Imagery and Allegory in Dante: A Virgilian Perspective Dante's portrayal of Hell in the Inferno is an undisputed masterpiece of visual and allegorical imagery, enriched not only by extensive use of figurative language, but by concrete physical descriptions as well. Perhaps the most interesting display of Dante's skill in combining these sensory and metaphorical elements occurs in Canto XIV: here, as the two figures cross over a river encased in stone, Virgil recounts to the …showed first 75 words of 2257 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2257 total…behind the scenes. More importantly, though, the emotions that Virgil reveals alter the reader's own perception of events, increasing the awe, amazement, and pity which inevitably follow from such rich imagery and allegory. Virgil's speech whets the Pilgrim's appetite for knowledge and understanding, but his promise is not an empty one: his explanations satisfy the resulting desire for enlightenment, and reflect Dante's success in combining powerful allegorical language with beautifully vibrant visual imagery. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**