Emma Pospisil

Miss Skirtich
19 March 2018
English 10: World Literature
The Family Essence of Dante and Virgil

People often wonder what Hell is like. Well, Dante the traveler gets that experience by
being a human in hell. Dante could not get through Hell alone. Everyone has that person in his or
her life that acts like a father figure or role model that he or she can look up to and guide through
hard times. In The Inferno Virgil acts as Dante's guide and father figure though his journey
through hell. Dante Alighieri portrays Virgil as a father figure to Dante in "Inferno" by his
righteous anger, acting as a protector, and showing pride.
Dante Alighieri portrays Virgil as a father figure to Dante in "Inferno" by his righteous
anger. One instance where Virgil played the role of the father figure is when Dante and Virgil
journey through the Woods of the Suicides and Dante encounters the sinners. The punishment for
these sinners are that they are turned into trees. Dante breaks one of the branches and the sinner
says, "Why do you tear me, is there no pity left in your soul?" (Alighieri 103). Dante tries to
learn as much as he can about the sinners and he asks Virgil how to get them to share their
stories. Virgil says to Dante, "If you break off a twig, what will you learn will drive what you are
thinking from your head” (Alighieri 103). Virgil is helping Dante learn as much as he can about
the sinners and Dante obeyed him. Dante feels bad for what he did, we know this because he
says, "O wounded soul, could he have believed before what he has seen in my verses only, you
would yet be whole//I urged him on to do what grieves me now" (Alighieri 103). Another
example of Virgil acting like a father figure is in Canto 20 when Dante and Virgil encounter the
Fortune tellers. Virgil says, "Who is more arrogant within his soul, who is more impious than one
who dares to sorrow God's judgement" (Alighieri 161). Dante feels pity towards these sinners
because of their punishment shown here as their Law of Retribution, the sinners' heads are turned
to the pack of them and they cry tears down their butt Dante feels like it is not fair to these
sinners. These examples clearly demonstrate how Virgil uses righteous anger.
Additionally, Dante Alighieri portrays Virgil as a father figure to Dante in "Inferno" by
his acting as a protector. In canto 9, Virgil and Dante encounter the three furies in the circle of
the Heretics. The Three Furies looked at Dante and said, "Call Medusa that we made change him
to stone! Too lightly we let Theseus go free (Alighieri 69). Virgil tells Dante, "turn your back and
keep your eyes shut tight; for should the Gordon come, and you look at her, never again will you
see the light" (Alighieri 69). The Furies threatened to call Medusa to turn Dante to stone and kill
him, but Virgil protects Dante's eyes from Medusa and brings him to safety once again. Another
example in the text of when Virgil protects Dante is in canto 17 when they mounted Geryon to
get to the next circle in Hell. Virgil tells Dante, "I will ride between you and the tail for you will
be poisoned by it" (Alighieri 137). Geryon is the prototype for fraud. His face is of an honest old
man and the body of a reptile. If Dante were to touch his tail, he would die. These examples
clearly demonstrate Virgil acting as a protector
Moreover, Dante Alighieri portrays Virgil as a father figure to Dante in "Inferno" by
showing pride. In the text in canto 29, the Simonists, Virgil shows a sense of pride in Dante by
saying, "He approached, and with both arms he lifted me, and when he had gathered me against
his breast, remounted the rocky path out of the valley" (Alighieri 156). Dante feels like he could
not continue this journey, but he got back up after Virgil encouraged him to keep going. Virgil
was very proud of Dante and embraced him. Another example of Virgil acting as a father figure
is when Dante and Virgil meet Filippo Argenti, "Down, down with the other dogs. Then he
embraced me saying, "Indignant spirit, I kiss you as frown" (Alighieri 61). Virgil and Dante are
in the Styx river and Virgil pushes the sinner back down in the river. Virgil feels no remorse for
the unrepentant sinners because he believes they deserve the punishment they receive Virgil is
proud of Dante for rejecting the sinner. These two examples clearly state Virgil showing pride in
the unrepentant sinners because he believes they deserve the punishment they receive Virgil is
proud of Dante for rejecting the sinner. These two examples clearly state Virgil showing pride in
Dante.
In Conclusion, Dante Alighieri portrays Virgil as a father figure to Dante in "Inferno" by
his righteous anger, acting as a protector and showing pride. Virgil helped Dante though hell and
encouraged him when he needed it. Virgil also became angry and scolded him when he felt it
was needed, but most importantly he protected him. Readers can learn characteristics of a
responsible and loving father figure through Virgil's model.