Wailing as They Fly: Circle Wailing as They Fly: Circle Two (The Carnal)Two (The Carnal)

FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

16 November 201116 November 2011

Canto V: Data FileCanto V: Data File• Setting: The Second Circle Setting: The Second Circle • Figures: Minos, Paolo, and FrancescaFigures: Minos, Paolo, and Francesca• Allusions: Dido, Cleopatra, Semiramis, Helen, Allusions: Dido, Cleopatra, Semiramis, Helen,

Achilles, Paris, Lancelot, Guinevere, Tristan, Achilles, Paris, Lancelot, Guinevere, Tristan, IsoldeIsolde

• Punishable Sin: Immoderate PassionPunishable Sin: Immoderate Passion• Summary: The poets venture into the Second Summary: The poets venture into the Second

Circle, where they encounter Minos, the Dread Circle, where they encounter Minos, the Dread Judge of all who pass through Hell. He tries to Judge of all who pass through Hell. He tries to force them to go back, a la Charon, but Virgil force them to go back, a la Charon, but Virgil works his magic and they pass. We then see works his magic and they pass. We then see the Lustful, those whose appetites the Lustful, those whose appetites overwhelmed their sensibilities. Dante hears overwhelmed their sensibilities. Dante hears the story of Paolo and Francesca, and he’s so the story of Paolo and Francesca, and he’s so overcome that he faints yet again.overcome that he faints yet again.

Love vs. LustLove vs. Lust

• The relationship between the two has The relationship between the two has always been somewhat difficultalways been somewhat difficult

• Dante juggles “the ennobling power of Dante juggles “the ennobling power of attraction toward the beauty of a whole attraction toward the beauty of a whole person and the destructive force of person and the destructive force of possessive sexual desire”possessive sexual desire”

• It’s striking to see those who It’s striking to see those who abandoned reason so soon after those abandoned reason so soon after those who lived for its pursuit; the contrast who lived for its pursuit; the contrast between the first two circles couldn’t between the first two circles couldn’t be clearerbe clearer

Love vs. Lust (cont’d)Love vs. Lust (cont’d)• Dante seems to distinguish between those Dante seems to distinguish between those

who feel lust and those who act on it; it who feel lust and those who act on it; it may be impossible to control our hearts, may be impossible to control our hearts, but it but it isis possible to govern our bodies possible to govern our bodies

• He shows that this line is a very fine one He shows that this line is a very fine one indeed; interestingly, his ideas echo indeed; interestingly, his ideas echo Sternberg’s, i.e., that those who tell Sternberg’s, i.e., that those who tell stories of romance and desire help stories of romance and desire help corrode the sensibilities of those who read corrode the sensibilities of those who read themthem

• This is the first place where an This is the first place where an unrepentented sin is punished in Hellunrepentented sin is punished in Hell– Limbo’s not really a place of punishment, Limbo’s not really a place of punishment,

whereas the Vestibule lies outside of Hellwhereas the Vestibule lies outside of Hell

Love vs. Lust (cont’d)Love vs. Lust (cont’d)• Its location, however, is appropriately Its location, however, is appropriately

ambiguousambiguous• On the one hand, its placement marks it On the one hand, its placement marks it

as the “least serious” sin (it’s farthest as the “least serious” sin (it’s farthest from Satan, who lies at the center)from Satan, who lies at the center)

• On the other hand, it’s the first one we On the other hand, it’s the first one we see, and therefore the first thing we see, and therefore the first thing we associate with serious wrongdoingassociate with serious wrongdoing

• If anything, Dante presents this If anything, Dante presents this wrongdoing as a war between instinct and wrongdoing as a war between instinct and learned behavior, a war those who end up learned behavior, a war those who end up in the Second Circle lose; some of the in the Second Circle lose; some of the other sins aren’t so “lucky”other sins aren’t so “lucky”

MinosMinos• Minos, like Charon before him, is a remix – a Minos, like Charon before him, is a remix – a

figure from classical stories who Dante infuses figure from classical stories who Dante infuses with new detail and characteristics with new detail and characteristics

• There were two Minoses in classical literature, There were two Minoses in classical literature, both of which ruled over Greece’s Crete, but we both of which ruled over Greece’s Crete, but we only care about the first oneonly care about the first one

• The older Minos, son of Zeus and Europa, was The older Minos, son of Zeus and Europa, was known as the “favorite of the gods” because of known as the “favorite of the gods” because of his wisdom and commitment to lawhis wisdom and commitment to law– Once he died, his reputation earned him the position of Once he died, his reputation earned him the position of

supreme judge of the underworld. supreme judge of the underworld. – His duty was to hear the testimony of new souls, and to His duty was to hear the testimony of new souls, and to

make sure their accounts aligned with their destinies make sure their accounts aligned with their destinies • Minos’s long tail, which he wraps around his body Minos’s long tail, which he wraps around his body

a number of times equal to the soul's assigned a number of times equal to the soul's assigned Circle, is Dante's inventionCircle, is Dante's invention

Famous LoversFamous Lovers• The stories of the lustful souls Dante identifies in Canto The stories of the lustful souls Dante identifies in Canto

V share certain elements: romance, beauty, sex, and V share certain elements: romance, beauty, sex, and death. death. – Passion overwhelms these figures or leads directly to their Passion overwhelms these figures or leads directly to their

downfall.downfall.• Dido, for example, was the queen of Carthage until her Dido, for example, was the queen of Carthage until her

lover – Aeneas – abandoned her in order to continue his lover – Aeneas – abandoned her in order to continue his mission (establishing a new society in Italy). mission (establishing a new society in Italy). – She was so grief-stricken that she committed suicide.She was so grief-stricken that she committed suicide.

• Cleopatra, the legendarily beautiful queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, the legendarily beautiful queen of Egypt, committed suicide in order to keep the man (Octavian) committed suicide in order to keep the man (Octavian) who defeated her lover (Antony) from capturing her.who defeated her lover (Antony) from capturing her.

• Semiramis, another ancient and powerful queen (of Semiramis, another ancient and powerful queen (of Assyria), was rumored to have been killed by an Assyria), was rumored to have been killed by an illegitimate son; as legend has it, she had also legalized illegitimate son; as legend has it, she had also legalized incest for her own benefit, which gives a new meaning incest for her own benefit, which gives a new meaning to “illegitimate” here.to “illegitimate” here.

Famous Lovers (cont’d)Famous Lovers (cont’d)• Helen of Troy, famed as the most beautiful Helen of Troy, famed as the most beautiful

woman alive, played a direct role in the Trojan woman alive, played a direct role in the Trojan War’s origins; once she was abducted by Paris War’s origins; once she was abducted by Paris and dragged back to Troy, her countrymen and dragged back to Troy, her countrymen came after her, and she betrayed the Trojans came after her, and she betrayed the Trojans by helping the Greeks carry out their attackby helping the Greeks carry out their attack

• Achilles was the most formidable Greek hero Achilles was the most formidable Greek hero among the forces who laid siege to Troy.among the forces who laid siege to Troy.

• Tristan was King Mark’s nephew, and Isolde Tristan was King Mark’s nephew, and Isolde Mark’s fiancée; the two mistakenly drank a love Mark’s fiancée; the two mistakenly drank a love potion that had been intended for Mark and potion that had been intended for Mark and Isolde, and fell completely in love with one Isolde, and fell completely in love with one another. Enraged, Mark shot Tristan through another. Enraged, Mark shot Tristan through with an arrow, and he then clutched his lover with an arrow, and he then clutched his lover so tightly that she died in his arms as wellso tightly that she died in his arms as well

Francesca and PaoloFrancesca and Paolo• Raffa: “Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta Raffa: “Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta

are punished together in hell for their adultery: are punished together in hell for their adultery: Francesca was married to Paolo's brother, Francesca was married to Paolo's brother, Gianciotto ("Crippled John"). Francesca's shade Gianciotto ("Crippled John"). Francesca's shade tells Dante that her husband is destined for tells Dante that her husband is destined for punishment in Caina – the infernal realm of familial punishment in Caina – the infernal realm of familial betrayal named after Cain, who killed his brother betrayal named after Cain, who killed his brother Abel – for murdering her and Paolo. Francesca was Abel – for murdering her and Paolo. Francesca was the aunt of Guido Novello da Polenta, Dante's host the aunt of Guido Novello da Polenta, Dante's host in Ravenna during the last years of the poet's life in Ravenna during the last years of the poet's life (1318-21). She was married for political reasons to (1318-21). She was married for political reasons to Gianciotto of the powerful Malatesta family, rulers Gianciotto of the powerful Malatesta family, rulers of Rimini. Dante may have actually met Paolo in of Rimini. Dante may have actually met Paolo in Florence (where Paolo was Florence (where Paolo was capitano del popolocapitano del popolo--a --a political role assigned to citizens of other cities--in political role assigned to citizens of other cities--in 1282), not long before he and Francesca were 1282), not long before he and Francesca were killed by Gianciotto.”killed by Gianciotto.”

Francesca and Paolo (cont’d)Francesca and Paolo (cont’d)

• Raffa: “Francesca, according to Boccaccio, was Raffa: “Francesca, according to Boccaccio, was blatantly tricked into marrying Gianciotto, who was blatantly tricked into marrying Gianciotto, who was disfigured and uncouth, when the handsome and disfigured and uncouth, when the handsome and elegant Paolo was sent in his brother's place to elegant Paolo was sent in his brother's place to settle the nuptial contract. Angered at finding settle the nuptial contract. Angered at finding herself wed the following day to Gianciotto, herself wed the following day to Gianciotto, Francesca made no attempt to restrain her Francesca made no attempt to restrain her affections for Paolo and the two in fact soon affections for Paolo and the two in fact soon became lovers. Informed of this liaison, Gianciotto became lovers. Informed of this liaison, Gianciotto one day caught them together in Francesca's one day caught them together in Francesca's bedroom (unaware that Paolo got stuck in his bedroom (unaware that Paolo got stuck in his attempt to escape down a ladder, she let attempt to escape down a ladder, she let Gianciotto in the room); when Gianciotto lunged at Gianciotto in the room); when Gianciotto lunged at Paolo with a sword, Francesca stepped between Paolo with a sword, Francesca stepped between the two men and was killed instead, much to the the two men and was killed instead, much to the dismay of her husband, who then promptly finished dismay of her husband, who then promptly finished off Paolo as well. Francesca and Paolo, Boccaccio off Paolo as well. Francesca and Paolo, Boccaccio concludes, were buried – accompanied by many concludes, were buried – accompanied by many tears – in a single tomb.”tears – in a single tomb.”

Lancelot and GuinevereLancelot and Guinevere• Raffa: “The story of Raffa: “The story of LancelotLancelot and and GuinevereGuinevere, ,

which Francesca identifies as the catalyst for which Francesca identifies as the catalyst for her affair with Paolo, was a French romance her affair with Paolo, was a French romance popular both in poetry and in a prose version popular both in poetry and in a prose version known as known as Lancelot of the Lake.Lancelot of the Lake. According to According to this prose text, it is Queen Guinevere, wife of this prose text, it is Queen Guinevere, wife of King Arthur, who kisses Lancelot, the most King Arthur, who kisses Lancelot, the most valiant of Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. valiant of Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. Francesca, by giving the romantic initiative to Francesca, by giving the romantic initiative to Paolo, reverses the roles from the story. To her Paolo, reverses the roles from the story. To her mind, the entire book recounting this famous mind, the entire book recounting this famous love affair performs a role similar to that of the love affair performs a role similar to that of the character character GalahadGalahad, a friend of Lancelot who , a friend of Lancelot who helps bring about the adulterous relationship helps bring about the adulterous relationship between the queen and her husband's favorite between the queen and her husband's favorite knight.”knight.”