In the middle of the journey of his life, Dante finds himself himself in a "dark wood," he is speaking allegorically for lost in a dark wood, and he cannot find the straight path. any man who is not constantly conscious of the "right He cannot remember how he wandered away from his path." If every waking moment is not consciously devoted true path that he should be following, but he is in a fearful to morality, Man can find himself in a dark wood. place, impenetrable and wild. Throughout the poem, the classical poet Virgil stands for He looks up from this dismal valley and sees the sun human reason and human virtue, two admirable shining on the hilltop. After resting for a moment, he characteristics in themselves, but alone they are not begins to climb the hill towards the light, but he is enough to gain salvation. Through his poetry, his high suddenly confronted by a leopard, which blocks his way ethics and morals, and the mere fact that he, in and he turns to evade it. Then a hungry lion appears more his Aeneid, had already made a journey through Hell in fearful than the leopard, but a "she-wolf" comes forward the person of Aeneas, Virgil is the perfect guide for Dante. and drives Dante back down into the darkness of the Furthermore, Virgil's hoarseness is Dante's subtle way of valley. saying that the high morals and strict ethics of the poet Just as Dante begins to feel hopeless in his plight, a figure have not been fully appreciated in Dante's time — that is, approaches him. It has difficulty speaking, as though it he is not read as frequently as he should be. Likewise, he had not spoken for a long time. At first Dante is afraid, but has not spoken to a mortal since his death, and thus is then implores it for help, whether it be man or spirit. It unaccustomed to talking. And it is a common belief that a answered: "not a man now, but once I was." It is the shade spirit cannot speak to a human until that human first of Virgil, who wrote the Aeneid, and lived in the times of speaks to the spirit — a custom used by Hamlet in the "lying and false gods." approaching the ghost of his father. Dante hails Virgil as his master and the inspiration for all The three beasts have been so variously identified and poets. When Virgil hears how Dante was driven back by understood as representing so many qualities, it is the "she-wolf," he tells Dante that he must go another way sufficient, as noted in the introduction, to assume that they because the she-wolf snares and kills all things. However, are three obstacles to Dante's returning to the "straight Virgil prophesies that someday, a marvelous greyhound, path." whose food is wisdom, love, and courage, will come from This canto, which is the introduction to the entire Comedy, the nation between "Feltro and Feltro," and save Italy, sets the scene for the long journey of which the Inferno is chasing the she-wolf back to Hell. the first part. Virgil commands Dante to follow him and see the horrible sights of the damned in Hell, the hope of those doing Glossary penance in Purgatory, and if he so desires, the realm of True Way the way of God. the blessed in Paradise. Another guide will take him to this holy hour dawn. last realm, which Dante cannot (or may not) enter. Dante sweet season of commemoration Easter. readily agrees, and the two poets begin their long journey. shade the word Dante uses for spirits in Hell. Lombard a native or inhabitant of Lombardy. Analysis Mantuan from Mantua. This opening canto is an introduction to the entire Divine sub Julio during the reign of Julius Caesar. Comedy.This is made clear in the closing lines, when Augustus (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus) 63 b.c.-14 Virgil tells Dante that he can guide him only so far towards a.d.; first Roman emperor (27 b.c.-14 a.d.); grandnephew Paradise, and then another guide will have to take over of Julius Caesar. because Virgil, being born before the birth of Jesus Christ, Troy ancient Phrygian city in Troas, NW Asia Minor; cannot ever be admitted to the "Blessed Realms." scene of the Trojan War. The opening lines suggest first a realistic journey through the second death a soul's damnation. a strange and eerie place, but after the first tercet (three King of Time Christ. lines), it is apparent that everything will be in terms of an Peter's Gate here, the gate to Purgatory. allegory. It is a story of Dante's journey through life to salvation. It begins when Dante is halfway through his life — 35 years old, half of the biblical three score and ten — and he has lost his way. When Dante speaks of having strayed from the right path, the reader should not assume that Dante has committed any specific sin or crime. Throughout the poem, Dante is advocating a strict adherence to medieval Catholic theology: Man must consciously strive for righteousness and morality. In its simplest terms, Man can often become so involved with the day-to-day affairs of simply living that he will gradually relapse into a sort of lethargy in which he strays from the very strict paths of morality. For Dante, Man must always be aware intellectually of his own need to perform the righteous act. Therefore, Sin is