The Existence of Pathos in Dante’s Inferno

Madeleine Calhoun commencement Year Seminar Professor Scheible 11/24/12 The Existence of Pathos in Dantes the pits The strength of emotions drives many a(prenominal) unjustifiable actions of forgivingity. The human race is subjected to tactile propertyings of poignancy and grieve. Yet, when did we obtain these authorizationly harmful but also helpful skin sensess? Why do we accept these uncontrollable emotions? And what squirt these feelings possibly contribute to an individual, or a smart set? There is over more than contemplation virtually the roles that pathos and co.uk/on- commiseration-summary-and-response/ ruth, as well as other feelings play into life.Emotions be the cogitate of all interaction and relationship they alter a certain level of in cuss by with(predicate)out track records, which stomach also observably be applicable in normal beingness. Dantes Inferno, is an epic piece of literature that contains exemplary instances of the use of grac e and mercy. benignity is the ability to sympathize for ones situation, being able to look rarify with reason and an stir generaliseing. Compassion is sum, and supervise that is distributed and usually reciprocated in a relationship.These emotions atomic number 18 used to create a intromission relationship and a foundation garment of combine difference-to-end the text between the characters, and the endorser. These about basic human emotions, pathos and leniency, ar fundamental to a true human experience. They build a level of trust between Dante, the writer, and his reader. A necessity in all of literature is to establish a balance of trust between the fibber and the reader. Without this relationship, the reader entrust become di darknessterested, and it will be more tricky for him or her to make the vital connections with the characters.Just as Calhoun 2 Virgil guides Dante through orchestra pit the poet guides the reader through the work of literature. Accor ding to Professor Joseph Luzzi at get up College, Dante addressed the reader 20 times throughout the poem ( song and fellowship in Inferno Dantes founding Wide Web). This aids in the fundamental law of participation, and creates a more intimate and interactional relationship with the reader. The ability to bind a protagonist with these human feelings of compassion conditions a more believable plotline and affirms the easily hearty bond with the reader.Dante accomplished this by creating a relatable main character, himself, who feels the same average emotions as every natural human. Should we grace those in funny farm on earth? This question rattles the minds of those who read Dantes Inferno. In this vernacular poem Dante is twain the author and the main character. He is fetching a transit through underworld guided by Virgil. Many film no idea why Dante wants to visualize sinning. However, many infer that Dante used this book as a form of punish for the society of F lorence, from which he was exiled in 1301.Also, he used this book as an set about to exert more superiority oer his enemies. Along the representation, Dante emphasizes on all of the frightening sights of disfigured sinners, and giant monsters. His wild and fantastic tour taught him the full understanding of sin, and the consequences of these acts of wrongdoing. Dante experiences forgiveness and compassion many times throughout the text. He pities the many sinners who seduce been put in hell, and his friendship with Virgil aids his travels. These incontestable emotions two helped and hindered him during his time in hell.Hell itself is an intimidating, unk nowadaysn, and ferocious place. All of those who sin and die on earth argon welcomed by the haler to hell. The architecture of hell is not Calhoun 3 designed to promote compassion and compassion. Dante learns through his excursion that pity is not the trance response to the sinners. All of the sinners are conscious of th eir situation they have chosen their sin and hell is the consequence for their actions. Those in hell do not assume to feel emotions for each other, because they are all in the same position, and their conditions have no immutable means to improve.There is no place in the typical hell for compassion. This negatively affects Dante because he is a naturally merciful human, which whitethorn explain why he is exclusively visiting hell, and not a perm member of the community. Dante came upon this realization the hard way because many times in hell he was admonishes for drawing empathy. When the citizens of hell spy Dantes common affiliation with these emotions they viewed him as weak. This concept reinforces that Dante was placed at a disadvantage in this moment in hell. In this situation, Dante saw one of his loves, Francesca.This amative event obviously stirred him with two compassion and pity. So that for pity I swooned as if in death. And d let I fell as a jobless body falls (Dante V. 140-142). Dantes unexpressed human instinct drove his emotions towards gentleness for his poor lover. His previous mode of affection towards Francesca was no longer welcomed, and he now sympathized for his woman, and the preceding lust that they shared. These feelings should prove Dante a sincere mortal, are inhibit him in this situation. By comparing himself to a falling dead body, this may further be setting him on a interchangeable Calhoun 4 omparative ground as those in hell. Dante may not realize how much hell is having an internal affect on him. This retell also displays Dantes might to feel compassion for others, and he is forthwith vulnerable to the maniacal tendencies of the sinners. He take the compassion, and reassurance that he will not sum of money the sinners in this cold alternate world. It is essential to recognize that fact that because Dante pities those in hell, his give birth position of morality should be questioned. In order to pity the si nners, would you have to understand them?Or, at the least, be able to reason with their sins? Possibly it is merely the violent darkness, and impending deathly gloom that impulsively convinces Dante that these sinners are in need of condolence. He struggles with these pities, for it is difficult to have any sort of social occasion with this society of hell. Dantes strong wizard of moral indignation makes it difficult for him to jibe the equity behind sin. However, it is these realizations that convince him that he belongs, or hopes to belong in heaven, preferably of hell.Perhaps the answer for those sinners in hell is that they do not posses this widely acknowledged, and ordinarily evaluate trait of compassion. After all, in the recent day basic relationships and families are built off of the trust that is ensured by a certain degree of compassion. The ability to pity shows an individuals mental cogency of care. Isnt Dante just being a nice guy by feeling bad for those bur ning in hell? pathos and compassion may occasionally hinder Dantes chances and position in hell however, without these vital emotions, Dante would not have do it through alive.Dante admits it for himself in Canto II, that the compassion he is given provides him with the strength, Calhoun 5 and power, to breed on with his travel through hell. Here, compassion is a positive emotion because it provides companionship, and allows for understanding. In this situation, Dante exudes his fear of hell. Beatrice, his other lover, and Virgil both sympathize with him, and show him the necessary compassion to advocate him to continue his journey. Such in my weakness strength, did I become. And so much courage poured into my heart Your words have made my heart So eager for the journey Dante II. 130-131, 136-137). Here pity and compassion cause as a motivation, and help Dante develop throughout his sojourn in hell. He uses the word eager to display how much a small act of compassion can al most rejuvenate Dante of fear. This quote explicitly displays the positive effects of empathy. Dante learns that when controlled, these emotions can show who the true sinners are. These relationships with others prove to Dante that he is not as alone as he primarily stated in the beginning of the canto. These extrapolations from the text can show that pity is transmittable, and malleable.The feelings may come and go, unaccompanied they arrive at a satisfied time for Dantes incentive to proceed. Dantes relationship with Virgil is the epitome of an example of compassion as a contagion. Virgil is not in the first place accustomed to being around these emotions, and he quickly learns that for this journey, as well as most others in life, pity and compassion are necessary. When Virgil notices Dantes merciful nature, he first admonishes him for these feelings, but by the end, Virgil is fetching part in the sequence of empathy. Calhoun 6 He looked with care upon the ruin, Took though, chose a platform of action,Then opened out his arms and took me in them (Dante XXIV. 22-24). In this situation, Virgil was taking Dante through bridges, and climb up up cliffs. These are dangerous tasks in hell, and Virgil recognized this, therefore quickly afterward involuntarily reaches to embrace Dante, satisfying his need for compassion. Primarily in the plot Virgil is only Dantes teacher however, by the end of the poem, Virgil serves as more of a paternal or lord-like figure. He sees Dante as an equal for enduring the difficult circumstances of hell, and exploitation a thickness against the sinners.Any form of compassion that Dante receives from Virgil mitigates his negative experiences, and establishes a necessary basis of trust between the two. This relationship pushes them both further on their journey, because they know that they are not alone. Dante learns from his acquaintances with pity that not everyone deserves it, and as the plot progresses, Dante develops a so rt of strength, and begins to have immunity against the sore sights in hell. This illustrates that pity and compassion have positive potential to help an individual, and can shift depending on the affects or consequences of the emotion.Opposing the internal pities that Dante holds in the text, he also cannot help but pity himself. Perhaps, this may be a notice or effect from the compassion that he sees being given to others. The theory that Dante pities himself as well as the sinners could prove to be one of Dantes mental rationalizations for the fundament of Inferno. His Calhoun 7 experiences with these feelings exhibit the circuitous rhythm method of pity and compassion. First, Dante pities himself for being exiled his solution then is to write the Inferno. His pity then shifts to the sinners in hell, and for this he eventually receives compassion from Virgil.In the end, Dante reached a stage of revenge in which pity had been alienated. This cycle of pity takes control of Dante , and puts him in an inferior position to the others in hell, or to his fellow writers on earth. Dante sympathizes for himself because ultimately it is him who understands his own feelings of remorse from being exiled from his home. This proof of pity places Dante at an even more alike(p) human level, because the average individual in humanity finds it easy to take pity on themselves. If Dante had not been exiled would he have put all of his enemies in hell?Would Inferno have even been create verbally in the first place? Pity and compassion are necessary emotions in Inferno, as well as in actual existence. Understanding this pathos of Dante and his relationships with Virgil shows the reader the extent to which pity and compassion can affect an individual. These overcoming feelings are natural, and they can both help and hinder depending on the situation. They should not be held back because they teach the essentials of truth and trust, and good and evil. The relationships develope d from compassion function us everyday, without them the human race would be alone.If it were not for the pity that Dante had for others, and himself, we would have not been exposed to the necessary connections towards developing the Inferno. However, the big question that should be considered is where would human existence be without these emotions of pity and compassion? Calhoun 8 Works Cited Dante, Alighieri, Robert Hollander, and Jean Hollander. Inferno. New York Doubleday, 2000. Print. Luzzi, Joseph. Poetry & Knowledge in Inferno Dantes World Wide Web. Dante Inferno Symposium. Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson. Oct. -Nov. 2012. Lecture.