The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research Volume 5 Article 9 2002 Allusions in Dante's Infemo Sarah Landas St. John Fisher College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons How has open access to Fisher Digital Publications benefited ou?y Recommended Citation Landas, Sarah. "Allusions in Dante's Infemo." The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research 5 (2002): 91-112. Web. [date of access]. <https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol5/iss1/9>. This document is posted at https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol5/iss1/9 and is brought to you for free and open access by Fisher Digital Publications at St. John Fisher College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Allusions in Dante's Infemo Abstract In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. "Vexilla regis produent inferni; the banners of the king go forth, the king of Hell" (Vergani 74). In a place called Dis, the demon Satan resides. He has three hideous heads and spends his time crying from six eyes, while the tears mingle with the blood of three tortured sinners. These sinners, Brutus, Cassius, and Judas Iscariot, are ground to bits by Lucifer's gnashing teeth, while Judas alone receives the benefit of also having his back stripped of its skin as retribution for him being the greatest sinner to be found in all of Hell. This illustration is presented in a graphic and figurative manner, thus making it a prime example of the type of allusion that Dante Alighieri uses throughout the Inferno the first section of his literary classic, The Divine Comedy. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/ vol5/iss1/9 Landas: Allusions in Dante's Infemo Allusions in Dante's Infemo by Sarah Landas "Vexilla regis produent inferni; the these warnings applied primarily to educated banners of the king go forth, the king of individuals, only if the readers were Hell"(Vergani 74). In a place called Dis, the somewhat intellectually advanced would demon Satan resides. He has three hideous they be able to understand the combined heads and spends his time crying from six philosophical and religious depth of the text, eyes, while the tears mingle with the blood such as the meaning found in the inscription of three tortured sinners. These sinners, over the gate at the beginning of the work. Brutus, Cassius, and Judas Iscariot, are This inscription described as residing above ground to bits by Lucifer's gnashing teeth, the Gate to Hell in the Inferno reads: while Judas alone receives the benefit of also having his back stripped of its skin as Through me the way to the suffering city, retribution for him being the greatest sinner Through me the way to eternal pain, Through me the way that runs among the lost. to be found in all of Hell. This illustration is Justice urged on my high artificer; presented in a graphic and figurative My maker was divine authority, manner, thus making it a prime example of The highest wisdom, and the primal love. the type of allusion that Dante Alighieri uses Before me nothing but eternal things Were made, and I endure eternally. throughout the Inferno the first section of his Abandon every hope, all who enter here. literary classic, The Divine Comedy. {Alighieri 68). Many instances of allusion can be found in the Inferno in order to create one large This inscription lays the foundation for allusion to the overall atmosphere and all of the following allusions used in the problems of Dante's time. Most of the Inferno as warnings to the world. It sets allusions in this work can be classified as forth the element of hopelessness that Dante either political, religious, or social morality was convinced would consume all people allusions. The allusions in Dante's Inferno who transgressed in various ways unless act as a means for the author's expression of they heeded the warnings that his book his own opinions and predictions about his presented. This warning was that unless life and times. The allusions also serve as a individuals right their wrongs while on mirror through which the present can be Earth, they would ultimately be denied viewed through the actions and occurrences passage out of Hell. of past history. Most of the allusions found Dante may have intended his poem to be in the Inferno were used to present a read by only the educated of his time, but representation of different stereotypes the impact which the piece actually had was associated with behaviors and attitudes that to reach a much larger audience than Dante Dante felt were injurious to Italian society, could possibly have anticipated. The reason as well as to the rest of the world. for the depth of this one piece of literature is Some of these allusions were meant to due to the fact that, taken as a modem be parables of warning for the ordinary interpretation, the Inferno can be seen as a reader. In this context, the term "ordinary" metaphoric counterpart of the present world. is meant to primarily encompass the A literary definition of allusion states that it educated of Dante's own time period and the is a causal or intentional reference to a educated in the years to come. Because specific person or event, often used as a 91 Published by Fisher Digital Publications, 2002 1 The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research, Vol. 5 [2002], Art. 9 parable ("Allusion"). Dante employs this Hell, Dante was presenting the readers with method of using allusion in order to achieve the opportunity to repent as individuals and certain literary, personal , and political as a society. Jn this regard, the book serves objecti ves. He wished to create a great as a lens through which individuals can view piece of literature because he considered their own lives through the mistakes and himself to be one of the greatest writers of transgressions of others in the past, and in his time. He also wished to express his doing so they may have the opportunity to personal opinions about certain events of his correct their misdeeds. time, and he wished to expose the political In order to understand the reasoning beliefs of his party without the risk of behind each sinner's specific placement in personal persecution that might have arisen Hell, Dante's rankings of the different types if he had used some other means of of sins and sinners found in Hell is expression. necessary. The structure of Hell consists of Some of Dante's primary ways of nine circles and one vestibule found directly achieving these objectives were by revealing outside the gate to Hell. The sinners within the misdeeds of religious leaders, Hell are placed according to one of three denouncing certain political actions by classifications: incontinence, violence, and individuals as well as countries, illustrating fraud. The shape of Hell is a large funnel­ warnings against transgressions of social shaped pit located directly under Jerusalem. morality aimed at the Italians of his time, As the circles of Hell progress, the and by depicting the physical and circumference of the entire funnel decreases mythological nature of Hell and the until it meets Satan at the center of the punishments that befall its captives. Dante Earth's core (Vergani 12). also wished to communicate hi s message Each circle of Hell is reserved for a regarding the condition of the soul after particular sin, and these sins are designated death, as a result of the choices the to a particular region based on the level of individual made during life. In this way, their offensiveness to God. The more Dante hoped to point out the error of the offensive the nature of the sin, the further ways of those who were still living in an away that sinner is cast from God. Dante effort to set them back on the path of considers incontinence, or weakness of will, salvation (Vergani 14). Dante used his own to be the least offensive sin so it is therefore personal standards of judgment, law, and the first category encountered when morality coupled with notorious individuals progressing through Hell. The next category in order to create these allusions and achieve is violence against neighbors, oneself, or his objectives. God. The third category is the fraudulent, Most of the allusions found in the which includes the worst sinners who Inferno are interrelated. The relationship betrayed their family, country, guests, or between the different instances of allusions masters (Vergani 13). Dante adheres to this help to create one large and coherent format of Hell based on his own judgments parable, message, and warning for the about how severe certain transgressions reader. The message itself may be different should be considered. These judgments are for each reader, because Dante meant the based on certain personally held classical, poem to present stereotypical characters Christian, and legal ideals of his time. from among which the reader could identify Dante uses allusions in the Inferno in with at least one person. By recognizing order to better illustrate this scheme of Hell, their similarities with individuals already in its punishments, and the sinners found 92 https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol5/iss1/9 2 Landas: Allusions in Dante's Infemo within its depths. The opening allusion himself, Dante appointed him as the most discussed in thi s paper portrays the three tortured soul to reside in Hell (Alighieri sinners Brutus, Cassius, and Judas Iscari ot 2 11 ).