Daniel Scott Sonia Fanucchi

2388339 Dante’s Inferno: Pity and Piety

Canto 26

ESSAY COVER SHEET

COURSE CODE: ENGL 2008A

NAME: Daniel Scott

STUDENT NO: 2388339
GROUP NO: Pity and Piety in Dante’s inferno
TUTOR : Sonia Fanucchi
DUE DATE: 16/04/2021

PLAGIARISM DECLARATION

I Daniel Scott
am a student registered for ENGL2008A
in Year 2 (year).

I hereby declare the following:

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permission and/or without acknowledging the original source) is wrong.

 I confirm that the work submitted for assessment for the above course is my own
unaided work except where I have explicitly indicated otherwise.

 I have followed the required conventions in referencing the thoughts and ideas of
others.

 I understand that the University of the Witwatersrand may take disciplinary

action against me if there is a belief that this is not my own unaided work or that
I have failed to acknowledge the source of the ideas or words in my writing.

Signature: __________________________________

Date: ______16/04/2021________________

Canto XXVI
Daniel Scott Sonia Fanucchi
2388339 Dante’s Inferno: Pity and Piety
Canto 26

1. Dante and Virgil arrive upon the flames of the “eighth crevasse” (Line 31), which
marks the boundary of the eighth circle of hell. This circle punishes those of fraud,
like Ulysses and betrayal like Achilles. Danto solidifies the image through Virgil
where “each flame conceals a sinner” (Line 42), the use of fire in this Canto embodies
the payment for sin. Firstly, Ulysses and Diomed embody fraud as they “mourn the
stratagem of the horse that made a gateway” (Line 58-59). This is reference to Trojan
horse and perceived by Dante as the pinnacle of fraud, the ultimate scheme of Ulysses
and Diomed against the kingdom of Rome. This is used to signify the act of
portraying one version to yourself, but concealing your true intent, like the horse seen
as a gift but a deadly perverse nature on the inside. Ulysses and Diomed are “paired in
God’s revenge” (Line 56-57) as they are the Greek soldiers that are the embodiment
of betrayal against a nation. Their payment as described by Dante is to stand within
this flame and “find torment” (Line 47). Secondly, betrayal is then personified
through the mention of Achilles, who abandons the king’s daughter, “Deidamia”
(Line 62). The crux of abandonment is that Achilles abandons his wife for war and
leaves behind his duties as a husband and father. This highlights the betrayal but also
portrays the idea of concealment of true intent and how this is what transgresses the
souls and their sin. In conclusion, Dante portrays the retribution in Canto 26 through
the use of fire, that each soul “is wrapped in that in which he burns” (Line 48). Dante
uses fire to highlight the ultimate pain through the everlasting pestilence of burning to
remind them of betrayal. In addition, Dante depicts the biblical proportions of fire
through “Elijah’s chariot” (Line 35) that takes flight and heightens the severity of the
flame that holds these sinners back. Dante uses these examples of people, to represent
the betrayal and fraud they have committed however their mortal acknowledgment by
Dante to express how their lived life causes consequence in the afterlife. Their
payment for their mortal desires of war, desire and passion causes them to transgress
on their responsibilities in life and that is what subjects them to fire.

2. As Dante moves through the valley of the eighth circle, there is a continuous
evolution of fire that highlights each soul’s perverse nature. Firstly, from a distance
each councillor is seen as “fireflies that glimmer in the valley” (Line 29), this is where
the presence of fire begins, however the perception of insects creates a moderate
image of the sinners in this circle. However, the image of a winged insect creates a
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2388339 Dante’s Inferno: Pity and Piety
Canto 26

warped perception of an angel, that is used by Dante to draw significance of their

presence as well as contribute to the image of perverseness as the reader moves
deeper into hell. Secondly, the bottom of this valley is ever “aglow” (Line 32), this
contributes to the magnitude of the sinners in this circle but allows Dante to portray
how the “flame moves along the gullet” (Line 40). The councillor’s movement is
important as it is parallel to the pilgrimage of Dante. This allows Dante to depict the
concealment of each sinner in a flame but also to emphasise their importance as each
one is subject to one flame. In conclusion, these differences are seen in the fire that
they are held in compared to how other circles, like holding people in mud. Fire in
this Canto amplifies their sin but also the councillor’s importance to Dante’s growth,
like the story of Ulysses.

3. A) The depiction of Virgil and Ulysses show significant difference in the way they
assist Dante through the journey he is on. Virgil “teacher” (Canto 1, 85) to Dante is
compared to Ulysses who falls in “God’s revenge” (Canto 26, 57) and “earned his
wrath” (Line 57). Firstly, Dante highlights the origin in which each soul stands, Virgil
“who lived at Rome” (Canto 1, 71) whereas Ulysses is one of the “Greeks” (Canto 26,
74), this acknowledgement of origin is what creates the negative attitude by Virgil
towards Ulysses, where “they might disdain your words” (Line 75). By doing this
Alighieri is able to suddenly introduce historical feuds of war and lineage in the
presence of the characters. This allows the reader to perceive the marked difference
between the two counselors in hell. Secondly, Ulysses is embellished in freedom and
flight, that harkens on the unbound nature in his spirit, where his ship “turned our oars
to wings” (Line 125), that embodies the flight of the soul. Compared to Virgil who is
first introduced to Dante as the “fountainhead” (Canto 1, 79) that encapsulates the
nature of Virgil. To the reader Alighieri portrays the stability of Virgil but further
amplifies the uncertainty of Ulysses and his word, where his “twin-forked flame”
(Canto 26, 68) represents Ulysses as the snake like entity of hell. Lastly in the
testimonies to Dante, Virgil is a “poet: (Canto 1, 73) which is a comment that allows
him to be more strategic in reflecting on himself, Virgil admits to living “in an age of
false and lying gods” (Line 72) and has no worry in admitting sin in order to be a
guide for Dante. Compared to Ulysses who hyperbolized his language to pass blame
onto another for his transgressions, which is seen in the language of trying to “learn
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2388339 Dante’s Inferno: Pity and Piety
Canto 26

about man's vices” (Canto 26, 99) but forgets he becomes an embodiment of this. In
addition, Ulysses states that “not” (Line 94) family “nor” (Line 94) love could hold
him back from pursuing this journey of individual freedom. This immediate negative
attitude created by Ulysses is what removes him from reaching true enlightenment.
This testimony is used by Dante to further justify the need for Ulysses to be placed in
this damned position. In conclusion, both Virgil and Ulysses represent different fields
of sin. Virgil represents acceptance and reality in his attitude towards repayment for
his sin and retribution. However, Ulysses attempts to warp his own involvement in his
sin, where he desires to be free from responsibility. The consumer of true nature is
signified in Ulysses testimony as he tries to create an impression of his sin being a
result of others.

B) Dante does not place Ulysses in Limbo as there was no act of heavenly betrayal
just of mortal sin. Limbo is a space reserved first those that deny Christ but do not act
on sin and Ulysses acts on the sin he commits. Firstly, Ulysses aims to “pursue virtue
and knowledge” (Line 120) without accepting the responsibility of family, like the
love he “owed Penelope” (Line 95-96). Ulysses acts on his own personal desires and
loathes in “following the sun” (Line 117) and going to where “no one lives” (Line
117), highlights his true need in life. this is used by Dante to portray Ulysses mortal
sin. As Ulysses embraces the world but neglects the “tenderness for a son” (Line 94)
and ignores his filial duty” (Line 94) in this world. To the reader Dante comments on
the sins of Ulysses, where he commits is personal and only tied to mortality. Dante
uses Ulysses as a tool to incriminate himself in why he belongs in the 8th circle as
Ulysses himself testifies to his adornment in going further. This is different to Limbo
as it is for the in between people who are stuck between being faithful but also being
sinful this is where they feel their grief. However, Ulysses faces his retribution in the
8th circle because his “flame conceals” (Line 42) the sin he commits.

4. The rhetoric of Ulysses is what allows him to control the perception of what the
readers and Dante have on his soul. Virgil highlights the “tongue of fire that spoke”
(Line 89), which is what allows the reader to perceive the sly but comforting voice he
speaks. Firstly, this is seen in the relationship between the crew and Ulysses, there is
significance in the bond between the “small band of shipmates who had not deserted”
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2388339 Dante’s Inferno: Pity and Piety
Canto 26

(Line 102) Ulysses. This is done to create the sense camaraderie in what Ulysses is
trying to say. To the reader, Ulysses seeks a collective sense of justification for what
he does as he is supported by this crew. Alighieri highlights this collective and
Ulysses “fervor” (Line 97) to “gain experience of the world” (Line 98). This
embellishment of language attempts to shift the dynamic of interpretating the sin, this
language directs the negativity away from Ulysses but portrays the light of his
thinking. In addition, the reverse of attitudes is amplified by the presentation of pain
that the journey took Ulysses and their crew, who “grown old and slow” (Line 106)
and warnings that “all men to go no farther” (Line 109) on their journey. The
language used aims to covert people into feeling pity for Ulysses as it directs the
contemporary reader and Dante to believe that Ulysses is in anguish after acting on
the sin of personal desire. Secondly, Ulysses language creates the impression of
something wider and pleasant being at the end of their journey yet something forbode
them of going further. As Ulysses and the crew “do not deny” (Line 116) themselves
the “chance to know – following the sun” (Line 116 – 117). Alighieri uses Ulysses to
depict the constraints of societal pressures on the crew and himself and Ulysses tries
to change how the reader and Dante must perceive Ulysses in this circle. Moreover,
the idea that they are not “made to live like brutes or beasts” (Line 119) is what
creates the idea of an oppressive force placed upon their souls, where they are not
allowed to live as that is seen as sinful. To the reader and Dante, Alighieri portrays a
multifaceted consequence of retribution, where mortal perception cannot influence
what truly must be paid. Ulysses is used as a tool to polish his own soul and try to
receive pity, although he is still damned in the eighth circle. In conclusion, Ulysses
rhetoric in his testimony to grasp at moral emotion in order to relieve his identity and
sin in the eyes of Dante and the readers.
Daniel Scott Sonia Fanucchi
2388339 Dante’s Inferno: Pity and Piety
Canto 26

Works cited

Alighieri, Dante. The Inferno. Trans. Robert Hollander & Jean Hollander. New York: Anchor
Books, 2000.