It is hard to argue that Dante Alighieri’s work has had a resounding influence on the cultural stratum throughout the world. Many writers have said that Dante and his Divine Comedy inspired them when working on their novels. The work itself was written a long time ago, but it has managed not only to pass the test of time but to become one of the most important works in world history. The plot in it, despite its simplicity, is unique and inimitable. The author describes in detail the events that occur in the timeless world. They are portrayed so artfully that there is still a theory that Dante was able to make a deal with the devil and visit hell to write his most iconic creation without exaggeration. It turned out to be so memorable and vital that even the church, which recognizes the circles of hell, is still influenced by it today.
The work is also notable for how Dante described the punishment for each goose, making it very plausible. Equally important is how the author was able to place all the circles of hell in order, being able to argue his decision in work. Thus, each stage has its meaning, type of sinners, punishment, and description from the traveler.
One of the most memorable was the fourth circle of the nine possible circles described. Judging from the work, it contained people who fought off the punishment for greed, one of the worst deadly sins. The book tells us that the people in it spent money on unnecessary things and did not know the value of their lives. Dante also says that throwing money to the wind is an unnecessary activity that does no one any good, only harm. It is impossible not to agree with this because by saying this through the main character Dante, the problem of poverty in society still exists today. There is still no solution to it, but the author decided to demonstrate through his work how much he considers such manipulation of money unnecessary and despises it, making him do the same thing over and over again. Dante shows that money cannot solve all problems but rather that it drives one into a state of repetition every time, preventing one from moving forward. In the book, it appears that rich people drag a huge load forward, while people of low income, on the contrary, drag it toward the rich (Alighieri). This shows how these two types of people are opposite and interfere with each other, yet both are busy doing unnecessary things, just as they were when they were alive.
The second sin that is interesting to analyze, however, is hatred. In Dante’s book, sinners dwell in the sixth circle, where they are divided into different groups: those who have done violence to others, those who have been cruel to themselves, and those who have been hostile to God. Each category has its specific punishment (Alighieri). For example, the first is boiled in boiling blood, which signifies their cruel nature and punishment for the blood of others, the second is eaten by harpies that are also a symbol of torture, and the last is tortured in the rain of fire, which also symbolizes the power of God over them.
As a result, we can say that Dante was able to turn the world of literature and show how skillfully he can show human sins and what awaits people after death. All of the sins he describes have their logical reasoning; each is unique. The context of the time, which strongly influenced what he wrote, is also worth considering. Even so, Dante was able to write a work that is still revered today.
Work Cited
Alighieri, Dante. Inferno. Fall River Press, 2018.