Literary Devices Used In Dante's Inferno

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In 431 B.C., Dante Alighieri wrote the Divine Comedy. This was different from any other major works of art in the time because it was the first to be published in the vernacular, Italian. In Dante's Inferno, Dante uses many literary devices and vivid details to describe the journey into the after life. In Canto III, Dante and his partner, Virgil are outside the gates of Hell deciding whether to enter or remain on the surface of Earth. After they come to a decision to enter the gateway to Hell, Dante uses imagery to alert the readers that they are hearing screaming and cries of the victims who just entered Hell. Further on into the Canto, Dante and Virgil ride in a boat along Acheron, which represents the border of Hell. On the boat ride, the …show more content…
For example, as Dante and Virgil first proceed through the gates of Hell, Dante uses a metaphor to allow the reader to understand how grim and scary the words written on the gates of Hell before they enter. Dante writes “those words brought silence to their woolly cheeks,” to express this message. Dante uses a simile and states, “like grains of sand swirling when a world wind blows.” This quote allows readers to visualize a lot of sand being blown around in random patterns which is referring to the abundance and haphazardness of the cries and screams coming from the victims who just entered through the gates of hell. This is just one-way Dante uses literary device to describe dreadful Hell. Further on into the canto, as Dante and Virgil are on the boat being docked after the trip across the border of Hell, Dante states “the grim terrain shook violently” which s an example of imagery and allows readers to visualize the force needed to dock the boat. These are just a couple of ways Dante uses literary devices in canto III to aide the reader in understanding their journey through the beginning of
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