Examples Of Hope In Dante's Inferno

In Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, Inferno, the strong hope Dante possesses overcomes his fear, and helps him to achieve his goals. Dante fears the hill, but knows what awaits him at the top. His fear makes him embark on an alternate journey which leads to his goals, and his fear of Hell keeps him from losing sight of what’s most important. Through it all, Dante proves that one’s fear of failure gives one hope to succeed.
Dante faces a large obstacle, which fills him with fear, but what waits on other side gives him hope. As Dante exits the dark forest of his past, he comes across a huge hill. When reaching the hill he says, “But when I’d reached the bottom of a hill-/ it rose along the boundary of the valley/ that had harassed me heart with so much fear-/ I looked on high and saw its shoulders clothed/ already by the rays of that same planet/ which serves to lead men straight along all roads./ At this my fear was somewhat quieted” (I.13-19). Dante is saying that when he first reaches the hill his fear overcomes all emotions. He then looks at the top of the hill and sees light which gives him hope. If Dante wasn’t so afraid of the hill, the light at the top wouldn’t have been so important to him. He is afraid of not making it up the hill and not reaching the rays of sun, so he
Just as Dante and his guide, Virgil, prepare to exit the underworld, Dante says, “‘Before I free myself from this abyss,/ master,’ I said when I had stood up straight./ ‘tell me enough to see I don’t mistake:’”(XXIV.100-102). Dante was asking Virgil how he can live to assure he won’t end up in Hell. After closely observing the awful eternity the people in Hell face, Dante is scared of ending up like one of them. He has to gain hope from his guide as a motive to live an honorable life. He is so afraid of doing wrong and ending up with an awful punishment that his hope to succeed will keep him on the right