beginning of the poem begins with Dante waking up “Midway upon the journey of our life” in a dark forest before embarking on a journey through nine circles of hell (Longfellow 7). The Divine Comedy is composed of three segments: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. While the poem is arranged into three different divisions Inferno is the “part that has been met with most fervent critical response” (Lummus 63). One reason for such critical response may be because Dante is not only the author of Inferno; he is also the poem’s protagonist.
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9). Upon entrance to mouth of hell, Dante hears the tormented cries of countless souls. Dante describes the loud sounds of the tortured souls as “Languages diverse, horrible dialects, Accents of anger, words of agony” (III.25). After asking Virgil what he was hearing Dante learns that the cries he was hearing were from the souls of people who never made the decision to be either good or evil, and consequently was sent to neither heaven nor hell. The first moments after passing through the gates of hell are undoubtedly thought-provoking, but there’s something else noteworthy that happens during this part of the poem. Dante also recognizes the “shade of him who from cowardice made the great refusal” (III.58). Dante never names the person that he recognizes, but scholars believe the unnamed person to be Pope Celestine V. Pope Celestine V abdicated his papal throne a few months after obtaining it. After Pope Celestine V abdicated his throne, Pope Boniface VIII took his place. The significance of this is that the rise of Pope Boniface VIII to papal throne would set in motion the events that would lead to Dante’s banishment from Florence (Raffa). Dante and Virgil continue forward and arrive at the river banks of Acheron where a huge crowd of people are gathered. Dante provides imagery for the scene “As in the autumn-time the leaves fall off, First one and then another, till the branch unto the earth surrenders all its spoils” (III.111). Dante uses the autumn leaves to represent the souls of people and that the leaves’ falling from the tree is comparable to souls falling from grace. Dante creates the idea that each leaf on the tree has the decision to stay on the tree or fall. Once the leaf falls it can’t reattach to the tree illustrating that once a sinner falls from
9). Upon entrance to mouth of hell, Dante hears the tormented cries of countless souls. Dante describes the loud sounds of the tortured souls as “Languages diverse, horrible dialects, Accents of anger, words of agony” (III.25). After asking Virgil what he was hearing Dante learns that the cries he was hearing were from the souls of people who never made the decision to be either good or evil, and consequently was sent to neither heaven nor hell. The first moments after passing through the gates of hell are undoubtedly thought-provoking, but there’s something else noteworthy that happens during this part of the poem. Dante also recognizes the “shade of him who from cowardice made the great refusal” (III.58). Dante never names the person that he recognizes, but scholars believe the unnamed person to be Pope Celestine V. Pope Celestine V abdicated his papal throne a few months after obtaining it. After Pope Celestine V abdicated his throne, Pope Boniface VIII took his place. The significance of this is that the rise of Pope Boniface VIII to papal throne would set in motion the events that would lead to Dante’s banishment from Florence (Raffa). Dante and Virgil continue forward and arrive at the river banks of Acheron where a huge crowd of people are gathered. Dante provides imagery for the scene “As in the autumn-time the leaves fall off, First one and then another, till the branch unto the earth surrenders all its spoils” (III.111). Dante uses the autumn leaves to represent the souls of people and that the leaves’ falling from the tree is comparable to souls falling from grace. Dante creates the idea that each leaf on the tree has the decision to stay on the tree or fall. Once the leaf falls it can’t reattach to the tree illustrating that once a sinner falls from