In the very first canto of The Inferno, Dante tries to walk up the hillside in the dark wood, only to be stopped by three predators, a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf. Dante equates these three animals with the three sections of hell: fraudulence, violence, and incontinence (respectively). I wondered why he chose to represent those sins with those specific animals, and I found an analysis online that seems to make sense.
According to Melanie Barker, the leopard represents fraudulence partially because of its spots. The leopard's pelt hides its true intentions as a predator, similar to how frauds present themselves in a positive light before revealing their "vicious nature." It is more obvious that the lion is equated with violence because lions are usually envisioned as creatures of majesty and savage strength. They use brute force to achieve their place as head of their pride and the top predators of the savannah. Finally, the she-wolf represents incontinence, or immoderation. Apparently, sins of incontinence (especially lust) occur in pairs, such as lust and adultery--Dante is comparing this to how wolves travel in packs. Furthermore, he draws upon the Christian idea of women as sexual temptresses and specifies that the wolf is a she. The three animals are just one example of symbols that contribute to the overall allegorical nature of The Inferno.
One last thought: Maybe Dante chose predators to represent sins because humans are preyed upon by the temptation of sin? What are y'all's thoughts?
Source:
https://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/d/divine_interpretation_the_%20a_study_of_metaphor_in_dante%27s_inferno.html
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2 comments:
*not my official blog post*
Actually, that analysis totally makes sense! Thanks for much for researching it. I definitely think the fact that the wolf is a she alludes to the fact that women were seen as the frequent "offenders" in acts of immoderation (particularly in acts of lust). For example, I found on a historical website that in Medieval times, "female adulterers were generally punished more harshly than their male counterparts." The source also said, "in general, the notion that chastity was more important for a woman than a for a man was universal."
In terms of your last thought, I totally agree! Really good analysis. It was (and is) part of the human condition.
Source: https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/society/sex/fornication-adultery.php
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