Inferno, Canto 33 with Dr. William "Buddy" Storm
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- čas přidán 20. 11. 2021
- Dr. William "Buddy" Storm from the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University reflects on Canto 33 of Dante's Inferno.
100 Days of Dante is brought to you by Baylor University in collaboration with the Torrey Honors College at Biola University, University of Dallas, Templeton Honors College at Eastern University, the Gonzaga-in-Florence Program and Gonzaga University, and Whitworth University, with support from the M.J. Murdock Trust. To learn more about our project, and read with us, visit 100daysofdante.com
Thank you, Dr. Storm, for your very helpful presentation.
Thank you Dr Storm I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation and explanation of not only Canto XXX III but also refreshing my overall understanding of the poem's intent and meaning to Italian culture. I also appreciated your insights into the notion of chaos and disorder, and how Dante's own personal experience of his stage of life and the internecine struggles between and within city states is counterposed by the order in hell. Your analysis of the punishment for betrayal and the even more terrible sin of torturing and killing of innocents was powerful. Slowing down is something I often don't do as I speed to get to the end, your advice was timely and helps to guide me.
This is excellent and well constructed, thank you Dr. Storm!
Order is the primary emphasis in Dante's description of the frozen center of hell? That makes so much sense, but I'll be honest - that was not the attribute that I focused on as I read this. Another excellent analysis that provides information for us readers that most would have missed if not for the "experienced reader's" comments. Your suggestion that we slow down our readings in the cantos toward the end of the Inferno is a good one. But in this format, I find myself reading fast in every canto. That isn't because I want to get away from the horrors of the torture I'm reading about, but because I need to read most of these cantos twice no matter the speed at which I take them. The political, social, and moral commentary of 13th and 14th century Italy is familiar in tone but the details can easily throw us off the main ideas or cause a careless reader (sometimes that is me) to stray from the path laid out by Virgil and the pilgrim. Thanks for the warning, Dr. Storm. I'll try to keep it in mind as I leave the inferno and travel on toward purgatory.
Hmmm. The fascinating and rich literary order of the Commedia is indeed worth noting and admiring. But is Dante suggesting that as an overarching virtue applied to personal and societal life? Being lost in a dark wood is not chaos… it is the human condition. And the springboard to a journey of discovery not of the virtue of order, but of the supremacy of love.
Dr. Storm, I truly enjoyed your presentation. Much food for thought. "We long for order and freedom from chaos." It reminds me of the willingness of many people to follow a dictator who promises order, from the story of the Prophet Samuel and King Saul in the Old Testament, to "The Leviathan" by Thomas Hobbs, to the present global trend away from the chaotic political strife of democracies. Also, the point that Hell is for a reason. There is no ambiguity about it. Finally, at the moment of betrayal, a person's soul is taken by the devil who gains control of his (or her) body until their allotted time on earth has run. Could this be referring to the "unpardonable sin" of the Gospels, or did Dante have another reference in mind? Is the number 33 of the Canto in reference to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas or is it just a coincidence that 33 coincides with the age of Jesus at the crucifixion?
So helpful, thank you!
Unfortunately I didn't get as much out of this reflection as I did out of previous reflections. I thought the first 2 or 3 minutes of introduction were superfluous at this stage of our reading journey, and I would have preferred it if Dr William had expanded more on his point about the soul being taken by a devil to hell the moment someone betrays someone else on Earth, and on how we can reconcile that with Christianity.
Justice meted out sooner rather than later. You had better be ready at all times to step into eternity. Good message.
Canto 33: The last canto concluded with a horrible scene of Count Ugolino gnawing on the brain of another sinner, Archbishop Ruggieri! Dante now details their sins as well as their contrapasso of cannibalism. Although they were once co-conspirators, Ruggieri had imprisoned Ugolino with the count’s offspring in a tower where they starved to death, although the children had offered their own bodies as food for Ugolino! Now, in Antenora, the count, while encased in ice with Ruggieri, gnawed on the substance of the Archbishop, in crude parody of the instruction given by Jesus in John’s gospel that the one who ate of (gnawed) his body would have life-eternal. Leaving the gruesome meal, Dante and Virgil enter the zone of Ptolomea, where traitors against hospitality were punished. In the ancient world of nomadic tribes, the relationship of host and guest was greatly respected. Those breaking hospitality were encased in a supine position, forcing any tears to form frozen seals over the sinner’s eyes, isolating him in an ultra-cold, eternal darkness. These shades were unique: although their souls were condemned to Hell, their bodies, inhabited by demons, remained on the earth, causing further harm to others. In order to learn of this experience from the shade he encountered, Dante had promised to open the deadman’s frozen eyelids for a momentary respite. However, Dante failed to keep his promise. Apparently, as he neared the pit where Satan resides, Dante became aggressive in his interaction with sinners. It is uncertain whether this was a result of needing to reach the ultimate “bottom” before a climb of Mount Purgatory could begin, or his realization, previously encouraged by Virgil, that the sinners he has met were overseen by a just and merciful God and did not deserve human pity.
This one is a disappointment. It does not focus on the deeper meanings of Ugolino and Ruggieri - both their interaction in Inferno and what led them there. Also, the main focus is Not about Ugolino's kids/grandkids (only one was "underage" at 15/16) and their unnecessary suffering. Ugolino set them up - using them as "shields" cuz he thought Ruggieri would have the scruples to not betray him while his kids/grandkids were present. And of course, this is after Years of Ugolino's treacherous betrayals of Pisa, Ruggieri and his own family. Ugolino even got his own kid kicked out of Pisa to obtain more power (another one of his kids who became the "mayor" of Pisa). Ruggieri was also treacherous - of Pisa, Ugolino, and anyone else who got in his way.
Further, Ugolino's eagerness in chewing Ruggieri's skull is the Exact Contrapasso in regards to the probable fact that he Ate His Own Children...most likely after Planning to do so when the soldiers nailed the slot (thru which they were fed) shut. Remember, we are in the depth of Inferno, with the Worst possible characters/actions. Ugolino's cannibalism is also a reflection of how Kronos sought out his own kids, specifically to eat them.
I strongly suggest the lecture series from Wondrium/Great Courses Plus for a more substantive assessment of this canto.
Why does Dante not "see" or mention even worse monsters like Nero or Galigula, who caused the death of so many followers of Jesus Christ, and other innocent folks...
I wonder this also. There's something sort of disorienting and counter-intuitive about who Dante poet puts in each echelon of hell, at least for the 21st century reader IMHO. The sensibilities seem so different. Due to that I feel deflected away and often feel I'm reading a medieval episode of the Walking Dead.
Dante is very focused on Italy in his time (largely) and the chaos caused by factionalism, church/state interference, lack of a unified rule etc that prevent ‘Italy’ achieving unity and pride as a nation. He mostly saw the Roman era as something worthwhile when all said and done due to a relatively high level of peace, uniform laws etc and cultural advancement (hence the presence of Virgil). He tends to use many exemplars that come from the Tuscan or near regions, popes, emperors in the near vicinity of his time period and of course mythological figures. Emperors are present in Paradiso for example Justinian but also Inferno - Frederick II. He had an inexhaustible supply of ‘characters’ but is in fact very sophisticated in how and who he chooses for bad or good exemplars or very interestingly, for more ‘casual’ encounters e.g. in Purgatorio. There is always a theme or subtext to who he chooses and the nature of the encounter. If you have 150+ hours to spare Prof Barolini’s course was free on Columbia Uni DigitalDante site (down at moment) - she is amazing and you wont look at the work the same again after experiencing some of her classes.
“And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
Matthew 12:31-32
I don’t think Dantes writings on forgiveness challenges anything if I’m honest.. these are Jesus’ words himself. The shade eating the other simply did not repent of his sins. Leading him to where he is .