Tag Archives: sodomy

Dante’s tone towards sinners

In Canto 19, Dante and Virgil have reached the third pouch of the eighth circle called the simonists. Dante considers these sinners the worst kind because these corrupt clergy fornicate for gold and silver. The simonists are punished by being buried upside down in holes the size of baptism basins; their feet also protrude only to be burnt by eternal flames. In lines 103-105, Dante says “I would still use heavier words; for your avarice afflicts the world, trampling the good and raising up the wicked”. If Dante did not have respect for the papal office, he would have many more negative things to say regarding the simonists. Throughout the Inferno, Dante’s tone has varied with different sinners. In this particular canto, he feels no pity or sympathy towards Pope Nicholas II and unconsciously takes the role of a friar at a religious confession. Pope Nicholas II is unaware of this and thinks it’s his successor but Dante later on reveals himself. Dante’s attitude toward this sinner is nothing but rage; he does not sympathize with him whatsoever. Similarly, in Canto 8, Dante does not sympathize with the sinner At Filippo Argenti who was an enemy of Dante in the real world. He becomes infuriated with his ambiguous answer regarding why the sinner has become so ugly and pushed him back into the river. Like in Canto 19, Virgil is very pleased with Dante’s attitude towards these sinners because it is showing him not to sympathize with them anymore. He joyously hugs and kisses him in Canto 8 and happily carries him like a baby across the bridge in Canto 19. Nevertheless, Dante does sympathize with some such as the sinners in Canto 20 whose heads are on backwards and they are forced to walk without seeing anything in front them or their future. Likewise, Farinata the heretic in Canto 10, who can dive into the future but know nothing about the present state of human affairs. This fourth pouch consists of diviners, astrologers, and magicians who all cry as they walk while tears trickle down their buttocks. Dante feels so much pity for them while Virgil only feels scorn for the sinners. Dante wept as he did for Francesca and Paolo in Canto 5 who both suffered from lust. Additionally, Dante sympathizes with Pier Della Vigna in Canto 13 who committed suicide due to nasty rumors and Brunetto Latini, his former mentor and sodomite, in Canto 15. Thus, Dante’s attitude toward the sinners in the different circles has varied depending on what sin they committed and who they mean to him.

 

Canto 15: A Unexpected Encounter between a Teacher and Student

In Canto 15 Dante and Virgil continue their journey through the Third Ring of the Seventh Circle of Hell where the “literary sodomites” and others violent against nature are punished. As we read in Canto 11, sodomy is considered a sin of violence. Dante, the poet, views sodomy as a crime against God because it goes against nature. In Inferno, sodomy contradicts the natural will of life, therefore harming God. In the third ring, a fiery rain falls on the sinners, which represents an unnatural phenomenon, like sodomy. Whereas regular rain replenishes the Earth, a fiery rain does the opposite since sodomizers also do not replenish Earth with new life.

As Dante and Virgil walk passed a “band of souls” (Inferno 15, 16), Dante, the poet, writes “each was gazing at us as in the evening people gaze at one another (16-17).  I interpreted this as alluding to the way men may look at each other in a sexual manner. Dante says, “I was recognized by one, who seized me by the hem” (22). Dante has some difficulty recognizing the soul because of his “baked appearance” (26) from being burnt from the fire. Dante finally realizes who it is and with surprise asks, “Are you here, ser Brunetto?” Dante asks this with a great shock and sorrow that Brunetto could end up where he is. Dante holds respect for Brunetto, an old mentor and teacher, who he feels indebted to. Dante keeps a “kind paternal image” of Brunetto (83). It’s compelling that both Dante the poet and pilgrim have much admiration for Brunetto. But evidently, Dante, the poet, places Brunetto where he does in such a painful place in Hell based on his sin and regardless of how much praise and affection he has for him. This displays that one can commit sins and be punished but still be seen with great influence, like how both Dante’s view Brunetto.

Brunetto explains to Dante his future. Dante hears the same prophecy again. I found this compelling because it’s possibly the third time that Dante heard his prophecy and again the number 3 could be used by Dante, the writer. It’s also unusual that there was not much interaction between Dante and Virgil in Canto 15. Dante spends most of the Canto talking to Brunetto. Dante informs Brunetto that he is prepared for what Fortune has in store for him. Virgil is pleased with his student’s courage and approves of his careful listening saying, “He listens well who takes note” (98). I think this displays a strong trust and confidence Virgil has grown to have in his student and pilgrim, Dante.

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.

 

 

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.