The Inferno By Dante And The Allegory Of The Cave

The significance and connotation of light seems to be driven by its relation to truth. Truth is some thing that has been debated since the beginning of human thought. Even in western philosophy alone, the meaning of light has changed, creating a one to question the sole symbol light can act as. Plato’s argument equates truth to light, while Dante’s argument equates God to light. Dante argues that the light is guiding, rather than definite. Through these two examples, I will show that light symbolizing the equivalent of truth or searching for truth yields problems. To support my claim, I will look at The Inferno by Dante and The Allegory of the Cave by Plato, whose interpretations of light appear to work well with one another. First, I will analyze the significance of in a non-religious context. Second, I will analyze the significance of in a religious context. Thirdly, I will show why this metaphor of light yield problems for the viewer of light. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, light represents a definitive truth. After seeing â€Å"the form of the good†, in the physical world, light is produced, paralleling, in the mental world, â€Å"truth and understanding† is produced (Plato 211). Since seeing the light is only obtained seeing the Truth, Plato regards light as an end rather than a means to find a higher truth. This light in The Allegory of the Cave prevents humans from â€Å"behaving awkwardly and appearing completely ridiculous† (Plato 211). Plato argues that the light destroysShow MoreRelated Dantes Inferno Essay888 Words   |  4 Pages Dantes use of allegory in the Inferno greatly varies from Platos quot;Allegory of the Cavequot; in purpose, symbolism, characters and mentors, and in attitude toward the world. An analysis of each of these elements in both allegories will provide an interesting comparison. Dante uses allegory to relate the sinners punishment to his sin, while Plato uses all egory to discuss ignorance and knowledge. Dantes Inferno describes the descent through Hell from the upper level of the opportunists toRead MoreEssay on The Allegory of the Cave and Dante1251 Words   |  6 PagesThe Allegory of the Cave and Dante â€Å"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.† This maxim applies to the poet Dante Alighieri, writer of The Inferno in the 1300s, because it asserts the need to establish oneself as a contributor to society. Indeed, Dante’s work contributes much to Renaissance Italy as his work is the first of its scope and size to be written in the vernacular. Due to its readability andRead MoreDantes Beasts2989 Words   |  12 PagesThe Beasts and Monsters in Dantes Inferno   The Inferno is the first section of Dantes three-part poem, The Divine Comedy. Throughout Dantes epic journey into the depths of Inferno he encounters thirty monsters and five hybrid creatures.   The most significant of these monsters are of central importance to his journey and to the narrative, as they not only challenge  Dantes presence in Inferno, but are custodians of Hell, keeping in order or guarding the perduta gente.   In this essay I am concentratingRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave Proposed By Plato1595 Words   |  7 PagesThe allegory of the cave proposed by Plato includes the representation of the levels of knowledge. As we get closer to the exit, we get more knowledgeable and wiser we get, thus becoming better selves. Literature represents part of this knowledge, it has been a fundamental part of understanding our society, and has archived and developed the events and thoughts that made the world in which we live today. The more we read, the more we understand a bout us as well as learning from other peoples’ experiencesRead MoreAnalyzing Dantes The Divine Comedy2313 Words   |  9 PagesPart 1 How does Dante use metaphors/allegories as mechanisms for articulating his vision of Christian ethos? Consider how the work is structured and how punishment is meted out and his use of contrapasso. Durante degli Alighieri, usually referred to as Dante (1265-1321), was an Italian poet, moral philosophers, and political thinker best known for his epic poem La divina commedia. Essentially, The Divine Comedy describes Dantes journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise guided at first by the