Author Archives: Azka Irfan.

Dante’s Inferno vs The Harrowing of Hell

Azka Irfan

The Christian Doctrine “The Harrowing of Hell” has countless literary adaptations that attempt to make the theology linguistically and culturally accessible in a rapidly modernizing society. The “Harrowing of Hell” describes the Christian belief that Christ descended into Hell before he resurrected in order to save all the righteous souls that existed before him. The Bible briefly mentions the event in St. Peter scriptures however, the event is more vividly described in the Gospel of Nicodemus which postdates the Bible. “Dante’s Inferno” by the Italian poet Dante Allighieri is a 14th Century epic that draws on the Christian doctrine to emphasize the importance of the Christian faith in redeeming the condemned souls in limbo. Likewise, the “Harrowing of Hell” by Dr. Jeff S. Dailey and the American Theatre of Actors is a play primarily based on translated medieval texts that narrate the events leading upto and including the Harrowing of Hell. The play is composed of 4 components: the 14th century medieval play “The Fall of the Angels”, the 20th century poem “The Soliloquy of Satan” by African American poet Eliot Blaine Henderson, a reading from the Gospel of Nicodemus, and the 13th century poem “The Harrowing of Hell.” Dr. Dailey simplifies the Old English in medieval texts while preserving its authenticity and intended message. The production modernizes the texts in order to convey the importance of Christ’s sacrifice. The poem of “Dante’s Inferno” and the theatre production of the “Harrowing of Hell” both acknowledge that Christ descends to hell to save almost the same souls however, the epic portrays Lucifer as a submissive monster however, the play depicts Lucifer as a grieving angel that transforms into a vengeful monster that controls the mechanisms of hell.

The epic “Dante’s Inferno” establishes Christ’s descent into hell through the physical destruction and presence of love in the inferno.When Dante and Virgil are traveling to the first circle of hell, Virgil notes that the cliff was still intact when he visited hell the last time. He states, “on every this deep, foul valley trembled so that I thought the universe must be feeling love, by which, some believe, / the world has often been turned into Chaos…” (Canto 12, lines 40-42). The Gospel of Matthew states that an earthquake coincided with Christ’s crucifixion. Virgil personifies the “foul valley” trembling to symbolize that earthquake which devastated the inferno during Christ’s death. Virgil mirrors the violent nature of Christ’s death with the violent destruction of the inferno, to show that the inferno only changed when Christ died. He further elaborates on the metaphorical changes in the world and the inferno in terms of the presence and absence of love. The break in the verse “the universe must be feeling love” and “the world has often been turned into chaos” parallels the first time that hell is experiencing love since its creation with the world losing its ability to experience love again. The phrase the “universe must be feeling love” is specifically referring to Christ’s descent into hell. God structured hell in such a manner that the sinners can’t experience love. Thus, the only figure that can exude love in a loveless place is God himself because he’s the one who made the inferno incapable of hosting such emotions in the first place. The verse “the world has often been turned into chaos” specifically refers to the absence of love in the world in the aftermath of Christ’s death. The verse is placed after the clause referring to Christ’s descent into hell to show that Christ’s death took away the love and order that governed the earthly world, hence causing it to spiral into chaos. Virgil establishes Christ’s descent to the inferno following his death on Earth by setting up a parallel between the presence of love in the inferno with the lack of love in the Earthly world.

The theatre production “The Harrowing of Hell” establishes Christ’s descent into hell by relating his death to the promise of salvation and eternal life for all those that believe in him. The 13th century poem “The Harrowing of Hell” narrates “He was born for us,/ In this world, in poverty; / In this world he died,/ To deliver us from the evil one.” (Halliwell – Phillipps, lines 33-36). The verse “In this world, in poverty;” the “world” refers to the earthly world because “poverty” is a vice that is exclusive to the materialistic world. Heaven, purgatory, and hell don’t have poverty because the souls aren’t defined by their economic status but by their virtues in those domains. The 3rd verse “In this world he died,” also refers to the earthly world because only the living can experience death, souls cannot die. The 4th verse states “To deliver us from the evil one,” however the “us” does not refer to the living souls but to the virtuous souls trapped in the inferno and the “evil one” refers to Lucifer. Christ’s birth and death all occurred in the earthly world however the souls that are being saved are in the inferno. The narrator cleverly showcases that even though Christ was born on Earth and guided the humans to live a more virtuous life, his purpose was not only to offer a path to redemption to all the living souls but to also save the repentant and virtuous souls that already died. The poem narrates “When Jesus had shed his blood/ For us, upon the cross,/ In his divinity he proceeded/ Toward the gates of hell.” (Halliwell – Phillipps, line 37-40). The bible states that “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). Thus, when Christ bled on the cross, he offered humans a path towards forgiveness and salvation. God warned Adam and Eve that if they consume the apple “you [they] will surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17), the death refers to a physical and spiritual death. When Adam and Eve consumed the apple, they condemned all of mankind to this absolute death. However, when Christ died on the cross, he was the perfect sacrifice that promised eternal life to all those that believed in him. The bible states “He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,” (Colossians 1:22). His sacrificed cleansed mankind of its sins and offered them a path to redemption, salvation, and eternal life. However, the souls in the inferno that died before him are also bought by his sacrifice. Hence, the play showcases that Christ’s blood on the cross saved the souls in the inferno.

Christ outside the Gates of Dis

The epic “Dante’s inferno” shows that Christ saved the almost the same souls as the ones in the play because they had faith in him. In the inferno, Virgil claims that “But certainly, if I remembered well, a little before he came who took the city from Dis the great spoils of the highest circle,” (Canto 12, line 36 – 37). The souls are not allowed to leave the inferno because their punishment is eternal. The “he” pronoun refers to Christ and the “great spoils of the highest circle” refers to Adam and Eve who formerly resided in the Earthly Paradise before their disobedience led to their placement in the inferno. The text implies that Christ saved Adam and Eve from limbo. Virgil also narrates that “I was still in this condition, when I saw a powerful one come, crowned with a sign of victory./ He led forth from here the shade of our first parent, of Abel his son, and that of Noah and Moses, lawgiver and obedient,/ Abraham and the patriarch and David the King, Israel with his father, and his children, and Raechel for whom he did so much,/ and many others, and he made them blessed.” (Canto 4, lines 51-60) Virgil is referring to Christ when he says “the powerful one” because the phrase “crowned” with victory is a play on the thorn crown that Christ wore when he died. The verse “the shade of our first parent” refers to Adam and Eve who are the parents of all mankind. The other figures including Noah, Moses, Abraham, David the King, Israel, Raechel and others are the ones that were virtuous in their life and had faith in Christ, thus, they were granted salvation. In the South Atlantic Review, the article “Dear life redeems you”: The Winter’s Tale and the Harrowing of Hell” by Christina Romanelli states that “Looking at The Winter’s Tale through the lens of the Harrowing of Hell shows how this play is an argument against the skepticism that leads to secularization. Both a doctrine and narrative tradition, the Harrowing of Hell serves as a nexus of religious, magical, and scientific discourses that explains how Christ defeated Satan in Hell.” (Romanelli). The Harrowing of Hell has many adaptations however many famous writers including Shakespeare claimed that since the Harrowing of Hell is absent from the bible, Christ never descended into hell and came to the “conclusion that the one God did not exist.”(Romanelli). However Romanelli argues that the intention of the medieval play is to have faith. She even claims that “I argue that this tradition offers a model of identification with Christ that empowers early modern subjects to combat negative forces in their lives” (Romanelli). The souls in the inferno knew that they were eternally condemned because of the inherent sin of Adam and Eve yet they still believed that Christ would come to save them despite their suffering in hell. Romanelli argues that the novel allows society to modernize but it still teaches them to have faith in their hardships and turmoils.

The play the “Harrowing of Hell” shows that Christ saved some of the same souls mentioned in the inferno because they had faith in him however, the play leaves out some of the ones that Dante mentions. In the play, Christ walks in a white robe with a thorn crown to Adam and Eve. He claims “Adam, I have given my life,/ For thee and for Eve thy wife./ Thinkest thou I died for nought?/ By my death was mankind bought.” (Halliwell – Phillipps, lines 179-182). In the play, Adam and Eve beg God to take them away from “this hateful place [hell]” (Halliwell – Phillipps, lines 177). Christ asks Adam and Eve the rhetorical question “Thinkest thou I died for nought?” which translates into “Do you think I died for nothing?” Christ states to Adam and Eve that “I have my life” to you and “bought” mankind because Adam and Eve’s condemnation was inherited by their children. However, when Christ died, he not only offered mankind the opportunity to salvation but he also freed the souls that still believed in him including Adam and Eve despite their initial disobedience. In another exchange, Abraham says to Christ that God told him “Should a child be born;/ who would rescue us from pain,-/ Me and with me all mine.” (Halliwell – Phillipps, lines 186-188). The child refers to “Christ” as he is considered the son of God and a physical manifestation of his grace. The “us” that Abraham is referring to are the souls trapped in the inferno with him including King David, John the Saint, and Moses that still believed in God. “Dante’s Inferno” mentioned many more souls that were saved that the play did not mention such as Abel, Noah, Israel with his family, and Raechel. However, the play also mentioned St. John which “Dante’s Inferno” did not mention. In the Journal of English and Germanic philology, the article “The Performance of Power in Medieval English households: the Case of the Harrowing of Hell” by Ingrid Nelson states that “Adam, Eve, and the patriarchs (Abraham, David, John the Baptist, and Moses) then speak to Christ in turn, and he releases each of them from Hell.” (Nelson). He confirms that all medieval texts mention these souls explicitly however, there is an “improvisational spirit among scribes, who adapted the framing material to fit its material context.” Since Dante’s inferno is written after the integration of the Harrowing of Hell in biblical readings, he might’ve included more souls. Despite this disparity, in “Dante’s Inferno,” Virgil states that there were others that were “blessed” and in the play “The Harrowing of Hell,” Abraham mentions “us” ambiguously. Thus, there is the possibility that there are other souls in both adaptations which could’ve been the same but were not specified. Nevertheless, both adaptations show that Christ saved most of the same souls because they had had faith in him.

Christ with Adam and Eve

Christ with Abraham

In Dante’s inferno, Lucifer is portrayed as a submissive creature that is physically integral to the mechanisms of the inferno. Dante describes Lucifer as the “The emperor of the dolores Kingdom issued from the ice at the mid-point of his breast;” (Canto 34, lines 28-29). The “emperor” refers to Lucifer and he rules over a “dolores” or sorrowful Kingdom. The “ice at the midpoint of his breast” holds Lucifer in place so that he’s immobile. However, Lucifer is a King “issued from” this ice to show that Lucifer is the “emperor” not because he has a choice but because the ice holds him in place and integrates him into the structure of the inferno. He’s an emperor because he’s stuck in the inferno. Dante further describes that he had “three faces on his head”(Canto 34, lines 37) and “beneath each one came out two great wings, such as befitted so great a bird:” (Canto 34, lines 45). The deliberate simile that Lucifer’s wings resemble a bird’s is ironic because a bird can fly however Lucifer despite having wings is unable to. This emphasizes that even though Lucifer is a giant with multi-heads and wings, he’s incapacitated and rendered helpless because he “lifted his brow against his maker.” (Canto 34, lines 34). Dante further elaborates that Lucifer was “fanning them, so that three winds went out from under him:/ by them Cocytus was frozen.” (Canto 34, lines 48- 52). When a bird wants to fly, it fans it wings out before it takes flight. Likewise, Lucifer is fanning his wings out but he’s can’t fly. Instead, the wings produce a wind that further freezes hell and incapacitates him further. The theme that this Lucifer is in this position through fault of his own is reiterated in this canto. Lucifer defied God thus he was punished for his rebellion. Likewise, he’s stuck in the inferno because he keeps on fanning his wings which further freezes him. Dante narrates “with six eyes he was weeping, and down three chins dripped the tears and the bloody slobber.” (Canto 34, line 52). Usually, the depiction of multiple heads means that a person is unfaithful or has ulterior motives but all 3 of Lucifer’s faces are “weeping” to show that he genuinely feels repentance, pain, and sorrow in all of his being. The “bloody slobber” is traveling down his chin because he’s chewing on Judas, Cassius, and Brutus. There is a parallel between Lucifer’s betrayal of God and the sinners that betrayed their loyalties. Judas betrayed Jesus when he called him a “rabbi” whereas Brutus and Cassius betrayed Julius Caesar which inevitably led to the fall of the Roman Republic. The epic portrays Lucifer as a submissive, repentant creature that is eternally punished for his betrayal of God.

The play “The Harrowing of Hell” depicts Lucifer as initially repentant fallen angel that transforms into a vengeful creature that wants to possess all human souls under his domain. In the “Soliloquy of Satan,” Lucifer is surrounded by darkness and his shrieks are resonating on stage. He’s crying “Fool! Hast thou been, proud Lucifer!/ To God thou shall yet bend in tears,/ Brought to the gravity of thy fate/ Clothed in the mantle of dire fears.” (Henderson, pg 9). Despite his hatred for humankind, he’s suffering the same problems as humans. Humans “bend” and pray for God’s forgiveness, likewise he’s also “bending” and asking God for forgiveness. Humans have to worry about their “fate” because its not in their control. Before Christ’s harrowing of hell, Adam and Eve’s sin condemned all humankind to the same fate of death. However, Lucifer also has to worry about his “fate” because part of God’s punishment is that he’s destined to suffer in the inferno for eternity. Moreover, humans wear clothes because they’re aware of their sexuality. Likewise, when Lucifer was cast from the heavens, his clothe burned with him and he became aware of the gruesomeness of his own body, thus he wears clothes. Humans also experience “fear” because they’re uncertain about their survival, likewise, Lucifer is also experiencing “fear” because he’s uncertain whether any former remnants of his glorious self will survive in hell. In many ways, Lucifer has been reduced to the same status of the humans that he despises. Lucifer implores to the heavens “Could my entreaty move thy will,/ For reinstatement ‘ round Thy Throne,/ Gladly would I flee to thee,/ Where dwell the glories of thy own.” (Henderson pg 9). Even though Lucifer desires his former place in the heavens around “Thy [God’s] Throne,” he says “could my entreaty move thy will” depicting uncertainty on his own faith and God’s ability to forgive. The condemned souls knew their fate and still chose to believe in God, hence they received salvation. However Lucifer hypothesized that God would never forgive him without even trying. He eventually concludes that “For every tear that I have shed,/ For every plea struck from my tongue,/ Summon! Thy most destructive powers,/ Let souls from Earth this hour be flung.” Lucifer’s pride makes him ashamed that he even pleaded with God thus, he calls upon his “most destructive powers” or the former angels that turned into demons. He commands them to “flung” the souls from Earth into the inferno. For every “tear” and “plea” that God made him cry because he didn’t respect humans, he wants a human soul thrown into the inferno so that it can also suffer under his mandate. He claims that the “law of Lucifer” (Henderson, pg 15) states that “Well might’st thy try to remove God’s throne,/ As try to touch this heart of stone!” (Henderson, pg 15). He dares that someone might as well attempt to dethrone God than appeal to his heart. He claims that he is just as immovable as God once against making the fault of equalizing himself with God and sealing his fateful doom.

Lucifer bending towards God in the Soliloquy of Satan

Lucifer torturing the souls

Both the epic “Dante’s inferno” and the play “The Harrowing of Hell” emphasize the importance of having faith in Christ as the ultimate path to salvation. However, the epic and the play depict Lucifer differently to fit their themes. The epic portrays Lucifer as a submissive creature to show that God is the true divine force that controls all of the domains including the inferno. However, the play shows Lucifer as this developed and internally broken antagonist to exaggerate the effect of the suspenseful confrontation between Christ and Lucifer. This conforms to the traditional portrayal of Christ as this hero like figure that prevails over the eternally vengeful Lucifer who holds much of mankind in his captivity.

Bibliography

Allen, Thomas Powers. A Critical Edition of the English Gospel of Nicodemus. 1968.

Alighieri, Dante, et al. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. Oxford University Press, 2013.

“1. The Barkers’ Play: The Fall of the Angels.” York Pageant 1: The Barkers’ Play, groups.chass.utoronto.ca/plspls/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/York01.html.

Halliwell-Phillipps, J. O. The Harrowing of Hell, a Miracle-Play Written in the Reign of Edward the Second, Now First Published from the Original Manuscript in the British Museum, with an Introduction, Translation, and Notes, by James Orchard Halliwell .. John Russell Smith, 1840.

HENDERSON, ELLIOTT BLAINE. SOLILOQUY OF SATAN: and Other Poems (Classic Reprint). FORGOTTEN Books, 2015.

Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments: King James Version. American Bible Society, 2010.

Romanelli, Christina. “‘Dear life redeems you’: The Winter’s Tale and the Harrowing of Hell.” South Atlantic Review, vol. 81, no. 1, 2016, p. 8+. Academic OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A450903880/AONE?u=cuny_hunter&sid=AONE&xid=f3389777.

Vol. 112, No. 1, January 2013 of The Journal of English …www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jenglgermphil.112.1.issue-1.

Status Classifications Based On Light

In Canto 1 of Paradiso, Dante classifies light as a hierarchical attribute that administers order in the universe. Dante defines light as “The glory of Him who moves all things penetrates through the universe and shines forth in one place and less elsewhere.” (Canto 1, lines 1-3). Dante perceives light as a manifestation of God’s glory. Dante implies that the unequal distribution of light in the universe is responsible for the nature of Paradiso, Purgatorio, and Inferno. Dante deliberately used the world “penetrate” to point out the physical limitations that explain why some domains receive more sunlight than the other. For example, Paradiso is closest the heavens hence it “receives most of his light.” (Canto 1, line 4). Purgatorio is further away from heaven hence, it receives comparatively less sunlight. Since the inferno is at the core of the earth, light can’t penetrate the surface and hence the inferno receives no sunlight. The degree of light that each place receives classifies the domains based on how close the souls are to God physically and spiritually.

Dante uses light imagery to display his new status among the ranks of souls. Dante claims that in heaven “our intellect goes so deep, that the memory cannot follow it.” (Canto 1, line 7-8). Light provides individuals with clarity which enhances their intellect. Dante claims that “The lantern of the world rises to mortals to divers outlets,” (Canto 1, lines 37-38). Even though the “lantern” is a metaphor for the sun, the light in a “lantern” is small and eventually extinguishes. Dante implies that mortals can only comprehend a fraction of God’s grandeur and his inner-workings of the world before they die. Dante deliberately uses the word “divers outlets” to further reiterate that the condemned human civilization can only experience God’s presence through small outlets. Comparatively, Dante narrates that “I fixed my eyes on the sun beyond our wont.” (Canto 1, line 54). Unlike the other mortals who have to avert their gaze when they look at the sun from a far distance, Dante directly looks at the sun up-close in heaven with Beatrice. Dante subtly distinguishes his status from the rest of the mortals because he can see the full sun hence, he knows more about God’s inner-workings than the rest of the universe. It also implies that he’s closer to God than the rest of the mortals. Moreover, by watching the sun with Beatrice, he puts himself on the same level as her. Though, Dante attempts to humble his character by claiming that “I did not endure it long, yet not so little that I did not see it emitting sparks all around,” (Canto 1, lines 58-59). The phrase is an oxymoron because while he admits to his mortality in comparison to Beatrice who continues to look on, he also claims that he saw it long enough to comprehend its nature that’s unknown to most mortals. Hence, he says that he is a mortal however, he claims to know more than the average mortals, revealing his inner desire to transcend his own mortality.

Dante wants to become a part of the light because he wants to be a savior for the world. Dante appeals to Apollo to make him “a vessel of your [his] power.” (Canto 1, line 14). Apollo is the Greek God of sun and light. He rides the chariot across the sky to make day. Dante wants to be a vessel for God’s light and this reflects his desire to be a savior for this world. He believes that humans have strayed from God’s path, hence, he communicates his journey in the epic to metaphorically bring God’s light back into people’s lives. He also states that “O divine power, if you lend so much of yourself to me that I make manifest the shadow of the blessed kingdom that is stamped within my head” (Canto 1, lines 22-24). He deliberately uses the word “shadow” because only light can create shadows. He wants God to bestow him with enough knowledge about Paradiso that he can communicate that information with the world, hence be a “shadow” of the heavenly kingdom. When he sees the sun, he also claims that “And as a second ray will spring forth from a first, mounting upward like a pilgrim that wishes to return home.” (Canto 1, 49-51). Dante uses a simile to compare the light to a “pilgrim” however, Dante is the pilgrim on this journey, hence he’s comparing himself to the light. While the word “home” is ambiguous, it can have 2 meanings. The ray is “mounting upward” and since heaven is both upward and the origin of the rays, it can mean that the rays want to return to heaven. This can reflect Dante’s desire to be a part of heaven and God’s glory. However, it can also mean that Dante wants to return to Earth as a ray of God’s light. In this sense, his desire to be Apollo’s “vessel”, the “shadow” of heaven’s Kingdom, and the “second ray,” show that he wants to return to Earth with information about the divine world that he can communicate with his people so that they can mend their ways while they still have time.

The Earthly Paradise

In canto 28, the Earthly paradise reflects man’s origin as an innocent creation susceptible to temptations. Dante implies that all creation including humans were created to follow the will of God. For example, Dante narrates that “by which the pliant branches, trembling, were bent, all of them, toward where the holy mountain casts its earliest shadow,” (Canto 28, lines 10-12). Dante characterizes the breeze that bends the branches as “unchanging in itself” (canto 28, line 7). In a mortal and materialistic world, everything ages and deteriorates. If anything is unchanging, it’s considered immortal and divine. Thus, the wind is an extension of God’s divinity and helps the creations follow the will of God. Moreover, Dante uses the adjective “pliant” to describe the branch to imply that nature itself , including the trees are created to bend at the will of God. He elaborates that they bent to “where the holy mountain casts its earliest shadows.” Even though the plants are supposed to bend at the will of God, they’re not bending in the “right” direction. Usually, trees and plants naturally bend towards the source of light which represents God, however, in this case, they’re bending towards the shadows where there is no light. In a sense, the plants are a metaphor for humans, Dante is implying that even though humans and all of nature is created to serve God, humans have strayed from their true purpose. The “holy mountain” is designed in such a way that it closest to the heavens so God’s light may always reach its inhabitants . However, humans turned to the “shadows” where God’s light does not reach them, and in doing so, they became shadows of their former selves that once lived in the Garden of Eden.

The body of waters reflects man’s pure origin and inevitable condemnation. Dante narrates that “ All the waters that back here are the purest,” (canto 28, line 28) and “it [they] hide nothing,” (canto 28, line 30). Just like the pure water, God created humans as pure beings devoid of all sins with clear intentions. Just as the water hides nothing about its contents, humans didn’t hide anything from God and each other. However, Dante elaborates that “although it moves dark, dark under the perpetual shade, which never lets sun or moon shine through.” (Canto 28, lines 31-32). The description of the water is contradictory because even though it’s pure, it’s dark. Usually, if water has a dark hue, it means that its contaminated. Since, the Earthly paradise represents the origin of humans, the description of the waters parallels the human transformation from pure creations to morally corrupt beings. Even though the body of water is close to the the stars in the heavens, the celestial light can’t penetrate the water because it’s located in the first place that humans sinned and fell from heaven. God created the Earthly paradise so that his light can always shine on Adam and Eve. However, when they disobeyed him, they fell from heaven and the celestial light in the forms of stars, sun, and moon no longer directly shined on them. The pure and dark nature of the water shows that the once pure humans are corrupted inside, and God’s light fails to penetrate their heart, hence they’re purposeless and led astray. There is a repetition of the word “shadow” to reiterate that the paradise is full of shadows just like humans are shadows of their original status and glory.

The Garden of Paradise essentially displays what humans have lost. Hence, the garden is physically characterized so that it can show the true story of humans as pure beings who fell from Grace. In fact, Matelda narrates that “Because of his own fault he dwelt here but little; by his own fault he changed into weeping and labor his virtuous laughter and sweet play.” (canto 28, line 94-96). The clauses set up a parallel between “weeping” and “virtuous laughter,” and “labor” and “sweet play” to show how humans live on earth and how they lived on the Garden of Eden. The earthly Paradise mirrors the punishment for Adam and Eve’s sin and their fall from Paradise. Dante claims “You put me in the mind of where and what Proserpina was,”( canto 28, line 49-50). Dante claims that the Earthly paradise reminds him of the story of Prosperina because just as she lost her virginity and ability to reside on Earth when Hades raped and imprisoned her, humans lost their status and ability to reside on the Earthly paradise. For Dante, the earthly paradise represents the origin of humans and their true narrative which include the purity of their creation and their simultaneous fall from paradise.

Personal Note: I’m not entirely sure what my final paper is, however I am exploring some leads. I’m planning on attending the Harrowing of Hell play. Based on my feeling on it, I may decide to do a comparative essay based on Dante’s inferno and the play’s interpretation of hell. If I don’t like the play, I might pick something else to do.

Side note: I’m confused about the female characters and what they represent. I read that Persepolina represents the “human err” in the notes and I don’t understand what error she committed. I think her suffering is similar to the humans but its through no fault of her own. Also, while I understand that Matelda is represented as the “ unfallen Eve”, I don’t understand what Beatrice represents? Is she the “redeemed Eve”?

The Nature of Weeping

Unlike the previous sinners, in the 9th circle of hell, the sinners are punished with ice. The coldness pervades their bodies making them unable to express their emotions. In its very nature, the cold strips the sinners of an essential characteristic that makes them human – their ability to cry. The act of crying itself can be seen as a form of self-reflection and a way to unburden the emotional turmoil that exists inside. By taking away the sinners ability to cry, the cold renders them less human than they originally were. The nature of the punishment corresponds with the nature of their crime; the cold weather parallels their cold-hearted crime which essentially degraded them from a human to an animal (less than human). In canto 33, the sinner’s inability to cry parallels their transformation from civilized beings to animalistic primitives devoid of all virtue.

Count Ugolino’s inability to cry mirrors the loss of his humanity as he succumbs to the temptations of cannibalism. When Count Ugolino is imprisoned with his sons in a tower and it’s door is being nailed shut, Count Ugolino says “I was not weeping, I so turned to stone within: they were weeping; and my Anselmuccio said ‘you have such a look father! What is it?’ (Canto 33, lines 48-50). Count Ugolino marks his transformation from a father to “stone” when he stops crying. The “stone” represents his loss of humanity because he begins to perceive his sons as food. Even though he initially denies it, his son observes that he has “such a look”. The sons notice that their father is looking at them differently, the “look” is synonymous with the way a predator eyes its prey before it consumed them for its means of survival. The ability to cry represents the idea that the individual is still human and tethered to a moral compass. Count Ugolino can’t cry because he is selfish and deceptive by nature. He betrays Archbishop Ruggieri and he’s imprisoned for his treason. When he is imprisoned with his sons, his selfish nature prioritizes his needs over his sons even though his fatherly affections attempts to hold off the temptation to consume them for as long as possible. However, his selfish nature and starvation prevails over his fatherly affection as he succumbs to cannibalism. Hence, he cannot cry because his intentions are already corrupted and he is spiraling towards cannibalism.On the contrary, his sons are “weeping” because they’re innocent. They have the ability to cry because their humanity and moral compass remains intact. In fact, they say “Father, it will be much less pain for us if you eat of us:” (Canto 33, line 60). They offer themselves up to the father because their moral integrity and affection for their father exceeds their own materialistic capacity for starvation. Their intentions and inherently their souls are much more purer than their father which permits them to cry.

Count Ugolino and Brother Alberigo define crying as the ultimate desire of the sinners in the 9th circle of hell. Both Count Ugolino and Alberigo’s crimes consume their insides and prevent them from feeling anything but the nature and remorse of their crimes.For example, Count Ugolino says “You wish me to renew desperate grief that already possesses my heart merely thinking,” (Canto 33, lines 3-4). Count Ugolino uses the adjective “desperate” to characterize his grief because it reflects his desperate need to express that grief in some physical form. He wants to “speak and weep together” (Canto 33, line 8), the association of voicing his grief and crying further reiterates the idea that their grief can only be lessened through crying. Alberigo claims “And that you may more willingly shave the glassy tears from my eyes, know that, as soon as the soul betrays as I did, its body is taken over by a demon” (Canto 33, lines 126-129). While Alberigo doesn’t explicitly refer to the heart, he loses autonomy because his body is no longer his own; his corrupted soul is weighing his body down to hell. Alberigo uses the word “betray” because he betrays his brother when he kills them over a presumed dinner thus, his soul betrays him by sending him to hell before he has even died.

Alberigo describes his soul as possessed by a “demon” that is holding his body body hostage till the end of time. Since the moment he committed murder and the demon took over his body, all of his humanity left him. He asks Dante and Virgil to “lift from my [his] eyes the hard veils, so that I may give vent a little to the anguish that gathers in my heart, before my tears freeze up again.” (Canto 33, lines 111-113). The “hard veil” has a dual meaning, the “hard veil” refers to Alberigo’s tears frozen over his face, but the “hard veil” can also mean that the nature of his crime is so diresome that it prevents him from ever being empathetic and humane again. Alberigo could’ve asked Dante and Virgil for anything but all he asks for is the opportunity to cry one more time. Both characters claim that their soul or heart is heavy inside of them because it’s carrying the guilt of their inhumane crimes that they can no longer express through humane means.

Dante personifies “weeping” as a humane quality that is acting inhumanely to the sinners. For example, Dante narrates that “Weeping itself prevents weeping here, and the sorrow that finds a block over the eyes turn back within to increase the pain;” (Canto 33, lines 93-95). The phrase “weeping itself prevents weeping here” refers to the notion that if a person weeps, their tears freeze over their eyes and face preventing them from weeping more. It’s ironic that is a mechanism that reduces the human’s pain causes more pain to the human. The personification of weeping shows its dual nature of being a relief and punishment to the humans just like the sinners had the capacity to be benevolent and harmful and they chose to be harmful to their relations. Dante describes the act of crying as “for the first tears make a knot and, like crystal visors, fill all the cup below the brow.” (Canto 33, lines 96-99). Dante uses a simile to describe the frozen tears as “crystal visors” that fill the “cup” or the “eye”. He uses the word “visor” which blocks the flow of tears from the inside and sunlight from penetrating the visor from outside. This reiterates that the sinners will never find comfort inside themselves or from their surroundings because their sin is so grave. Hence, they will be stuck in this stage of constant pain and turmoil where they lose all feelings that make them human except grief.

Canto 33 focuses on the nature of weeping among the sinners. Dante alters the meaning of weeping for each soul. Count Ugolino wants to cry because he wants to express his grief for eating his own sons however, Alberigo wants to cry in order to obtain some for of autonomy over his own sins. Both want to express their grief for their fate however, neither can express it because crying is a humane characteristic that doesn’t fit their inhumane crimes.

Reflective Post 1

I noticed an evolution in my writing style, I initially relied on background information to draw my analysis but now I rely more on rhetorical devices and especially the syntax of the sentence.

In the beginning, I relied on historical background to analyze the characters and the purpose of the canto. During our first class, the discussion was primarily about all the novels and short stories related to the Inferno. Most of the students are upper class men that have already taken other literary courses and are well-versed with the context of the novel. Originally, I felt left out from the discussion because compared to everyone else, I didn’t have much prior knowledge about the topic. In my early posts, I made a special effort to focus on how Dante’s time period influenced his writings. In my second canto, I analyze Dante’s encounter with Ciacco as a strife between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines. In my second post I write, “Ciacco foreshadows that after 3 years or “three suns,” the Black Guelphs will regain control of Florence while the White Guelphs, including Dante who was an active prior (White Guelph leader) will fall.” I analyze Ciacco’s sentence by breaking the sentence into fragments and connecting it to the historical significance behind those words. For example, I knew that the “3 suns” actually refers to how the Ghibellines come into power again after 3 years. I use the background information to draw the conclusion that Ciacco is foreshadowing Dante’s exile. I strongly believe that the background information provides clarity to Dante’s arrangement of the canto and hints at his personal life. Thus, in my first few cantos, I used extensive background information to get a feel for the structure of the cantos.

In my 3rd post, I’m able to use both background imagery and rhetorical analysis to enhance my argument. I address that Dante defines heresy as the belief that soul is mortal and dies with the body. I use background knowledge to explain why Farinata is a heretic. For example, I write “Farinata’s heresy is defined in terms of his political association with Frederick II.” I further elaborate that Frederick II was excommunicated twice and deemed a heretic, hence Farinata is a heretic by association. I use sentence syntax to show a character development in Farinata from a to a florentine Citizen. My topic sentence is “Farinata’s verbal exchange mirrors his earthly status as a Ghibelline factional leader to his eventual transcendence of all partisans to a Florentine citizen that prioritizes his city’s welfare above all else.” The sentence is actually more closer to my roots, I love setting up parallels between people, sentence structure with character development, settings, etc. I use Farinata’s speech to show his character development. For example, I write “ He uses 3 subjects to compose his identity: “Me,” “My ancestors,” and “My party”.” His initial manner of speaking shows that he’s still fixated on Florence’s politics because he defines his identity exclusively in terms of his ancestral lineage and Florence’s politics. However, I contrast it with the end of his conversation where he says “If they had learned that art badly’ he said, ‘that torments me more than this bed.” (lines 75-77, Canto 10, pg 31). I elaborate on Farinata’s reflection about the war as a more objective citizen as opposed to a partisan because he is able to admit that his people might be wrong. This post is more advanced than my prior post which solely relies on background knowledge to come up with any analysis. However, this post is more wordy and it attempts to discuss too many topics like heresy, types of heresy, Farinata, Cavalcanti, etc. all in one post. I set up another parallel in my 5th post between the nature of the sinners and the deceptive nature of the Evil Claws. This focuses more on the parallel itself and uses minimal background information to make a point.

My 4th post reflects my creative interpretation of the surroundings while using minimal background information. I enjoyed writing this post more than any other because it was purely my own interpretation and the language syntax was littered with beautiful contrasting pronouns that I could use to establish dualism between different definitions of femininity. While I read other interpretations of canto 19, I didn’t really like them to be honest. I felt that a lot of them dismissed the play on pronouns or simply attributed masculinity to the god itself. For this particular post, I liked my idea and set it up as “Dante defines the dualism between purity and corrupted purity exclusively in the terms of a woman.” I used pronouns to prove this; I write “ For example, Dante addresses the sinners as “that should be brides of goodness” (Canto 19, lines 2). The clergy is married to the church hence, they’re “brides”. However the church isn’t the husband, it’s the “Lovely lady” (Canto 19, line 55).” Based on the absence of the male pronoun, I claim that the text is insinuating that “ The sacredness of the church is a feminine aspect however the loyalty of the clergy is also a feminine aspect.” I particularly like using syntax analysis however, it’s hard in this type of literature because it’s a translated version. Some words are lost or phrased differently which is why I was initially hesitant to form any concrete interpretations from them.

I’m noticing that I’ve become more comfortable with the literature. I use the background information to understand the text but I don’t use it in the posts as much as I use to unless I need it to support my argument. In the beginning, I was uncomfortable with the background and Dante’s style of writing which is why my earlier posts focus so much on it. However, over time, I became comfortable enough to develop my own interpretations (even though they might be different from others) and use rhetorical analysis as my primary source of evidence as opposed to background information. However, I notice that I’m back into my comfort zone and I’m focusing on parallelism, dualism, etc. again. While those are my favorite, I would like to explore other areas of focus like recurring themes, character developments (in main characters), setting analysis, etc.

Beasts vs Sinners (Parallel)

In Canto 22, the fraudulent nature of sinners parallels the deceptive nature of the Evil Claws. Even though it’s revealed in the later Cantos that Malacoda intentionally misguided Dante and Vergil to take the wrong path, the deceptive nature of Malacoda and his beasts is hinted at in the descriptive imagery used in the 5th pouch of the 8th circle. In the 5th pouch Dante describes the submerged sinners as “ dolphins do, when they signal to sailors, arching their spines, to take measures to save their ship”(Canto 22, lines 18-20). The simile has a dual meaning because it’s not only acknowledging the behavior of the sinners but also the behavior of the beasts. The demons are pretending to help Dante cross the 8th Circle hence they’re acting as “dolphins” leading Dante and Vergil who represent the sailors however, the beasts are really like the sinners themselves who trick and deceive people. Dante elaborates that “so from time to time, to lessen the pain, a sinner would show his back and hide it in less than a flash.” (Canto 22, lines 21-23). Dante implies that a sinner shows glimpses of their true nature.

Both, the beasts and the sinner from Navarre show that they can’t deny their nature. The beasts are compelled to sadistically torture the soul from Navarre. They say “O Ruby Face, see you get your nails in him, and tear his skin off!’ All those cursed ones were shouting at once.” (Canto 22, lines 39-41). The moment that the beasts first saw the damned soul, their first instinct was to tear the soul apart. This raises the questions that if the souls have this little patience with the damned soul, how long will it be before they succumb to their violent nature and do the same to Dante and Vergil. The sinner from Navarre also can’t help but use trickery to escape his circumstantial problems. In the real world, he “took to barratry” (Canto 22, line 52) to escape the financial problems caused by his “wastrel” (Canto 22, line 50) father. Likewise, he tricks the Claws into hiding near the back and escapes. Dante narrates that “The Navarrese chose his moment well, planted his feet on the ground, and escaped their design.” (Canto 22, line 120-122). The Navarrese previously denied any intentions of running away or procuring any more “suffering for his own kind” (Canto 22, line 109). However, when he was presented with the opportunity to escape, he took it, true to his nature. Both the Beasts and the Navarrese are susceptible to their deceptive natures

Both the Navarrese and the Claws have the capacity to betray their own accomplices. Dante uses an extended metaphor that “as sometimes one frog stays while the other jumps” (Canto 22, lines 29-31) to foreshadow that the beings will deceive or turn against their own kind. In the metaphor, Dante specifies that these frogs are “at the edge of a ditch” (Canto 22, line 24). The frogs have a dual meaning. They represent the sinners in the pool pitch who are physically turning but also reflects their nature to turn against people that trust them. The frogs are at the edge because the depth of the edge is unknown just as their true is unforseen. The Navarrese sinner betrays his accomplices when he says “Tuscans or Lombards, I can make them come;” (Canto 22, lines 96-98). He offers his friends to the beasts so that they can reduce his punishment. He claims that “for one that I am, will make seven come as I whistle, as is our custom to do so, when one is a lookout.” (Canto 22, lines 102-104). There is an obligatory and almost militaristic bond between these men, yet he’s ready to violate that trust and betray them for his own safety. Likewise, when the sinner escaped, the Beasts turned against each other. Dante narrates that “The heat was a quick ungrappler; but not for that could they come forth, they had so enlimed their wings.” (Canto 22, lines 141-143). They were so physically tangled in their fight that even the heat from the pitch couldn’t pull them apart. They demons attacked their own fellows instead of working together. Thus, the sinners and the Claws don’t have it in their nature to be loyal to their kind.

Feministic Dualism: Purity vs Corruption

In canto 19 in third pouch of the 8th circle of hell, Dante defines the dualism between purity and corrupted purity exclusively in the terms of a woman. Canto 19 is different than the other cantos because it inherently draws upon the stereotype that women are temptresses, seductresses, and that their worth is defined by their purity. In the previous canto, men were punished for deceiving women however there was no inherent expectation for them to be pure. However, in canto 19, there is an inherent expectation that woman have to be pure. The biblical origin is that Eve tempted Adam to eat the apple from the Forbidden tree which ultimately led them to their condemnation. This canto references the contradictory dual perception of woman as inherently pure and seductive. For example, Dante addresses the sinners as “that should be brides of goodness” (Canto 19, lines 2). The clergy is married to the church hence, they’re “brides”. However the church isn’t the husband, it’s the “Lovely lady” (Canto 19, line 55). The entire relationship between the church and the clergy is described as a marriage however, there is no male pronoun in the entire relationship. The sacredness of the church is a feminine aspect however the loyalty of the clergy is also a feminine aspect. That insinuates that being pure as a sign of loyalty is primarily a feminine trait. In a marriage, the woman is loyal to the husband by preserving her virginity. However, Dante makes the analogy that a clergy member is loyal to the church by preserving it’s virtues (not participating in simony) and the sanctity of the church. However, if a clergy member violates the virtues, he becomes an adulterer which is still an inherently feminine trait. The men do not have nearly as much accountability to be pure and loyal as the women. In fact, Pope Nicholas III claims that “And truly I was the son of the she-bear, so greedy to advance her cubs, that I pocketed wealth up there, and myself down here.” (Canto 19, line 69-71). Pope Nicholas does not take accountability for his own action, nor blames mankind for his flaws, however, he claims that his greed inherently came from a female species. The “she-bear” has a dual meaning in this context. The Pope is referencing the “she-bears” as a primitive manifestation of greed. However, in the Bible, the “she-bears” mauled 42 children that were mocking Prophet Elisha- a revered prophet in Christianity. Pope Nicholas’ analogy is flawed because the she-bears committed violence for the sake of preserving the prophet’s purity (untainted reputation) however, he committed a fraud that ultimately tainted the purity of the church. This misconception among Simonists that greed is a genetic contribution of womankind is further reiterated in how the manner in which Simonists are punished parallels child-birth imagery. For example, Dante narrates “From the mouth of each protruded the feet and legs of a sinner, as far as the thighs, and the rest was inside.” (Canto 19, lines 18-21). This imagery is similar to childbirth however, the orientation is reversed to show that the clergy member’s couldn’t retain the purity of this maternal and sacred role. The child’s head is supposed to protrude from the womb (naturally) however the legs are protruding from the mouth. Clergy Members are also baptizers and they’re supposed to bring life into this world like mothers however, their corruption means that they can only give birth to even more corrupted souls. Nevertheless, women are still associated with greed. This concept is reiterated by the idea that during the apocalypse, the physical manifestation of greed is a female monster. Dante claims “She who was born with seven heads, and took strength from her ten horns as long as virtue pleased her husband.” (Canto 19 line 108-109). During the apocalypse, this woman’s seven heads represent the 7 sacraments and the 10 heads represent the 10 commandments. She’s a “harlot” or prostitute that was associated with a paganistic Roman. Her lack of commitment parallels the clergy’s lack of commitment to Church. This subtly implies that a woman’s greed and lust are responsible for mankind’s condemnation, because these traits exclusive belong to their species.

Citations:

“Bear Definition and Meaning – Bible Dictionary.” Bible Study Tools, Salem Web Network, www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/bear/.

Cato vs Capaneus : Dry Desert

In the 7th circle (3rd subcircle) of Dante’s inferno, Dante contrasts Cato and Capaneus to emphasize that sinners are responsible for maintaining their own hell in the afterlife. Cato and Capaneus were both pagans that displayed virtues such as honesty and bravery which enhanced their political careers. Cato was a Roman statesman and warrior during the late Roman republic. He was notoriously known for refusing bribes and condemning corruption. He committed suicide because he didn’t want to submit to Julius Caesar’s tyrannical forces. Capaneus was one of the many warrior Kings that attempted to take over Thebes. Unlike his comrades, he didn’t want to deceitfully attack in the night, he wanted to fight openly in the day. He was killed by Zeus because he climbed a city’s wall and openly challenged Jupiter (Zeus) to fight him, to which Zeus responded by throwing a lightning bolt at him. While Cato doesn’t appear in Cato 14, the 7th circle is set in a “course, dry ground” (Canto 14, line 13) that was similar to the one “trodden by the feet of Cato” (Canto 14, line 13) in his real life and also the one that Capaneus “lies” (Canto 14, line 46) on in the afterlife. The importance of the course, dry ground is that it can’t grow any vegetation. Cato and Capaneus’ lives are like the dry ground because they’re pagans so it’s difficult for their life to grow into something meaningful because they’re already condemned. However, Dante claims that “The floor was course, dry sand, not made differently from that once trodden by the feet of Cato.” (Canto 14, line 12-14). The “floor” actually refers to the Libyan Desert that Cato crossed with his army. Dante deliberately mentions Cato because while he’s a pagan who shares very similar characteristic with Capaneus, he’s not in the 7th circle of hell. Dante refers to the desert to show that when Cato crossed it with his army to fight for freedom, inevitably leading to his suicide, his virtues outweighed the punishment of his religious beliefs. Thus, Dante uses the word “once” not only as an indicator of time, but to show that Cato was “once” in the “desert” in hell, but he was able to grow out because his virtues provided him with the opportunity to achieve redemption at one point (despite being a pagan). However Capaneus isn’t able to outgrow his ill vices, thus he’s still trapped in hell’s version of a desert. Dante describes him as “scornful and frowning, so the rain does not seem to ripen him.”(Canto 14, lines 46-47). Instead of repenting for his blasphemy, he’s condemning the Gods even more for his condition. Dante uses botanical imagery when he uses terminology “ripen” to describe Capaneus’ lack of character development in hell. While the rain tortures the other souls to repent, it has no effect on Capaneus thus he can’t grow into anything else. Capaneus claims that “As I was alive, so am I dead” (Canto 14, line 50). He possessed disdain for the Gods during his life and he still has the same feelings for them in his afterlife. Thus, he is responsible for his own stagnation in hell because he refuses to repent. Virgil even claims that “O Capaneus, since your pride is not extinguished, you are punished more;” (Canto 14,line 62-63). Despite Capaneus’ virtues as a military leader, his blasphemy outweighed his virtues, and his continuous defiance in hell further condemns and prolongs his suffering. Thus, the desert setting only reiterates that sinners like Capaneus are responsible for their own hell because they can’t cultivate virtues like repentance that can possibly lessen their punishment.

References :

“Ante-Purgatory.” Dante’s Inferno – Main Page, University of Texas at Austin, danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/purgatory/01antepurgatory.html.

Additional Note: I have the online pdf version of the book and it doesn’t allow for page numbers to be displayed (it gives me alphabets instead) so I couldn’t include the page numbers).

Variations in Heresy

Dante defines heresy as the denial of the soul’s immortality. Dante’s definition is supported by his condemnation of epicureanism philosophies. Virgil claims that “Epicurus and his followers have their cemetery in this part, who make the soul die with the body.” (line 13, Canto 10, pg 30). Epicurus was a Greek philosopher that believed the soul was also mortal like the body. He claimed that humans should live in materialistic moderation so that they can achieve a state of tranquility. This state was defined as the exoneration from fear and anxiety caused by death and the existence of Gods/Goddesses. Epicurus and his disciples expected their souls to die when they were buried, hence, their punishment is that even in the afterlife, their souls are buried. This makes them even more “dead” than the other heretics because they’re completely buried whereas other heretics are partially buried in the sepulchers. They’re defined as the worst heretics because all the other souls needs to be reunited with their bodies from the “valley of Jehoshaphat”(line 10, Canto 10, pg 30) on judgement day before they can lie down in their monuments but these souls are already lying down in their graves. In a sense, the worst has already occurred to them.

Farinata’s heresy is defined in terms of his political association with Frederick II. Farinata’s is physically described as “stood erect: from the waist up you will see all of him” (line 31, Canto 10, pg 30). Farinata is partially submerged in the sepulcher. His body posture corresponds to the dual nature of his heresy as a misguided Christian. While Farinata supported Christianity, he supported King Frederick II who was excommunicated twice and deemed a heretic. Hence, Farinata is a heretic by association. The Bible claims that “There will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” (Second Peter 2:1). Farinata supported a “false teacher”. Frederick II used the Ghibelline army to conquer the papal states so he could rename himself the King of Jerusalem. Farinata wasn’t completely aware of Frederick II’s ulterior motives. It wasn’t until the Guelfs had control again that Farinata was posthumously deemed a heretic and his dug-up body was burned. Farinata never realized that he supported the wrong political authority attempting to become a religious authority; he also didn’t have the opportunity to make amends with the Church. Hence, he’s partially buried because he’s only a heretic by association. This belief is further reiterated when Dante asks Farinata about who is with him in the 6th circle of hell and he claims “Here within is the Second Frederick and the Cardinal;” (line 118, Canto 10, pg. 32). This confirms that Frederick II was a heretic and implies that he was responsible for Farinanta’s displacement into hell.

Farinata’s verbal exchange mirrors his earthly status as a Ghibelline leader to his eventual transcendence of all partisans to a Florentine citizen that prioritizes his city’s welfare above all else. In the beginning of their verbal exchange, both Farinata and Dante argue their loyalties for their respective political parties. Farinata claims “Fiercely were they opposed to me and to my ancestors and to my party, so that twice I scattered them.” (lines 45-47, Canto 10, pg 31). He uses 3 subjects to compose his identity: “Me,” “My ancestors,” and “My party”. This implies that his war with the Guelfs extends beyond personal vendetta, he was protecting his lineage and the people he represented in his party. He claims that “so that twice I scattered them,” the clause is placed at the end of the sentence to imply that he waged war as a consequence of the partisan disputes between the Ghibellines and the Guelfs and not vice versa. By engaging in the war, he was doing justice by his people. This depicts his loyalty towards the Ghibellines and their cause. Dante responds “If they were driven out, they returned from every side,’ I replied ‘the first time and the second; but your people did not learn that art well.” (lines 47-51, Canto 10, pg 31). Dante uses the word “returned from every side” to emphasize the solidarity that exists among the Guelfs. When the Guelfs were defeated twice, they regrouped from diverse states in order to reclaim their power in Florence. By stressing the strong bond that exists between Guelfs, he emphasizes his own loyalty towards the partisan. Both verses are well measured to show that both Farinata and Dante are equally loyal to their parties. Both verses also depict that they’re both heavily involved in earthly politics. However, in the last verses, Farinata transcends his earthly politics for Florence’s welfare. He claims that “If they had learned that art badly’ he said, ‘that torments me more than this bed.” (lines 75-77, Canto 10, pg 31). The “art” refers to the predicament that both parties (especially the Ghibellines) don’t realize that the war will never end. It will be a continuous struggle for power before one, if not both, parties are entirely wiped out. He elaborates that “Before not fifty times will be rekindled the face of the lady who reigns here, before you will know how much that art weighs.” (line 78-80, Canto 10, pg 31). Since Farinata can see into the future, he understands that the war will have casualties on both sides before either political group can understand the implications of their wars on Florence itself. “The lady who reigns here” most likely refers to Medusa who guards the city of Dis. She will be “rekindled” by many more souls before the Ghibellines realize that their religious association is incorrect and they’re all virtually condemned. Farinata’s reflection allows him to understand that the political war is damaging Florence itself. This objective understanding allows him to redefine himself as a citizen of Florence rather that a partisan leader. The verbal exchange mimics his life’s defining moment when he conquered Florence as a Ghibelline leader, but he also defended it as citizen from higher orders. He claims that “But I alone, there where all other would have suffered Florence to be razed, was the one who defended her openly.” (lines 90-92, Canto 10, pg 32). When the Ghibellines conquered Florence, they wanted to destroy it, however, Farinata was the only one that defended Florence and said that it should be saved. He prioritized the welfare of Florence over his own party’s political agenda. This allows him to be redefined as a Florentine rather than a Ghibelline leader.

Cavalcante De’ Cavalcanti is a heretic because he is too invested in personal ties and thus, lacks self-reflection. Dante describes him as a “shade rose up, discovered to sight as far as the chin,” (line 48, Canto 10, pg 31). Cavalcanti’s head is only visible from the sepulcher and it reaches Dante’s knees. Cavalcanti is already a worse heretic than Farinata because while Farinata is half submerged, Cavalcanti is submerged up to his chin. Their tombs are next to each other because they’re related. Cavalcanti’s son Guido married Farinata’s daughter Beatrice. It is rumored that Cavalcanti was a heretic like his son Guido but the religious attribution is largely controversial. However Dante portrays Cavalcanti as a heretic that values his relationship with his son more highly than his relationship with the Divine. Cavalcanti asks Dante “Where is my son, and why is he not with you.” (line 58, Canto 10, pg 31). Cavalcanti could’ve asked Dante anything but he chose to ask about his son. Unlike Farinata, there was no self-reflection evident that could redeem his character. Dante even concludes that his “words and manner of his punishment had already read to me his name; therefore my reply was so full.” (line 64, Canto 10, pg 31). Dante implies that Cavalcanti is so obsessed with his son that his “punishment” is that he can’t have any knowledge about his son. Dante says that “my reply was so full” because even though it was misinterpreted, it was more information that what Cavalcanti originally possessed. Cavalcanti’s is only concerned with his son and thus, he is a heretic because he never prioritized his own relationship with the divine.

Heretics believed that their soul was mortal in some sense. Atheists literally believed that their souls didn’t exist past their death hence, they’re buried in a tomb in hell. Their souls don’t represent anything except death because that’s what the epicureans wanted. However, heretics attributed their souls to materialistic possessions in the world that have definitive ends which made their souls mortal in some sense. Farinata’s soul is represented by Florence thus, he’s punishment is he has no knowledge of Florence’s current political affairs though he can see what it becomes in the future. Cavalcanti’s soul is represented by his son thus, he’s punishment is that he has no current knowledge of his son, though he can almost see his son’s death in the future.

References:

Wolf, Gunther. “Frederick II.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 10 Jan. 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Frederick-II-Holy-Roman-emperor.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Farinata Degli Uberti.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Nov. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Farinata-degli-Uberti.

Canto 6: Gluttony

Overview of Gluttons (3rd Circle of Hell)

Vellutello, Alessandro

Dante bases his definition of gluttony on his own experiences in Florence. While gluttony’s literal meaning is an excessive consumption of food and drinks, Dante broadens the definition to include an excessive acquirement of wealth and power that is obtained at the expense of the city’s civilians. Dante perceives wealthy politicians that exercise more power than what it rightfully allocated to them as guilty of neglecting their civic duties. Dante’s understanding of corruption pertains to his own experiences as political figure in Florence. He introduces his city’s political dynamics through Ciacco. The condemned soul claims that “your city is so full of envy that the sack already overflows” (lines 49-50). The soul is referencing his own experiences in Florence before Dante was born; they most likely refer to the class conflicts between the magnate and the plebeians. The magnate were the wealthy Italian merchants whereas, the plebeians were the commoners. During this time, the plebeians banned the magnate from holding a political position in society. The constant desire for each class to exert their dominance over the other in terms of wealth, prestige, and power frequently plagued Florence’s society, hence the city was already displaying symptoms of gluttony. Ciacco foreshadows the city’s absolute fall to gluttony and Dante’s own exile from Florence. He claims that “the citizens of the divided city” (line 61) will “come to blood, and they party from the woods will drive out the other with much harm” (lines 64-65). The “divided city” refers to the Black and White Guelphs fractions that formed after the Guelphs took control of Florence after defeating the Ghibellines. The Black guelphs approved of the Pope whereas, the White Guelphs including Dante, wanted more independence from the Pope ; hence they were categorized as “the heirs of the Ghibellines” (Museo Casa de Dante). The White Guelphs are “the party from the woods” that drive the Black Guelphs out of Florence after a blood batter which Dante also participates in. However, Ciacco claims that “Then later this party must fall within three suns and the other rise, with the power of one who now hugs the shore” (line 67). Ciacco foreshadows that after 3 years or “three suns,” the Black Guelphs will regain control of Florence while the White Guelphs, including Dante who was an active prior (White Guelph leader) will fall. Ciacco implies that Florence’s internal political turmoil is a manifestation of gluttony itself that will only be intensified when the Black Guelphs will conquer Florence. Ciacco even specifies that “Two are just” (line 73) in the war, which most likely refers to Dante himself and maybe one of his acquaintances. This further reiterates how Dante perceives himself as an anti-corrupt political figure whereas, anyone else who doesn’t govern in the same manner as him is immediately guilty of corruption and in broader terms- gluttony.

Dante uses food imagery as a metaphor for the political corruption that characterizes Florence. In Canto 6, there is a repetition of “heavy rain” (line 7, 32). The heavy rain is actually the physical food and drinks the souls consumed during their lifetime. These souls are most likely political figures who obtained these luxuries at the expense of their subjects. Since they were so greedy for these possessions, they’re raining down on them now. Ironically, the rain fulfills their human desire for materialistic possessions while simultaneously keeping their souls in hell under the heavy weight of their own desires. Ciacco’s status as a corrupt political figure is further reiterated when the word “heavy” is used again to describe an oppressive force. The Ghibellines were described as “Long will they hold their brows, keeping the others down under heavy weights, no matter how they weep or are shamed.” lines 70-71). While there is no implication that Ciacco was a Ghibelline, the word “heavy” is used twice in Canto 6, once to describe the corrupt behavior of politicians and the other to describe the rain, both are oppressive forces. The author is equating the heavy oppression and political injustice with heavy rain which serves as their punishment. This implies that Ciacco himself must’ve been a “heavy” oppressive force in Florence in order to be punished by the “heavy” rain. The rain parallels the nature of the oppressors. The oppressors didn’t care if the subjects “weep or are ashamed”, likewise, the rain doesn’t care if the souls weep or display shame with their “bent heads” (line 92). Moreover, the rain’s “rule and quality never change” (line 9) just like the politicians never changed the unjust way they governed society. Ciacco represents how corrupt political figures are punished on a microscopic scale. He asks Dante about Florence’s corrupt political figures such as Farinata, Tegghiaio, Iacopo Rusticucci, Arrigo, and Mosca. He uses food imagery to ask if “Heaven sweetens them or hell poisons them” (line 84). The sweetened food represents what the politicians earned while the poisoned food represents what they wrongfully consumed. This alludes to the Adam and Eve’s unlawful consumption of the apple in paradise which ultimately poisoned them and they fell through the ranks. Similarly, these political figures consumed what they weren’t supposed to and fell through the virtuous ranks into hell. Hence, Dante observes that all these souls have “the emptiness that seems a human body” (line 36) which means that their soul is empty because they always fed their body instead of their soul. Their empty human body is actually their empty stomach, it doesn’t have any food because they fed materialistic content to their body instead of substantial virtues and deeds to their soul. Thus, it becomes apparent that their gluttony left their souls hungry and their bodies eternally empty.