In reading through these first three cantos, there is a lot to discuss, but one thing I have truly enjoyed about this reading is that Dante's character reminds me of Dickens' Ebenezer Scrooge in his A Christmas Carol. The reason I see this correlation is as follows: Dante is transported into another place, possibly another time, in order to be shown a higher meaning. Ebenezer Scrooge is taken to the past, present, and future, and is warned and enlightened of higher ideals and possibilities. Dante is also confronted by many of the dead, but is originally visited by Virgil, a poet himself. Ebenezer Scrooge starts his entire "adventure", so to speak, with a visit from his old colleague and partner. Last but certainly not least, both Dante and Scrooge are quite cowardly in aspects of their "adventures." Dante faints, Scrooge freaks out at his future, especially after seeing his past. Altogether, these two are somewhat of a mess, when they become stressed out or overwhelmed. Obviously Dante Alighieri wrote years and years prior to Charles Dickens, but perhaps Dickens wanted to mirror Dante, at least in the character of his protagonist--Ebenezer Scrooge.
I commented on Hannah and Briana's posts.
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