Dante Alighieri was one of the first, if not the first, to create a detailed description of what Hell would look like, installing major fear in some people during this time. The shock that Dante’s epic had on the audience was grand due to the fact that it had some controversial comments made about the Roman Catholic Church. His vivid descriptions of mythological creatures and the surprising appearance of classical writers drew much attention to his work. The author uses and created an imaginary relationship between the sins committed by people on Earth and the punishments determined by those in higher power. Every soul that goes to Hell is sent to one of the nine circles in Hell, where they will serve their punishments eternally. Alighieri and his work were immensely known in Italy in the 14th century. Throughout Dante’s Inferno, Dante Alighieri uses allusions to the Roman Catholic Church, mythological creatures, and classical writers for a better comprehension of the book and its characters for the audience.
In Dante’s Inferno, Alighieri adeptly uses allusions to the Roman Catholic Church in the epic. The author begins his voyage in the beginning of the book by referencing the Roman Catholic Church, as he connects important events of the religioh. Dante Alighieri uses Easter to help him find strength for his voyage through Hell. He states in the first chapter that “ the holy hour and the sweet season of commemoration did much to arm [his] fear that bring that murderous beast” (Alighieri I, 40). The symbolism of the holy hour, or the hour of Eucharistic adoration in blessed Sacrament, is often believed to be a period of time where one finds inner peace and strength. The author’s ties this holiday to the writing to show how Dante’s character will need a tremendous amount of strength, both physically and spiritually to be able to succeed in this voyage through Hell. To add, by continuously referencing Hell, he goes on to describe his feelings as “Through me the way to the suffering city, Through me the way to eternal pain, Through me the way that runs among the lost. Justice urged on my high artificer; My maker was divine authority, The highest wisdom, and the primal love. Before me nothing but eternal things Were made, and I endure eternally. Abandon every hope, all who enter here” (Alighieri 68). This sets forth the element of hopelessness that Dante was convinced would consume all people who transgressed in various ways unless they took serious the warnings that his book presented, which then caused fear in his audience as a result. This warning was that unless individuals right their wrongs while on Earth, they would ultimately be denied passage out of Hell. Another allusion that Dante used in Dante’s Inferno is the allusion to Satan’s fall from Heaven. This Catholic allusion is present in Dante’s Inferno, when it is said “ on this side [of the earth] he plunged down from heaven’s height (Alighieri XXXVI, 123). This connects to the bible verse of Isaiah 14:12-15 that says “ How art thou fallen from Heaven , o Lucifer, son of the morning… thou should be brought down to Hell”. They both share that Lucifer is being brought down from Heaven to the upside down world. In his epic poem, Dante Alighieri uses many allusions to the Roman Catholic Church of his day to implement fear in his audience and to connect his character’s to those figures from the Church.
Throughout the epic, Dante also uses allusions to mythological creatures to help the reader comprehend why each creature in the book is placed in a certain circle as a guard or punisher. To begin, he first uses an allusion referencing Cerebus in the first canto. He connects the background and physical attributes to explain the reason why he placed to guard the third circle, those who have committed the sin of gluttony. He states, “the ravening beast, [who] howls through his triple throats like a mad dog” (Alighieri VI, 15). Dante uses Cerberus to guard the third circle, gluttony. The allusion indicates the importance of creature. The number of heads that Cerberus has indicates that he is a creature who eats more than the amount than somebody who has only has one head. This connects to the sin of gluttony as the people in that circle have feasted and eaten in excess. Another mythological creature that is used us Charon. Charon is placed in Hell to ferry the souls of the damned across Acheron, and into Limbo in Dante’s composition. It is declared that “ through me, the way to the City of Woe. Through me, the way to everlasting pain. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here” (Alighieri III, 5). Dante uses Charon as the ferryman in this circle, as he transports them from one place to the other. This also correlates the role of Charon in Greek mythology as he is the ferryman of Hades who takes souls of the passed across the rivers’ Acheron and Styx that split the world of those alive from the world of the dead. Along with these mythological creatures, Minos is placed in Limbo, who is also a figure from Greek mythology, and decides where the souls are placed. Minos indicates to the souls their circle in Hell by placing his serpent tail around their bodies as many times as the circle they are going to. Minos expresses, “who comes into my house of pain”(Alighieri II) when referring to Hell. When giving judging other souls he states “ I smell only a traitor, a glutton, a murder” (Alighieri II) . The author places Minos in this circle due to the connection between him and the people that either stay in Limbo or the people that are destined to be in other circles. Minos, “that expert of sins” wants to chase Dante away but he is rebuked by Virgil who reminds him that the poet travel is by God’s leave. These allusions allow the reader to make connections to mythology and the symbolic meaning of each creature. This allows for the reader to comprehend Dante’s reason for putting these creatures where they are.
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The final allusion that Dante creates in the epic Dante’s Inferno is the allusion to classical writers to symbolize that even great figures can end up in such a horrific place like Hell. In the epic, Dante introduced a classical writer, Virgil, quickly into the epic to create an allusion. Dante chooses Virgil as the character who will guide him through Hell. The relationship between them evolves into a father-son relationship as the journey goes on. The author speaks “ when you shall stand alone before the gentle splendor/ of one whose gracious eyes see everything/ then you shall learn from her- your lifetime’s purpose” (Alighieri I,79). To add, he uses the classical writer, Homer. He is mentioned by Dante and is known for being legendary author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that are the central works of ancient Greek literature. Both Virgil and Dante spot Homer in Hell. Virgil shares “ That one is Homer, poet sovereign” (Alighieri IV, 26). This quote shows Homer as a soul in Limbo, and can be perceived that any soul can reach Hell. It shows the audience that even great, famous poets are capable of going to a place like Hell, contributing to their fear of them going to Hell. It could be a possibility that many readers changed the way that they lived after reading this book. Adding to this, Dante Alighieri uses Aristotle, a famous classical writer in attempt to warn those who read his epic poem to not sin. Virgil quotes Aristotle by saying “Return to thy science” (Alighieri IV). Aristotle believed that each individual has built-in patterns of development, which help it grow toward becoming a fully developed individual of its kind. This elucidates that he believes that people have the ability to change and to become a better version of themselves. The allusions to the classical writers help the reader take precaution of their actions. Dante uses this to earn readers that anyone could end up in Hell.
Dante Alighieri uses allusions to create a better understanding for the audience. The allusions allow the reader to determine why character is chosen for each gate of Hell. In addition, the connection to multiple themes help the reader understand the true meaning of the epic. The choice of characters were specifically to support each circle and the sin done that has left in that place for the rest of eternity. The allusions not only helped increase the knowledge of the characters in the book and warned readers to live a less sinful lifestyle, but also helped shape today’s modern world and the current perception of Hell.
