In Canto V, the lovers blame literary figures of ancient and medieval texts as a source that encouraged their own downfall. Discuss what you know about these tales and whether the “blame” placed on them by the lovers excuses them from their own sin. 200-250 words.
9 Comments
Sarah
9/6/2014 09:46:40 pm
In Canto V we get to know Francesca and her brother in law Paolo, two lost souls trapped in hell. They tell Dante about the story of her husband finding her with his brother and murdering them. They were then known as heartless sinners. These two done souls believed that their faith had already been determined early on, so there was no need to feel guilty or beg for forgiveness. Later on, Dante got surprised seeing how glad and happy Paolo and Francesca seemed to be about the whole thing, but they later on explained to him that it didn't matter that they ended up as two lost souls in hell because as long as they were two lost souls whirling together around in hell, it would all be okay in the end. I believe that the blame placed on Francesca and Paolo was right, and there was not situation that would excuse them from their sins. You cannot blame anyone else for your mistakes besides yourself. Blaming their sins on literary figures, does in fact not excuse them from their actions and life choices.
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Connor H
9/6/2014 10:28:41 pm
In Canto V of Dante's Inferno, Dante, of the tale, encounters those banished to the first ring of hell, or other known as Lust. Those who are banished here are "buffeted by hot winds for all of eternity" for their lustful and unholy choices they made in life. Dante recognizes one of the tormented souls and eventually leads into a story that tells Dante how they were led into leaving their husband for her brother in law, because of Midas and his misleading ways. He blames Midas because of the golden touch he possesses and how it can make many things seem better by trading in your soul for a chance at mortal happiness and pleasure. All they did was ruin their lives and they basically threw themselves into the hands Satan. So to use Midas to justify what they had done is incorrect and to try to justify their sin is irrelevant and there is no point, because even though they may have a lot in common with Midas but his actions do not justify their own decisions which lead to their consequences in the end, or on their judgment day.
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Brandon F
9/6/2014 11:26:01 pm
In Canto V these people that are going to hell are blaming people from ancient times for what is happening. I do not find them blaming the people in the ancient times to be an excuse that is good for the sin they committed. They give a description of the place they are walking through which is mute of all light and you could hear people screaming and making loud noises. There was also a hurricane that never stopped. After a while these people start to talk about these “…People, whom the black air so castigates.” They talk about Semiramis and how she surpassed Ninus. They also talk about how some people did a lot of crazy stuff for love. After that they start talking to themselves and having conversations about the ancient people and what was going to happen to them. What I found out by reading this is that these people have problems that they need to get settled if they ever can get them settled. In the end though I did not find this to be a good excuse from their sin because they did not have to follow this stuff and they are just blaming people for their own mistakes.
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Vlad K
9/7/2014 05:06:10 pm
In Dante's tale "Inferno" Canto V, the protagonist Dante travels through the rings of Hell with the assistance of Virgil. He experiences new sights and meets new people as he takes in the view of the Second Ring of Hell. He talks with the damned soul of Francesca, who tells him a story of her sins. A long time ago she was in a bad relationship and hung out with a man she really enjoyed. They read the story of Lancelot and Guinevere, and decided to take a chance with their forbidden love. They were caught and killed. The story they read was about Lancelot, King Arthur's most trust knight sleeping with his wife, Guinevere. Although they should have learned that from this story that love has no bounds, they also should have learned that cheating gets you killed! They are at fault
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Spencer B
9/7/2014 07:30:57 pm
Francesca complained that the book Lancelot and Guinevere caused their sin. In the story Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere fell in love and hid it from the king. The King eventually discovered the affair and tried to kill them both. Francesca blamed her sin on the story and believed that her own sins should be excused. I don't believe that her sin should be forgiven because if you were told to commit a sin and you did it, you still committed that sin. Even if someone told you to pull the trigger or did it right before you, you still made the decision to do it. Ultimately she made the decision to sin even if the example was set in the story.
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Gizem B
9/14/2014 04:31:05 am
In Canto V there are two lovers, Francesca and her brother in law Paolo, who got sent to hell because of their sin. Francesca is a married woman who cheated on her husband with Paolo. She red a book about Lancelot and Guinevere and their affair and blames them for their own sin and believes that the cheating was okay since Lancelot and Guinevere did the same thing. In the book after Lancelot and Guinevere got caught cheating, Lancelot was banished from the country to never return and Guinevere was sent to a convey. King Arthur couldn't kill his wife because he loved her with all of his heart. Francesca believed that cheating was okay but I think she also thought they would get away with it. But when they caught cheating they were both killed. I think cheating is very wrong but the fact that he was her brother in law made the situation worse. I also think they have no right to give the fault of their sin to literary figures since it was their decision to cheat. Nobody forced them to cheat. Nobody told them to cheat. And if someone did say that, it is still up to them to choose. I think Francesca just can't admit that it was their sin and there is no one to blame but themselves.
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tatiana
9/14/2014 08:55:10 pm
In the tale Canto V by Dante you meet Minos who is like the guardian of hell and he is the judge and he is goes on to talk about a girl named Francesca who has cheated on her husband because she was founded with this other man that they acted from one of the stories of Launcelot and Guinevere that is the reason why she blames for how she sinned. Francesca feels that her destiny was already set and that her and Paolo were meant to be together so it doesnt matter if they are on earth heaven or hell as long as there souls are with each other then they are happy. Minos seems shocked and surprised by this but there is nothing he can do for them. Francesca knows that she can not redue what has been done all she can do is learn from her mistakes and not make the same mistakes again.
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Jesse T
9/22/2014 03:13:45 am
In Canto V, Dante and Virgil descend into the Second circle of hell, which is smaller than the first, but the punishment is greater. They come across Minos, which is a monster, that stands in the front of the line of sinners, assigning them to their punishment. The sinners would then confess their sins to the monster, and Minos would wrap his tail around himself a certain number of time, which would represent the number of circle the should must go to. In this story, Dante talks to Francesco who tells him a story of her sins. Francesco had committed adultery with her lover. However she felt like it was okay because she believed her and her lover were trapped in damnation together. Francesco feels as if she had done nothing wrong, while in reality, sleeping with another man that isn't your husband is wrong, no matter what justification you have. Francesco was at fault and she got what she deserved.
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Maurie
9/27/2014 11:58:36 pm
Canto V, examines the line of when literary elements should be present in your life. In all periods of time, there was a concept of "right and wrong," which turned into "guilty or not found guilty." Literature is put in place to imagine and explore ideals of life that are not accepted or that do not exist in modern day. When Francesco committs her crime and uses the excuse that she thought is was acceptable, since Lancelot and Guinevere did it. By using the excuse that a character did an action, and ''why can't I?" shows the close-minded of Francesco. The fact that she committed a huge crime, such as adultry, should not be tolerated, and is not tolerated when she is sent to Hell.
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