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What Role Do Idols Play In Dante's Inferno

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Since the first fall of Adam and Eve the human race has been afflicted with sin. And this sin came from idolizing knowledge in an apple. An idol is always the root and the cause of sin. Idols are anything that gets in the way of our journey towards heaven and our praise of God. For this reason God made the first of his commandments against idolatry. So it would make sense that those most affected by their idols would be in hell. Dante stresses the effect of these idols strongly in his Inferno. The most obvious example of an idol playing a major role in the fall of sinners is that of money. Money is the idol of the avarice and prodigal. Avarice men are to focused on saving their money rather than their spiritual life. Likewise the prodigal man will spend his money and praise it as the only reason for his existence. Both cases make money a god rather than God himself. Dante explains that “behold the transient farce Of goods that are committed unto Fortune, For which the human race each other buffet”(Inferno 7:62-63). This corresponds with the punishment that the …show more content…

The lustful idol love, but not the love of God only the love of man.They worship others humans for their bodies and love, yet are never truly satisfied. Dante talks to the lustful who tell him “Love, that exempts no one beloved from loving, Seized me with pleasure of this man so strongly, That, as thou seest, it doth not yet desert me; Love has conducted us unto one death;”(Inferno 5:101-104). As this quote explains love can seize anyone, not let go and drag them to hell. These and many more examples of idols are frequent in Dante’s Inferno. This gives a lesson to the human race that all should listen to. Idols are what lead to sin, which leads to hell. After reading the Inferno every man should drop their idols, in fear of hell. God should be the only one worshiped and if this is followed then the human race will live with God eternally in

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