Numerology and the Political Overtones of \'Inferno\'

Numerology and the Political Overtones of 'Inferno'

There are many layers contained within Dante's "Inferno." There is a spiritual layer, a literal layer, a political layer and many other subtle, underlying themes. One of the key elements in "Inferno" is the use of chronology and numbers to express certain ideals about his foes and political views. Numbers play and important symbolic role in the Catholic Church and their use as symbols cannot be ignored, especially that of the chronological placement of his foes on the road to Hell. Many authors of the time used a standard numerology system to express certain viewpoints or ideals (Guzzardo, p. 7). The following research will support the thesis that Dante's experiment was successful in the use of allegory to hide underlying political ideas, that were otherwise dangerous in his time, and that chronology and numbers played an important role in his ability to do this..

Dante's Inferno was an experiment in the expression of subversive political views. Some of the political views hidden in the allegory of "Inferno" were dangerous if publicly expressed in Dante's time. Numbers played an important part in the allegory of "Inferno. One might note that the numbers of the Cantos themselves in which we find a particular foe is important in their description and the expression of Dante's political views about them. The number of their layer of Hell is also significant.

The chronology of "Inferno" is one of the most widely studied aspects Dante's work and other works of that time period. (Carlyle, p.6). Even the "Chronological placement of the narrative from Good Friday through Easter Sunday, 1300, particularizes the experience even as it implies the death and rebirth that attends a critical stage in any person's life" (Forman, p. 500).

Typically the number three signifies the Holy Trinity, or Christian church (Kashdan, p. 1130). One might note that the number which are multiples of that number also signify the sameideal, only in "Inferno" with each multiple, the sin gets worse. For instance the third circle is for gluttons such as Ciacco, whose sin is not so bad in Dante's eyes. In the sixth circle we find people whom Dante labels heretics such as Epicurus, Farinata (a Ghibelline leader), and Cavalcante de' Cavalcanti (an Epicurean Guelph), Frederick III, and even Pope Anastasius. Nine is the multiple of three times three and therefore has the honor of holding the most vile of sins. The ninth level contains the most vile of sins, according to Dante. Dante considers the betrayal to be the most vile of sins. Therefore in the ninth circle we find persons such as Cain, Allesandro, Napoleone, Archbishop Ruggieri, Bocca degli Abati, Gianni, Buosa da Duera, Tydeus, Menalippus, who, according to the political views of Dante are considered betrayers of their own country.

Dante had a numerological system that corresponded to his political views and used common number symbolism of the time. He also used two and its multiples to represent the duality of the universe that creates harmony and balance. The number four typically represents the four seasons and harmonious flow of time in accordance to nature (Kashdan, 1130). Seven is a mystical combination of three and four. Seven is the number of days in which the world was created and also the seven deadly sins (Kashdan, p. 1730). The same use of multiples regarding these numbers is used in a similar manner to the example given by the number three.

This brings us to consider Dante's placement of the rivalry between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines in cantos V, XX, and XV. This placement is no accident and has significant meaning. The Guelphs and Ghibellines were rival political parties in Medieval Germany and Italy. The Guelphs were supported by the Catholic church and the pope. They were represented by the more democratic middle classes and the merchant class. They wanted a constitutional government. The Ghibellinis were supported by the Holy Roman Emperors. They were represented by the upper class who wanted an aristocracy. Both struggled for control over Italy (Kleinheinz, 1988)

The use of the numbers containing number five is an interesting choice because it usually indicated imbalance and evil. It is associated with the old pagan religions and was generally considered to be unlucky or treacherous (Guaaardo, p. 122). It is not clear from his descriptions in "Inferno" with whom Dante sympathized. It seems that he considered them both to be equally evil. He publicly expressed his association with the Guelphs (Kleinheinz, 1988), but none the less, also shows sympathy with the Ghibellinis in his writing. It may be that not only are the lines between Dante's sympathy for these groups blurred, but also are the lines between the two groups themselves. The point that Dante may have been trying to make is that both groups are equally evil in their motives and intention.

In Canto 8 we find Dante's description of Filippo Argenti, whose family occupied Dante's property after his exile (Kleinheinz, 1988). Kleinheinz presented the argument that Filippo Argenti may have been symbolic of a new political party in Italy, one which Dante held responsible for the problems of his native city of Florence. In this passage, Dante lashes out in the same anger that he was shown to be a sin in earlier levels of Hell. It has been argued that this canto serves as a venting of Dante's own personal anger, both toward those with whom he had a personal vendetta and a general lashing out against the new political party in Florence. Its placement in canto eight, in light of the previous discussion on the use of numerology, is confusing in this case. One can understand the use of fives in the descriptions of the Guelphs and Ghebilllinis. However, the number four usually has connotations of balance and harmony. In a passage filled with such anger, one would not expect to find associated with the good connotations of the number four. Perhaps this placement might suggest a hope that someday things will return of balance and harmony in the future.