The Inferno: post one

Laugh you may, but in the Hannah Montana Movie the quote goes, "life's a climb but the view is great." You cant give up or give into anything while climbing that hill (life), you just have to keep your eye on the prize and when it seems to get steeper push through it and keep climbing. The poet in the story, Dante finds himself on a path of darkness. We can see the symbolizism within the first few lines of the poem. He states, “Midway on our life’s journey, I found myself / In dark woods, the right road lost” (I.1–2). Here we see how this brings us back to our own lives with "our" life journey, and the right road being that of honor and gloryfying God. He seems to have lost his way off of his true path, but cant seem to figure out how he got there, "I cannot well repeat how there I entered,/ So full was I of slumber at the moment/ In which I had abandoned the true way."(I.10-13) Dante sees a hill that at the top has a light gleaming down upon it, but when he goes to climb that mountain he is met by 3 beasts; a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf, which all have him turn back. I see these beasts as symbols of dark forces, also being sins. Although unsure of its whereabouts I know through my biblical teachings that in the Bible they speak of these beasts. That the lion will eventually come to slay them, and the lepord is for watching the city, and a wolf will spoil them. Therefor right from the get go the plot of the story gets underway that involves Christian doctrine that brings us to our own lives, religious or not. You dont have to be a believer to relate to this story. Everyone goes through hard times, and the light is difficult to get to. Some give up but others dig deep, as for Dante, he gave up the climb and returned to the dark and scary valley. Dante meets up with Virgil, a poet that Dante admires and enjoys. Dante tells about the beasts that kept him from reaching the top of the hill. Virgil informs Dante that the She-Wolf will kill anything in her path. But he also says that a day will come when she will be chased back into Hell where she belongs. So they're off, Virgil and Dante on the climb to reach the top. However before they can climb the hill they must first pass through the place of eternal punishment, aka Hell. Then they will continue to a place of lesser punishment being Purgatory. After all is done then can they reach the light which is God's city of eternal life, Heaven. Dante links his poem to the larger traditional Christian beliefs. Everyone undergoes trials and tribulations in their search to find themsevles in life. THey go forth making mistakes, but also learning from them to discover the soul’s true path in life. Christian doctrine says that all people know some form of sin and will wander and give into that temptation from time to time. THe path to the blessed and eternal life in Heaven however awaits anyone who seeks to find it. Dante makes it to where you put yourself in his position at the beginning of the poem.
The journey of Dante and Virgil goes on and they come to the gates of Hell. “Abandon all hope, you who enter here,” is the greeting before entering the gate. As they enter Dante hears crying and suffering from the souls that have no place. THey lived their life undecisive of whether to live out an honorable life for God or deny Him to earn them a place in Hell, therefor both Heaven and Hell have denied them. This book is very detailed you could say on how descriptive it is. Flies and wasps continually bite them, and worms consume the blood and tears that flow from them. I cant imagine witnessing all of this. I know for myself i'd have the need to pray, but then what would happen to me. Hell is where you have dishonored or denied God. Although Dante wasnt condemned to hell would he not be able to speak to or of his Heavenly Father? It says in the Bible "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."(phillipians 4:13) It being Hell was God still with them? I guess i will just keep reading to see.