Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Reading Notes: Inferno Part A

Dante and Virgil 


Dante's Inferno is a classic from his narrative poem from Divine Comedy. The purpose of this story is Dante's quest to fall back into God's good graces and overcome his sinful actions. He goes through several "circles" while in hell, each having a punishment created by God. He is aided on his quest by Virgil. A Roman poet from 70-19 BC. He is the one who takes Dante through the nine circles of hell.

I quite liked the story of Dante and Virgil's encounter with the Furies and Medusa. I think it's interesting that Dante included not only Christian lore but Greco-Roman mythology in the hellscape. It trumps all preconceived notions of hell belonging to one religion. For me this is a much more plausible iteration of what hell could really be like. I would like to play with the idea of creating an original character that has to go through the circles. I could possibly even connect it to my Achilles story. After his death he finds himself in hell with no guide to aid him. 

I found it curious that when Virgil named each Fury he only described one; Megaera, the weeping one. I haven't done enough research as to why she is considered, "the weeping one". But that could be another interesting storyline. A look into why she was given such a name. And her relationship with the other two Furies. 


Source: The Furies and the Heretics, Dante's Divine Comedy translated by Tony Kline (2002)     

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