.. By this way, no good spirit ever passes" (25). We also know what it means to be a Christian when Virgil tells Dante that the spirits they see in the first level of hell are there because while they were "before Christianity, the worshipped not God" (27). Here we know that Dante is trying to impress the importance of pleasing God.

It is also important to note that while Dante interjects politics into his poem, it is clear that political beliefs do not factor into the equation when it comes to living a good life. Politicians from all lifestyles are in hell as well as religious figures. For example, we see Brunetto and Pope Nicholas III in hell for their sins. Brunetto addresses Dante with a "sense of shame" (86) and Pope Nicholas III is quick to "declare his own evil ways" (102). With these very real figures, Dante...
[ View Full Essay]