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Giants and Ice: Journey through Hell's Depths

In Cantos 31 & 32 of Dante's Inferno, Dante and Virgil encounter giants and descend into the frozen depths of Cocytus, the Ninth Circle of Hell. Explore the literary devices, mood, and allusions in this chilling journey.

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Giants and Ice: Journey through Hell's Depths

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  1. Cantos 31 & 32 William Reed

  2. Canto 31 Synopsis As Dante and Virgil move on from Circle 8 to the Central Pit, the lighting in hell becomes noticeably dimmer. Dante points out to Virgil towers he sees in the distance; however, as they draw closer, the towers turn out to be giants. With their waists trapped in the sides of the pit, these giants incircle the Central Pit to act as protectors. Virgil introduces a couple of the giants to Dante, and later persuades one of them, Antaeus, to help them down into the Central Pit of Hell.

  3. Literary Devices Simile- “His (Nimrod’s) face, it seemed to me, was quite as high and wide as the bronze pinecone in St. Peters…” (lines 58-59) Dante uses this simile to portray how big the giants are in the Central Pit. Metaphor- “ … but I heard the shrill note of a trumpet bray louder than any thunder.”(lines 12-13) Onomatopoeia- “Rafel mahee amek zabi almit,”(line 67) Dante uses both a metaphor and onomatopoeia to describe the sounds that the first giant, Nimrod, makes.

  4. Literary Devices Cont. Allusions- Nimrod: Biblical Ephialtes, Briareus, Tityos, Tiphon, Antaeus: Greek Mythology Dante uses Greek, and Biblical allusions to show why the giants are placed in the Ninth Circle, and also sets up a sort of deus ex machina situation in Antaeus. Mood/ Tone- “Babbling fool, stick to your horn and vent yourself with it with rage or passion stir your stupid soul.” (lines 70-72) Virgil’s dialogue, and ever darkening setting conveys a curlish, and bitter tone/mood because the pair are moving towards the center of Hell.

  5. Canto 32 Synopsis Antaeus puts Dante and Virgil on the bottom of the pit, and Dante observes that the ground is made of clear ice. The pair have found themselves in Cocytus, the Ninth Circle of Hell reserved for those who are guilty of treason. The punishment in Cocytus is being frozen underneath the ice, and the severity of one’s treason correlates with their depth in the ice. Dante and Virgil pass through the first two rounds of Cocytus, Caina and Antenora, in Canto 32.

  6. Caina and Antenora Caina- Named after the biblical figure Cain, Caina houses those who have betrayed their own bloodlines. Their bodies are frozen up to their shoulders, letting them be able to bow their heads. Antenora- Named after Antenor, who is believed to have treasoned against the Trojans, these souls are ones who have betrayed their country. Their bodies are frozen up to their face, not letting them be able to move their necks.

  7. Literary Devices Allusions- Dante uses the Biblical allusion to Cain, and a historical allusion to Antenor to describe what kind of people reside in Caina and Antenora. Metaphor/ Imagery- “... a lake so frozen it seemed to be made of glass…” (lines 23-24) Dante uses this metaphor to have the reader picture what Cocytus looks like. Imagery- “As a famished man chews crusts- so the one sinner sank his teeth into the others nape at the base of the skull, gnawing his loathsome dinner.”(lines 127-129) Dante uses this imagery to illustrate the horrors of the Central Pit of Hell.

  8. Sources Alighieri, Dante. Ciardi, John. Inferno. New York. New American Library. 2009. Print. Doré, Gustave.Virgil pointing out Ephialtes and the other giants. 1861. http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html. Doré, Gustave. Dante and Virgil traversing Cocytus.1861. http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html. Doré, Gustave. Dante addressing Bocca degli Abati. 1861. http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html. Doré, Gustave. Ugolino gnawing on the brains of the Archbishop Ruggieri. 1861. http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html. Gallery: Gustave Doré. The World of Dante. Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities | University of Virginia. 1996. http://www.worldofdante.org/about.html. Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities | University of Virginia. The World of Dante. University of Virginia. 1996. http://www.worldofdante.org/about.htm.l Yamatosaxon. La Pigna and two peacocks.The Daily Beagle, 2008. https://thedailybeagle.net/2013/09/08/the-pigna-and-the-apollo-belvedere-two-treasures-of-the-vatican/.

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