ipl-logo

Three Beasts In Dante's Inferno

1057 Words5 Pages

In the very beginning of Dante’s story, he is walking through the middle journey of his life, in a dark forest. While Dante is wandering around, seeking a way out, he comes across three beasts: a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf. These three beasts each have their own purpose and meaning as to why they cross paths with Dante just before his travels. The leopard represents lust, the lion pride, and the she-wolf avarice or greed. They represent different types of sin, almost foreshadowing or giving Dante a taste of what is to come. Sin is still commonly talked about in churches yet it seems that a large majority of the world has begun to turn away from religion and thus turn away from acknowledging sin. The she-wolf could commonly be seen as the …show more content…

Virgil is all of the noble virtues of the perfect Roman and represents wisdom and reason to aid Dante. He may act differently during the different areas through hell, but most importantly, he is protective of Dante, reminding him multiple times not to be sympathetic of the damned souls. He is both a tour guide to all of the details of hell and a tour guide to help Dante understand himself. Virgil’s symbolic job is to represent God’s decisions and views on justice through the multiple scoldings to Dante about not pitying those deserving to be punished. Virgil really is one of the most important characters of the book and has a lot to add to Dante’s points on God and His …show more content…

Machiavelli generally believes that laws are good when followed naturally from a good military. He even states that war is necessary and is generally the cause of states that are well-formed and successful. Throughout the book, the idea of a good war is created along with how to fortify cities, treat newly found humans in new territories, and to prevent problems with domestic politics. He also believes that more than just the military is needed throughout a war. International diplomacy, geography, history, and tactical strategy are all described by the author. One example Machiavelli uses is Italy, who was put through power struggles for many years. The ideas Machiavelli demonstrates really are interesting while showing his own character at the same

Show More
Related

  • Machiavelli The Prince Violence Quotes

    267 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the book, “The Prince” by Niccolo Machiavelli, he talks about how to maintain and capture a state. He also describes that you should encourage violence in your government in order to succeed. Machiavelli’s reasoning in Chapter 5 is that violence is the more efficient and effective way to conquer countries because its gets the job done easier and puts fear in the people eyes. For example, Machiavelli writes, … “in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them.” This quote goes back to his reasoning that in order to achieve your goal, you have to destroy whatever stands in its way.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Pizan And Machiavelli The Prince

    1056 Words  | 5 Pages

    Then for Machiavelli he talks about how a prince should show no fear instead for him to show that he is the one with power. That a prince's people should fear him. Both authors go on to talk on how their people react based on the prince and princesse act. The authors then go on to explain how they should view and run their people. Both authors also reflect the fact that the way their people are going to act towards them is mainly based off of how they treat them.

    Read More

  • Thomas Jefferson And Niccolo Machiavelli's The Morals Of The Prince

    762 Words  | 4 Pages

    Machiavelli argues the perfect prince will be both feared and loved by his people, and if unable to be both he will make himself feared and not hated. Machiavelli believes it is much safer to be feared than to be loved because people are less likely to offend and stand up against strong characters, also people are less concerned in offending a prince who has made himself loved. Accordingly, Machiavelli believes generosity is harmful to your reputation and the choice between being generous or stingy, merciful or cruel, honest or deceitful, should only be important if it aids the prince in political power. All in all, Machiavelli believes the ruler must be a great deceiver and do what is essential to uphold power over the

    Read More

  • Dante The Pilgrim Analysis

    982 Words  | 4 Pages

    In The Comedy, Dante the Pilgrim develops a relationship with his damned idol, Virgil, in order to journey through both Inferno and Purgatory. Even though Virgil was a good man while living, he lacked understanding of certain virtues, like pride, which prevented him from being able to reach higher levels in the afterlife. Dante the Poet’s choice to damn Virgil conveys that obeying a higher order is the way to one’s salvation. The developing relationship between Virgil and Dante the Pilgrim throughout the first two canticles brings light to the opposing separation between the two characters because of the devotion Dante has to Christian virtues in comparison to Virgil’s pagan misunderstanding of virtue. While Dante the Pilgrim experiences many

    Read More

  • First Global Age Analysis

    716 Words  | 3 Pages

    The main point made by Machiavelli was that men are inherently bad, so a leader must rule in a way that takes this into account. He taught that because of man’s ungratefulness, it is safer to be feared than loved (D-4). This shows that Machiavelli believed that the power and success of a country will lead to the prosperity of its inhabitants. Both influential people believed that a country prospers the most under absolute power.

    Read More

  • How Did John Locke Influence The American Constitution

    542 Words  | 3 Pages

    We find traces of his philosophy in modern politics by how people running for seats of power make many promises in their campaign and once the people elect them, they may fall short in accomplishing their promises. Where Machiavelli mentioned using cruelty, one can say this applied to the rise of Hitler’s reign by how he punished the Jew’s and other minorities all the while maintaining a merciful appearance for those who supported

    Read More

  • First Circle Of Hell In Dante's Inferno

    2078 Words  | 9 Pages

    In his travels, Dante is lead by the symbol of human reason, Virgil, who takes Dante to talk to sinners of each circle in Alighieri’s depiction of Hell. His bias is extremely evident towards three specific sinners in Hell.

    Read More

  • Qualities Of A Good Man In Machiavelli's The Prince

    1284 Words  | 6 Pages

    In Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, he maintains a harsh perspective on reality. His advice on how to maintain power leaves no room for compassion or generousity. While some may believe that these are qualities of a good person, Machiavelli believes these qualities lead to the downfall of rulers. He acknowledges that, in reality, it is impossible for someone to have qualities of a good person and simultaneously a good ruler. Machiavelli’s realistic outlook causes him to emphasize that it is better to maintain power through fear, rather than compassion.

    Read More

  • How Is Satan Portrayed In Dante's Inferno

    667 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Dante’s Inferno, he writes about his journey through hell for the purpose of recognizing his sins. He goes through this journey with Virgil, a voice of reason for Dante. Dante meets people through his journey of the many circles in the Inferno that lead him down into the center of hell, where Satan is. Satan is seen as being monster-like with three heads, representing a mocking of the Trinity and blowing his wings around the cocytus river. The final thing seen here is the fact that Dante’s description of Satan is a bit disappointing compared to the other descriptions he has written about the inferno.

    Read More

  • Erasmus Vs Machiavelli

    1034 Words  | 5 Pages

    Machiavelli has the most correct ideas on both controlling the people as a ruler and on being remembered as a great one. These two viewpoints had great influence during their time and for centuries to come, both with modern ideas and correct ideas even though they had a lot of contrast. Machiavelli’s The Prince may be thought of the more recognizable of the two in the present, but people in the present day have many of the same ideas that

    Read More

  • Dante's Inferno: Analysis Of The Divine Comedy

    1009 Words  | 5 Pages

    Granted, going through Hell is no walk in the park but within the first six cantos he has already passed out twice and has burst into tears too many times to count! Dante 's got heart. One of his best attributes is empathy but his guide Virgil helps toughen him up as they move along. In fact, Dante toughens up pretty quickly as he rages against Filippo , argues with Farinata , and rants at Pope Nicholas III. After each round of righteous indignation, Virgil claps Dante on the back and congratulates him for putting yet another sinner in his place.

    Read More

  • Dante's Inferno Research Paper

    1078 Words  | 5 Pages

    The year is 1302, Dante Alighieri is absent from his role as one of the six supreme magistrates. Prior to that he had an extremely successful political career who had no problem exerting his power. Dante considered himself “a moderate White, he found it necessary during the two-month term to join in banishing his brother-in-law, Corso Donati, and his "first friend," Guido Cavalcanti, as ringleaders respectively of the Blacks and Whites.” Blacks and Whites were faction groups who had ongoing fights in the streets of Florence. This is an extremely admirable trait of a great ruler and/or ruler, the ability to at any moment turn on friends or family in order to uphold the city or government.

    Read More

  • Allegory In Dante's Inferno

    741 Words  | 3 Pages

    Inferno explores the descent of mankind into sin. The work’s vast usage of imagery and symbols, a powerful allegory, and well known allusions highlight political issues whilst dealing with the nature of sin and the road to salvation. In Inferno, Dante is forced to take a journey through hell. With the help of Virgil, his personal tour guide, Dante sees the different kinds of sins, as well as their contrapasso, or

    Read More

  • Machiavelli: The Characteristics Of Being A Good Prince

    1526 Words  | 7 Pages

    This is a work that still influences us today and is still relevant in today’s complex society. Some of the most prominent leaders of the 20th century have been influenced by Machiavellian ideas. U.S Presidents like Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton and U.K Prime Minister Anthony Blair are called Machiavellian leaders today. According to Machiavelli a prince must focus all his serious time and energy to war and how to wage it (Machiavelli, 31).

    Read More

  • The Prince Reflection

    1021 Words  | 5 Pages

    In his novel, the prince, nicolo machiavelli guides us to be a fruitful ruler. He clarifies the best routes for any ruler or sovereign to govern a region, bring prosper to the society, and keep up their position. This book can be read by anyone to get a few pointers on political issues. Most of the thoughts held by machivelli were linked to mercilessness and evil, hence they raised a considerable number of eyebrows. He maintains that the ruler 's primary goal should be conquering, staying in control of the general public and to always have the idea of war in mind.

    Read More

More about Three Beasts In Dante's Inferno

Open Document