Inferno
Canto XIII
By: Abby Hani
SUMMARY
Virgil and Dante enter the second ring of the Seventh Circle
of Hell. The Centaur lead them towards a weird forest filled with trees. Once
they got their Dante hears someone crying, but can not see anyone. Virgil then
tells Dante to break off a twig from one of the trees; immediately blood starts
to drip from the twig and someone is crying out to Dante asking why he is
torturing him. The sinners here are the Suicides and Spendthrifts. These souls
are those who were violent against themselves. Virgil tells the one who was
crying out to tell Dante his story. His name is Pier delle Vigne and he used to
be an advisor to an emperor but then other people started rumors about him and
he was so ashamed that he took his life away. Virgil tells Dante how the ones
who have taken their lives become thorn trees, and at the Last Judgment they
will not enter their bodies. Instead each dead body will be hung on a tree.
Then all of a sudden comes two of those sinners who were punished for throwing
away all their goods and destroying their lives, while getting torn apart by
vicious dogs.
SINS/SINNERS
This canto consists of sinners who commit suicide and were
violent against themselves or their possessions. They are the Sinners and
Squanderers. Of these sinners is one we meet in Canto XII who killed
himself because of rumors that were started about him. His name was Pier
delle Vigne. Other sinners that were mentioned were two men who destroyed
their lives and threw away their own goods.
PUNISHMENT/CONTRAPASSO
The punishment for these sinners was that they were turned
into poisonous thorns and twigs and once someone breaks the twigs, they feel
the pain of their bodies breaking as well. This punishment is to teach them a
lesson for what they did to themselves. It was very selfish and God would not
condemn it. This is Contrapasso because what they did to themselves on Earth
reflects their punishment in Hell.
CHARACTER LIST
Virgilà
He is Dante’s favorite poet and Dante makes him his guide because he looks up
to him and he has experience with the levels of Hells.
Danteà
Dante is the author of the whole story. He places himself in his own story
because he is the one taking the journey through Hell.
Pier delle Vigneà
He was an advisor to Emperor Frederick; Dante mentions him in this specific
level because he demonstrated the sin of that level (suicide).
The Bush (soul)à
This soul tells Dante about how Florence is suffering from the new patron, St.
John the Baptist. Dante puts him in this level because it shows how the souls
in Hell can tell the future.
HIGHER ORDER ?’S
- Why do you think Virgil tells Pier to tell Dante his story?
- Why do you think the bush-soul told Dante about the suffering of Florentine?
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What
circle of Hell are Dante and Virgil located in during this Canto?
A.
Fifth B. Seventh C. Sixth
- What does the Centaur lead Dante and Virgil to in the very beginning?
A. a
forest B. a cave C. a house
- What does Virgil tell Dante to do with the twig?
A. eat
it B. play fetch with
it C. break it
- What happens to the twig once he breaks it?
A.
blood drips out of it B.
someone cries out with pain
C. both a & b
- What is the name of the voice who cries out once Dante breaks him?
A.
Jacomo da Sant’Andrea B.
Pier delle Vigne C. St.
John the Baptist
- What are the sinners called?
A.
Suicides and Squanderers B.
Avaricious and Prodigal C.
Wrathful
- What are Harpies?
A.
centaurs B. half women,
half bird C. half man, half
cow
- What kind of animals eat Jacomo da Sant’ Andrea?
A.
vicious dogs B. bats C. snakes
- Who is the new patron in Florence?
A.
Mars B. a Roman God C. St. John the Baptist
- At the end of the canto what did the bush-soul say he did to himself?
A.
killed himself B. hung
himself C. both a &
b
No comments:
Post a Comment