Hello, my name is Kari, and I posted a loong time ago about Romeo and Juliet, I am currenty ready Dante's Inferno, and Im fascinated by the Nine Circles of Hell. If you have any thoughts on Dante, Virgil or any other characters in the book, please post on this thread
"All that glitters, is not gold"-William Shakesphere
It's been awhile since I read Dante's "Inferno"...Maybe you should start by giving yours thoughts on something from the book?
"The Lord work from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of the people and then they take themselves out of the slums. Christ changes men, who then changes their enviroment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."
~Ezra Taft Benson
I know that this is a classic, but I just found it difficult to read and I would enjoy a discussion on it, because I was so confused.
"I am glad to learn my friend that you had not yet submitted yourself to any of the mouldy laws of Literature."
-John Muir
"My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends - It gives a lovely light"
-Edna St. Vincent Millay
I'm in the middle of reading the inferno too. And so far I've really enjoyed it although I've only reached the fourth circle of hell. It's enjoyable to see who he places in which circle of hell.
Lost in silence.
The general ramblings and mutterings of a starving artist:http://www.online-literature.com/for...p?userid=27522
Yeah, it's probably because it's so old school.Originally Posted by B-Mental
Not only that, but there have been a ton of different translation of the books...I'm trying to get my hands on all three books with the same publisher and translator. I have 2 of 'em right now...I'm missing "Inferno".
"The Lord work from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of the people and then they take themselves out of the slums. Christ changes men, who then changes their enviroment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."
~Ezra Taft Benson
Other than the idea that through logic (Virgil) you can face evil, but through love (Beatrice) you rise out of it, the characters mean very little in the book (other than the sinners, in which case you [or at least I] need good footnotes). What is really great is all the symbology of the circles and landmarks of hell. Like the Carnal in life were swept away by their passions, in death they are swept away in a tornado. Not terribly complex, but still cool (not to be sadistic or anything).
I just finished reading it - I found it terrifying! I mean, I'm not prone to nightmares, but it was terrifying all the same. I also found it very intriguing and fascinating, all the different tortures and punishments of the damned and just the whole idea of a journey through it - it's unbelievably grotesque. The moment at the end, when Dante and Virgil burst out of Hell and see the stars is just pure epic brilliance - I was left with a feeling of incredible awe. Just wondering though, what are people's thoughts on the Inferno as epic? I just thought, while reading it, that epics usually follow the quest of a hero - while Inferno does follow a journey of sorts, would the traveler still be considered an epic hero? It just struck me that he doesn't really acheive anything, or suffer anything, as other epic heroes do, he observes the suffering of others and maybe experiences it second hand, but he's different from, say, Odysseus, or Milton's Satan.
To simply press on and not give up is an accomplishment -- as you put it yourself, the journey was "terrifying." He also learns about the journey of the soul -- another accomplishment.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks