Justice In Dante's Inferno

“The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis preserve their neutrality” (Dante’s Inferno). Dante Alighieri was an Italian writer born in Florence. He made a huge impact between the late 1200’s and early 1300’s in Florence by his political views, ideology and writing style. In 1301 he was exiled out of Florence and from this he created his masterpiece, The Divine Comedy which houses Dante’s Inferno. Upon reading selections of Dante's Inferno (Cantos: one, three, five, and thirty-four) one cannot help but see that vast amount of allusion made by this world renown author. Specifically, Dante alludes to: Aeneas in Canto One, Pope Celestine V in Canto Three, Cleopatra in Canto Five, and Judas Iscariot in Canto Thirty-Four. Each of these hold a deep, underlying meaning that the normal “Joe” could not understand without a more in depth dissection of his text. When starting to read the first Canto, Dante first alludes to Aeneas. Dante is wandering through The Dark Wood of Error and is met by these impassable beasts. In terror Dante turns back and continue to walk back the way he came and, this is where Dante meets his guide through the depths of hell (Virgil). Dante runs into this being and calls out to this unknown figure and in response Virgil says, “I was born, though late, sub Julio, and

So many people could understand Dante’s writing because of the allusion he made to Aeneas, Pope Celestine V, Cleopatra, and Judas Iscariot. The people reading this during his time could relate and understand all of the allusions that Dante made. Dante chose to allude to people that showed specific qualities within each Canto and for that reason Dante's work is not a one hit wonder; it is a legendary piece of literature that is still relevant and well known