Inferno Commentary

"A Monstrous clap of thunder broke apart 

the swoon that stuffed my head; like one awakened 

by violent hands, I leaped up with a start

And having risen; rested and renewed, 

I studied out the landmarks of the gloom 

to find my bearings the as best I could

And I found I stood on the very brink of the valley 

called the Dolorous Abyss, the desolate chasm

where rolls the thunder of Hell's eternal cry,

so depthless-deep and nebulous and dim

that stare as i might into its frightful pit

it gave me back no feature and no bottom.

Death-pale the poet spoke: "Now let us go

into the blind world waiting here below us.

I will lead the way and you shall follow."

And I, sick with alarm at his new pallor

cried out, "How can i go this way when you

who are my strength in doubt turn pale with terror?"

Chad Summers

Ms. Peifer

10 IB

1/9/2009

This passage is important because it shows Virgil, Dante's guide and hero, in fear of the path they are going to take. Dante is appalled at this and exclaims,"How can I go thin way when you who are my strength in doubt turn pale with terror?"(Alighieri 17-18). This quote means how can he continue on the journey when his guide and leader is just as scared as him. This passage shows a new characteristic in Virgil and uses literary devices that are key to the passage and book itself.

One literary device that is used frequently in this quote and the entire book is Imagery. Imagery is a key element in this story because its easy to use to make a mental picture and describe the journey that Dante and Virgil are on. It was used when Dante was starting to wake. " A monstrous clap of thunder broke apart, the swoon that stuffed my head."(Alighieri 1-2).

Another literary device used in this book is alliteration. Alliteration add a lyrical rhyme to the sentence and help key comparisons or descriptive words pop out and grab your attention. One way it is used in this quote is, "and having risen; renewed"(Alighieri 4). It adds an element to the reading that jumps out at you and helps to be more descriptive.

This passage is necessary because it introduces more elements to the book. In this passage we see Virgil for the first time cower or is scared for their future,"Death pale, the poet spoke"(Alighieri 13). This is also the first time we see Dante talk to Virgil with anger. This passage was key to the development of the story and introduced elements that were not yet seen.