rvanderwende

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.