There are two episodes in these chapters that both illustrate Don Quixote's self-absortion into his own story, even though he encourages others to share in his vision. As Sancho Panza, in chapter 20, relates a story (page 157), he asks for Don Quixote's attention. Sancho was trying to distract Don Quixote and he succeeded to do so, as Don Quixote never knew that Sancho had tied the horses' legs to keep him still for the night.
On page 159, Sancho Panza refuses to finish because Don Quixote interrupts him and doesn't listen to the way Sancho requests.
In chapter 14, the hermit they encounter agrees to tell his story, provided that he is not interrupted (page 197). In the end, with a long discourse on chivalry, Don Quixote does indeed interrupt the story (page 202). Once the story has been interrupted, the hermit began to rambe insanely.
I think that Don Quixote is very hypocritical. He preaches chivalry and justice, also for women, while through his own ego, interrupts people constantly.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
day two of Don Quixote
In chapter 15, Don Quixote tries to fight a group of men from Janguas after his horse tried to mingle with their ponies. Then, Sancho follows him in the ridiculous fight that ensued. I interperate Sancho's reaction as honest and true, and also shows true chivalry when he says:
"I'm a peaceful man, sir, meek and mild, and I can overlook any insult, because I've got a wife to support and children to bring up. So even though it isn't up to me to give any orders, you bear this in mind, too - in no way am I going to draw my sword against anyone, peasant or knight, and I hereby, before God my Maker, forgive all affronts that anybody ever has offered me or ever will offer me, whether the person who has offered them, offers them or will offer them is of high or low birth, rich or poor, a gentleman or a commoner, not excepting any estate or condition whatsoever." (pp 117-118).
Don Quixote uses his delusional knight code to explain the defeat as his own fault. Logically, according to his knight code, he shouldn't have fought those who were not true knights themselves. Sancho is simply true and honest - that all affronts should be forgiven.
In chapter 17, after causing a fight, Don Quixote refuses to pay the innkeeper (page 134), saying that he thought that the inn was a castle. Once again, Sancho takes further abuse because he is left behind to pay, but he refuses on the grounds that his master wasn't going to pay and neither will he. Here again, Sancho takes further abuse in an almost comical scene with the innkeeper and the people of the inn.
In the beginning of the next chapter, Don Quixote says that the inn or "castle" must be haunted or enchanted.
"I'm a peaceful man, sir, meek and mild, and I can overlook any insult, because I've got a wife to support and children to bring up. So even though it isn't up to me to give any orders, you bear this in mind, too - in no way am I going to draw my sword against anyone, peasant or knight, and I hereby, before God my Maker, forgive all affronts that anybody ever has offered me or ever will offer me, whether the person who has offered them, offers them or will offer them is of high or low birth, rich or poor, a gentleman or a commoner, not excepting any estate or condition whatsoever." (pp 117-118).
Don Quixote uses his delusional knight code to explain the defeat as his own fault. Logically, according to his knight code, he shouldn't have fought those who were not true knights themselves. Sancho is simply true and honest - that all affronts should be forgiven.
In chapter 17, after causing a fight, Don Quixote refuses to pay the innkeeper (page 134), saying that he thought that the inn was a castle. Once again, Sancho takes further abuse because he is left behind to pay, but he refuses on the grounds that his master wasn't going to pay and neither will he. Here again, Sancho takes further abuse in an almost comical scene with the innkeeper and the people of the inn.
In the beginning of the next chapter, Don Quixote says that the inn or "castle" must be haunted or enchanted.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
i canti finali dell'Inferno
In canto 29, lines 121-123, Dante pokes fun at the Sienese and at Siena. This, in my opinion is derrived from the long-standing rivalry between Florence and Siena.
"Now was there ever a people so foolsih as the Sienese? Certainly not the French, by far!" (Canto 29 lines 121-123).
I think Dante is referring to the spending habits of the Sienese. As we know, Siena was a very wealthy city during the Middle Ages, and is still wealthy (or at least expensive to live in) today.
In the notes on page 462, we learn that Dante was poking fun at the Sienese people for their vanity, being worse than that of the French.
On a translation note, the modern italian word for "sienese" is senese (it drops the I from Siena). Interestingly, in line 109, the name "Siena" appears in the original italian. But, when Dante is refering to the Sienese people as a collective, he uses the singular form la sanese (notice the singular feminine definate article article la) . When he is referring to the Sienese people as a plurality, he uses the plural form i sanesi (notice the plural masculine definate article i). Also, in this archaic form of italian, the word sanese appears, with an A, instead of the modern senese, with an E.
In the final canto of the Inferno, we get this stupid depiction of Satan, as this strange bird with three heads. It is certainly not expected, but I think the fact that it is not expected makes it seem scarier. Also because fo the fact that Lucifer is this bizzare creature, almost stupid, to me is scarier than some beast. In my opinion, bizzare and grotesque is much more frightening than just something ugly or strong with teeth.
"Now was there ever a people so foolsih as the Sienese? Certainly not the French, by far!" (Canto 29 lines 121-123).
I think Dante is referring to the spending habits of the Sienese. As we know, Siena was a very wealthy city during the Middle Ages, and is still wealthy (or at least expensive to live in) today.
In the notes on page 462, we learn that Dante was poking fun at the Sienese people for their vanity, being worse than that of the French.
On a translation note, the modern italian word for "sienese" is senese (it drops the I from Siena). Interestingly, in line 109, the name "Siena" appears in the original italian. But, when Dante is refering to the Sienese people as a collective, he uses the singular form la sanese (notice the singular feminine definate article article la) . When he is referring to the Sienese people as a plurality, he uses the plural form i sanesi (notice the plural masculine definate article i). Also, in this archaic form of italian, the word sanese appears, with an A, instead of the modern senese, with an E.
In the final canto of the Inferno, we get this stupid depiction of Satan, as this strange bird with three heads. It is certainly not expected, but I think the fact that it is not expected makes it seem scarier. Also because fo the fact that Lucifer is this bizzare creature, almost stupid, to me is scarier than some beast. In my opinion, bizzare and grotesque is much more frightening than just something ugly or strong with teeth.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Canti 21-27
Since Dante is walking in the footsteps of Christ, I react in two ways:
1) I feel that Dante is thinking very highly of himself to compare himself to Christ.
2) I interpret that Dante is the only living person to walk along the same path that Christ did.
In lines 106-108, canto 21, a demon tells Dante and Virgil that there is a broken arch that prevents them from going onward:
"Then he said to us: 'Further along this ridge you cannot go, for the sixth arch lies all shattered at the bottom. But if you still wish to go forward, walk along this bank: nearby is another ridge that makes a path.'" (lines 106-110).
In the lines following this quote, Dante actually dates his journey into Hell.
"Yesterday, five hours later than now, one thousand two hundred and sixty-six years were completed since the way was broken here" (lines 112-114 canto 21).
According to the notes on page 330, "yesterday" refers to Good Friday, thus Dante's journey occurs on a Saturday. "Five hours later than now" refers to the time of day, which would be noon. And it is believed that Christ died at noon. And Christ died at the age of 34, in 34 A.D. Thus, (as we do the math) Dante dates his journey into Hell at the year 1300. Also in the notes it says that Dante was 35 years old when he made the journey into Hell. Thus, he is imitating Christ once more in the poem.
The arch was believed to be broken during the earthquake that occurred at the moment of Christ's death. The path that was carved out was made by Christ himself as he descended into Hell to save the souls of those who preceded him.
It seems that Dante feels that he is an important chronicler of the punishments in Hell. Also that he feels that he is important enough to literally follow in the footsteps of Christ and his path into Hell. But, unlike Christ, Dante does not pass judgements on the sinners he sees being punished. He merely acts as an observer, and is sometimes horrified by the punishments. I must mention that also, unlike Christ, Dante is not divine, but like Christ he is eternal, through his writing.
Also I must note the connection with the metaphor of the Scales of Justice in the Inferno. Hell is layered, and no sin is equal; some sins are greater than others. And the punishments match, parallel, or reflect the sins in either an ironic, literal or metaphorical way.
1) I feel that Dante is thinking very highly of himself to compare himself to Christ.
2) I interpret that Dante is the only living person to walk along the same path that Christ did.
In lines 106-108, canto 21, a demon tells Dante and Virgil that there is a broken arch that prevents them from going onward:
"Then he said to us: 'Further along this ridge you cannot go, for the sixth arch lies all shattered at the bottom. But if you still wish to go forward, walk along this bank: nearby is another ridge that makes a path.'" (lines 106-110).
In the lines following this quote, Dante actually dates his journey into Hell.
"Yesterday, five hours later than now, one thousand two hundred and sixty-six years were completed since the way was broken here" (lines 112-114 canto 21).
According to the notes on page 330, "yesterday" refers to Good Friday, thus Dante's journey occurs on a Saturday. "Five hours later than now" refers to the time of day, which would be noon. And it is believed that Christ died at noon. And Christ died at the age of 34, in 34 A.D. Thus, (as we do the math) Dante dates his journey into Hell at the year 1300. Also in the notes it says that Dante was 35 years old when he made the journey into Hell. Thus, he is imitating Christ once more in the poem.
The arch was believed to be broken during the earthquake that occurred at the moment of Christ's death. The path that was carved out was made by Christ himself as he descended into Hell to save the souls of those who preceded him.
It seems that Dante feels that he is an important chronicler of the punishments in Hell. Also that he feels that he is important enough to literally follow in the footsteps of Christ and his path into Hell. But, unlike Christ, Dante does not pass judgements on the sinners he sees being punished. He merely acts as an observer, and is sometimes horrified by the punishments. I must mention that also, unlike Christ, Dante is not divine, but like Christ he is eternal, through his writing.
Also I must note the connection with the metaphor of the Scales of Justice in the Inferno. Hell is layered, and no sin is equal; some sins are greater than others. And the punishments match, parallel, or reflect the sins in either an ironic, literal or metaphorical way.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Inferno canti 14-20
Dante's view on homosexuality is disturbing. He seemed to view the Sodomites as violent against nature. Dante indirectly refers to homosexuality as violent against nature, "all fouled with the same sin of the world" (lines 107-8).
The description of Geryon implies to me that he is Jewish, and in Hell for fraud, with the rest of the usurers and moneylenders.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Canti 7-13 dell'Inferno
I was very struck by the walls of the city of Dis made of iron (line 78 canto 8). Iron sybolizes to me strength, war and impermeability. Iron is cold and heavy, and is a heat conductor, i.e. fires of Hell.
It is no suprise to me that Dante puts Farinata in Hell. He led the armies of Siena and other Ghibellines against the Guelfs of Florence at the Battle of Montaperti, where the Sienese and other Tuscan Ghibellines were victorious over the Florentines. This is something that the Sienese are very proud of, still to this day. Thus it is something that the Florentines are not proud of, and their hatred for Farinata remains. The image of Farinata in Hell is an interesting one:
"'From the waist up you will see him'" says Virgil to Dante (lines 32-33 canto 10). The rest of his body is not visible to Dante at this time, but become visible later. To me this implies that he is not a physical man, but a soul or spirit, or some sort of ghost.
It is no suprise to me that Dante puts Farinata in Hell. He led the armies of Siena and other Ghibellines against the Guelfs of Florence at the Battle of Montaperti, where the Sienese and other Tuscan Ghibellines were victorious over the Florentines. This is something that the Sienese are very proud of, still to this day. Thus it is something that the Florentines are not proud of, and their hatred for Farinata remains. The image of Farinata in Hell is an interesting one:
"'From the waist up you will see him'" says Virgil to Dante (lines 32-33 canto 10). The rest of his body is not visible to Dante at this time, but become visible later. To me this implies that he is not a physical man, but a soul or spirit, or some sort of ghost.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
L'inferno, canti 1-6 di Dante Alighieri
The first thing I noticed was naturally the Italian text. Dante wrote L'inferno originally in italiano volgare, or the form of archaic Italian spoken and understood by the masses. italian is largely based on the Tuscan dialect of Latin, and was in part founded by Dante himself because of his insistance on writing in vernacular rather than in Medeival or Classical Latin like those before him (Dante, Giovanni Boccaccio, and Petrarch were the first to write in archaic Italian, in order for their works to be understood by the masses who didn't know Latin). Reading the original Italian, I can understand words here and there, and I feel like I should be able to understand all of it, but I cannot understand it entirely since my native language is English.
Dante has a power of descriptiveness. He has a way of telling you something, without being direct, which in turn stimulates the mind to think. For example, in the beginning of the first canto, he does not say that Virgil as a ghost. Virgil simply states that he is "not a man, [he] was formerly a man" (line 67). Also, Dante describes his journey as if he had lived it firsthand, ripe with emotions that one would be feeling if travelling to Hell.
Virgil to me represents an Italian author's acknoledgement and love for the glory of the Roman Empire and classical antiquity while Beatrice represents the Roman Catholic Church, another part of an italian's life.
On a translation note, in modern Italian, dolore means pain. But in the context of Dante, it means sorrow. Also, primo means first, but here it means primal. Naturally, i am inclined towards the translation aspects of the Inferno. But one could easily say that God was first (il primo) and primal, and those in Hell are eternally in pain (il dolore) and sorrow.
Medieval and Renaissance Italians loved the classical antiquity (l'antichità classica). They seemed to dwell in the past rather than move forward. But nonetheless, their work is amazing. The fact that Dante uses Charon and the River Styx in his Inferno shows his appreciation for the Greek and Roman mythology that preceeded him. Charon, in fact, is Greek, not Roman.
Dante has a power of descriptiveness. He has a way of telling you something, without being direct, which in turn stimulates the mind to think. For example, in the beginning of the first canto, he does not say that Virgil as a ghost. Virgil simply states that he is "not a man, [he] was formerly a man" (line 67). Also, Dante describes his journey as if he had lived it firsthand, ripe with emotions that one would be feeling if travelling to Hell.
Virgil to me represents an Italian author's acknoledgement and love for the glory of the Roman Empire and classical antiquity while Beatrice represents the Roman Catholic Church, another part of an italian's life.
On a translation note, in modern Italian, dolore means pain. But in the context of Dante, it means sorrow. Also, primo means first, but here it means primal. Naturally, i am inclined towards the translation aspects of the Inferno. But one could easily say that God was first (il primo) and primal, and those in Hell are eternally in pain (il dolore) and sorrow.
Medieval and Renaissance Italians loved the classical antiquity (l'antichità classica). They seemed to dwell in the past rather than move forward. But nonetheless, their work is amazing. The fact that Dante uses Charon and the River Styx in his Inferno shows his appreciation for the Greek and Roman mythology that preceeded him. Charon, in fact, is Greek, not Roman.
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