Dante's Inferno Canto 18 Analysis

Summary

·       The two poets approach the eighth level of hell, called Malebolge, which means “evil pouches.”

·       Dante describes Malebolge as a castle with many moats with bridges. There is a wall running along the outside of a giant pit which then has ten ridges in the wall. The sinners who commit ordinary fraud are punished in these pouches.

·       Virgil and Dante approach the first pouch, where they see souls running from wall to wall. On the wall’s are crevices containing demons with whips, which force the souls to turn around and run to the other side.

·       Dante then recognizes a soul who he names Venedico Caccianemico. He was a man from Bologna and had sold his sister to a noble. This reveals this pouch to be for the pimps, or Panders, and the Seducers.

·       Dante also sees Jason walking with the Seducers, who lead the Argonauts in their search to find the golden fleece of Colchis. He was known for often loving then leaving women, such as Hypsipyle of Lemnos, Medea, Creusa.

·       They then cross the bridge to the second pouch where they hear whimpering and smell a foul stench. Here is a large ditch full of human feces, into which humans are immersed.

·       They then speak to a man who is submerged in the excrement and Dante recognizes him to be Alessio Interminei of Lucca. He tells the poets that these people are the Flatterers. They see a women further on who is scratching herself and identify her as Thais.

Characters

·       Venedico Caccianemico: he pandered his sister Ghisolabella into doing sexual favors for a Marquis.

·       Jason: lead the Argonauts in their search to find the golden fleece of Colchis. He first seduced Hypsipyle of Lemnos in order to find the golden fleece, impregnated her, and then abandoned her. Next, he seduced Medea and used her magic. He then left her to marry Creusa, and Medea took revenge on Jason by murdering his children and poison his wife.

·       Alessio Interminei of Lucca: a flatterer

·       Thais:a prostitute from the classical tradition who falsely praises her lovers.

Sins and Punishments

·       The eighth circle punishes the fraudulent.

·       In the first pouch, we see the Panders and Seducers. These souls sold over or seduced women to satisfy their malicious purposes. These souls are whipped by horned demons, because of their infernal love and passion in the mortal world, they now suffer with infernal abuse of sexuality.

·       In the second pouch are the Flatterers, who are submerged in a ditch of human excrement. These souls are submerged in the flattery that they excreted in their mortal life.

Discussion Questions

·       Why would Dante choose excrement for the punishment of the flatterers? Can you think of a better punishment?

Dante has no reaction towards the people he identifies in this Canto. Why is that?