Dante’s “Inferno”
Dante’s “Inferno” tells the tale of Dante’s journey throughout the various layers of Hell. In the beginning of “Inferno,” Dante is portrayed as being a cowardly figure. Instead of simply relying on God to help him reach salvation and get through the obstacles of life, Dante begins to question God, and whether or not these obstacles are worth facing. The first scene, in which Dante is blocked from proceeding up a hill by three beasts, demonstrates Dante’s personal struggle in this life journey, because Dante is unsure of whether it is worth facing the beasts and other obstacles in his life if he isn’t guaranteed he is going to achieve salvation as a result. Thus, he recedes from the beasts because he questions whether it is the true path to salvation.
However, Dante gains confidence throughout his journey through the “Inferno,” going so far as to grab a character by the scruff and say, “You’ll have to name yourself to me or else/ you won’t have even one hair left up here” (Dante 1374). This interaction illustrates the transformation within Dante, as he begins to realize that his “self” is important (an idea stressed by the Renaissance).
Throughout his life journey through Hell, Dante has come to recognize that some level of action is required in life in order to achieve salvation, so in the end, he stands up for himself and faces the obstacles placed in front of him so that his “self” can achieve salvation. Thus, this experience along his life journey has a profound impact upon the way Dante lives out the rest of his life.
However, Dante gains confidence throughout his journey through the “Inferno,” going so far as to grab a character by the scruff and say, “You’ll have to name yourself to me or else/ you won’t have even one hair left up here” (Dante 1374). This interaction illustrates the transformation within Dante, as he begins to realize that his “self” is important (an idea stressed by the Renaissance).
Throughout his life journey through Hell, Dante has come to recognize that some level of action is required in life in order to achieve salvation, so in the end, he stands up for himself and faces the obstacles placed in front of him so that his “self” can achieve salvation. Thus, this experience along his life journey has a profound impact upon the way Dante lives out the rest of his life.