In canto 20, Dante and Virgil find those who attempted to look into the future. Their bodies have been grossly distorted, heads are spun backwards so that they look out behind them. Considering Dante the writer's system of poetic judgment, this punishment makes sense - at first.
Take a look at the gluttons; they were filthy, disgusting, foul hogs in life, now they lay in dirty snow, their sordidness pronounced in death. But the sorcerers are just the opposite. They tried to see into the future, but now they see backwards. If Dante is trying to be consistent, shouldn't they see forwards?
Also, in earlier cantos, the shades have the ability to see the future. What about here, can the sorcerers see the future?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Hannah's Canto 11 thoughts
As Dante and Virgil descend to the rim of the sixth circle, which is covered in broken fragments of rock and ruble, an over-powering stench hits them. Virgil suggests they adjust to the new air before continuing down. Obviously, the stink is part of their torture - but it also represents the horrible and foul deeds those who reside here have committed.
While they wait, Virgil explains to Dante how the lower parts of hell are divided. He says that hell is divided into three sections: malice, fraud, and treason. Each ring becomes smaller (and probably smellier) as you descend.
The ring of the violent is also dived up into three portions, one for those who hurt others, a circle for those who hurt themselves, and the final ring for those who are violent against God. If I wrote Dante's Inferno, I would have put those who hurt other's below those who hurt themselves. It is one thing to end your own life: wrong, but still a choice you can make, but those who hurt others do it in force and hatred. There is a saying called JOY (Jesus, others, yourself) in order of importance. Dante has rearranged the letters to spell JYO.
After the circle of violence comes the ring of fraud. Peculiarly, Dante banishes all those who charge interest on loans. In our time, interest is not considered a sin, just a part of finance.
The only description of the ring of treachery is that Satan sits there. *gulp*
Dante the character now questions Virgil as to why some sins are punished more harshly than others. Virgil reminds him about Aristotle's writings, and how incontinence is less displeasing than malice, which is less displeasing then deranged bestiality.
Next, Dante asks Virgil why he said usury (the act of charging interest) is an offense against God's bounty. Virgil again refers him to Aristotle, and says that human industry can be said to be God's grandchild. But usurers take a different path, making money from money in an unnatural and evil way.
With that, the pair descend into the sixth circle of hell.
~Hannah :)
While they wait, Virgil explains to Dante how the lower parts of hell are divided. He says that hell is divided into three sections: malice, fraud, and treason. Each ring becomes smaller (and probably smellier) as you descend.
The ring of the violent is also dived up into three portions, one for those who hurt others, a circle for those who hurt themselves, and the final ring for those who are violent against God. If I wrote Dante's Inferno, I would have put those who hurt other's below those who hurt themselves. It is one thing to end your own life: wrong, but still a choice you can make, but those who hurt others do it in force and hatred. There is a saying called JOY (Jesus, others, yourself) in order of importance. Dante has rearranged the letters to spell JYO.
After the circle of violence comes the ring of fraud. Peculiarly, Dante banishes all those who charge interest on loans. In our time, interest is not considered a sin, just a part of finance.
The only description of the ring of treachery is that Satan sits there. *gulp*
Dante the character now questions Virgil as to why some sins are punished more harshly than others. Virgil reminds him about Aristotle's writings, and how incontinence is less displeasing than malice, which is less displeasing then deranged bestiality.
Next, Dante asks Virgil why he said usury (the act of charging interest) is an offense against God's bounty. Virgil again refers him to Aristotle, and says that human industry can be said to be God's grandchild. But usurers take a different path, making money from money in an unnatural and evil way.
With that, the pair descend into the sixth circle of hell.
~Hannah :)
Friday, December 4, 2009
Canto 11 Refelctions
In Canto 11, Virgil maps out the lower rings of Hell for Dante. There are three rings: violence, fraud, and treachery, respectively.
The ring of Violence is divided into three parts, against yourself, your neighbor, or God. You can harm yourself by either “raising violent hands against themselves” or “their own goods.” If you committed suicide or squandered away your wealth, or horded it you have damaged yourself and are placed in this round. Harming your neighbor’s property also sends you to this hateful layer. Those who scorn, deny, or curse God are also eternally dammed here.
The ring of Fraud is lower. Fraud is something you only do thoughtfully and with intent, so it is singular to man, therefore particularly hateful to God. Here reside the people who, not only cause fraud in accordance with money, but those who lie. The “flatterers, swindling sorcerers, hypocrites, impostors, picker of purses, simonists, panders and greasy palms and all such filth” are banished to these pits.
Not much information is given about the ring of Treachery. Only that it is the lowest ring and is where Satan sits. A good place to avoid.
After Virgil’s monologue, Dante asks him why the souls they saw earlier are in the upper reaches of Hell and not down here. Virgil rebukes him and asks whether he has forgotten “your [Dante’s] philosopher”, meaning Aristotle. In Aristotle’s book the Ethics, he says the three evils that God hates are incontinence, malice, and deranged bestiality. He also says that incontinence is hated less than the others.
Incontinence means failure to restrain oneself from gratification, in this case, the sin. The sins punished in the upper levels were not well thought out, purposeful sins; they were accidents. The best example is Paolo and Francesca, for their love or lust was not premeditated, it took them by surprise.
Malice is purely hate. No matter what the cause, it is frowned upon by God.
Deranged bestiality is when a man loses everything that makes him a man and acts animal-like. Betrayal is not something man was made to do, and by fulfilling that, they lose what sets them apart from the common animal.
The ring of Violence is divided into three parts, against yourself, your neighbor, or God. You can harm yourself by either “raising violent hands against themselves” or “their own goods.” If you committed suicide or squandered away your wealth, or horded it you have damaged yourself and are placed in this round. Harming your neighbor’s property also sends you to this hateful layer. Those who scorn, deny, or curse God are also eternally dammed here.
The ring of Fraud is lower. Fraud is something you only do thoughtfully and with intent, so it is singular to man, therefore particularly hateful to God. Here reside the people who, not only cause fraud in accordance with money, but those who lie. The “flatterers, swindling sorcerers, hypocrites, impostors, picker of purses, simonists, panders and greasy palms and all such filth” are banished to these pits.
Not much information is given about the ring of Treachery. Only that it is the lowest ring and is where Satan sits. A good place to avoid.
After Virgil’s monologue, Dante asks him why the souls they saw earlier are in the upper reaches of Hell and not down here. Virgil rebukes him and asks whether he has forgotten “your [Dante’s] philosopher”, meaning Aristotle. In Aristotle’s book the Ethics, he says the three evils that God hates are incontinence, malice, and deranged bestiality. He also says that incontinence is hated less than the others.
Incontinence means failure to restrain oneself from gratification, in this case, the sin. The sins punished in the upper levels were not well thought out, purposeful sins; they were accidents. The best example is Paolo and Francesca, for their love or lust was not premeditated, it took them by surprise.
Malice is purely hate. No matter what the cause, it is frowned upon by God.
Deranged bestiality is when a man loses everything that makes him a man and acts animal-like. Betrayal is not something man was made to do, and by fulfilling that, they lose what sets them apart from the common animal.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Flattery, an awful sin that condemns you to one of the lowest levels of Hell... errrr...?
On page 187 in Canto 18, we are first introduced to the flatterers. These people are sunk in a pit of excrement. Dante talks to one of these, who says his name is Alessio Interminei from Lucca. He says he could not stop his tongue from incessant flatteries. Another woman is pointed out to Dante, Thais, who was sent here for flattering her lover by saying, "You are marvelous."
Now, take a step back and look at this situation. Not only are these people punished in such a way, they are in one of the lowest levels of Hell, all for telling your lover, "You are marvelous."? These seems like a cruel punishment for merely telling the man you might marry that you think they are wonderful. And even if Alessio was constantly flattering, is it really worthy of being in one of the lowest levels of Hell?
Although people who constantly flatter their superiors in order to move up the in world, sin by doing so, a little, "I like your dress" or "You are wonderful" should not be so cruelly punished.
Why then are these poor souls banished to such a foreboding place as Malebogle, for somewhat minor offenses?
Now, take a step back and look at this situation. Not only are these people punished in such a way, they are in one of the lowest levels of Hell, all for telling your lover, "You are marvelous."? These seems like a cruel punishment for merely telling the man you might marry that you think they are wonderful. And even if Alessio was constantly flattering, is it really worthy of being in one of the lowest levels of Hell?
Although people who constantly flatter their superiors in order to move up the in world, sin by doing so, a little, "I like your dress" or "You are wonderful" should not be so cruelly punished.
Why then are these poor souls banished to such a foreboding place as Malebogle, for somewhat minor offenses?
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wait, where'd Zeus come in?
On page 141, in Canto 14, in lines 49 - 60 where Dante and Virgil's meeting with Capaneus is described, "And he himself who picked up what I said, hearing me ask my guide about him, cried, 'What I was living, so am I still, dead! Jove can go break his blacksmith's back with work, from whom in wrath he took the thunderbolt that ran through me on my last day on earth -- or wear the others out in endless shifts under Mount Aetna at the pitch-black forge, hollering, "Vulcan, help, I need your help!' As he did on the Phlegran battlefield, and hurl his lance through me with all his force -- he'd get no joy in his revenge."'"
Whoa, whoa, whoa -- back up. Why are the Roman gods mentioned here, in a Christan comedy? And not just mentioned, but actually doing godly acts, like killing people. Since when was blaspheming non-existent gods worthy of putting you in hell? Also, Plato and Socrates, both of whom we found in the first ring of hell, emphasized in their writings that they did not truly believe in the gods of their society. If Dante is being consistent, why are they up there with the unbaptized, instead of down here with the blasphemers?
~Hannah
Whoa, whoa, whoa -- back up. Why are the Roman gods mentioned here, in a Christan comedy? And not just mentioned, but actually doing godly acts, like killing people. Since when was blaspheming non-existent gods worthy of putting you in hell? Also, Plato and Socrates, both of whom we found in the first ring of hell, emphasized in their writings that they did not truly believe in the gods of their society. If Dante is being consistent, why are they up there with the unbaptized, instead of down here with the blasphemers?
~Hannah
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The doomed blank banner
In Canto 3, pg 25, lines 31 - 42, it says, "Said I -- a blind of horror held my brain -- 'My Teacher, what are all these cries I hear? Who are these people conquered by their pain?' And he to me: 'This state of misery is clutched by those sad souls whose works in life merited neither praise nor infamy. Here they're thrown in among that petty choir of angels who were for themselves alone, not rebels, and not faithful to the lord. Heaven drives them out -- to keep its beauty pure, nor will the deep abyss receive their souls, lest they bring glory to the wicked there.'"
And lines 52 - 69: "And I, beholding, saw a banner fly, whirling around about and racing with such speed it seemed that is would scorn to stand, or pause, and all behind that flag in a long file ran, I had not thought death had unmade so many. When I recognized a few of these, I saw and knew the craven one, who made the great denial. Immediately, I understood the truth: this was the low sect of those paltry souls hateful to God and to his enemies. These worthless wretches who had never lived were pricked into motion now perpetually by flies and wasps that stung their naked limbs and ran the blood in furrows down their faces, which, mingled with their tears fell to their feet, where loathsome maggots gathered up the rot."
So we find those who did not chose either good or evil. As a result, they are condemned to forever chase after a blank banner with wasps following and stinging them. Heaven refuses them, because they did not chose good, and hell refuses them, because they did no wrong.
These undecided and cursed souls and angels are chasing a blank banner because they did not chose a side in life, so they now follow no one, supporting a non-existent cause, with a non-existent leader. Because they refused to make a decision and move in life, they now are forced into action by the eternal stinging of wasps. The wounds created by the never-ceasing stinging bleed and mingle with their tears, falling to the ground as maggots feed on it. This blood, which could have been used in life to support good, is now wasted on the nourishment of maggots, just as their lives were wasted on earth.
If such a place really exists, unfortunately, many people from our day and age would be condemned there. Much of our society is agnostic. Many proclaim themselves Christian but do not attend church. some are too afraid to proclaim their faith in public. If these do not change the courses of their lives, then they too will be condemned to chase the blank banner of Canto 3.
~Hannah
And lines 52 - 69: "And I, beholding, saw a banner fly, whirling around about and racing with such speed it seemed that is would scorn to stand, or pause, and all behind that flag in a long file ran, I had not thought death had unmade so many. When I recognized a few of these, I saw and knew the craven one, who made the great denial. Immediately, I understood the truth: this was the low sect of those paltry souls hateful to God and to his enemies. These worthless wretches who had never lived were pricked into motion now perpetually by flies and wasps that stung their naked limbs and ran the blood in furrows down their faces, which, mingled with their tears fell to their feet, where loathsome maggots gathered up the rot."
So we find those who did not chose either good or evil. As a result, they are condemned to forever chase after a blank banner with wasps following and stinging them. Heaven refuses them, because they did not chose good, and hell refuses them, because they did no wrong.
These undecided and cursed souls and angels are chasing a blank banner because they did not chose a side in life, so they now follow no one, supporting a non-existent cause, with a non-existent leader. Because they refused to make a decision and move in life, they now are forced into action by the eternal stinging of wasps. The wounds created by the never-ceasing stinging bleed and mingle with their tears, falling to the ground as maggots feed on it. This blood, which could have been used in life to support good, is now wasted on the nourishment of maggots, just as their lives were wasted on earth.
If such a place really exists, unfortunately, many people from our day and age would be condemned there. Much of our society is agnostic. Many proclaim themselves Christian but do not attend church. some are too afraid to proclaim their faith in public. If these do not change the courses of their lives, then they too will be condemned to chase the blank banner of Canto 3.
~Hannah
Agnostic
Just after Dante enters Hell, he hears the cries of many people. When he asks Virgil who these people are, he tells him that these are the undecided, who did not choose a life of good or of evil. These people are the outcasts. Heaven will not take them, because they did not choose to be good, but Hell will not fully take them either, because they were not evil enough to be banished there. Now they will perpetually run after a blank banner, being stung into movement by bees and wasps.
Arguably, these people could be some of the worst off. They don’t belong anywhere, not in Heaven, not in Purgatory, not even in Hell.
The dammed who are banished here are constantly stung by bees and wasps which cause them to move. This is because their own weak will could not decide anything for themselves, so they are now forced into movement, a painful dance after a blank banner, which symbolizes their lack of leader and their lack of purpose. Since they could not find it in themselves to follow God or the Devil, they now follow no one, a nothingness that will give them nothing, but takes everything, their lives, their afterlives, their ability to choose what they want. A people of helplessness live here, not being able to accept or decline.
These people are practically the definition of agnostic. In life God was not accepted, but also not fully rejected. There are so many people like this in our world. Some don’t think there is enough evidence to prove the existence of God, then again, they say there isn’t enough to prove He doesn’t. Although we should not need proof of God’s existence, these people are caught in this endless circle of is, is not. The saddest part of this denial is the people who call themselves Christians, but never go to Church. Although they think this is all they have to do, that going to Church is not necessary, it is vital for them to be true Christians. They will be led in this blind way of turning a blind eye to the truth until they die and are sent to this desolate place.
Arguably, these people could be some of the worst off. They don’t belong anywhere, not in Heaven, not in Purgatory, not even in Hell.
The dammed who are banished here are constantly stung by bees and wasps which cause them to move. This is because their own weak will could not decide anything for themselves, so they are now forced into movement, a painful dance after a blank banner, which symbolizes their lack of leader and their lack of purpose. Since they could not find it in themselves to follow God or the Devil, they now follow no one, a nothingness that will give them nothing, but takes everything, their lives, their afterlives, their ability to choose what they want. A people of helplessness live here, not being able to accept or decline.
These people are practically the definition of agnostic. In life God was not accepted, but also not fully rejected. There are so many people like this in our world. Some don’t think there is enough evidence to prove the existence of God, then again, they say there isn’t enough to prove He doesn’t. Although we should not need proof of God’s existence, these people are caught in this endless circle of is, is not. The saddest part of this denial is the people who call themselves Christians, but never go to Church. Although they think this is all they have to do, that going to Church is not necessary, it is vital for them to be true Christians. They will be led in this blind way of turning a blind eye to the truth until they die and are sent to this desolate place.
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