Dante's Inferno Canto 24 Close Reading

Close Reading of Canto XXIV of Inferno

Dante traveled to the Borgia of the Thieves in this part of his journey through Hell, but before being able to reach the thieves, Dante first must overcome both a metaphorical and real obstacle. Dante used a range of metaphors and analogies in this canto to add another level to his writing. His use of metaphors gave an insight to not only him as a person, but to why the thieves are getting punished the way they are and also to what will happen in Florence due to a war between the Black and White Guelfs.  

In the previous canto, Dante and Virgil slid down to Borgia Six where the hypocrites resided in order to continue on their journey. Canto 24 opened right after Dante and Virgil passed the Hypocrites and in order to get back on their path through hell, Virgil and Dante must first climb up the cliff that separates Borgia Six and Seven. After the excruciating ascent, Dante, exhausted from the climb, conjured up enough energy to continue on with the journey thanks to the words of Virgil. Dante heard a faint voice below in the next pit, and saw only darkness when he looked down. Dante decided to cross the bridge to investigate the noise. Dante looked down to discover a pit filled with snakes of all species who are coiled around naked people. These people are forced to run around with their arms bound behind the backs by snakes while more chase and strike at them. Once the sinners are bit, they quickly burst into flame and turn into ash, only to be painfully reformed to continue their eternal punishment. Dante then came across a sinner who he expected to see in the previous Circle of Hell, Vanni Fucci. Vanni Fucci is forced to tell Dante that he was the one that stole the sacristy from the Cathedral of Pistoia, thus earning his spot in the Borgia of the Thieves. Vanni Fucci, angry with Dante, prophesized about the turmoil between the Blacks and the Whites Guelfs in Pistoia and Florence, which lead to multiple battles and ultimately ended in Dante’s exile from Florence.

At the start of the Canto, Dante’s journey is impeded by an obstacle. Before being able to continue to Borgia Seven, Dante must climb the cliff in order to reach the bridge that leads to the center of Hell. Dante used an analogy to pander to his audience and to allow them to better relate with his feelings.  Dante used the analogy of a sheep herder, who relied on grass to feed his flock, would feel defeated upon seeing frost on the ground, only to later discover that once the sun rose and chased away the darkness and cold, the frost too would be chased away and with it their sorrow and fear (Canto 24 vv 1 – 15). Dante used this analogy to better describe his brief moment of fear upon seeing Virgil’s hesitation when he reached the cliff side, only to be reassured by “that sweet and open look with which [Virgil] had greeted me in the dark wood” (Canto 24 vv 20 – 21). Dante chose to use this description to relate two seemingly different scenes only to show the likeness between them. In both situations Dante was scared and afraid of what lay ahead of him, only to be saved by Virgil.