Nerd Herd,
As usual, I don't actually have any clue as to whether or not I understood this, but I will be giving it my best shot. One thing that I couldn't help but notice is the constant contrast between Dante's life on earth and the hell he is in. When he speaks in the first cantos about remembering his life and it being so terribly close to death, I felt that (don't make fun of me). The first time I ever read Inferno I don't think I ever made such clear connections. I definitely think this is easier to understand the older I have gotten, but the sorrow that Dante feels about his mortal life as opposed to being in hell is honestly quite relatable. We are taught as Christians all the joy of heaven and the fact that we cannot even fathom it compared to our melancholy lives on earth. But just imagine hell being a step down from our lives on earth. Do you think your faith would be different? Do you think you would live your life differently? If you could experience hell the way that Dante does, would you view earthly life differently? I'll just leave you with those questions to ponder.
As usual, I don't actually have any clue as to whether or not I understood this, but I will be giving it my best shot. One thing that I couldn't help but notice is the constant contrast between Dante's life on earth and the hell he is in. When he speaks in the first cantos about remembering his life and it being so terribly close to death, I felt that (don't make fun of me). The first time I ever read Inferno I don't think I ever made such clear connections. I definitely think this is easier to understand the older I have gotten, but the sorrow that Dante feels about his mortal life as opposed to being in hell is honestly quite relatable. We are taught as Christians all the joy of heaven and the fact that we cannot even fathom it compared to our melancholy lives on earth. But just imagine hell being a step down from our lives on earth. Do you think your faith would be different? Do you think you would live your life differently? If you could experience hell the way that Dante does, would you view earthly life differently? I'll just leave you with those questions to ponder.
I like these questions but the feeling they give me is strange. Like you said, as Christians we’re taught that Heaven is the Holiest of Holies, every good thing that is truly good makes up heaven every sweet thing we’ve ever dreamt of is here. But we’re just told that hell is a bad place we don’t want live in for eternity. But couldn’t we imagine He’ll as the exact opposite of what heaven is to some degree?? Every Nightmare they ever tormented anyone from childhood to adulthood, every tear at the mind’s seams, every shadow, every scream, or every burning fear that leaves a shell of whatever human bears them. Isn’t that too, most likely to a lesser degree, Hell?
ReplyDelete~Ezra
I agree Gary. When i first read inferno, I cried with every soal that Dante met. Because i had so much empathy and sorrow for these souls that were lost that I had to just stop and be sad for these people, but then I realized that they weren't real and I just didn't know what to do at that point.
ReplyDeletespencer wood