Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Dante
Dante seems to be a hero in the making who gains faith and courage as he continues on his journey. In the first line of Canto I, he says, “I found myself” right after saying he was on “our life’s journey” (I.1). This tells us that he will be relating his own personal experiences to those of everyone in general. Like other heroes, Dante sets forth on a journey – but we don’t get a detailed character description, reasons why he is going, or what sin he has committed. This adds to the point that he is embarking on a journey which everyone can relate to- it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done or haven’t done. Although he tries, we see that he cannot go on this journey alone, and must have someone to literally guide him. Dante first doubts himself, saying “I am no Aeneas or Paul: Not I nor others think me of such worth” (II.26). Then, while on the journey, he is terrified. After crossing the river in Canto III, he fainted after there was an earthquake and says, “I shudder and sweat recalling it now” (III.109-10). However, we still see a change in Dante throughout this time. For example, the “old” Dante (that is described to us in the beginning of Canto I, would have ran in the opposite direction after reading the words at the gates of hell and hearing the cries of suffering. Since Dante’s character is still growing at this time, some of his characteristics are unlike our usual heroes who are brave and courageous. However, we see Dante growing and becoming braver within just the first few cantos.
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4 comments:
I think (I may be wrong) that Dante means that he is remembering the fear he felt when he is,
"recalling it now" (III. 109-10) as he tells us the story. We are reading what he is telling us in retrospect which can lead to the question...Has he gotten over his fears? I guess we would have to read further in the story to know for sure. I felt that even though he is gaining some courage led by Virgil, he keeps regressing back to the fearful Dante. For example, in Canto I he is hopeful by telling Virgil, "help me escape" (I.106)but the in Canto III he is only brave because Virgil showed, "good cheer in his expression" (III.15-6) and he led him by the hand ["he placed his hand on mine"(III.16-7)].In canto IV he mistakes Virgil's paleness with "fear" (IV.16).Although he does show some courage by speaking to the dead souls, he still seems very cowardly to me compared to other Heroes.
BA # 7 comment
Reading this makes me think that we are now encountering another type of hero. Dante isn't our typical hero - he is not physically strong and as quoted in the main post, “I am no Aeneas or Paul: Not I nor others think me of such worth” (II.26) this almost makes him a kind of humble man since he is not ranking himself as high or higher than whom he is mentioning. Not only that but this tale also seems to be coming directly from the source where with some others we have read it seems that they were written well after the tale had taken place and told by someone else other than whom the story is about.
I think Dante added a new meaning of hero, more of the minor role of hero. He was more of a clueless adventurer who happen to stumbled into the Inferno. He was very patience, whether he is coward or not, with aid from Virgil, he had the ability to moving on through the hell without getting trapped.
Though it is true he may be a new kind of hero, Dante does possess an important quality that I feel most heroes, contemporary and ancient, possess. Dante shows a great amount of pity for those many he has encountered thus far in the tale. "I heard/ These words with heartfelt grief that seized on me/ Knowing how many worthy souls endured/ Suspension in that Limbo." (canto IV, lines 32 - 35)
Dante also shows his compassion when he reaches the second circle of hell and meets the lovers, "Francesca, your suffering makes me weep/ For sorrow and pity-" (Canto V, lines 103 - 104). It is clear that though Dante is a new type of hero, he maintains a few heroic qualities that other heroes share with him.
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