Who is virgil in dantes inferno

How many times have we heard Virgil call Dante "son," or heard Dante call Virgil "father"? Dante is like the son Virgil never had. This comes to light most apparently in their flight from the two-timing demons. In lifting Dante to his chest and carrying him as he sprints toward safety, Virgil becomes a mother figure to the terrified Dante. Hmmm, father and mother?

As an unofficial poet laureate of the Romans, Virgil is a kind of patron spirit of Italy. II, The phrase in Italian is "parole ornate" which translates literally as "decorated word. We figure that Virgil spent so much time writing the Aeneid —invoking the Muses, speaking in dactylic hexameter, and pulling epic similes out of the air—that he simply got stuck speaking that way. Not only that, but Virgil's requests are often granted. Have you noticed how every time Virgil talks to someone, he gets what he wants?

He convinces a scared Dante to come with him to hell! Dante does, however, introduce doubts about the goodness of this way of talking. Virgil does get locked out of Dis for a reason.

His "persuasive word" presupposes a good deal of pride in its speaker. Another way in which Virgil embodies language is that he speaks for everyone. Sometimes, he even speaks for Dante when our poor poet is too green around the gills to talk. When approaching Ciacco, his sole encouragement to Dante is "your words must be appropriate. Well, as the text goes on, it becomes apparent that Virgil is far from perfect. Just like Dante. So why Virgil? In Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, there are many important character who are important but, Virgil has a very key role, He is protective of dante, he reprimands Dante that the souls that are in hell are there for a reason and serves as a father figure for Dante.

Virgil is very protective of Dante and how he feels Dante react traveling through the different circles of. The text is broken into cantos that coincide with the different circles and sub-circles of Hell that Dante and Virgil witness and experience.

As Dante is lost and floundering in his beginning moments of the story, a guide named Virgil appears to help. He serves as a protector, a knowledgeable guide and a model of human reason and wisdom. Virgil is very protective of Dante and how he feels Dante will react traveling through the different circles of hell. He carefully explains everything that they see or hear.

Not only is he protective but he shows great kindness and compassion for Dante in his state of fear. He even betrays one of the sinners in the ninth circle by promising the sinner that he will dry his face from his tears if the sinner tells him his name and story. He represents reason and wisdom, making him the perfect guide. As the journey progresses, his treatment of Dante changes, depending on the situation.

Often and most importantly, Virgil is very protective of Dante. At times, he reprimands Dante for his sympathy, reminding Dante that these dammed souls are here for punishment, and that their punishment is the design of a larger plan dictated by God. Virgil is very careful to explain patiently all of the functions of Hell and its various structures.

Virgil is constantly solicitous of Dante's welfare, and he knows that Dante is dependent on him.