Analysis of Dante's Inferno (Essay Sample)

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Analysis of The Dante’s Inferno
Dante's Inferno is an epic poem by Dante Alighieri composed in the early fourteenth century. The poem is about the journey of Dante through the three realms of the afterlife (hell, purgatory, and paradise). The poem exemplifies medieval theories on degrees of sin, punishment within each realm, and human dignity. In this work, Dante journeys through Hell - his own personal version of it - and talks to people who have been banished from society or condemned for their sins. The literary style of the poem has a dark quality that is shown in its symbols, setting, and character. There is a lack of happiness and overall emotion throughout the piece. Inferno is a dark piece of literature that expresses the ideas of medieval theology and philosophy.
For most, Dante's Inferno would be considered a very dark poem. The poem is written in a rhyming terza rima that illustrates the overall darkness of the piece. The characters, settings, and symbols all show the evil nature of sin and its consequences; this correlates with medieval ideas about sin and punishment. At the beginning of the poem, Dante realizes that he is in Hell and tells us that " …Renews in Bitterness, not far from death." (Dante 1). His horror shows us firsthand how much sin affects others, and consequently affects a person. The setting in the poem is very grim. It is dark as it shows its settings as a place where sullen darkness is almost always present. The characters in the poem speak of a dismal life of sin. Dante's Inferno is very much an allegory in its representation of human life showing us the journey into hell, through purgatory to paradise as well as the journey into adulthood. The representation of the three realms of hell, purgatory, and paradise is much like the process of growing up in a contemporary day society (Tingle 35). The way we grow up is through trials that we have to endure and then our reward for those trials is how our character grows into an adult.
The symbols that are given to describe this frozen place of sin contain many different ideas. It could be assumed that in the beginning Dante, in his beginning stanza, was not himself a follower of medieval theology and therefore some of the symbolism may not seem apparent. However, by the second stanza, he shows his humanity as he cries out for pity showing that he is aware of his sinfulness and would do anything to avoid punishment in Hell. This is further illustrated by his cry of " The High priest, again seduced me into sin" (Dante 137). He is aware that he has become someone whom he did not want to be.
Throughout the poem, Dante uses symbols to show how sin affects everyone, including himself. For example, in the first canto, Dante describes a horrible beast that is part lion and part goat. The beast leads Dante into other circles of sin that are all part of Hell. The beast is a symbol for the sin of murder and rulership, but specifically for the sin of murder that was committed when Dante killed Ugolino in his sleep. This shows how sin fills us with fear and regret because it is the same fear that Dante must feel now as he thinks he might be in Hell. As the beast leads him through this frozen circle, Dante feels this fear and realizes his sin's severity.
Dante's realization of sinfulness leads us to the last symbol in the poem, which is both a good and a bad one. The concluding stanza in the poem shows that there are some good qualities within Dante. He was able to gain empathy for those who are in Hell by having himself "become another." However, this also makes him sympathetic with those who committed suicide; " Do not be afraid; our fate cannot be taken from us; it is a gift.” (Dante 137). This shows his transformation from a sinful man to one who is sympathetic with his fellow sinners in Hell. In addition, Dante uses the idea that only specific sins are punishable by eternal suffering to show us that he is going through Hell. He argues with the Buddha but in his canto, he describes how "The man that was born sinless” “To shun him was the vacant space left here" (Dante 174). This shows how Dante may have been more sympathetic towards the Buddha, whose sin was not considered severe, and shows that he is not going through Hell for his own sins. Dante describes Hell as the most horrible experience he has ever had in life. It is a place that he was not afraid of even before the book (life). This points to the idea of sin's power: sin is a powerful thing that can affect anyone, no matter who they are. The final symbol that represents how Sin affects everyone, including Dante himself, is that of sin's horrible nature. Dante struggled with sin, and he saw deep into its nature through his suffering before him in Hell.
The entire poem is a journey through the different circles of Hell and it is one that each of us must go through at one point in our lives; a journey for oneself and one for others. In Dante's poem, he shows us that the way we treat ourselves and others will ultimately lead us to where we deserve to be. Perhaps this is what it is like to live in Hell; a place where every action is watched and judged until the time when our entrance into Heaven is granted. " The Inferno" is a well-written, albeit graphic