A blog for students to engage, discuss, and learn.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Discussion Prompt #7
Do you feel that the first three cantos of Inferno match your expectations concerning a Medieval poem about a descent into Hell? Why or why not? Be specific and take evidence from the text to support your response.
I have actually read this before years ago, so I remember bits and pieces. I think Inferno is very beautifully written (especially in Italian, where there is insane amounts of rhyme - it's kind of fun just to try and read it that way even though I don't know any Italian). Thinking back to when I first read it, however, I think the qualities that matched my expectation is that there is someone to guide him through Hell. I can't imagine wandering around alone in Hell, it would be extremely chaotic, not to mention Virgil knows his way around so that it is done in order. Something that did surprise me on reading it this time was on reading the notes in the back of this version. That the first lady, Lucy, is actually the Virgin Mary is something I found very interesting and wouldn't have known without this particular version. One thing I certainly enjoy this time is the two pages after the preface and translator's notes that are the layout of each Canto and corresponding souls, locality, demons, and specific souls. -- Leslie Fox
When I think of medieval poetry, I revert to my British Literature course and automatically think of such poems as "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "Beowulf." However, "Inferno" is already taking a different approach that I most certainly like more than the other poems: it’s not as abrasive and blunt with its themes and approaches. With "Beowulf," for example, I constantly kept getting hit in the face with the idea of justice and the use other heroic elements. The foreword explains that Inferno also deals heavily with justice: “The dominant theme is not mercy but justice, dispensed with the severity of the ancient law of retribution” (Freccero xi). However, within the first three cantos of “Inferno” I’ve not felt that overbearing message of justice; the narrator is just a scared, confused man trying to find his way out of a strange and impending Hell. This medieval poem didn’t match my expectations because it seems much more realistic than other medieval poetry I’ve read; the narrator seems to have genuine emotions and relies on another person – Virgil – to help him. The genuine emotions of fear and pity show through in the narrator: But I – what cause, whose favor, could send me forth On such a voyage? I am no Aeneas or Paul: Not I nor others think of me of such worth,
And therefore I have my fears of playing the fool To embark on such a venture… (Dante 15).
The narrator’s infliction of low self-worth and doubt help me to believe that this is no ordinary medieval poem; instead, it’s relying more on the sentimental side and truly focuses on the story instead of purely on the theme of “justice.” In this way I can see why the "Inferno" has transcended time; it’s much more relatable to readers than a story about a flawless hero.
I have never read Medieval poetry or any descriptions of Hell that didn't expand upon it being a fiery pit. I expected this poem to be hard to comprehend and not be related to present day; however, I did understand most of the content (all, with the help of notes) and could see where it was still very relevant today. The description of Dante’s first impression of Hell in Canto III used imagery in such a way that I was already a little horrified of Hell. I highly enjoyed the way that Dante not only appealed to just sight but also to sound when he discussed the cries and groans emitted from the inhabitants. If the sounds were not enough the images of the unfortunate souls were worse: Hapless ones never alive, their bare skin galled By wasps and flies, blood trickling down their face, Mingling with tears for harvest underfoot By writhing maggots (Dante, 27). The poem was eerily entertaining and was not the bore that I expected.
My first experience with the Inferno occurred a few years ago. This is my second revisit to the Inferno. I found plenty of surprises on the first revisit, and I'm hoping to find a few more this time. The first time I read the Inferno, I was rightly terrified. Alighieri's masterful use of imagery produces pitiful and terrible sights. The most frightening image for me this go around was the gate to hell.
Justice moved my high maker, in power divine, wisdom supreme, love primal. No things were before me not eternal; eternal I remain.
Abandon all hope, you who enter here (Dante, 25).
There's a majestic terror about how the Gate addresses Virgil, Dante, and the audience. I won't deny the first and second cantos bored me. I found nothing too new or exciting. So, one thing left to say about the Inferno: ONWARD!!
“Inferno” has exceeded my expectations in the first three cantos. Most medieval poetry I have read was not as interesting (to me) as Dante seems to be. I tend to lean toward the macabre in many ways, and this is right up my alley. I found this to be much more accessible and enjoyable to read than I expected. Cantos I and II basically lay the foreground for the descent into hell. I found Canto III to be the most entertaining thus far because of the imagery. The senses are stimulated through sight and sound. Imagine a sound that could actually make you cry. Dante describes this brilliantly in canto III when he says, “The sighs, groans and laments at first were so loud, / Resounding through starless air, I began to weep” (19-20). He goes on to describe it further with “horrible screams” (21), “rage or despair” (22), and “tortured shrillness” (23) among many other descriptors. The notes in the back as well as the foreword were extremely helpful in understanding the poem.
I read this poem in high school a few years ago and when I first read it I felt extremely overwhelmed and scared of it. The language was difficult to understand and I was afraid of the language Dante used throughout the poem. This is my second approach to reading "Inferno" and I have to admit I was dreading reading this again fearing I wouldn't be able to understand it, again. After reading the notes at the beginning I felt a lot better and wasn't as terrified of the poem. It is written beautifully and I wish more than anything I could understand Italian to see how different the language is compared to modern English. The third canto seemed to strike my interest a lot more than the first two because the reader can actually vision what Hell looks like through Dante's eyes. It is not a pretty picture, and like my other classmates have said in earlier posts, I was more afraid of the depiction of Hell rather than the text itself.
In the first three cantos, the Inferno sets itself up pretty much the way I would expect an epic quest to go, particularly since it includes a descent into the underworld. We have our quester, Dante (although he isn’t named), and he has a guide in Virgil. Virgil tells him the purpose for his descent into Hell, stating, that he was told to help Dante because Beatrice “fear[s] he may already be lost” (17). This sets up the fact that Dante, like any good quester, is to learn something through his trials, something that will save him from the path he was travelling. It is also important in the realm of medieval poetry that Dante is alive when he enters Hell as he can then return to Earth to use his knowledge. This also gives the impression that there is something heroic about Dante, even though he claims that is “no Aeneas or Paul” (15). One last thing that struck me about these cantos is that Dante invokes the Muses, which was a convention of epics. He states, “O Muses, O geniuses of art” (15). In this part of the Inferno, at least, I would say that Dante is drawing pretty heavily on epic tradition, and one could say he’s emulating Virgil even since Dante explicitly says, “You are my teacher, my master, and my guide” (21).
Dante's Inferno is one of the very few Medieval poems that I've studied. However, I believe that it matches, if not exceeds my expectations about a descent into Hell. The first three cantos, although short, already describe in depth and in careful detail how Dante views Hell and encounters others in his journey. The way that Hell is described by Dante encompasses many of the unspoken fears that we hold about Hell. A line that struck me as dark yet truthful, was: Abandon all hope, you who enter here (Dante, 25). The emotions felt in this line stir in us as we feel the reality of Hell and the torture that awaits. It wasn't until the third canto that I felt fully lured into the text and wanted to know everything about Hell through Dante's eyes. The descriptions that describe those who remain in Hell are portrayed in powerful ways.
This wretched state of being is the fate of those sad souls who lived a life but lived it with no blame and with no praise (Dante 34-36).
The first two cantos more describe the beginning of the journey an introduce us to the characters we encounters this journey yet. Overall, I was impressed and fearful of Dante's depiction of Hell throughout the piece and sorrowed by the images of the unfortunate, lost, and tortured souls.
No I do not feel that the first three cantos of Inferno match my expectations concerning a medieval poem about a descent into Hell. I thought it would be more fighting or something before he descended to hell. There was not a knight on a horse or damsel in distress mentioned, yet. When I think of medieval times I think of old English writing and speaking, but The Inferno of Dante is written in Italian which goes against the norms of medieval literature. So far The Inferno of Dante is about Dante in limbo in between Heaven and Hell though he is closer to Hell than he is to Heaven. Dante is talking to himself and mythical things to see to make his way through hell relational to get to Hell. As shown in Canto I/ 11, lines 106 to 108 Dante asks for help to Heaven,
Help me escape this evil that I face, and worse. Lead me to witness what you have said, Saint Peter’s gate, and the multitude of woes. Christopher Catlett
Having read Divine Comedy in its entirety and more specific Inferno along with Beowulf, Le Morte d'Arthur, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, my expectations and feelings toward Inferno concerning a Medieval poem about a descent to Hell might be only slightly more than a lot bias. At least in my mind, as I read Beowulf, with his battles with the evil creatures like Grendel, I see fierce demonic creatures and gory barbaric fights. Sir Gawain chopped of the Green Knights head in King Arthur’s court during New Years Day celebrations followed by the Green Knight picking his head back up, reattaching it to his body, and providing Sir Gawain with his quest. Then comes Inferno. If I were only going off the first three cantos, Inferno would greatly disappoint in my expectations of a Medieval poems descent into hell. In the first two canto’s Virgil is trying to overcome his fears and meets up with his guide through the underworld. The first stanza of the third canto, however, does open the doors to my vivid imagination with the first words of the sign to the entrance of Hell. Preparing me for the gruesome hell I’m about to enter. Although he still hasn’t entered Hell in canto III, but merely passes through purgatory and boards the boat of the ferryman, Charon, to make the journey into Hell. He has set the stage for what is to come simply by his descriptions of the maggots and screams of the souls there. Again though, my expectations are bias since I already know what is to come and how things get progressively worse and more gruesome with each level of Hell they pass through. Of course my vivid imagination helps most anything I read set in the medieval times to meat my expectation of suffering, violence and barbaric brutality. However, the more graphic the descriptions, the better it is, and Inferno only gets better from here.
After reading the first three cantos of Inferno, I actually had an erie feeling. I have very vivid dreams sometimes when I sleep and these first three canto remind me so much of dreams (or perhaps nightmares) that I have had about a place that I have presumed to be “Hell”. In each of these dreams Hell was not just boiling fire pit with “bad people” groaning in agony, on fire for all of eternity. Just as Hell is portrayed in the first three cantos, in my dreams Hell was an organized placed with levels and waiting areas. So the first three cantos of Inferno were exactly what I expected of a Medieval poem about a descent into Hell. The “waiting area” I am specifically aiming to talk about is the area where people who have neither disobeyed or honored God are gathering, not knowing what exactly to expect. They are average people, they are neither notorious for being bad or celebrated for being good. I loved this contrast between oddly normal areas of Hell, and areas that fit the typical view of Hell like the imagery of the people groaning and mourning, as well as the people who were crying and had bodies what were covered in maggots and wasps. This was exactly what I expected. Excited to read more!
After I read the first three cantos I can surely say that "Inferno" has lived up to any and all expectations that I have had about the piece. I honestly thought that I would not enjoy reading this piece, but I have to admit, that I think that this reading assignment will actually be fun, as "Inferno" is actually quite interesting. I especially like the very first canto when Dante meets Virgil. I thought that it was interesting how Dante used the animals that were referenced in the bible in his opening canto. I really think that by the time that we are done with this reading, that "Inferno" could earn a place on my bookshelf in my "favorites" section.
"Inferno" did not match my expectations of a Medieval poem because the plot an the characters were very nontraditional. The narrator (who seems to also serve as the main character) is not a brave hero like Beowulf, he is actually quite wary of the journey he is embarking on. He also seems confused, so much so that he needs a guide. In most Medieval poems the hero is helped by the divine, but in the case of "Inferno," the divine sends the help of an outcast. These themes stray away from the typical Medieval poem.
On the other hand, the poem did match my expectations of a descent into hell. Dante's description of hell is one of the most referenced descriptions that we have as there is no actual biblical description. It is so engrained in our culture that it is no surprise to read of horrors like "Hapless ones never alive, their bare skin galled/By wasps and flies" (54-55). Gruesome images like this are a common scare tactic used by the Christian church to show the atrocities that you will eternally face if you do not follow the word of God.
Before beginning "Inferno," I had many expectation that I would not like reading it, and that it would be difficult to understand. Although it may be a little confusing at times, I actually enjoyed it. On the other hand, the text did not match my expectations about the decent into hell. I imagined something fierce and very dramatic with knights and swords. The third canto interested me with the description of Hell. I ended up being afraid of Hell, which is something common among many of us. I really enjoyed reading the first three cantos.
"Inferno" did match my expectations of a Medieval poem. An example would be an Invocation to the Muses, which is a typical device that occurs in epic poetry: "O Muses! O high genius! Help me now!/O memory that wrote down what I saw,/here your true excellence shall be revealed!" (7-9)
Canto III definitely meets my expectations about a Medieval poem about a descent into Hell. This canto allows the reader to catch a first glimpse of what Hell is like. The imagery used paints a horrifying picture, and that could effectively be a scare tactic used against sinners. Hell was described as "starless" (22) and having "air of endless black" (28).
I also enjoy how Dante organized the "layers" of Hell. The first three cantos introduces the reader to Charon and the sinners that "lived life but mixed it with no blame or praise" (35-36). If their punishment consists of being naked and stung by hornets and wasps repeatedly while wading in a sea of maggots, then I can only imagine how horrifying the rest of Hell is as Dante and Virgil delve deeper into the layers of Hell.
I have actually read this before years ago, so I remember bits and pieces. I think Inferno is very beautifully written (especially in Italian, where there is insane amounts of rhyme - it's kind of fun just to try and read it that way even though I don't know any Italian). Thinking back to when I first read it, however, I think the qualities that matched my expectation is that there is someone to guide him through Hell. I can't imagine wandering around alone in Hell, it would be extremely chaotic, not to mention Virgil knows his way around so that it is done in order. Something that did surprise me on reading it this time was on reading the notes in the back of this version. That the first lady, Lucy, is actually the Virgin Mary is something I found very interesting and wouldn't have known without this particular version.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I certainly enjoy this time is the two pages after the preface and translator's notes that are the layout of each Canto and corresponding souls, locality, demons, and specific souls.
-- Leslie Fox
When I think of medieval poetry, I revert to my British Literature course and automatically think of such poems as "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "Beowulf." However, "Inferno" is already taking a different approach that I most certainly like more than the other poems: it’s not as abrasive and blunt with its themes and approaches. With "Beowulf," for example, I constantly kept getting hit in the face with the idea of justice and the use other heroic elements. The foreword explains that Inferno also deals heavily with justice: “The dominant theme is not mercy but justice, dispensed with the severity of the ancient law of retribution” (Freccero xi). However, within the first three cantos of “Inferno” I’ve not felt that overbearing message of justice; the narrator is just a scared, confused man trying to find his way out of a strange and impending Hell. This medieval poem didn’t match my expectations because it seems much more realistic than other medieval poetry I’ve read; the narrator seems to have genuine emotions and relies on another person – Virgil – to help him. The genuine emotions of fear and pity show through in the narrator:
ReplyDeleteBut I – what cause, whose favor, could send me forth
On such a voyage? I am no Aeneas or Paul:
Not I nor others think of me of such worth,
And therefore I have my fears of playing the fool
To embark on such a venture… (Dante 15).
The narrator’s infliction of low self-worth and doubt help me to believe that this is no ordinary medieval poem; instead, it’s relying more on the sentimental side and truly focuses on the story instead of purely on the theme of “justice.” In this way I can see why the "Inferno" has transcended time; it’s much more relatable to readers than a story about a flawless hero.
I have never read Medieval poetry or any descriptions of Hell that didn't expand upon it being a fiery pit. I expected this poem to be hard to comprehend and not be related to present day; however, I did understand most of the content (all, with the help of notes) and could see where it was still very relevant today. The description of Dante’s first impression of Hell in Canto III used imagery in such a way that I was already a little horrified of Hell. I highly enjoyed the way that Dante not only appealed to just sight but also to sound when he discussed the cries and groans emitted from the inhabitants. If the sounds were not enough the images of the unfortunate souls were worse:
ReplyDeleteHapless ones never alive, their bare skin galled
By wasps and flies, blood trickling down their face,
Mingling with tears for harvest underfoot
By writhing maggots (Dante, 27).
The poem was eerily entertaining and was not the bore that I expected.
My first experience with the Inferno occurred a few years ago. This is my second revisit to the Inferno. I found plenty of surprises on the first revisit, and I'm hoping to find a few more this time. The first time I read the Inferno, I was rightly terrified. Alighieri's masterful use of imagery produces pitiful and terrible sights. The most frightening image for me this go around was the gate to hell.
ReplyDeleteJustice moved my high maker, in power divine,
wisdom supreme, love primal. No things were
before me not eternal; eternal I remain.
Abandon all hope, you who enter here (Dante, 25).
There's a majestic terror about how the Gate addresses Virgil, Dante, and the audience. I won't deny the first and second cantos bored me. I found nothing too new or exciting. So, one thing left to say about the Inferno: ONWARD!!
Jacky Killian
“Inferno” has exceeded my expectations in the first three cantos. Most medieval poetry I have read was not as interesting (to me) as Dante seems to be. I tend to lean toward the macabre in many ways, and this is right up my alley. I found this to be much more accessible and enjoyable to read than I expected. Cantos I and II basically lay the foreground for the descent into hell. I found Canto III to be the most entertaining thus far because of the imagery. The senses are stimulated through sight and sound. Imagine a sound that could actually make you cry. Dante describes this brilliantly in canto III when he says, “The sighs, groans and laments at first were so loud, / Resounding through starless air, I began to weep” (19-20). He goes on to describe it further with “horrible screams” (21), “rage or despair” (22), and “tortured shrillness” (23) among many other descriptors. The notes in the back as well as the foreword were extremely helpful in understanding the poem.
ReplyDeleteI read this poem in high school a few years ago and when I first read it I felt extremely overwhelmed and scared of it. The language was difficult to understand and I was afraid of the language Dante used throughout the poem. This is my second approach to reading "Inferno" and I have to admit I was dreading reading this again fearing I wouldn't be able to understand it, again. After reading the notes at the beginning I felt a lot better and wasn't as terrified of the poem. It is written beautifully and I wish more than anything I could understand Italian to see how different the language is compared to modern English. The third canto seemed to strike my interest a lot more than the first two because the reader can actually vision what Hell looks like through Dante's eyes. It is not a pretty picture, and like my other classmates have said in earlier posts, I was more afraid of the depiction of Hell rather than the text itself.
ReplyDeleteEmily Embry
In the first three cantos, the Inferno sets itself up pretty much the way I would expect an epic quest to go, particularly since it includes a descent into the underworld. We have our quester, Dante (although he isn’t named), and he has a guide in Virgil. Virgil tells him the purpose for his descent into Hell, stating, that he was told to help Dante because Beatrice “fear[s] he may already be lost” (17). This sets up the fact that Dante, like any good quester, is to learn something through his trials, something that will save him from the path he was travelling. It is also important in the realm of medieval poetry that Dante is alive when he enters Hell as he can then return to Earth to use his knowledge. This also gives the impression that there is something heroic about Dante, even though he claims that is “no Aeneas or Paul” (15). One last thing that struck me about these cantos is that Dante invokes the Muses, which was a convention of epics. He states, “O Muses, O geniuses of art” (15). In this part of the Inferno, at least, I would say that Dante is drawing pretty heavily on epic tradition, and one could say he’s emulating Virgil even since Dante explicitly says, “You are my teacher, my master, and my guide” (21).
ReplyDeleteDante's Inferno is one of the very few Medieval poems that I've studied. However, I believe that it matches, if not exceeds my expectations about a descent into Hell. The first three cantos, although short, already describe in depth and in careful detail how Dante views Hell and encounters others in his journey. The way that Hell is described by Dante encompasses many of the unspoken fears that we hold about Hell. A line that struck me as dark yet truthful, was: Abandon all hope, you who enter here (Dante, 25). The emotions felt in this line stir in us as we feel the reality of Hell and the torture that awaits. It wasn't until the third canto that I felt fully lured into the text and wanted to know everything about Hell through Dante's eyes. The descriptions that describe those who remain in Hell are portrayed in powerful ways.
ReplyDeleteThis wretched state of being
is the fate of those sad souls who lived a life
but lived it with no blame and with no praise (Dante 34-36).
The first two cantos more describe the beginning of the journey an introduce us to the characters we encounters this journey yet. Overall, I was impressed and fearful of Dante's depiction of Hell throughout the piece and sorrowed by the images of the unfortunate, lost, and tortured souls.
No I do not feel that the first three cantos of Inferno match my expectations concerning a medieval poem about a descent into Hell. I thought it would be more fighting or something before he descended to hell. There was not a knight on a horse or damsel in distress mentioned, yet. When I think of medieval times I think of old English writing and speaking, but The Inferno of Dante is written in Italian which goes against the norms of medieval literature. So far The Inferno of Dante is about Dante in limbo in between Heaven and Hell though he is closer to Hell than he is to Heaven. Dante is talking to himself and mythical things to see to make his way through hell relational to get to Hell. As shown in Canto I/ 11, lines 106 to 108 Dante asks for help to Heaven,
ReplyDeleteHelp me escape this evil that I face, and worse. Lead me to witness what you have said, Saint Peter’s gate, and the multitude of woes.
Christopher Catlett
Having read Divine Comedy in its entirety and more specific Inferno along with Beowulf, Le Morte d'Arthur, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, my expectations and feelings toward Inferno concerning a Medieval poem about a descent to Hell might be only slightly more than a lot bias. At least in my mind, as I read Beowulf, with his battles with the evil creatures like Grendel, I see fierce demonic creatures and gory barbaric fights. Sir Gawain chopped of the Green Knights head in King Arthur’s court during New Years Day celebrations followed by the Green Knight picking his head back up, reattaching it to his body, and providing Sir Gawain with his quest. Then comes Inferno. If I were only going off the first three cantos, Inferno would greatly disappoint in my expectations of a Medieval poems descent into hell. In the first two canto’s Virgil is trying to overcome his fears and meets up with his guide through the underworld. The first stanza of the third canto, however, does open the doors to my vivid imagination with the first words of the sign to the entrance of Hell. Preparing me for the gruesome hell I’m about to enter. Although he still hasn’t entered Hell in canto III, but merely passes through purgatory and boards the boat of the ferryman, Charon, to make the journey into Hell. He has set the stage for what is to come simply by his descriptions of the maggots and screams of the souls there. Again though, my expectations are bias since I already know what is to come and how things get progressively worse and more gruesome with each level of Hell they pass through. Of course my vivid imagination helps most anything I read set in the medieval times to meat my expectation of suffering, violence and barbaric brutality. However, the more graphic the descriptions, the better it is, and Inferno only gets better from here.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first three cantos of Inferno, I actually had an erie feeling. I have very vivid dreams sometimes when I sleep and these first three canto remind me so much of dreams (or perhaps nightmares) that I have had about a place that I have presumed to be “Hell”. In each of these dreams Hell was not just boiling fire pit with “bad people” groaning in agony, on fire for all of eternity. Just as Hell is portrayed in the first three cantos, in my dreams Hell was an organized placed with levels and waiting areas. So the first three cantos of Inferno were exactly what I expected of a Medieval poem about a descent into Hell. The “waiting area” I am specifically aiming to talk about is the area where people who have neither disobeyed or honored God are gathering, not knowing what exactly to expect. They are average people, they are neither notorious for being bad or celebrated for being good. I loved this contrast between oddly normal areas of Hell, and areas that fit the typical view of Hell like the imagery of the people groaning and mourning, as well as the people who were crying and had bodies what were covered in maggots and wasps. This was exactly what I expected. Excited to read more!
ReplyDeleteAfter I read the first three cantos I can surely say that "Inferno" has lived up to any and all expectations that I have had about the piece. I honestly thought that I would not enjoy reading this piece, but I have to admit, that I think that this reading assignment will actually be fun, as "Inferno" is actually quite interesting. I especially like the very first canto when Dante meets Virgil. I thought that it was interesting how Dante used the animals that were referenced in the bible in his opening canto. I really think that by the time that we are done with this reading, that "Inferno" could earn a place on my bookshelf in my "favorites" section.
ReplyDelete"Inferno" did not match my expectations of a Medieval poem because the plot an the characters were very nontraditional. The narrator (who seems to also serve as the main character) is not a brave hero like Beowulf, he is actually quite wary of the journey he is embarking on. He also seems confused, so much so that he needs a guide. In most Medieval poems the hero is helped by the divine, but in the case of "Inferno," the divine sends the help of an outcast. These themes stray away from the typical Medieval poem.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the poem did match my expectations of a descent into hell. Dante's description of hell is one of the most referenced descriptions that we have as there is no actual biblical description. It is so engrained in our culture that it is no surprise to read of horrors like "Hapless ones never alive, their bare skin galled/By wasps and flies" (54-55). Gruesome images like this are a common scare tactic used by the Christian church to show the atrocities that you will eternally face if you do not follow the word of God.
Before beginning "Inferno," I had many expectation that I would not like reading it, and that it would be difficult to understand. Although it may be a little confusing at times, I actually enjoyed it. On the other hand, the text did not match my expectations about the decent into hell. I imagined something fierce and very dramatic with knights and swords. The third canto interested me with the description of Hell. I ended up being afraid of Hell, which is something common among many of us. I really enjoyed reading the first three cantos.
ReplyDelete"Inferno" did match my expectations of a Medieval poem. An example would be an Invocation to the Muses, which is a typical device that occurs in epic poetry: "O Muses! O high genius! Help me now!/O memory that wrote down what I saw,/here your true excellence shall be revealed!" (7-9)
ReplyDeleteCanto III definitely meets my expectations about a Medieval poem about a descent into Hell. This canto allows the reader to catch a first glimpse of what Hell is like. The imagery used paints a horrifying picture, and that could effectively be a scare tactic used against sinners. Hell was described as "starless" (22) and having "air of endless black" (28).
I also enjoy how Dante organized the "layers" of Hell. The first three cantos introduces the reader to Charon and the sinners that "lived life but mixed it with no blame or praise" (35-36). If their punishment consists of being naked and stung by hornets and wasps repeatedly while wading in a sea of maggots, then I can only imagine how horrifying the rest of Hell is as Dante and Virgil delve deeper into the layers of Hell.