Discuss the Author's Use of Virgil as the Pilgrim's Guide in the Inferno Essay Example
Discuss the author’s use of Virgil as the pilgrim’s guide in the inferno
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri is an allegory explaining Dante’s journey through the depths of hell. Dante who has abandoned the catholic way of life has to now travel through hell to reach the right path that will take him to heaven. He is guided by a man called Virgil, a Roman poet, who is in limbo, the first circle of hell. Virgil takes Dante through hell and shows him people who are suffering for the sins that they have committed. Together they travel through the nine different stages of hell taking into account who is in each stage, what sins they have committed and what their punishment is.
The relationship between Dante the pilgrim and Virgil the guide develops throughout the Inferno. In this essay I am going to look carefully at the author’s use of Virgil as the pilgrim’s guide by analyzing their relationship and the transformation of this relationship as they both travel through the circles of hell. By doing this I will be able to learn more about the mindset of Dante the poet. At the beginning of the Inferno, it is evident that Dante is docile to Virgil, however, as they travel further into the depths of hell, Virgil aids Dante’s spiritual enlightenment, so that by the end, Dante has risen to Virgil’s spiritual level and has in many respects surpassed him. I will elaborate on this concept and develop my arguments by using quotes from Dante’s Inferno and adding my own ideas.
Dante the poet and Dante the character appear to look at Virgil in different ways. Dante the character regards Virgil as his master, constantly admiring him, seeking his protection and also has great trust in him. Dante the poet, however, seems to utilize the Inferno to prove his own poetic achievements and compare them to the classical poets who preceded him, including Virgil. Virgil not only supports Dante as the guiding character in the Inferno, but also helps Dante in his writing of the Inferno as a
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri is an allegory explaining Dante’s journey through the depths of hell. Dante who has abandoned the catholic way of life has to now travel through hell to reach the right path that will take him to heaven. He is guided by a man called Virgil, a Roman poet, who is in limbo, the first circle of hell. Virgil takes Dante through hell and shows him people who are suffering for the sins that they have committed. Together they travel through the nine different stages of hell taking into account who is in each stage, what sins they have committed and what their punishment is.
The relationship between Dante the pilgrim and Virgil the guide develops throughout the Inferno. In this essay I am going to look carefully at the author’s use of Virgil as the pilgrim’s guide by analyzing their relationship and the transformation of this relationship as they both travel through the circles of hell. By doing this I will be able to learn more about the mindset of Dante the poet. At the beginning of the Inferno, it is evident that Dante is docile to Virgil, however, as they travel further into the depths of hell, Virgil aids Dante’s spiritual enlightenment, so that by the end, Dante has risen to Virgil’s spiritual level and has in many respects surpassed him. I will elaborate on this concept and develop my arguments by using quotes from Dante’s Inferno and adding my own ideas.
Dante the poet and Dante the character appear to look at Virgil in different ways. Dante the character regards Virgil as his master, constantly admiring him, seeking his protection and also has great trust in him. Dante the poet, however, seems to utilize the Inferno to prove his own poetic achievements and compare them to the classical poets who preceded him, including Virgil. Virgil not only supports Dante as the guiding character in the Inferno, but also helps Dante in his writing of the Inferno as a