Cantos XIII-XIV - Emily Gatautis

CANTOS XII-XIV

Canto XII
Circle- circle seven, round two; the wood of suicides

Sin- those who were violent against themselves; those who committed suicide.

Punishment- the suicidal souls are are trapped in gnarly, thorny trees and can only speak when the Harpies rip their branches off of them, causing them to bleed.

Retribution- They who destroyed their own bodies are, in Hell, denied a human form. since they expressed themselves through self-destruction, the only way for them to speak or express emotion is through what tears and destroys them. only through their own blood can they voice opinion. also, since the Harpies destroy everything they touch, it is fitting that they be the ones to bring destruction and pain to the suicides.

Key Sinners- Pier delle Vinge, Jacomo da Sant Andrea, and Lano da Siena. Pier is a suicide trapped in a tree that Dante, in the beginning of this canto, rips a branch from. this causes Pier to bleed, and where he then tells Dante and Virgil his story. Jacomo and Lano are both famous squanderers and destroyers of goods. both of these souls are considered Violent Against their Substance—those who intentionally harmed themselves. these sinners are being constantly pursued by a pack of hounds, who rip their limbs from them.

Key Plot Points- in this round, Dante and Virgil travel through the Wood of Suicides and meet with a couple of suicide victims. they also go to see the Violent Against their Substance and see two naked souls being tormented by a pack of hounds.

Question-
Here we shall drag them and in this mournful glade
our bodies will dangle to the end of time,
each on the thorns of its tormented shade.
(lines 106-108)

What is this quote talking about? Interpret the what the language means.

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Canto XIV
Circle- circle seven, round two, the Plain of Burning Sand

Sin- the Violent Against God, Nature, and Art. Included are Blasphemers(violent against God), Sodomites(violent against nature), and Usurers(violent against art)

Punishment- all of these souls are trapped on the Plain of Burning Sands, and are rained upon by fiery rain. However, each sin has a slightly unique punishment. the Blasphemers are sprawled out on the burning sand, the Sodomites are forced to run endless circles, and the Usurers are huddled, crying, on the burning sand.

Retribution- The burning plain is symbolic of sterility and the fiery rain is symbolic of the wrath of God. since all of these sins are unnatural habits had by humans, the unnaturally hot sands is the sinners' eternal resting place. also, the rain descends as fire, when in nature it should descend as cool fertile water. in conclusion, these sinners were unnatural with their actions during life, so they are placed in torturous and unnaturally horrible conditions to punish them for their sins.

Key Sinners- Capaneus(chief sinner of this round, Blasphemer) Capaneus was a Blasphemer, and blamed God for everything that happened to him, when in all actuality, it was his temper and way of doing things that got him into trouble. the legend is that when Zeus struck Capaneus with a lightening bolt, he still had an insult toward god on his lips. now, in Hell, he still speaks badly about God and blames him for his troubles.

Key Plot Points- In this canto, Dante and Virgil leave the Wood of Suicides and onto the Plain of Burning Sand where they find the Blasphemers, Sodomites, and Usurers all being rained on by fire. the poets speak with Capaneus and Virgil tells Dante the legend of the rill that runs along the River of Boiling Blood

Question-
He is chosen of iron from there down,
except that his right foot is terra cotta;
it is this foot that he rests more weight on.
(lines 103-105)

Who is Virgil talking about in this quote? What does the terra cotta foot represent, and how does the meaning reflect Dante's religious views?