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Use Of Apostrophes In Dantes Inferno

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Criticisms of ideas and actions are is most effective when it is directed towards the subject and specific about the issue. Whether it is an editorial attacking a politician, a panel of judges grading a performer or a movie reviewer negatively rating a movie, criticism is most effective when it directly addresses the issue. Dante is not shy to challenge sin in The Inferno and his rebuttal of sins is most apparent in Canto XIX where Dante travels through the Third Bolgia of the eighth circle of hell. In this Bolgia, Dante attacks the practice of simony, the act of selling religious offices or favors for money named after Simon Magus, and clearly shows his audience that he is against the practice. Dante Poet’s utilization of apostrophes to interrupt …show more content…

His first apostrophe was addressed to Simon Magus and his followers saying, “O Simon Magus, and O you wretched crowd of those who follow him and prostitute in your rapcity the things of God...For you: the third pouch is where you are put” (Pinsky, The Inferno, Trans. Pinsky). By starting the canto with this apostrophe, Dante clearly conveys to his audience his negative views toward Magus and those who followed him. Simonists, in Dante’s mind, are treating divinity like prostitution in order “...to get Silver and gold” (Dante, The Inferno, Trans. Pinsky) which is a sin itself in Christianity. Beyond the literal significance of this apostrophe, the scarceness of this literary element throughout Inferno further emphasizes the magnitude of this apostrophe illustrating that Dante’s hatred toward corruption in the church is greater than his hatred toward any other sin. The tone created by the apostrophe also exhibits to his audience that he is not messing around when it comes to this issue and the act of selling holiness and church offices is not only wrong but a threat to religion

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