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/.

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