In Canto 15, Dante and Virgil are still in the seventh circle of Hell, to which are inhabited by sinners who have committed violence against God. What I want to focus on here is the complexity of one sinner, Brunetto Latini. The nature around this individual begs to question that although these souls had committed sins, the nature of sins should not be easily dismissed. We, the reader, must understand that the during Dante Alighieri’s time the church condemned homosexuals acts, for it upset the natural order of things; the church viewed sexual acts as a way to procreate only. Dante shows great admiration towards his former mentor Brunetto Latini, “For in my mind is fixed, and touches now/ My heart the dear and good paternal image/ Of you, when in the world from hour to hour”(Alighieri 82-84). Furthermore, Dante with high regard tells Brunetto about how grateful he is to have him as an mentor, “You taught me how a man becomes eternal; / And how much I am grateful, while I live/ Behoves that in my language be discerned. (Alighieri 85-87). Now, can we the readers question about the author’s(Dante Alighieri) intentions with this character(Brunetto Latini)? It is evident that Brunetto is a complex and sympathetic character. Maybe Dante wanted his readers to contemplate about human nature and to be remorseful towards people who were confronting their sins.
Monthly Archives: February 2019
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The Old Man of Crete–Dante and Greek Mythology
In Canto 14, Virgil explains the rivers of Hell to the Pilgrim. The rivers originate in a mountain in Crete where there is a statue of an old man, he describes this man: “his head is formed of fine gold, and pure silver are his arms and breast; then he is of brass as far as the fork; from there downward he is all refined iron, except that his right foot is baked clay” (canto 14, lines106-110). The imagery used here is very closely connected to Greek mythology. Crete is an important location in myth as it is where many of the Gods originate from and where many of the mythical stories take place. Dante mentions one of those stories here with the connection to Rhea, who he says: “chose it [this mountain in Crete] once to be the trusted cradle of her son” (canto 14, lines 100-101). Rhea’s son is Zeus–her youngest child whom she saved from being consumed by his father, Cronus, by tricking him into swallowing a stone wrapped like a child and hid Zeus on the island of Crete until he could defeat his father and save his siblings. The structure of the statue reflects an idea rooted in Greek mythology as well.
The myth of the creation of humans states that the Gods had created man 4 times: the first group of humans were from the golden age, the second from the silver age, the third from the bronze age, and the last from the iron age. The only element which makes up the old man of Crete which is not a part of this myth is the baked clay, which our book says may refer to the Catholic Church. This statue represents all the men who have ever lived and stands strongest on the final piece–the Church (canto 14, line 111). However, Virgil says that every part of the old man is cracked except for his golden head. Therefore, every part of man, including the Church has been corrupted and damaged except from the original created state which no longer exists. Dante writes that it is the old man’s “tears” that run through these cracks to form the rivers of Hell. The tears would come from the eyes, where there are no cracks–so the earliest humans are crying for what they have become. However, since Dante was Christian and wrote from his beliefs and not those of the Greeks, the head must still represent the earliest humans who were closest to God. The Pilgrim knows that God is present in Hell and that He made Hell with love as He did everything else because of the inscription above the gates of Hell. The un-cracked golden head represents not only those humans who were close to God, but also God’s love for them which causes His tears and theirs. The rivers that flow through Hell are the tears which flow from the love of God. It makes sense that the flames in the next few cantos are extinguished on the banks of the river since the river is so closely connected to God, it is free from the source of pain and suffering.
The Distinction Between Truth and Falsity
Dante and Virgil are near the seventh circle, Dante’s attention is concentrated on the sound of water falling into the next circle of Hell. However, Dante and Virgil are stopped by three figures. These figures are aware that Dante is a Florentine because of his clothing. Virgil tells Dante to show these figures politeness and Dante listens to them, as with Ciacco and Farinata. The figures surround Dante, asking Dante who he is. An important reoccurrence (as seen in previous canto’s) happens again when the figures ask Dante to remember them and to speak about them when Dante returns to the world. Dante states, “For I am of your city; and with fondness, I’ve always told and heard the others tell of both your actions and your honored names. I leave the gall and go for the sweet apples that I was promised by my truthful guide; but first I must descend into the center” (canto 16, lines 58-63). These three Florentines are eager to talk to someone from their own homeland. These figures in the afterlife (as well as Dante) feel a notable attachment to Florence, which is their home on earth. The meeting between Dante and Guido Guerra, Tegghiaio Aldobrandi, and Jacopo Rusticucci demonstrate the horrible and devastating infernal punishment they persistently endure, however these dignified individuals inspire Dante because of their high values they demonstrated when they were alive. However, these Florentines, are not able to see the present of Florence, and like Dante are greatly concerned with the status of their homeland (Florence). Dante is concerned because, those who rule Florence, are the same people that exiled him. The three noble Florentine’s praise Dante for his skilled speech and this shows that Dante is growing over the course of his journey, learning from Virgil. Furthermore, Jacopo wants Dante to seek immortality through fame and wants Dante to live on in fame when he dies. Dante however doesn’t want this for himself but instead he seeks to reach a truer form of immortality which is salvation in heaven. Dante in this canto represents conservative values because he idealizes the past, which was the Florence he knew and misunderstands and rejects the social and economic changes happening in Florence. So, for Dante there is no probability of redemption in the future, enclosed in condemnation of the present and, therefore he continues to recall Florence’s past.
The theme of language is developed throughout this canto, the language of truth and falsity—the distinction between false words and truthful words. Dante describes Virgil as his “truthful guide.” Then, Dante, cries out while explaining the state of Florence and states “Newcomers to the city and quick gains have brought excess and arrogance…” (Canto 16, lines 73-37). The three Florentines listen to the truth and believe it: “the three looked at each other when they heard my answer as men will stare when they have heard the truth” (Canto 16, lines 76-78). Dante also believes that there is a type of truth which seems like a lie, this is proven when he states, “Faced with that truth which seems a lie, a man should always close his lips as long as he can—
to tell it shames him, even though he’s blameless; but here I can’t be still; and by the lines of this my Comedy, reader, I swear—and may my verse find favor for long years” (Canto 16, lines 124-129). Dante admits that is own work referring to the Comedy, is a piece of literature in which he feels the need tell his story even though it seems fictional. In this way, Dante feels his work holds literal and true beliefs, even though it may seem to be fiction. Because Dante is close to entering the circles devoted to fraud, therefore there is a distinction occurring.
Sodomy as a greater sin than homicide and suicide
The image shows black and white vintage engraving by Gustave Doré, “Brunetto Latini”
I found this image browsing through the resources available at http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu
In canto XV Dante and Virgil continue their journey through the seventh circle of hell, far below the wall surrounding it. In the third ring, which is located at the very bottom of the seventh circle the pilgrim encounters the sinners which represent the worse form of violence – the sodomites. They are presented as extremely violent against nature. The sodomites suffer below those who committed the sin of homicide or suicide because of their hostile behavior towards nature and willfully violating self love and love of others. As a consequence of that disgraceful act the continuity of family but also community is seriously compromised.
The sodomites walk aimlessly without a break and always together, as a group, across the burning sand (the hot sand represents their inability to reproduce and consequently play a productive part in a society). Dante recognizes his former mentor among them – Brunetto Latini, who was born in Florence around 1220 and died in 1294. The pilgrim asks Latini to sit down with him and talk:
“…As much as I can, I beg you; and if
you wish me to sit down with you, I will do so, if he
over there permits it, for I am going with him.” (Canto XV, 34-36)
His mentor, however refuses to do so, because:
“…whoever in this flock stand still
for an instant, must then lie for a hundred years
without brushing off the fire that strikes him.” (Canto XV, 37-39)
The moral connection between their crime and long term punishment seems a little unclear to me but I assume that the author wants to emphasize that whoever commits this type of a crime or exposes himself to it even for a moment will suffer the repercussions for many years ahead.
Sodomites not only can’t stand still for a moment because the sand burns their feet but also they move their hands constantly to clean themselves off the small flakes of fire that falls on them. Besides, they wander in numerous groups, not alone and not in pairs as, for example the heterosexual lovers – Francesca and Paulo who are placed in the second circle. It clearly represents the character of sodomy as the sin that draws in not pairs but groups of sexual partners who willfully and boldly disobey the law of nature. What is more, they don’t damn themselves alone but they drag others into eternal punishment.
To sum up, it is obvious that Dante Alighieri allows the reader to see that the sin of sodomy has very negative social and spiritual consequences. In other words people who commit that sin are destructive to nature, God and community and their crime is considered as one of high seriousness that goes far beyond homicide and suicide.
Blog post due Feb. 25
For your next post, please consider commenting on one single aspect/image/idea found in cantos 14-17. You have some freedom about the organization of this post, but I suggest reading Barolini’s commentary to these cantos (in the Digital Dante website) and the notes in your book before writing your post. Barolini discusses Dante’s condemnation of homosexuality. We all disagree with that condemnation today and we all fight for LGBT rights, but Dante is a man of his time and even progressive, if we consider that lust and sodomy are desexualized in Inferno (as Barolini suggests).
Writing tips:
Try to focus on quality rather than quantity. Consider spending a little time reread your post pretending you are somebody else. Would another person understand your main point? Do you refer to the text to prove your point? Are your references accompanied by canto and line number, in case another person needs to find the passage? It is a good idea to ask a friend to read your post.
Separate your post into paragraph or write one coherent paragraph. Remember that one paragraph can explore one idea. Is there a sentence that can summarize your point in a specific paragraph? There should be one. The other sentences work as support or contrast to that main idea (or topic sentence, if you want).
Sentence structure: Are your sentences short enough and clear enough? Are you avoiding ambiguous pronouns? Have you used one million words to describe one simple action? Try to cut “unnecessary words” and see if your post reads better. Read it aloud if necessary.
Reread your post once again only looking at the spelling of your words. Did you mispell “Vingil,” “Alogherio,” etc.? Did you capitalize proper names? Did you close your parentheses? Did you use quotation marks? Are you using punctuation?
Lastly, use the category “Post 4” even if it’s not the forth post that you write.
Thank you for reading this. I look forward to reading your posts.
Stefania
Contractarianism and Fraud
Virgil, the tour guide of Dante’s pilgrimage explains the itinerary for the inner construction of the seventh and eighth circle of hell. For Virgil the tour guide, he has the power to anticipate what’s coming next in the journey to Inferno, therefore giving Dante the tenacity to descend further while overcoming fear and cowardice.
In Virgil’s account, the seventh circle consists of violence, and it is separated “and constructed in three sub-circles. [It is the type of violence that applies] to God, to oneself, and to one’s neighbor.” (XI 30-31). He also hints that fraudulence is a sin that is caused by human intellect, therefore the degree of suffering would be greater than that of violence (XI 25-27). By anticipating deeper to the Malebolge, we are confronted by the various characteristics of fraudulence: hypocrisy, flattery, casters of spells, impersonators, thievery and simony, panders, embezzlers, and similar filth (XI 58-60).
From verse 55 to 56, Alighieri mentions that Fraudulence severs the connection between Nature and human. To a further extent, this type of disconnection also applies to the citizen and society and citizen to citizen as well. In the philosophical theory of ethics, Contractarianism explains that the authority of moral norms is derived from the mutual agreement that everybody agrees on, and it rejects the notion that divine ideals would provide justifications for moral norms (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Contractarianism). In this sense, fraudulence in various degrees corrupts the political and moral contracts of modern society. And it undermines the idea of self-interest because there is a reciprocal response in how human beings are committing fraudulent act to violate each other’s self-interest. I believe Alighieri realizes that fraudulence is indeed a contagious force. When fraudulence is committed within the individuals, this will further erode the moral and political stability of the society (which is expressed in the political state of Florence during that time). If we are looking at society and its human beings as a whole, doesn’t this also corrupts the ever-changing state of Nature?
Canto 11 – A Brief Break to Explain the Organization of Hell/The Presence of the Number 3 and The Importance of Nature
Canto 11 reminded me of previous cantos where Virgil and Dante pause because Dante, the pilgrim, needs explanations and clarity from Virgil. This is a recurring technique of Dante, the writer, in which he allows the readers to mirror his character and gain answers to similar confusions that the pilgrim himself is experiencing.
While Virgil and Dante are resting, Virgil explains the organization of Hell in more depth. The organization also enables the reader to note how Dante, the poet, classifies the severity of certain sins over others. I thought it was compelling that the religious presence of the number three appears again in this Canto. First, Virgil tells Dante there are three smaller circles. Hell is separated into three parts. The first circle in middle hell is also divided into three subcircles where the sinners are separated into three groups based on the gravity of violence either committed against others, against oneself, and the worst, which is violence against God.
I was a little confused as to why Dante punishes sodomy as a worse punishment than the crimes committed by the lustful in Circle 2/Canto 5. But, when I reread Virgil’s explanations to Dante I gained more clarity. It is important to note that sodomy is a sin of violence. This means that Dante, the writer, does not punish sodomizers for their morality but more so because he views it as unnatural to the world. Dante the poet defines crimes against God as the most violent because they go against the natural will of life. Virgil states that sodomy and those who harm God scorn “nature and its goodness.” (Canto 11, Line 47). For Dante, something that contradicts nature is far worse and violent than engaging in lust. Above all, God is the most important, therefore going against him and harming what he created is worse than harming others.
Lastly, Dante, the writer, punishes the fraudulent at a lower place in Hell. Virgil tells the pilgrim that fraud, “seems to cut solely into the bond of love” and “forgets the love that Nature makes” (Canto 11, Lines 52-58). It is clear again how severe defying nature is to Dante, the poet. When one is fraudulent and deceitful, he is going against the natural trust and love people are meant to have for one another. Dante ranks fraud worse than violence because it directly contradicts natural trust.
Mankind’s Fraud
In Canto 11, Dante and Virgil have a brief respite from their journey before continuing on, and both agreeing that they should make use of this time, Virgil decides to tell the pilgrim who they will be seeing next, so that he does not have to explain later. In lines 22-24: “Of every malice gaining the hatred of Heaven, injustice is the goal, and every such goal injures someone either with force or with fraud.” This line explains that the actions of men that Heaven punishes, are all actions that have the end goal of hurting someone. Virgil goes on to say later in the canto, that this hurt can be directed at “God, to oneself, and to one’s neighbor..” (Line 31). However, those who hurt another with violence are not punished to the same degree as those who are fraudulent, which here means those who lie or mislead.
Line 25-27: “But because fraud is an evil proper to man, it is more displeasing to God; and therefore the fraudulent have a lower place and greater pain assails them.” The mention of fraud being an evil that only mankind has is the reasoning for the greater punishment of those who commit fraud. Later in the canto, Virgil explains that fraud can be committed only where there is trust, and that fraud takes advantage of this trust (lines 52-53). This greater punishment of fraud because it is a human flaw may be linked to Satan deceiving in the Garden of Eden, committing the first fraud.
Religious and Political Allegory in Canto 13
In Canto 13 Dante reintroduces a political and religious allegory through the folly recount Pier Delle Vigne. In this Canto, Dante and Virgil arrive at the seventh circle, second sub-circle, where obscure atmosphere confuses Dante and gives forth to the instruction from Virgil to rip a branch from a tree. As Dante dismembers the branch he sees blood spewing from its end. The tree then cries out ” Why do you split me?” (Canto 13, 31.3). This cry of pain was the voice of Pier Delle Vigne, a politician who acted as secretary to Emperor Frederick II. Within this seventh circle the sin is that of suicide, which Dante uses as a religious allegory by showing that although Pier may have been without sin, meaning, Pier might have been innocent of the treasonous crimes attributed to him at the time and therefore sinless, Pier committed suicide which is blasphemous to God and in and of itself condemns the suicided to hell through lack of ability to repent. Furthermore a religious contrast between Pier and St. Peter by noting that Pier scarcely let anyone from the emperors presence, ” that i excluded almost everyone from his intimacy;” (Canto 13, 61.1) whereas Peter is the one who holds the gates of heaven open to those worthy. This shows a love of openness in Peter and not in Pier. However, as Pier continues to unpack his emotional distress, he reveals folly in his lack of wisdom and repentance stating, “by the strange new roots i swear to you that i never broke faith with my lord.”; Pier is incredulous to his betrayal of God and feels pitiful towards himself.
In terms of political allegory, Dante illustrates the corrupt political nature in Florence. Although Pier is possibly innocent, the ease in which corruptness is introduced and convicted upon Pier depicts an unstable and weak political system in which corruptness is expected and will be apparent throughout the rest of Dante’s journey through hell.
