SUMMARY

While discussing Dante Alighieri's Inferno the first six circles of Hell are the levels of inconfinence. The seventh level is Violence and 8-9 are fraud. Between levels seven and eight there is the monster Geryon. Geryon was a scropion's tail and the face of an honest man. As the monster is leaving the seventh level and going to the eighth, the tail is facing the seventh level and the face is toward the eighth. The tail can be seen as a violent part of the monster, it is easily a cause of death for the two if he stung them. Although the face of the monster is that of an honest man's face, as it is pointed to the level for fraud, it can be seen as the face itself is fraud.

We focused a good portion of class on discussing Virgil. The things we discussed included his name, why he is indeed in hell, and his relationship with Dante. One thing we found ironic within today's readings was that Dante and Virgil traveled into the eighth circle of hell, the circle associated with traitors and those that are fake or phony, as very close friends that cared for one another. Virgil helped protect Dante and looked to be the exact opposite of a traitor. We also discussed that Virgil's punishment while in hell is his despair. The sin Virgil committed and his reason for being in jail and that he did not repent in his lifetime. This impenitence leads directly to Virgil's despair, which is evident often, including when he is turned away at the gate, and every time he goes back to his original circle.   

PASSAGE

"The Color of the coward on my face,

     when I realized my guide was turning back,

     made him quickly change the color of his own.

He stood alert, like one who strains to hear;

     his eyes could not see far enough ahead

     to cut the heavy fog of that black air.

"But surely we were meant to win this finght,"

     he said, "or else...but no, such help was promised!

     Oh, how much time it's taking him to come!"

I saw too well how quickly he amended

     his opening words with what he added on!"

This passage is from Canto IX and discribes Virgil as he is worried.

"Our adversaries slammed the heavy gates

     in my lord's face, and he stood there outside, 

     then turned toward me and walked back very slowly

 with eyes downcast, all self-assurance now

     erased from his forehead-sighing, "Who are these

     to forbid my entrance to the halls of grief!"

He spoke to me: "You need not be disturbed

     by my vexation, for i shall win the contest,

     no matter how they plot to keep us out!

This insolence of theirs is nothing new; 

     they used it once at a less secret gate,

     which is, and will forever be, unlocked;

 you saw the deadly words inscribed above it;

      and now, already past it, and descending,

     across the circles, down the slope, alone, 

comes one by whom the city will be opened."

This passage is from Canto VIII and and shows Virgil's reaction to getting turned away from the gate.  It is meant to reinforce the concept that reason, represented by Virgil's character, is powerless without Faith.  This concept is reinforced further when an angel comes and easily flicks open the gate.

TERM

1) Allegory-descriing a text with a hidden meaning.

               Characteristics are often:     one-to-one

                                                            political

                                                            religious