Rhetorical Devices In Canto 23

667 Words2 Pages

Joseph Haddad
Mrs Pasillas
Composition and Rhetoric
November 11 2015
Dante's Inferno Canto 23
In Canto 23, Dante and Virgil seem to be walking to get to the next bolgia through a bridge that the devil had told them was unbroken. Dante writes “we to the next bolgia can descend. We shall escape from the imagined chase." Thus, they foresee being attacked by the demons escorting them. In fact they immediately see the devils flying after them “with outstretched wings”. Dante and Virgil escape to the next bolgia to be safe. In a ditch they find monks wearing clothes that are very pretty on the outside but “all leaden and so heavy” on the inside. This represents the hypocrisy of these people.  Dante sees one of the hypocrites crucified. Virgil then …show more content…

Dante wanted to see the condition of this bolgia by looking at the pitches and what types of souls were on them. Virgil starts talking to one of the souls and finds out that in this location, souls get tortured by the demons. When two demons get distracted chasing a soul, Dante and Virgil take the opportunity to leave and this is where Canto 23 begins. Canto 24 continues from the broken bridge in Canto 23. The path is very difficult and filled with sinners being chased by serpents. Virgil speaks to a soul named Vanni Fucci who tells him that bad things will happen in Florence. So this chapter is very similar to Canto 23 in that the settings are similar but Dante and Virgil see different …show more content…

Historically, Dante is the author, Virgil is his guide and is the historical ancient Roman poet . Dante was most likely influenced as a writer by Virgil’s work. The hypocrites seem to allude to the Pharisees in the Bible whom Jesus criticized. The man crucified to the ground is most likely referring to the crucifixion of Jesus. The friars Catalano and Loderingo probably represent people in the Church who abuse their positions and live lavish lives rather than serving God and the people humbly. The demons and the devil obviously refer to themselves in our world – the doers of evil and

Open Document