Use Of Power In Dante's Inferno

Virgil is a key component of Dante’s Inferno, the classic novel written by Dante Alighieri. Some would say he is the most important part of the Inferno but does he really have as much power as we think and how does he affect the novel itself? Throughout the Inferno we see him use the fact that he is on a heavenly mission to delivery Dante to Beatrice. Taking a closer look at the cantos 7-9 of the Divine Comedy, we see the first-time Virgil struggles to continue Dante’s journey. At the gate of Dis, Virgil is perplexed by the now closed gate, “We have to win this battle”, as, in the past, it was open after the earthquake caused by Christ’s decent into Hell (Inferno 9.7). During this Harrowing of Hell, Jesus took souls to heaven who were before the time of Christianity, which
A significant moment that occurs, before the messenger arrives, is Virgil hiding Dante’s eyes from the threat of Medusa. Virgil’s fear of Medusa is reminiscent of his prior religious affiliation and shows he still feels that she has a greater power over him and Dante. The panic Virgil experiences from the mythological creatures makes Dante question his trust in him, “Virgilio’s greatest failure in Inferno 9 is his failure to believe” in the Heaven that sent him on the holy mission (Baronlini). The difference of religious beliefs between Dante and Virgil creates a bit of a disconnect between them. Dante the writer makes this disconnect evident as the appearance of the messenger reflects the appearance of Hermes, wielding a wand and wings. Dante most likely seems him as an angel while Virgil sees him as Hermes, the messenger of the gods. The messenger is, so far, the only ambiguous character that reflects both beliefs and is the key to noticing Virgil’s religious affiliation affecting the