Sympathy and Disdain in The Inferno

In the Inferno, Dante uses his critics, mentors, role models, and friends as characters in his exploration through the circles of hell. Because some were his critics, chances are they exist in the Inferno due to Dante’s public or private dislike. However, Dante’s disdain is subtle in some cases such as the tone in his meeting with Francesca. On the other hand, it seems apparent that he holds Virgil in high regards because he characterizes Virgil as his guide. This suggests Dante may have felt people such as Virgil did not belong in Hell; unfortunately, God punishes accordingly. Overall, we regard the Inferno as a warning to those who disobeyed God. In Dante’s eyes, God punished people properly and he demonstrates this throughout. Generally, it seems that Dante uses Virgil as a sympathetic character and Francesca as an unsympathetic character in his journey through Hell.

First of all, Virgil is Dante’s trusted guide through the circles of the Hell. In addition, Virgil protects Dante and is his authority because he orders others to let him into the various circles. On the other hand, Virgil, a fellow poet, lived in Rome during the Augustan period, and at this time, the Romans had a collective piety. Virgil specifically reveals to Dante that he lived “During the time of false and lying gods” (Canto I 72).  It seems that the Catholic Church made considerable demands on the public. Christianity and Catholicism worshiped only one God, and they declared anyone who believed in multiple gods was a pagan. Dante allowed his characters to see into other eras, so he implies that Virgil realizes that there is only one God. Subsequently, Dante uses Virgil as an example of one who seeks the truth, but at the same time, one who accepts his fate. Virgil accepts that he is in limbo because he did not make the conscious choice to believe in one God. While Dante does not admonish Virgil for his former beliefs, Dante needed him to prove that God provided just punishment for those who did not believe.  After all, it seems that Dante treats his guide Virgil with respect. Dante assents “Poet, I thee entreat, By that same God whom thou didst never know, So that I may escape this woe and worse” (Canto I l30-32). Therefore, Virgil only serves as a character because his former beliefs placed him in limbo well before Christianity was established. 

At the same time, Dante’s objective was to demonstrate that God’s punishments would always fit the crime. Thus, Virgil’s inability to believe in one God contrary to his former beliefs made his stay in limbo appropriate because essentially, limbo is the place for lost souls who have neither reason to belong in Heaven or Hell. As Dante and Virgil move through Hell, Dante comes across others who God punished, and he uses them as examples to prove his case. 

In “Canto V”, Dante meets Francesca and makes subtle remarks that lead the reader to believe he did not respect her. Specifically, Dante condemns Francesca because she gave in to her desires. However, Francesca attempts to gain Dante’s understanding. Francesca claims that “Love, that on gentle heart doth swiftly seize” (Canto V 100) She uses the words “gentle” and “love” to gain sympathy; however, Dante reveals that her “dubious desires” (Canto V 120) implies she knew infidelity was wrong, so in spite of her plea, she was in her rightful place. Essentially, Dante was condemning her for her inability to keep her vows. 

Consequently, Dante’s sympathy mixed with subtle disdain reveals a more personal matter. Dante asserts through his poem that God punishes accordingly, and Francesca and Paolo disregarded reason. However, because Francesca is the only one who speaks with Dante, we cannot consider Dante uses Paolo as a means for private revenge.  Therefore, he uses Francesca as an example of what happens when we disobey God. With that in mind, it seems that Dante has his doubts in regard to free will and God’s will. Therein lays the background for his subtle revenge. 

As an illustration, it is common knowledge that Dante held a great love for a woman named Beatrice. Dante describes his love in his poem La Vita Nuova. It is clear that Dante has some sympathy for Francesca, but is it due to his own experience with love? Even though Francesca committed adultery, she did it for love. The two lovers continue to be together in Hell, so this suggests they were in love and not in lust. Lust implies a one-night stand and not an eternal love affair. If the roles were reversed, would Dante have traded Heaven for Hell? 

On the other hand, Dante’s philosophical influence was St. Thomas Aquinas. It is common knowledge that the Roman Catholic Church considered Aquinas as one of their greatest theologians. Francesca was guilty of adultery, and Catholics regarded adultery a mortal sin. Nevertheless, Dante did not give her partner a role in the indiscretion. Had Dante given Paolo words, so to speak, he would have implied they both were guilty. However, Dante chose to keep him silent. This suggests Dante blamed Francesca for the act, and he invented her words to use against her.  

Work Cited

Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. Trans. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. London: G. Routledge