Guide through Canto XXI

Summary :

,           Dante and Virgil continue their way through the eighth circle of hell, and come across the fifth bolgia. Dante looks in, but he sees nothing but dark, boiling muck. Virgil then cries out to Dante to watch out for the black devil running along the edge of the bolgia. Dante describes the black devil with open wings, light on his feet, sharp shoulders, and carrying a sinner with his claw through the sinner’s ankles.

            The black devil throws the sinner into the bolgia, and then takes off in search of another sinner, a grafter in particular, for they are the ones who are punished here. The one who had just been cast into the pit surfaced; but the surrounding devils told him that if he gets caught doing that again, he will feel the wrath of their claws.

            Virgil tells Dante to go hide behind a rock, so he isn’t seen by the devils. He also tells Dante that no matter what happens to him, he must not be afraid. Virgil approaches the devils, and invites one forward to listen to him, and then hook him if they so wished. Evil tail steps forward, and Virgil explains, once again, that he has been commanded from Heaven to bring Dante on this passage through hell. Evil Tail then lowered his hook, and told the others to leave Virgil and his guest alone. Virgil tells Dante to come out of hiding, and Dante rushes over to Virgil.

            Evil Tail warned Virgil that the path ahead was shattered and collapsed. He then tells them that there is another path that a squad of devils is taking to check up on people surfacing. Dante is wary at first, but Virgil comforts him, and the two accept to follow the devils down the alternate path. With all said and done, the leader of the squad, Curly Beard, farts, marking the end of Canto XXI.

Important Quotes :

“‘O Evil Claws, here is one of the elders of Santa Zita! Put him under, I am going back for more to that city, which is well supplied with them: every one is a grafter there, except Bonturo; for money there they turn ‘no’ into ‘yes.’’” (Inf. 21.36)	The black devil’s speech before tossing the grafter into the bolgia. It explains that the sinners here are the grafters, or corrupt politicians. Also highlighted here is Saint Zita, who was from Lucca. Dante is showing that Lucca is very politically corrupt city, and that evidently be its downfall.
“‘Do you think, Evil Tail, that you see me here,” said my master, “once already safe from all your tricks, without God’s will and favorable fate? Allow us to walk on, for it is willed in Heaven that I guide someone on this savage journey.’” (Inf. 21.78)	Virgil’s speech to Evil Tail. Virgil is elaborating on the fact that he has already encountered these devils before, and he wouldn’t do so again if it wasn’t for divine interference. Once again, we see Virgil warding off guards with the God card.
“‘Oh me, master, what do I see?’ I said, ‘Ah, let us go alone, without escort, if you know the way; I don’t ask it for myself. If you are as alert as usual, don’t you see how they are grinding their teeth, and how their eyebrows threaten treachery?’” (Inf 21.127)	Dante’s response to being accompanied by devils to the next bolgia. Clearly, he is not very fond of the idea. He would rather be led by Virgil, but Virgil tells Dante not to worry about it. The devils are only doing these actions to scare those in the bolgia.

The Sinners :

            Here in the fifth bolgia of the eighth circle of hell, the sinners are the grafters. A grafter is someone who uses illegal means to gain wealth and property while being in a position of power, or more simply put, a corrupt politician. It is the secular version of the simoniacs, punished in Canto XIX

Punishment for these sinners :

            The grafters have a rather cruel punishment. They are first captured by a black devil, who hooks them in the ankle. Then they are cast into the bolgia, which is filled with very dark, boiling water. If the grafters head comes above the surface, they will be stabbed with a hundred prongs, and then cast back into the water. The goal is to secretly grab onto the hooks if they need to surface, and then quickly disappear without being seen. This punishment is very similar to that of the violent against their neighbors in Canto 12.

Link to Contrapasso :

            The fifth bolgia is a dark, boiling pit where sinners must be stealthy and sneaky to surface. The grafters made secret deals, abusing their powers to bring about their own well being. Therefore, they must try to use the same skills in hell. In actuality, it is the black devils who are mocking them, telling them to be stealthy and grab something to surface, when the only thing to grab is the devils’ hooks.

Character Analysis :

Evil Tail	-His Italian name is Malacoda. -He is the apparent leader of the black devils. -He is the one Virgil discusses with, and appears to have deceived Virgil. -Dante doesn’t trust him.
Evil Claws	-This is the name for all the black devils. -They include: Evil Tail, Tangle Head, Harlequin, Trample Frost, Evil Dog, Curly Beard, Love Notch, Little Big Dragon, Butterfly, Ruby Face, Big Pig, and Scratching Dog. -Note: many of the devils’ names are animal related, keeping with the bestial trend Dante has set.

Discussion Questions :

1.      A few lines into Canto XXI, Dante begins to describe the fifth bolgia. In doing so, he spends about half a page linking the pit to the black tar used by Venetians to repair their ships. Of all things to compare the black bolgia to, why do you think Dante chose tar, and in particular the one used in Venice?

2.      Before confronting the Evil Claws, Virgil tells Dante to go hide behind a rock and not to be scared. Virgil hasn’t done this before, so why is he telling Dante to run and hide now? Is Virgil really that protective of Dante, or does he simply not want Dante to mess up his negotiations?

3.      Evil Tail tells Virgil that the bridge to the next bolgia was destroyed “yesterday, five hours from now, one thousand and sixty-six years” ago. This date references the earthquake the occurred when Christ died. Where else have you seen this earthquake cause problems in hell? Do you think it is a significant trend that Dante is implementing?

4.      Dante seems to think Evil Tail is deceiving Virgil, given lines 126-129. What reasons would Dante have for thinking this? Is his confidence in Virgil slipping, or are the deeper circles of hell making him paranoid?

Multiple Choice :

1.      What circle of hell are Dante and Virgil in?

a.       Fifth circle

b.      Eighth circle

c.       Twenty-first circle

d.      Seventh Circle

2.      Who is being punished in this Canto?

a.       The Lustful

b.      The Hoarders

c.       The Grafters

d.      The Wrathful

3.      What frightens Dante?

a.       A black devil

b.      A shrieking sinner

c.       The return of Geryon

d.      An explosion in the bolgia

4.      How does the devil carry the sinner?

a.       In his arms

b.      With a claw through his ankles

c.       Over his shoulder

d.      Both b and c

5.      Where does Virgil tell Dante to hide?

a.       Behind him

b.      Behind a rock

c.       Below the ridge of the pit

d.      He doesn’t

6.      Who does Virgil talk to?

a.       Harlequin

b.      Curly Beard

c.       Evil Tail

d.      Evil Dog

7.      What does he tell them?

a.       That they need to get out of the way, or suffer the wrath of God

b.      That he is on a mission from Heaven, and he needs safe passage

c.       That his friend wants a closer look at the sinners

d.      That one of the devils threw someone into the pit

8.      Why can’t Dante and Virgil follow the bridge to the next bolgia?

a.       It shattered when Christ died

b.      The Evil Claws destroyed it to prevent escapers

c.       It crumbled after being splashed with the black water

d.      It descends down into the fifth bolgia

9.      Who is the leader of the squad that accompanies Dante and Virgil?

a.       Evil Tail

b.      Curly Beard

c.       Little Big Dragon

d.      Tangle Head

10.  Why is Dante wary of the devils?     

a.       They are carrying grapples

b.      They have strange names

c.       They stabbed him in the rear

d.      They are making intimidating faces

May Lupa flourish in the times to come.