Rock-Star Comments

What do you have to say about the following?

Circle 9:
racheal said...
"The Poets find themselves in the River Lethe, the ancient river of forgetfulness, which washes away the grime and evil of Hell from them. Eventually, they reach the other side of Earth, and see dawn breaking, just before Easter Sunday."I think the River Lethe symbolizes getting baptized. When you are baptized you are washed free of sin, and I think Dante was free of sin when he finds his way out of hell. Finding your way out of hell could also mean finding God, and starting over.
November 29, 2007 10:10 AM

elizabeth said...
Since Satan marks the center of the earth, he also marks the center of gravity.This is ironic to me from a Christian stand point. We are told that Satan should not be at the center of anything. So why is he at the center of earth AND of gravity?
November 29, 2007 10:17 AM

Noelle said...
I think that this is symbolic. Things that are evil in nature are of the earth, not divine. Satan is synonymous with evil, so it would make sense that he is the center of the "earth," or worldly desires, and he gravitates you towards those things.

alicia said...
Allegorically, Dante now puts Hell and Sin behind him--and now it is overturned in his life, as Satan now appears upside down--all wrong.I think this is extrememly symbolic of what everyone must do and how we all need to view sin- all wrong. Temptations are everpresent and we give into them becasue we can't see them for what they really are. We see them as cool and we do them because they look good, not bad like they really are.

The Vestibule
Noelle said...
Chelsea' asked, "Do you think if they simply stop running they would leave them alone or would they attack even more?"I think so, but they are probably so delirious with fear that they can't stop running.

Circle 7:
racheal said...
"The Violent against their Neighbors is the first level in Circle 7. Here are punished the ones who made battle and war on countries and people around them. Evil tyrants are included here as well."So I guess George Bush is going to hell? Other countries are our neighbors, yet we fight them and start wars. But we also see it as an honor to fight for our country, and those who fight are seen as heros. So although they are honored on earth, they're going to hell?
November 29, 2007 10:01 AM

Elizabeth said...
Here are punished the ones who made battle and war on countries and people around them.It is interesting to see that Dante does not justify war, like most men. Instead he says that there is a special place in hell reserved for those who took part in war.