Pass Among the Fallen People: Pass Among the Fallen People: The Vestibule of HellThe Vestibule of Hell

FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

15 November 201115 November 2011

Canto III: Data FileCanto III: Data File• Settings: The Gate of Hell, the Vestibule of Hell, Settings: The Gate of Hell, the Vestibule of Hell,

and Acheronand Acheron• Figures: Charon, Pope Celestine V Figures: Charon, Pope Celestine V

(unidentified)(unidentified)• Allusions: Acheron + Charon (Allusions: Acheron + Charon (The AeneidThe Aeneid))• Punishable Sin: OpportunismPunishable Sin: Opportunism• Summary: Dante and Virgil pass the Gate of Summary: Dante and Virgil pass the Gate of

Hell and are immediately battered by horrific Hell and are immediately battered by horrific cries of suffering. They witness the punishment cries of suffering. They witness the punishment of the Opportunists – those who refused to of the Opportunists – those who refused to choose between good and evil, deciding choose between good and evil, deciding instead to shift sides in an effort to stay on top. instead to shift sides in an effort to stay on top. The travelers move past them and head to The travelers move past them and head to Acheron, where Charon tries to refuse them; as Acheron, where Charon tries to refuse them; as Virgil forces Charon to do their bidding, Dante Virgil forces Charon to do their bidding, Dante faints, overcome with fear.faints, overcome with fear.

The Gate of HellThe Gate of Hell

I am the way into the city of woe.I am the way into the city of woe.I am the way to a forsaken people.I am the way to a forsaken people.I am the way into eternal sorrow.I am the way into eternal sorrow.

Sacred justice moved my architect.Sacred justice moved my architect.I was raised here by divine omnipotence,I was raised here by divine omnipotence,Primordial love and ultimate intellect.Primordial love and ultimate intellect.

Only those elements time cannot wearOnly those elements time cannot wearWere made before me, and beyond time I Were made before me, and beyond time I

stand.stand.Abandon all hope ye who enter here.Abandon all hope ye who enter here.

Holy TrinityHoly Trinity

• Although most realize that Hell, by Although most realize that Hell, by virtue of belonging to the same virtue of belonging to the same system as Heaven, has divine system as Heaven, has divine origins, Dante takes care to identify origins, Dante takes care to identify the Holy Trinity as Hell’s sourcethe Holy Trinity as Hell’s source

• The Father represents Power; the The Father represents Power; the Son, Wisdom and Intellect; and the Son, Wisdom and Intellect; and the Holy Spirit stands for LoveHoly Spirit stands for Love

• Hell contains those who spurned Hell contains those who spurned eacheach

Neither Cold Nor HotNeither Cold Nor Hot• Dante and Virgil encounter their first sufferers, Dante and Virgil encounter their first sufferers,

and it’s from this point that the logic behind and it’s from this point that the logic behind the poet’s system of justice becomes clearthe poet’s system of justice becomes clear

• They find those who have been denied entrance They find those who have been denied entrance to every other realm of the afterlife – the to every other realm of the afterlife – the “fence-sitters, wafflers, opportunists, and “fence-sitters, wafflers, opportunists, and neutrals” – as well as fallen angels who refused neutrals” – as well as fallen angels who refused to side with Godto side with God

• While this place is invented by Dante, Raffa While this place is invented by Dante, Raffa finds some Biblical inspiration in Revelations to finds some Biblical inspiration in Revelations to justify its creation: “But because thou art justify its creation: “But because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will begin lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.” (3:16)to vomit thee out of my mouth.” (3:16)

Feeding an Endless Sea of…Feeding an Endless Sea of…

• The sufferers chase a banner that floats The sufferers chase a banner that floats just out of reach in the Vestibule’s filthy just out of reach in the Vestibule’s filthy airair

• As they run in endless circles, they’re set As they run in endless circles, they’re set up by wasps and hornets; the insects up by wasps and hornets; the insects sting them constantly, and the blood and sting them constantly, and the blood and matter that constantly flows from their matter that constantly flows from their bodies feeds an endless sea of worms and bodies feeds an endless sea of worms and maggots beneath their feetmaggots beneath their feet– Check Ciardi’s explanation of the “symbolic Check Ciardi’s explanation of the “symbolic

retribution” this area containsretribution” this area contains

Pope Celestine VPope Celestine V

• The only sinner Dante recognizes – the The only sinner Dante recognizes – the one who makes the “Great Denial” – is one who makes the “Great Denial” – is never named; most assume he’s Pope never named; most assume he’s Pope Celestine VCelestine V

• Raffa: “His refusal to perform the duties Raffa: “His refusal to perform the duties required of the pope (he abdicated five required of the pope (he abdicated five months after his election in July 1294) months after his election in July 1294) allowed Benedetto Caetani to become allowed Benedetto Caetani to become Pope Boniface VIII, the man who proved to Pope Boniface VIII, the man who proved to be Dante's most reviled theological, be Dante's most reviled theological, political, and personal enemy.”political, and personal enemy.”

AcheronAcheron• After moving past the Opportunists, Dante After moving past the Opportunists, Dante

and Virgil reach Acheron, the first of Hell’s and Virgil reach Acheron, the first of Hell’s great riversgreat rivers– Virgil used it in Virgil used it in The AeneidThe Aeneid – although it should – although it should

be noted that specific bodies of water weren’t be noted that specific bodies of water weren’t as important to Virgil as they are to Danteas important to Virgil as they are to Dante

• In In The Inferno, The Inferno, Acheron serves as a border Acheron serves as a border wall, a boundary separating the wall, a boundary separating the Opportunists from those who belong in Opportunists from those who belong in Hell itself; Charon, Hell’s Ferryman, takes Hell itself; Charon, Hell’s Ferryman, takes them across, and no mortals are to enter them across, and no mortals are to enter HellHell

• This would seem to pose a problem for our This would seem to pose a problem for our intrepid poetintrepid poet

CharonCharon

• Dante fleshes out Charon’s physical Dante fleshes out Charon’s physical description more than Virgil did in description more than Virgil did in The The AeneidAeneid, but the old man basically behaves , but the old man basically behaves the same way in both textsthe same way in both texts

• In both texts, the solution is the same: In both texts, the solution is the same: The protagonist’s guide (in this case, The protagonist’s guide (in this case, Virgil himself) presents the “proper Virgil himself) presents the “proper credentials” (divine will) in order to credentials” (divine will) in order to convince Charon to take them acrossconvince Charon to take them across

• Unlike Aeneas, Dante panics and faints – Unlike Aeneas, Dante panics and faints – and we, like he, wake up on the other side and we, like he, wake up on the other side of Acheronof Acheron