nmeyers

Dantes life outline:

Youth:

            Born in Florence, Italy (Sovereign country)

            Mother died when he was young and his father remarried

            Was completely orphaned in adolescence

Middle Years:

            Received normal education

                        Early interest in vernacular lyric

            Love for Beatrice Portinan

            Took part in the battle of Campaldino/capture of Caprona

            Made himself eligible for public office

                        Spoke in the “council of the hundred”

            1299 had was minor ambassador

            Six supreme magistrates

Older Years:

            Exile under penalty of being burned alive

            Fell ill in Venice and died

“Consider your origin; you were not born to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge.”

            As a human begins a journey for a prized purpose, it becomes necessary for the wander to have guidance and strength when encountering obstacles along the way. With in the first five cantos, it is clear the Dante is experiencing visions and communications in which he has never dreamed of. “You were not born to live like brutes,” is indicating that “brutes” are followers of the Christian belief, and unlike Dante, he belies that he can change were he is, Hell or Heaven, without the decision of god, but with an unknown god. “….by that God to you unknown.”(p32)

            As the follower of “virtue and knowledge”, virtue and knowledge being Virgil, Dante winds his way through the two first circles of Hell. As if he is almost dependent of Virgil for protecting him though this land of sprits, pain, and suffering, Dante follows exactly what Virgil tells him to do. “Therefore, for your own good, I think it well you follow me and I will be your guide and lead you forth through an eternal place. There you shall see the ancient spirits tried in endless pain, and hear their lamentations as each bemoans the second death of souls.” (p31) This quote indicates that for the own good of a soul is to follow the virtue and knowledge of human reason.

            “Consider your origin,” is indicated during the first few people in which Dante encounters once he steps into the gates of Hell. The first being with Dante reached the Acheron, the first river of Hell, and Charon, the monster, denies ferrying Dante across. This refusal is because Dante is still living. “Woe to you depraved souls! Bury here and forever all hope of Paradise; I come to lead you to the other shore, into eternal dark, into fire and ice. And you who are living yet, I say begone from these who are dead.”(p44) This quote makes Dante consider that he is still living and that he shouldn’t really be in Hell since it is a place of torture for those who are dead.