Since It Came to Good: The Since It Came to Good: The Dark Wood of ErrorDark Wood of Error

FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

15 November 201115 November 2011

Cantos 1 and II: Data FileCantos 1 and II: Data File

• Settings: The Dark Wood, the True Way, Settings: The Dark Wood, the True Way, Mount JoyMount Joy

• Figures: The Leopard, Lion, and She-Wolf Figures: The Leopard, Lion, and She-Wolf (Three Beasts); Virgil; Beatrice(Three Beasts); Virgil; Beatrice

• Allusions: The Greyhound, Allusions: The Greyhound, The Aeneid, The Aeneid, Three Blessed Women, Aeneas, and PaulThree Blessed Women, Aeneas, and Paul

• What Happens: Dante tries to move What Happens: Dante tries to move beyond confusion, but is defeated by his beyond confusion, but is defeated by his sins. Divine intervention sends him on a sins. Divine intervention sends him on a different course after some convincing.different course after some convincing.

Lost in the WoodLost in the Wood

• At this point, Dante is thirty-five, suffering At this point, Dante is thirty-five, suffering from a literal midlife crisisfrom a literal midlife crisis

• It’s not clear whether he’s lost his morals, It’s not clear whether he’s lost his morals, or whether his confusion also lies in his or whether his confusion also lies in his exile from Florenceexile from Florence

• Raffa says the source of his disorientation Raffa says the source of his disorientation could be “spiritual, physical, could be “spiritual, physical, psychological, moral, political – [it’s] psychological, moral, political – [it’s] difficult to determine at this point” difficult to determine at this point”

• In any case, his life isn’t unfolding the In any case, his life isn’t unfolding the way he thought it wouldway he thought it would

The True WayThe True Way

• For Dante, this refers to the correct For Dante, this refers to the correct method of living one’s life in method of living one’s life in accordance with divine principlesaccordance with divine principles

• One who adheres to the True Way One who adheres to the True Way eventually earns rewards, both in eventually earns rewards, both in the present and in the afterlifethe present and in the afterlife

• In medieval thought, abandonment In medieval thought, abandonment of the "straight way" usually of the "straight way" usually symbolized alienation from Godsymbolized alienation from God

The Dark Wood IThe Dark Wood I

• The opposite of the True Way, the Dark The opposite of the True Way, the Dark Wood represents the muddled confusion Wood represents the muddled confusion that all too many people experience as that all too many people experience as they go through lifethey go through life

• Sometimes things don’t go as expected, Sometimes things don’t go as expected, and our views shift without our noticing and our views shift without our noticing (Kierkegaard?)(Kierkegaard?)

• In other instances, we make sacrifices and In other instances, we make sacrifices and compromises so frequently, and prioritize compromises so frequently, and prioritize so infrequently, that we lose sight of our so infrequently, that we lose sight of our larger purposelarger purpose

The Dark Wood IIThe Dark Wood II

• In still other cases, we never bother to In still other cases, we never bother to formulate or identify that larger purposeformulate or identify that larger purpose

• Some simply hope they’ll be fine as long Some simply hope they’ll be fine as long as they just keep on keeping on. Others as they just keep on keeping on. Others remain crippled by fear, reasoning that remain crippled by fear, reasoning that the man who never plans or dreams can’t the man who never plans or dreams can’t have any of those dreams crushed have any of those dreams crushed

• And others simply don’t care, wandering And others simply don’t care, wandering through life under a cloak of apathy, through life under a cloak of apathy, destined to die without ever having liveddestined to die without ever having lived

The Dark Wood IIIThe Dark Wood III

• The Dark Wood is different for everyone The Dark Wood is different for everyone because different factors cause because different factors cause individuals to wander astray individuals to wander astray

• But the default condition of human beings But the default condition of human beings seems to be one that encourages us to seems to be one that encourages us to veer into that Wood, and to keep veer into that Wood, and to keep thrashing and crashing once we get therethrashing and crashing once we get there

• Even Dante, having finally recognized that Even Dante, having finally recognized that he’s lost his way, sets out to return to the he’s lost his way, sets out to return to the Wood once he encounters the Three Wood once he encounters the Three BeastsBeasts– After all, it’s easier to return to the misery of his After all, it’s easier to return to the misery of his

old ways than to keep forging aheadold ways than to keep forging ahead

Selva OscuraSelva Oscura• While it’s clear that the Wood symbolizes While it’s clear that the Wood symbolizes

confusion and loss, we ask ourselves: why confusion and loss, we ask ourselves: why a wood?a wood?– Raffa proposes that Virgil’s use of the forest as Raffa proposes that Virgil’s use of the forest as

the underworld’s entrance in the underworld’s entrance in The AeneidThe Aeneid inspires itinspires it

– There’s also a lot of medieval literary tradition There’s also a lot of medieval literary tradition to look at; knights were always getting lost in to look at; knights were always getting lost in forests in legendsforests in legends

– Augustine had linked sin to a “region of Augustine had linked sin to a “region of unlikeness” in his workunlikeness” in his work

– Dante’s also used the forest as a symbol for Dante’s also used the forest as a symbol for adolescent confusion in adolescent confusion in Il ConvivoIl Convivo

– Finally, there’s Plato’s idea of chaotic matter – Finally, there’s Plato’s idea of chaotic matter – unformed, unnamed, unknowable – which unformed, unnamed, unknowable – which Dante’s readers would have recognizedDante’s readers would have recognized

The Mount of JoyThe Mount of Joy

• When Dante tries returning to his When Dante tries returning to his True Way, he sees a little hill with True Way, he sees a little hill with sunlight shining on it and, overjoyed sunlight shining on it and, overjoyed by the sight, rushes forwardby the sight, rushes forward

• Mount Joy symbolizes salvation for Mount Joy symbolizes salvation for DanteDante– It represents the pinnacle of human It represents the pinnacle of human

existence, and the final destination of a existence, and the final destination of a life well-livedlife well-lived

The Mount of Joy IIThe Mount of Joy II

• Dante also uses the path as a Dante also uses the path as a counterexample to the degeneration counterexample to the degeneration of his cityof his city

• To leave the path and lose one’s way To leave the path and lose one’s way is to waste the divine gift, and to is to waste the divine gift, and to live a meaningless life in the processlive a meaningless life in the process

• Here, as in many other places, Here, as in many other places, Dante’s symbols stand for multiple Dante’s symbols stand for multiple antecedentsantecedents

The Three BeastsThe Three Beasts

• Dante encounters three animals Dante encounters three animals while attempting to climb the Mount while attempting to climb the Mount of Joyof Joy

• Each animal personifies some moral Each animal personifies some moral weakness that prevents people from weakness that prevents people from reaching their full potentialreaching their full potential

The LeopardThe Leopard

• It’s the first Beast Dante encounters on It’s the first Beast Dante encounters on the True Way, and its associated sins are the True Way, and its associated sins are the last ones he “recognizes” on his the last ones he “recognizes” on his journey through Helljourney through Hell

• In some texts, the Leopard represents In some texts, the Leopard represents Avarice and Immoderate Desire; in Ciardi’s Avarice and Immoderate Desire; in Ciardi’s translation, it represents Fraud / translation, it represents Fraud / Betrayal / MaliceBetrayal / Malice

This refers to man’s tendency to allow This refers to man’s tendency to allow passion, negativity and dishonesty to passion, negativity and dishonesty to corrupt him over the yearscorrupt him over the years

The Leopard IIThe Leopard II• The choice of the Leopard here is probably The choice of the Leopard here is probably

inspired by the Bible’s Jeremiah 5:6: inspired by the Bible’s Jeremiah 5:6: “Wherefore a lion out of the wood hath slain “Wherefore a lion out of the wood hath slain them, a wolf in the evening hath spoiled them, them, a wolf in the evening hath spoiled them, a leopard watcheth for their cities: every one a leopard watcheth for their cities: every one that shall go out thence shall be taken, because that shall go out thence shall be taken, because their transgressions are multiplied, their their transgressions are multiplied, their rebellions strengthened”rebellions strengthened”

• The passage refers to the impending The passage refers to the impending punishment of people who refuse to repent for punishment of people who refuse to repent for their wrongdoingstheir wrongdoings

• Also important to note is the leopard’s Also important to note is the leopard’s camouflaged hide, symbolizing sin’s ability to camouflaged hide, symbolizing sin’s ability to cloak itselfcloak itself

The LionThe Lion• The Lion is a somewhat simpler figure, with The Lion is a somewhat simpler figure, with

origins identical to those of the Leopard (i.e., origins identical to those of the Leopard (i.e., based on the Jeremiah passage)based on the Jeremiah passage)

• He’s the second Beast Dante encounters on the He’s the second Beast Dante encounters on the PathPath

• Unlike the Leopard and the She-Wolf, the Lion’s Unlike the Leopard and the She-Wolf, the Lion’s associated sins are consistently translated: associated sins are consistently translated: Violence and AmbitionViolence and Ambition

It’s standing in for man’s self-destructive urges It’s standing in for man’s self-destructive urges – pride, short-sightedness, cruelty, etc.– pride, short-sightedness, cruelty, etc.

• We see his sins’ “circle” when Dante reaches We see his sins’ “circle” when Dante reaches the seventh circlethe seventh circle– The circle itself has three rounds, suggesting a The circle itself has three rounds, suggesting a

complex response to the Lion’s sinscomplex response to the Lion’s sins

The She-WolfThe She-Wolf Finally, the She-Wolf represents “Incontinence,” Finally, the She-Wolf represents “Incontinence,”

which serves not only as shorthand for a number which serves not only as shorthand for a number of weaknesses – most importantly, the inability of weaknesses – most importantly, the inability to control oneself – but almost as a “root sin” to control oneself – but almost as a “root sin”

From this essential flaw – your inability to make From this essential flaw – your inability to make yourself stable, content, and yourself stable, content, and goodgood when the when the chips are down – virtually everything sinful and chips are down – virtually everything sinful and wicked stemswicked stems

Alternately, the She-Wolf is said to represent Alternately, the She-Wolf is said to represent avariceavarice, which is a very pretty word for a very , which is a very pretty word for a very rotten affliction: an all-encompassing hunger that rotten affliction: an all-encompassing hunger that consumes everything and everyone in its path, consumes everything and everyone in its path, with its bearer doomed to never know with its bearer doomed to never know satisfaction and never consider consequencessatisfaction and never consider consequences

The She-Wolf IIThe She-Wolf II• While the She-Wolf also takes her origins While the She-Wolf also takes her origins

from the Jeremiah passage, Dante’s use of from the Jeremiah passage, Dante’s use of a wolf would have had special resonance a wolf would have had special resonance for Italian readersfor Italian readers

• The country’s traditions descended from The country’s traditions descended from the Roman Empire, and the founders of the Roman Empire, and the founders of Rome – the brothers Romulus and Remus – Rome – the brothers Romulus and Remus – were supposedly nursed and raised in the were supposedly nursed and raised in the wild by a She-Wolfwild by a She-Wolf– As a result, the She-Wolf became associated As a result, the She-Wolf became associated

with the citywith the city• To see one so corrupted and ravening To see one so corrupted and ravening

here is to remind readers of the perverse here is to remind readers of the perverse turn Florence has taken as it’s moved into turn Florence has taken as it’s moved into the “modern age”the “modern age”

The GreyhoundThe Greyhound

• Dante includes a prophecy in which a Dante includes a prophecy in which a Greyhound that feeds on good will Greyhound that feeds on good will destroy the She-Wolf (which sustains destroy the She-Wolf (which sustains itself on man’s evils)itself on man’s evils)

• It’s not clear who the Greyhound It’s not clear who the Greyhound represents – Ciardi suggests represents – Ciardi suggests Cangrande della Scala, a patron Cangrande della Scala, a patron Dante proved particularly fond of – Dante proved particularly fond of – but Raffa suggests Dante kept the but Raffa suggests Dante kept the prophecy intentionally vagueprophecy intentionally vague

VirgilVirgil

• Seen here as Dante’s archetypical mentor, Seen here as Dante’s archetypical mentor, Virgil was a Roman poet who lived shortly Virgil was a Roman poet who lived shortly before Christ’s birthbefore Christ’s birth

• He’s responsible for some of the greatest He’s responsible for some of the greatest literature in history, including one of my literature in history, including one of my favorite works, favorite works, The AeneidThe Aeneid (which Dante (which Dante repeatedly references)repeatedly references)

• In one of his other works In one of his other works (Eclogues)(Eclogues), Virgil , Virgil foretells the coming of a “wonderchild” – foretells the coming of a “wonderchild” – something medieval Christian audiences something medieval Christian audiences hailed as a prophecy of Christ’s birthhailed as a prophecy of Christ’s birth

Virgil IIVirgil II

• Virgil is one of the Virtuous Pagans Virgil is one of the Virtuous Pagans in this tale, yet he’s also a conduit in this tale, yet he’s also a conduit for divine guidancefor divine guidance

• Without him, Dante doesn’t stand a Without him, Dante doesn’t stand a chance of getting through Hellchance of getting through Hell

• Virgil’s presence as guide is Virgil’s presence as guide is therefore neither coincidental nor therefore neither coincidental nor superfluous; he’s almost as superfluous; he’s almost as important to the narrative as Dante important to the narrative as Dante himselfhimself

Aeneas and PaulAeneas and Paul• Dante mentions both men as a way of Dante mentions both men as a way of

proving via contrast that he’s unfit to proving via contrast that he’s unfit to journey into the afterlifejourney into the afterlife

• Raffa: “The apostle Paul claims in the Raffa: “The apostle Paul claims in the Bible to have been transported to the Bible to have been transported to the ‘third heaven’ (2 Corinthians 12:2), and ‘third heaven’ (2 Corinthians 12:2), and Aeneas visits the underworld in book 6 of Aeneas visits the underworld in book 6 of Virgil's Virgil's Aeneid.Aeneid.””

• These two otherworldly travelers are also These two otherworldly travelers are also associated with Rome, seat of both the associated with Rome, seat of both the empire and the church. empire and the church. – Raffa: “Dante, contrary to Augustine and Raffa: “Dante, contrary to Augustine and

others, believed the Roman empire in fact others, believed the Roman empire in fact prepared the way for Christianity, with Rome prepared the way for Christianity, with Rome as the divinely chosen home of the Papacy.”as the divinely chosen home of the Papacy.”

Three Blessed WomenThree Blessed Women

• Mary is the Virgin Mary, who symbolizes Mary is the Virgin Mary, who symbolizes God’s compassion for Dante’s plight hereGod’s compassion for Dante’s plight here

• Saint Lucia, or Lucy of Syracuse, was a Saint Lucia, or Lucy of Syracuse, was a martyr who medieval Christians martyr who medieval Christians associated with vision / sightassociated with vision / sight

• Finally, Beatrice embodies Divine Love; we Finally, Beatrice embodies Divine Love; we already know why Dante chose heralready know why Dante chose her

• ““I' son Beatrice che ti faccio andare”: I' son Beatrice che ti faccio andare”: I am I am Beatrice, who makes you go.Beatrice, who makes you go.

• Consider each of the previously Consider each of the previously mentioned elements from mentioned elements from The The Inferno’sInferno’s first canto first canto

• In your Houses, try to think of In your Houses, try to think of analogues from your own lifeanalogues from your own life– Who has serves as your Virgils? Who has serves as your Virgils? – Which Beasts have threatened – or still Which Beasts have threatened – or still

threaten – your happiness? threaten – your happiness?