Characteristics of an Epic Poem, by Julie Renee Phelan

In Dante Alighieri’s poem “The Inferno,” dialogue with symbols for sin and righteousness are used to tell this epic. The epic is started in the middle of things. In Latin when an epic poem begins in the middle of things, it translates to “In medias res.” In medias res, is the first of the nine characteristics for an epic. The other eight characteristics include a vast setting, begins with an invocation to a muse, starts with a statement of theme, the use of epithets, long lists, long and formal speeches, divine intervention in human affairs, and heroes that embody the values of civilization. Each symbol presents either sin or righteousness, and provides a broad outline. The writer, Dante Alighieri, identifies “The Inferno” as an epic poem within Canto I of XXXIV Cantos.

In Canto I, the first four words are “Midway in life’s journey,” which provides a clue to the reader of this poem being “in medias res.” “Midway in life’s journey,” refers to the Biblical life span of a person, which is seventy years. In the poem, at the age of 35, Dante suddenly awakens in the Dark Woods. What Dante was doing before he awakens is not discussed. The reason Dante could not continue on his path was because the She-Wolf blocked his path. The She-Wolf was released from Hell by Envy. Why Envy released the She-Wolf from Hell is not known. Virgil identifies himself as being born, “sub Julio” (69). “Sub Julio” refers to a time during the reign of Julius Caesar (69). God “Forbids [Virgil] to come there since, living, I rebelled against his law” refers to the idea that salvation can only come through Christ (118). Since Virgil lived and died before Christ’s teachings, he cannot enter Heaven. Therefore, the author, Dante Alighieri does indeed identify this poem as beginning “In medias res” or in the middle of things.

The astronomical and religious conjunction is important for Dante’s allegory. Dante Alighieri sets this poem within a vast setting, which includes the planets and their relationships to hell, purgatory, and heaven. In this poem “That planet” is the Sun (17). Ptolemaic astronomers considered the Sun a planet. This poem refers to “Aries with those stars that rod with him to light the new creation” refers to the medieval belief that the sun was in Aries at the time of Creation (38-39). The time is just before dawn of Good Friday in the year of 1300 A.D. This builds Dante’s allegory of his new life beginning under the Aries, sign of creation, at dawn which signifies rebirth, and in the Easter season which symbolizes resurrection. The Moon is full and the Sun is in equinox, neither condition occurred on any Friday in the year 1300. However, Dante is constructing the perfect Easter to symbolize his new awakening.

The muse is Beatrice and she calls upon Virgil, who represents Human Reason, to guide Dante through the bowels of Hell. The statement of theme is Dante’s detour from the “True Way” (12). Three beasts that block Dante from climbing the Mount of Joy and they are the Leopard, Lion and She-Wolf, who represent incontinence, violence and fraud respectively. The three beasts foreshadow the three divisions of Hell, and are taken from “Jeremiah,” v, 6. Therefore, Virgil must guide Dante through the sad halls of Hell so he can arrive in Heaven with Divine Love, Beatrice.

Dante uses epithets to characterize a person. For example, Virgil is referred to as “That fountain of purest speech” (77-78), and Dante’s “True master and first author” (82). Virgil is also identified as simply, “Poet” (123). God is referred to the as the “King of Time” (117). As well, Dante uses long lists. One such list is “Nisus, Turnus, Euryalus and Camilla,” who were all killed in the war between the Trojans and Latians. It was Aeneas who led the survivors from Troy into Italy. That list represents needless deaths because of a nation’s sick pride for land and loot. Although Dante does not concur with those needless deaths in conquest of land and loot, he truly believes in the Greyhounds pursuit of the She-Wolf. The Greyhound represents love and wisdom and the straight way. The Greyhound will hunt the She-Wolf until she is forever driven back to Hell. The She-Wolf is symbolic for a whore and gluttonous killer of souls.

This poem is told through long speeches, such as this one made by Virgil to Dante “You must go by another way who would escape this wilderness, for that mad beast that flees before you there, suffers no man to pass. The [She-Wolf] tracks down all, kills all, and knows no glut, but, feeding, she grows hungrier than she was. She mates with any beast, and will mate with more before the Greyhound comes to hunt her down. He will not feed on lands nor loot, but honor and love and wisdom will make straight his way. He will rise between Feltro and Feltro, and in him shall be the resurrection and new day of that sad Italy for which Nisus died, and Turnus, and Euryalus, and the made Camilla. He shall hunt her through every nation of sick pride till she is driven back forever to Hell whence Envy first released her on the world. Therefore, for your own good, I think it well you follow me and I will be your guide and lead you forth through an eternal place. There you shall see the ancient spirits tried in endless pain, and hear their lamentation as each bemoans the second death of souls. Next you shall see upon a burning mountain souls in fire and yet content in fire, knowing that whensoever it may be they yet will mount into the blessed choir. To which, if it is still your wish to climb, a worthier spirit shall be sent to guide you. With her shall I leave you, for the King of Tie, who reigns on high, forbids me to come there, living, I rebelled against his law. He rules the water and the land and air and there holds court, his city and his throne. Oh blessed are they he chooses!” (89-122)

At the request of Beatrice in Heaven, Virgil has come to divinely intervene along Dante’s detour from the “True Way” (12). There is divine intervention in stopping Dante, and changing his path. Virgil and the Greyhound embody characteristics of our heroes.

By the end of Canto I of “The Inferno,” the writer Dante Alighieri has truly shown this to be an epic poem in the classical sense. The poem is told masterfully through dialogue. In the last quote from Canto I of “The Inferno,” Dante defines the outline. Dante says, “Poet, by that God to you unknown, lead me this way. Beyond this present ill and worse to dread, lead me to Peter’s gate and be my guide through the sad halls of Hell” (123-126). “Peter’s gate” is the gate of Purgatory. The angel Peter guards this gate with a gleaming sword, and is entrusted with two great keys. Those that pass through the gate of Purgatory enter Heaven.

Work Cited:
Alighieri, Dante, “The Inferno,” Trans. John Ciardi, Signet Classics, New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., New York, New York, 2009, Print.