Geography In Dante's Inferno

Geography in a book is a major component on how successful the story is. By implementing geography, the author makes the story feel authentic. History and mood can also be tied to geography, such as Russia we know has very cold winters and that is why Napoleon did not conquer it, and a sunny day compared to a rainy stormy night has two completely different moods. The River of Styx plays a major role in both Greek Mythology and Dante. In Greek Mythology, the River of Styx is located in hell, having been the place where many deities have sworn oaths. Along with that, it has magical powers to make one invulnerable when dipped in the river itself, Achilles to name one. Dante uses the river in the same concept, but changed it up a little. Usually

He is a centaur, son of the titan god, Cronus, and the nymph Philyra. Unlike all of the centaurs, Chiron’s front legs were human legs, showing his superiority amongst his compatriots. However, Chiron is known for nurturing many Greek heroes and legends such as Ajax, Achilles, Theseus, Jason, Perseus, Hercules, and Prometheus. In Dante’s Inferno, Chiron is relegated to be a guardian of hell, no longer mentoring young demigods in the real world. However, his demotion does not hinder his wisdom nor his abilities. When Dante and Virgil approached him in hell, he was leading his centaurs, shooting arrows of fire towards the souls that were trying to escape. During their journey, the searched for and only wanted to speak to Chiron, showing his power and superiority to all others in hell. He symbolizes somewhat of a God like figure in Dante, especially when he was in awe when first meeting him. Dante somewhat places himself in the shoe of those demigods that were nurtured by Chiron, putting him in the same pedestal as those such as Achilles. Though Dante plays with the story of Chiron in his book, he symbolizes a big part of hell, by being the enforcer and the symbol of wisdom down