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Transcript

Canto XVII

Presented by Zoe and McKenzie

The Beast

Geryon is a mythical creature from Spanish culture that originally had three heads and three bodies. The number three is significant to the holy trinity that is referenced throught the divine comedy. He has the face of a man, the torso and paws of a lion, the lower body of a reptile, the tail of a scorpion, and wings like a dragon. The monster itself displays the animals of sin; the lion with paws amd the leopard with the spottedness of the creature. This image represents the transition of classification of sins and fraud. Dante and Virgil must fly on Geryon back to travel across this cricle and enter the next.

Sinners

  • Usurers who sin against art which is the Grandchild of God
  • People that obtained money without creating anything ended up in circle seven of hell in round three
  • This circle is for the violent and bestial
  • Exaples of these sinners: bankers , money lenders
  • The sinners names are not speficially mention so they cannot be remembered
  • They lack individuality because their obsession with money made them lose their individuality

PICTURES

PICTURES

Contrapasso

These sinners are crouched along a burning plain near the edge of a cliff while wearing a leather purse around their neck. The purses are blazoned with a coat of arms while the sinners eyes gush tears fixated on their purses. As they created nothing in their lives they are surrounded by emptiness. Because their professions brought shame to their family name they are forced to look upon their family crest for eternity.

Allusion #1

" azure on or, a kind of lion" ( pg 136 line 56)

This is an allusion to the arms of the Gianfigliazzi of Florence. The sinner is not directly mentioned but it assumed that Dante is referencing Catello di Rosso Gianfigliazzi. He was a usurer in France and was kinighted on his return to Florence.

Allusion #1

Allusion #2

"on a blood red field, a goose whiter than whey" ( pg 136 line 57)

Allusion #2

The Ghibelline of the Ubriachi of Florence's family coat of arms is alluded to. Most likely the sinner is Ciappo Ubriachi, who was known as a usurer. This mention is significant because it relates to the strife between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. Dante was a member of the Guelphs so this reference shows his hatred toward the Ghibellines

Allusion #3

" sow azure on field argent"(pg 136 line 59)

Allusion #3

These coat of arms are the Scrovegni from Padua.This sinner, who is probably Reginaldo Scrovegni,has a conversation and is eager to tell Dante the future as he does not know the present and tries to make sure his neighbor Vitaliano is known as a usurer too. Scrovegni is trying to assure that Vitaliano ends up in Hell. These allusions to sinners in Florence show the inequality that Dante faced. Dante was exiled for a false accusation of grafting whereas those who actually sinned were held to a higher status.

Icarus and Phaeton

Dante is very scared while riding on Geryon. He alludes to the fear Icarus had when the wax on his wings started to melt and the fear Phaeton had when he lost control of the chariot and Zeus killed him with his lightning bolt.

Quote

He says, " I think there was no greater fear the day Phaeton let loose the reins and burned the sky along the great scar of the milky way, nor when Icarus, too close to the sun's track felt the wax melt, unfeathering his loins, and heard his father cry "Turn back! Turn back!"-than I felt when I found myself in the air, afloat in space with nothing visible but the neormous beast that bore me there"(153, lines 99-108)

Pictures

Icarus Flying near the sun

Phaeton when he loses control of the chariot and gets struck by lightning and falls

Similes and figurative language

  • "each marked with its own beast and its own like a coat of arms" (pg 152, lines 68&69)
  • "'Send us the sovereign cavalier with the purse of the three goats!' He half arose, twisted his mouth, and darted out his tongue for all of the world like an ox licking its nose" (pg 153, lines 96-99)
  • " And once freed of our weight, he shot from there into the dark like an arrow into air" (pg 154, lines 130&131)
  • "his nails are already pale and his flesh trembles" (pg 153, line 80)

Discussion Questions

  • Why did Dante make Geryon the beast in this Canto?

Discussion Questions

  • The sovereign cavalier represents Giovanni di Buiamonte, why do you think Dante chose to include him in this Canto?

Explanation

  • Geryon was chosen to be the beast because he represents both sin and fraud. Also, there is a story of him robbing strangers and killing him which shows that he committed fraud.

  • Dante chose to include Giovanni di Buiamonte, "the sovereign cavalier" in this canto, because he was a gambler and usurer. In Florence, he was very high up in society but in Hell he is very low down. Dante wanted to show the contrast between Florence and Hell.
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