Journeying Through Circle 3

When looking at Dante in the Inferno, one can see how he is on a parallel journey
through Hell. Now a parallel journey is defined by undergoing two separate journeys
during the same period of time. Dante embarks on a journey that takes him physically
down through Hell, but at the same time it is a journey of moral redemption. In Circle 3,
Dante shows pity for the ravenous gluttons that once consumed everything in their lives
on Earth. He speaks to Ciacco, showing nothing but empathy for a man nicknamed “hog”
for his gluttony. What Dante still hasn’t learned is that the souls are in Hell for a reason,
which means he shouldn’t be mourning the souls of the unredeemable. In this circle, he is
still very early in his journey towards morally redeeming himself, since he is
coincidentally only a third of the way through Hell’s layers. Dante was pulled away from
his thoughts of suicide to journey through Hell, in hopes a powerful lesson would redirect
him from his sinful actions in life. I believe that Dante still cares more about the suffering
souls than his own potential future in Hell because Virgil has not yet shown Dante the
level that he would be placed for taking his own life. I also think that this powerful
connection would be the only thing to make Dante to completely reform his lifestyle.
While people should look to save the broken or misguided, they should also make sure
their intentions aren’t in vain, and with every tear Dante shed, in hopes to somehow help
ease their pain, he draws himself further from the realization that he needs to be saved
first.

When looking at the big picture (meaning the whole Inferno), Dante is clearly
early on in his journey. This timeline shows Dante’s mindset after entering through the
gates, and the physical and moral steps towards redemption:

Virgil rescues
Dante, who is Passing through
Limbo, Dante Despite Circle 2 having
in a distraught, a very mild punishment,
hopeless, and encounters and
shows remorse for Dante shows grief for
self-pitying Francesca and Paolo,
state in the the people lacking
baptism, who dwell two lovers who are
woods. swirling in a torrent that
in eternal sadness.
separates them eternally.

Circle 3, the first serious punishment, shows Dante

how gluttony is repaid in Hell. Though Virgil tells
him not to pity these souls, he still is overwhelmed
by their eternal suffering in filth and pain caused
by Cerberus.

So as you can see, Dante is still in the same state of mind that he was in before he entered
Hell. The only thing Dante can comprehend right now is that many of the people society,
including him, idolized are now suffering in Hell. This included Achilles (proud
Mycenaean champion), many inspiring poets and philosophers, and even clergy members
thought to be drenched in the Holy Spirit. Dante finds himself coming to terms with the
realization that not only is there a Hell for many, but the world he knew has changed in
his perspective.

Comparing Dante’s journey through Hell, Paradiso, and Purgatory can seem like a
very daunting task to accomplish. Even just the Inferno, the eternal realm of punishment
and harboring the world’s vilest souls, can challenge one’s mind. However, many stories
can be compared to Dante’s Inferno. For example, Dante starts off the journey in a dark
wood, contemplating thoughts of suicide and feeling rejected by the world. At the start of
Beowulf’s adventure on Danish soil, he concerns himself with finding Grendel, so that he
may defeat him in pitched combat and further his glory. While these two things seem
completely unrelated, both Dante and Beowulf share one trait similarity at the start of
their journey: they only are concerned with themselves, hindering their development to
moral redemption. Another comparison is between Dante and Alex Rider, who is a 16
year old boy forced to work in MI6 after his grandfather’s death. The author of the Alex
Rider series, Anthony Horowitz, may have a different adventure for Alex in each book,
but he does an interesting job of developing his character. When Alex first enters MI6,
almost by force, he feels scared, unequipped, and gripped with overwhelming dread and
doubt. As he undergoes training and a few missions, he finds himself well accustomed to
MI6. However, being this comfortable with MI6 causes Alex to change again, and he
makes the mature decision to try and leave MI6. This choice might seem strange to any
thrill seeking teenager, but Alex realized that he was just that: a teenager, who was
missing out on life due to a life that he never wanted. Dante’s realization by the end of
the Inferno is that he needs to change, but he couldn’t change by himself. That’s why
Virgil and Beatrice guided him through Hell and Heaven, so they could make the change
for him. Dante’s journey seems unimaginable to undergo, but if you dig deep enough,
you too may find your own journey towards moral redemption.