ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -As mentioned above, Virgil symbolizes human reason in The Divine Comedy, the power and achievements of the human intellect left to its own devices without God, without the redemption offered by Jesus Christ, and without the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Detailed explanation-2: -’ After jumping into the decision to go to Hell in order to go to Heaven, Dante’s reason betrays him, and he doubts his own ability. Virgil represents Human Reason, the gift that God gives us to guide us through live and avoid sin.

Detailed explanation-3: -His work has impacted modern literature indefinitely. In Dante’s Inferno, Virgil is wise and paternal. Virgil is trapped in limbo because he was born before the birth of Jesus Christ, and so he doesn’t really belong in hell, and he can’t go to heaven because he was a pagan while alive.

Detailed explanation-4: -The reader is encouraged to see the stuffed animals Beatrice and Virgil-who have endured torture, starvation and humiliation-as stand-ins for the Jews, and to equate the terrible things they’ve witnessed-referred to as “the Horrors”-to the atrocities committed by the Nazis.

Detailed explanation-5: -Dante portrays human nature as inherently prideful, seeking only to benefit ones self. As we journey through The Inferno, we are introduced to a multitude of souls.