Dante's Inferno | Canto 8 Summary & Analysis

[Music] in canto 8 of Inferno Virgil and Dante are still in the fifth circle of hell they look up at the top of the tower and see flickering flames signaling to a light in the distance Dante asks what the signal means Virgil directs his attention to a boat coming toward them the boatman fledge eos yells at them virgil explains they are to be ferried across the river Styx sledge EOS allows them in his boat as they cross the water they are confronted by a muddy figure dante recognizes him as phillip o Argenti now our gentie is a Florentine who was Dante's political enemy in real life according to Virgil he has no good qualities by which he is remembered and that makes him angry and resentful as they continue on Argenti is torn to pieces by the other spirits virgil explains that now they are nearing the city of dis which is lower hell at the entrance to the city fletchie oz hastens them out of his boat a crowd of fallen angels try to convince virgil to leave dante without a guide virgil refuses to abandon dante though and Virgil speaks privately with the Angels they run inside the city and slam the gates leaving Dante and Virgil without a way in virgil reassures dante that someone is coming to unlock the gates in the fifth circle of hell the poets are confronted by fletchie offs who guards the wrath full fledge eos was a son of Ares the Greek god of war Dante reminds us of the physical nature of the human condition by emphasising that he causes the boat to sink lower in the water dante has brought his body with him into hell he has mass and weight Hell itself seems to have a physical geography such as the river and the city they are about to enter and Dante is in mortal danger in hell the dead may not have bodies but their suffering is clearly physical rather than mental the people being punished in hell are not just fictional mythological figures hell is not something mythical and faraway but something that threatens everyone this is the first time Virgil has been unable to force the guardians of the circles of Hell to allow the poet's entry in passage dante has reached the end of where the power of language and reason can assure his safety fortunately virgil says a divine helper is coming to assist them

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Keywords: Dante's Inferno, Dante, dantes inferno, Dante's Inferno Canto 8, Canto 8 summary, dante's inferno, Inferno, divine comedy

Id: oW36sXhInvs

Length: 2min 35sec (155 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 04 2017