Alighieri’s Use of Imagery and First Person Point of View in ​The Divine Comedy Anonymous 10th Grade

Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy presents a highly detailed first-person account of the afterlife that is rich with imagery. The use of detailed imagery gives the reader a very descriptive and realistic view of the events, creating a strong emotional response to the themes of his work. Simultaneously, the use of first person point of view pulls the reader into the story and evokes a personal connection to Dante’s experiences. Alighieri’s clever use of both imagery and first person point of view emotionally connects the reader to key themes of The Divine Comedy, including the theme of the Law of Symbolic Retribution, the theme that God is involved in all aspects of human life, and the theme that people give sin power.

Alighieri uses detailed imagery and first person point of view to illustrate the Law of Symbolic Retribution. Alighieri provides very descriptive examples of how a person’s punishment, or retribution, is symbolic of the sin they commit. When describing the First Circle of Hell where the opportunists are punished, Virgil explains that, “These are the nearly soulless whose lives concluded neither blame nor praise” (Inferno III.32-3). These people did nothing with their lives, and Dante observes that their...