Character Analysis Of Dante's Inferno

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In The Divine Comedy Volume 1:Inferno, by Dante, the prevalent conflict throughout the journey that Dante embarks on, is Dante’s sequential tendency to linger or interlude. His perceivable obstinacy to continue on, not only displays the defecting character flaws that are portrayed by Dante, it also proceeds to expel a multitude of additional challenges throughout his extensive journey through the Inferno. One scene in the text which sufficiently illustrates Dante’s adjournment and the problematic aspects that are derivative of this adjournment, is portrayed in the second canto of the story. The event takes place following the arrival of Dante in the Inferno in which he is approached by Virgil who he enlightens on his thoughts upon his arrival …show more content…

The first instance in which it is verifiable that the cause of Dante’s persistent lingering is his palpable fear is apprised through a mere speculation by Virgil on Dante’s soul. “If I have truly understood your words,” that shade of magnanimity replied, “your soul is burdened with that cowardice which often weighs so heavily on a man, it turns him from a noble enterprise like a frightened beast that shies at its own shadow”(Canto, 43-48). This cautionary statement made by Virgil foreshadows the impending challenge that Dante will face on his journey as a result of his fear. Although not directly referring to Dante, Virgil does state that cowardice, which is discernibly exerted by Dante, is so burdensome on a man, that it veers him from a virtuous endeavor. This virtuous endeavor, in Dante’s case, being his aspired destination concluding his journey. Another instance in which this lingering derivative of Dante’s fear is illustrated, is through the reason Virgil has come to guide Dante after he is summoned by a luminescent lady with an angelic voice, who is known as Beatrice.. “O noble soul, courteous Mantuan, whose fame the world continues to preserve and will preserve as long as world there is, my friend, who is no friend of Fortune’s, strays on a desert slope; so many obstacles have crossed his path, his fright has turned him back[...]” (Canto 2, 58-63). …show more content…

The character flaw tangibly dispersed by Dante’s fear, is deficiency of conviction. A case in which Dante portrays his comprisement of insufficiency of stance is when he is conflicted in response to the journey he learns he must embark on. “As one who unwills what he willed, will change his purpose with some new second though, completely quitting what he first has started, so I did standing there on that dark slope, thinking ending the beginning of that venture I was so quick to take up at the start” (Canto 2, 37-41). In this moment, Dante reveals how erroneous his current state of mind is, from the weak mindedness associated with cowardliness which thrived inside of it. As he is so conflicted in terms of making decisions, and ultimately what he believes, his uncertainty is masked with a false certainty, that alleviates any reason that Dante might possibly pertain. “A man must stand in fear of just things that truly have the power to do us harm, of nothing else, for nothing else is fearsome” (Canto 2, 88-90). This statement made by Beatrice is relative to Dante coinciding with his deficiency of stance. Dante’s lack of conviction formulates his irrationality, which in addition fabricates an irrational fear that dwells within his fallacious

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