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Cantos XXX-XXXIV

The quote “A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap…” Written in the book of Ecclesiastes and put to a melody by Pete Seeger is highly evident in Dante’ The Inferno. The quote is just staying that there is a time for everything. It relates to the story in that the souls in hell were born, sewed the seeds of sin, died and are reaping what they sewed. This process is found throughout cantos XXX-XXXIV.

“And there I saw another husk of sin, show, had in his legs been trimmed away at the groin, who have looked for all the world like a mandolin.( Canto XXX Lines, 49-51). This is the “I” character observing the sinner Master Adam. In his life, he was a counterfeiter. This sin sewn in his life is being reaped in his death. The rare many more examples in these cantos.

“His very babbling testifies the wrong he did on earth: he is Nimrod, through whose evil mankind no longer speaks a common tongue. ( Cantos XXXI Lines, 76-78.)” This is Virgil explaining to the “I” character what they are looking at. Nimrod was the builder of the Tower of Babble. Because of his actions, mankind has different languages. He sewed the seed of sin and now mankind is still reaping it. There is much reaping going on in these pages.

“I heard a voice cry: ‘watch which way you turn: take care you do not trample on the heads of the foreworn and miserable brethren.’ (Canto XXXII Lines, 19-21).” This is the “I” character staying what just heard. The people who he may tread on are those who had sewn the seed of treachery against those who held special ties with them. In life, the sinners sewed the seed of treachery and in death they are reaping the consequences. Throughout the entire book, sinners are reaping from the seeds of their sins.

pg 220-256

The quote "the clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness" stated by the naturalist, traveler, writer, environmentalist and  scientist John Nuir can clearly relate to Dante's The Inferno.  The quote means that sometimes it takes being engulfed in wilderness to unfold the realities of the universe.

"'Master,' I cried, 'I pray you and repray till my prayer becomes a thousand-if these sould can still speak from the fire, oh let me say until the flame draws near! (Cantos XXVI, lines 64-67.)"  This is Dante pleading with Virgil, his guide and alter-ego to allow him to speak with the sould in hell.Virgil just wants to finish the tour.  Dante is in the forest wilderness and has discovered that his universe, his very well being depends on Virgil which is why he pleads with him to stay.  If he didn't need Vigill, he would just stay.  The forest wilderness also appears in another part of  the book.

 

"At grief so deep the toungue must wag in vain: the language  of our sense and memory lacks the vocabulary of such pain. (Canto XXVII, Lines 4-6)" This is Dante describing the part of hell he is beholding.  He is looking into the forest wilderness and discovering that the universe that he knew can't even describe the pain.  He has seen in the forest wilderness that a part of the universe  is inept.  Dante also finds himself inept.

 

"Had you know what I was seeking,' I replied, 'you  might perhaps have given me permission to stay longer; As i spoke, my guide had started off already, and I in turn had moved along behind him...(Canto XXIX, Lines 13-16)" This is Dante speaking to Virgil agian.  They are both in the forest of hell and Dante has discovered his universe is inept for he depends on Virgil.  Virgil does not know why Dante longed to speak to the souls, and he doesn't really care because as said before, he just wants to give the tour and not mingle as Dante loves to do.  Virgil also, at this point in the forest wilderness, discovered that his universe is portecting Dante for he begins to leave and Dante follwos without any prompt.  The whole story of the viewing of hell shows the reader the universe.  The souls are in hell because of their sins and those sins are part of he universe.  Dante's Inferno is a tiny window into the universe because it is engulfed in a wilderness forest.

Cantos 21-25

The quote “In the middle of the journey of our life I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost. (The Divine Comedy).” was highly evident in cantos XXI-XXV in Dante’s The Inferno. It is evident when the “I” character acknowledges his curiosity, dependence on Virgil, his guide and when he acknowledges what he has not seen.

“I tired like one who cannot wait to see the thing he dreads, and who, in sudden fright runs while he looks, his curiosity, competing with his terror… (Cantos XXI, Lines 25-28).” This is the “I” character’s narrating before he turns to behold a gruesome Demon in Hell. It in now that the “I” character has discovered that he is indeed a curious creature. He came to himself when he was scared and the straight way was lost because he couldn’t decide to look or not. The “I” character is the curious and oblivious character which is why he needs Virgil.

The “I” character is on a tour through Hell led by Virgil. Through out the way, the “I” character is constantly tiring the patience of Virgil by conversing with the souls damned to Hell. Virgil, his guide and the experienced voice just wants to give a fast paced tour of hell which is why this impediment their progress is annoying. Here is a part of the novel where Virgil’s annoyance makes the “I” character come to himself.

“…I saw the face of my sweet master darken a bit with anger: he set off at a great stride from that place, and I turned from that weighted hypocrite to follow in the prints of his deer feet. (Canto XXIII, Lines 42-46).” the “I” character came to himself by knowing that he could not ‘go it on his own’. He realized his dependence on Virgil like a child recognizes his/her dependent on a nurturer. It took the absence of Virgil’s light and experience for the “I” character to realize this. The character is also not very experienced.

The “I” character was listing all of the things that he has seen such as the braking of camp due to horsemen and assaults and riots but then he states.

“But never yet have I seen horse or foot, nor ship in range of land nor sight of star, take its direction from so low a toot. (Canto XXII, lines 9-11).” Now he has come to himself. He was oblivious before but now he has acknowledged his inexperienced ways. It took the absence of knowledge for him to learn just what he was and it was shown through out out the Cantos.

cantos 16-20

The quote “Oh human race born to fly upward, wherefore at a little wind dost thou fall. (The Divine Comedy)” is highly evident in cantos 16-20 in Dante’s The Inferno. This quote is saying that the human race is born to excel but a little push will send a human down. This was in the chapters when Virgil attempts to ferret Dante’s curiosity.

“This peeled and naked soul who runs before me around this wheel, was higher than you ting there in the world, in honor and degree. Guido Guerra was the name he bore, the good Gualdrada’s grandson. In his life he won great fame in counsel and in war.” (Canto XVI, lines 34-39) This is Virgil, Dante’s guide and enlightener, telling Dante about a soul they are beholding. The Soul was of the human race and was of a great lineage that was exalted amongst men. It is patent that a little wind pushed this soul down to hell, for that is where he abides now. There was also another similar case.

“The other who behind me treads this sand was Tegghiaio Aldobrandi, whose good counsels the world would have done well to understand. (Canto XVI, lines 40-42)” This is Virgil using his sagacious ways to enlightening the callow Dante. The man was doing well on earth, but he was somehow condemned to hell for a little wind carried him there. He was not the only one carried to hell upon the wings of mysterious wind.

“what kingliness moves with him even in Hell! It is Jason, who by courage and good advice made off with Colchian Ram. Later it fell that he passed Lemnos, where the women of wrath, enraged by venus’ curse that drove their lovers out of their arms, put all their males to death.” ( Cantos XVIII, lines 85-90) This is Virgil speaking to Dante again and explaining to the curious Dante what he is seeing. This man was a human and flew upward with courage but Virgil made it macroscopic that a wind of lust took him down. Much seen in these cantos reflects the fact that humans are born to excel yet are taken down with the wind.

cantos 11-15

The quote “He listens well who takes notes. (The Divine Comedy)” is highly evident in cantos 11-15 in Dante’s The Inferno. The quote means that a good listener is one hears not words but meanings and stores the information away. It is evident in these cantos when Virgil is describing parts of hell and also when he is observing the “I” character. It is also evident when the “I” character makes observations. Listening is understanding and both are shown in the chapters.

“ ‘Master’, I said ‘the clarity of your mind impresses all you touch. I see quite clearly the orders of the dark pit of the blind.’ (Canto XI, Lines 67-69) This is the “I” character talking to Virgil, his guide. Virgil has just explained about the divisions of lower hell. If the “I” character had not listened to Virgil’s words, he would not have understood them. Not only words are a form of listening.

“I think perhaps he thought that I was thinking those cries rose from among the twisted roots through which the spirits of the damned were slinking to hide from us. (Cantos XIII, Lines 25-28)” This is the “I” character speaking about what he believes Virgil thinks about how he is feeling. Virgil is caught in the act of listening and so is the “I” character. Both have taken note on each other and both are reacting therefore both are listening and taking notes directly relating to the main quote. The main quote also applies to relating outer knowledge to a situation.

“ ‘Poet,’ I said ‘master of every dread we have encountered, other than those fiends who sallied from the last gate of the dead. (Canto XIV Lines, 40-42)” This is the “I” character applying his knowledge of what are fiends to tell what is not. He has listened in the past and is drawing on the notes he has taken to know what he is looking at. It is clear that listening and note taking is not always listening to words and using pen and paper but observing and taking mental notes. This is how the quote “He listens well who takes notes. (The Divine Comedy)” is highly evident in cantos 11-15 in Dante’s The Inferno.