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Tabitha Lee Sang

Mr. Munoz
English DC, 5th Period
September 22, 2014
Leak in the Boat
The motif and symbolism of boats and demons throughout Dante's Inferno is a parody of the
Church's secular corruption, the Pope's demonic actions and Dante's escape from the Church.
The Bible uses allegories of the real world to deepen one understanding of the spiritual
world. Boats are frequently used in these allegories of the Bible to symbolize the Church and the
salvation the Church offers. The allegory of Noah's Ark foreshadows the coming Church which
will save the human race from extinction. Jesus Christ, who founded the Church and obtained
salvation for His Church, used fishermen as the foundation of His institution. In the New
Testament there are two stories where the disciples are caught in a storm while they are on a
boat. In both of these stories the boat is about to succumb to the wind and waves until Jesus
calms the storm. Whether or not this is true, these stories lead one to believe that the boat, or
Church, cannot survive without the power of God.
Dante's Inferno parodies this biblical symbolism of the Church by associating boats with
demons. Both times Dante and Virgil encounter a boat they also meet demons, specifically
Charon and Phlegyes, who are in charge of steering these boats and guarding Hell (25, 69).
Dante also strongly emphasizes this motif in Circle Eight "with Barrators plunged into boiling
pitch and guarded by demons armed with prongs" (187). Dante uses an extended metaphor
comparing the "stew of sticky pitch" that the Arsenal of Venice uses to the "thick and tarry mass"
that tortures the sinners placed in this Circle (187). This Circle is the only experience that Dante

interacts with a whole group of demons. Dante intentionally linked the extended metaphor of the
fleet of ships to this "squadron" of demons to highlight the connection between boats and
demons (191).
Dante implies that the Church's involvement in secular politics has demoralized the
Church's authority and teachings. When Dante and Virgil arrive in the Fourth Circle they
encounter Plutus who is invoking Satan. Virgil condemns Plutus calling it a cursed wolf, and,
using the full authority willed on high, makes Plutus [a]s sails inflated by the wind collapse,/
entangled in a heap, when the mast cracks,/ so that ferocious beast fell to the ground (59). By
referring to Plutus, who is the god of wealth in Greek and Roman mythology, as a cursed wolf
Virgil recalls the she-wolf that stalked Dante and kept him from climbing up that mountain
slope (59, 5). The cursed wolf and she-wolf both represent the sin of cupidity, which Dante
believed was his main transgression that would keep him from climbing up that mountain
slope of heaven (59, 5). Dante purposely places this insult right before the extended metaphor
comparing Plutus to a sinking boat, which calls to mind the biblical symbolism that links boats to
the Church. In this passage Dante claims that the Church has fallen from grace because of its
avarice for wealth and power.
Dante blames Church leaders and officials for exploiting the Church for their own worldly
interests. Dante also incorporates this boat motif when rebuking Pope Nicholas III in the Third
Pouch of the Eighth Circle, which punishes simonists. Dante condemns Pope Nicholas III by
saying "You, shepherds, the Evangelist had noticed/ when he saw her who sits upon the waters/
and realized she fornicates with kings,/ she who was born with seven heads, and had/ the power
and support of the ten horns (173, 175)." In this instance Dante not only represents the Church as
a boat, but also as a monster by giving it "seven heads," symbolizing the seven sacraments, and

"ten horns," symbolizing the Ten Commandments (175). Through his reprimanding Dante
accuses Church leaders of bending to the will of secular rulers, and because of this secular
influence has mutated the Bride of Christ into a prostitute.
While Dante is generally attacking all corrupted Church officials throughout the Inferno, Dante
specifically attacks Pope Boniface VIII because Boniface VIII personally wronged Dante. Pope
Boniface VIII was the main cause for the rise in power of the Black Guelphs and Dante's exile
from Florence. Dante alludes to Pope Boniface's treachery in the Inferno when Dante meets
Ciacco in the Third Circle. Ciacco predicts that the Black Guelphs will take over Florence "using
the power of one who tacks his sails" (53). Tacking sails means to change a boats direction up
and towards the wind. Dante implies that Boniface VIII has changed the Churchs focus from
spiritual growth to secular power by getting involved in politics. Dante deliberately associates
the motif of boats to Pope Boniface VIII not only to reiterate the biblical symbolism of boats, but
also his own parody of boats and demons. This allusion and parody depict Pope Boniface VIII as
demonic and evil. Although Dante believes that the Church is corrupt he believes that the core of
the Church is still good.
Although Dante is actively rebelling the Church through the Inferno, Dante implies that the
Church is still essentially good through the Greek and Roman mythology representation and
observations of the giants in Hell. In Greek and Roman mythology the giants attempted to
overthrow the gods and take over Olympus. For their defiance the gods imprisoned the giants in
Tarsus, which is the Greek and Roman version of Hell. In Dantes Inferno the giants are
punished by having their limbs chain in the Ninth Circle, however, their immense height allows
the top half of their bodies reach into the Eighth Circle. Antaeus is the only giant whose limbs
are not chain because he was created after the rebellion. Antaeus is punished in the Ninth Circle

for killing travelers as they walked by his cave, not because he attempted to overthrow the gods.
Dante and Virgil ask Antaeus to carry them from the Eighth Circle to the Ninth Circle. Dante
deliberately links Antaeus to the Church by describing Antaeus rise, after placing them in the
Ninth Circle, like a mast above a ship (289). The giants in the Inferno represent the Churchs
desire for secular authority that God did not will for it to possess. By placing special emphasis on
Antaeus, who was not part of the rebellion and aided Dante during his journey through Hell,
Dante impart that while the Church is corrupt, there is a part of the Church that is faultless.
Dante paradoxically conveys the Churchs holiness by describing the size of Lucifers wings like
a ship with sails so wide (313). The motif of demons and boats seems to continue onto the
emperor of the despondent kingdom, but this instance is an exception to Dantes motif (311).
Lucifer, King of Dis or Hell, was once as handsome as he now/ is ugly and, despite that, raised
his brows/ against his Maker, one can understand/ how every sorrow has its source in him is the
ultimate parody, mocking the best of what is good and holy (313). Lucifer mocks the ultimate
good and holy, the Trinity, by being illustrating with three faces (313). By using the boat motif
to describe Lucifer Dante actually is reaffirming that the Church is actually good and holy.
Dante also uses this motif of boats and demons to illustrate himself as a victim of the
Churchs collapse into political corruption. Dantes first extended metaphor of the novel
establishes himself as a as he who, with exhausted breath/ having escaped from sea to shore,
turns back/ to watch the dangerous waters he has quit (3). This extended metaphor portrays
Dante as a survivor of a boat wreck, who is reminiscing on his battled with the ocean to not
drown and to reach shore. Dante uses this extended metaphor to summarize his relation to the
Church. Dante draws on his symbolism of boats to represent the Churchs secular downfall as a
boat wreck, which had left him stranded in the middle of the ocean. The storm, which caused the

boat to wreck, calls to mind the storms that led all of the disciples to lose faith in God. Dante
uses this recollection to imply that the Church has rejected the will of God. Presently he has
survived the ocean waters, symbolizing the plight of his exile, which caused him to lose his
property, family and home. By presenting this boat metaphor at the beginning of the novel Dante
asserts that the goal of his novel is to recall the Churchs sins against not only the world, but also
against Dante himself.
Dante continues to paint himself as a victim of the corrupted Church by implying throughout the
Inferno that he is bound for heaven. In one instance he has Charon, a Greek and Roman
mythological figure used in the Inferno as a demonic boat man, deny him passage to the other
side of the River Acheron which leads onward to Hell (22). Dante has Charon admit that
[a]nother way and other harbors- /not here- will bring you passage to your shore: / a lighter craft
will have to carry you (22). Charons reference to other harbors and a lighter craft suggest
that Dante is destined for Heaven (22). Through this implication Dante attempts to convince the
audience that he is blameless of his rebellion against the Church because the Church itself is
corrupt.
In the Bible boats are used in allegories to symbolize the Church and the salvation the Church
offers through the power of God. Dante parodies this biblical symbolism of the Church by
associating boats with demons to rebel against the Church. Through this motif of boats and
demons Dante implies that secular politics have corrupted the Church. Dante blames Church
leaders and officials for allowing secular rulers to lead the Church. Dante specifically attacks
Pope Boniface VIII, because Boniface VIII personally ruined Dante. Dante does maintain that
the Church is still in essence good and holy. Dante explains how he is faultless for his open act
of rebellion by implying that he is a victim of the corrupted Church.

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