Elliott 1

Evan Elliott
Mr. Munoz
English Dual Credit pd.5
17 September 2014
Dante Research Draft 1
Thesis Statement: Dante uses mockery in the inferno because he wants to point out the
corruption in politics during his time.
In the Inferno, Dante is able to point out political corruption throughout the poem, by
scattering many different instances of mockery throughout the Inferno. Most of these instances
when he uses this mockery are used to point out mostly greed and avarice, which is mostly
affecting the politics at the time. Not only that, but most of the mockery is centered around the
Church, and to be more specific, the separation between the Black Guelphs and the White
Guelphs and Boniface VIII corruption in the Church, as well as some references to the
Ghibillines and their own internal corruption, that which led to their ultimate downfall.
One of the first instances that Dante uses points out corruption with mockery is in Canto
VI, in the 3rd circle, where the gluttons are held. In Canto VI, verse 19, Dante describes how the
sinners in that circle howl like dogs because of the downpour in the circle. Dante also
describes in verse 28 in Canto VI, how Cerberus barks with greedy hunger. In both of these
instances, Dante is comparing these sinners, and Cerberus, to the wolf in the beginning, which
represented avarice or greed. Also in the circle pointed out in verse 52 of Canto VI is Ciacco,
who was a politician who suffered with the sin of gluttony. Ciacco also tells Dante of the events
that happen between the Black and White Guelphs in verses 61 through 75. So in the 3rd circle,

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Dante points out the corruption of the Guelph party by mocking Ciacco, that is, putting him in
hell and making him tell the whole story while he suffers.
Another instance where Dante uses mockery to point out corruption is in 4th circle of hell, which
contains Plutus and the souls damned by their own avarice. Plutus is put in this circle,
specifically to represent politicians who are filled with greed and avarice, who are also
worshiping Boniface VIII, because of how politicians fell into greed and avarice, as well as how
they worship Boniface VIII, when Dante sees Boniface VIII as the devil himself. In verse one of
Canto VI, Plutus cries out Pape Satan, pape Satan aleppe! which translates to, Oh Satan, oh
Satan most powerful one! In return, Virgil yells out to Plutus in verse 8 Be quiet, cursed wolf!
When Virgil calls Plutus a cursed wolf in verse one of Canto VI, he is referencing back to the
wolf Dante encountered in Canto 1, which represented avarice and cupidity, which again, is what
most politicians during Dantes time suffered from.
Another instance of Dante using mockery is in Canto X, in the 6th circle, where Epicurus and his
followers are. When Dante and Virgil enter the circle, Virgil states in verses 13 through 15 of
Canto X, that inside the circle is the cemetery of Epicurus and his followers, all those who say
the soul dies with the body. Virgil, in his statement, is actually referring to the false Epicurean
Doctrine, which believed that the soul will die with the body, which explains why their souls are
in a cemetery in hell (360). Dante puts this in the poem to point out the corruption of the
Ghibillines, and how the Ghibillines believed in this false doctrine, which goes against the
teachings of the Church itself (360). The two examples of Ghibillines in that circle are Farinata,
who is introduced in Canto X verses 32-33, and Ottaviano delgi Ubaldini, who is referenced as
the Cardinal in verse 120 of Canto X (361).

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Another short instance where Dante uses mockery is in Canto XXVI specifically verses one
through five. Dante says in the inferno through those verses, Be joyous, Florence, you are great
indeed, for over sea and land you beat your wings; through every part of Hell your name
extends! Among these thieves I found five citizens of yours and such that shame has taken
me. In the first three verses, Dante is being ironic because of how he is talking about Florence
in a very joyous manner, but in reality, in verses 4 through 5, he says how he feels shame for
Florence, because of the five thieves he found in there, who were from Florence. This mockery
of Florence in the inferno generally points out how Florence is falling because of its own internal
corruption.
The last instance of Mockery in the Inferno is in Canto XXXIV, when Dante and Virgil reach
Satan in the 9th circle, 4th ring. The way Dante uses mockery in this specific Canto in the way he
describes Lucifer. In verses 38 through 44, Dante describes how Lucifer had three faces: one
in front bloodred; and then another two that, just above the midpoint of each shoulder, joined
the first; and at the crown, all three were reattached. Lucifer in this Canto besides having 3
heads also has 6 eyes, and 3 chins (Canto XXXIV, 38 54). Now Lucifer in the inferno, of
course is an unholy being, a fallen angel. Now, why does Dante make Lucifer look like the
inverse of an angel, while also incorporating the use of the number three? In the Catholic
religion, there is a trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and finally, God the Holy Spirit. The use
of the number three on Lucifer is a mocking of the Holy Trinity. The reason why Dante does this
is because he is comparing the Church during his time, to Lucifer, since the Black Guelphs took
over and Boniface VIII gained power, which brought corruption throughout the Roman Catholic
Church. So in the poem, Dante mocks the Trinity in order to expose the corruption of the Church
because of the Black Guelphs and Boniface VIII.

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So throughout the Inferno, Dante uses mockery in the inferno because he wants to point out the
corruption in politics during his time. Dante is able to establish this mockery throughout the
poem, by scattering many different instances of mockery throughout the Inferno. Most of these
instances when he uses this mockery are used to point out mostly greed, which is mostly
affecting the politics at the time. Not only that, but most of the mockery is centered around the
Church, and to be more specific, the separation between the Black Guelphs and the White
Guelphs and Boniface VIII corruption in the Church, as well as some references to the
Ghibillines and their own internal corruption, that which led to their ultimate downfall.