This essay examines the role of time in three classical literary works: Dante's Inferno, Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel, and Hobbes' Leviathan. The paper argues that each author employs a distinct temporal strategy—Dante grounds his surreal journey in historical figures and Renaissance Italian politics, Rabelais uses generational cycles and the myth of golden ages to convey the soul's progressive refinement, and Hobbes abandons historical reference altogether in favor of geometric, timeless philosophical method. By making time ambiguous yet purposeful, all three authors simultaneously reflect the politics of their era and attach a universal quality to their narratives that speaks to future generations.
The role of time in many classic literary works does much to convey their timelessness as well as their relevance to the human condition. Dante's Divine Comedy (specifically The Inferno), Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel, and Hobbes' Leviathan are clear examples of this. All three works convey a narrative that seems to exist outside of time, yet each frequently uses allegory or symbolism to reference specific periods in human history, maintaining relevance to the reader's own situation. By making time oblique, the authors create a form that allows them to illustrate the politics of their age while simultaneously attaching a timeless quality to their work, making their tales relevant to future generations.
The Inferno is one such work that combines the ambiguity of time with occasional specific historical references. Many of the issues identified in The Inferno relate broadly to Renaissance Italy: "factionalism, violence, the volatile mixture of mystic Christianity and hardheaded mercantile activity, conflict with other cultures, aristocratic notions of honor and revenge, the combination of Church and State…" (The Inferno in its Time, 2). These specific references to notable persons and events in history keep Dante's tale grounded in time throughout the narrative. Given the surreal subject matter, the inclusion of real historical figures assists in conveying the work's relevance to the reader. Moreover, because the narrative refers to specific moments in human history, it becomes easier to observe the main character's personal development as he travels deeper into hell. His journey becomes a personal pilgrimage toward enlightenment.
In The Inferno, Dante gives shape to time: "He appropriates that past and transforms it into remarkable poetic images or stories" (Johnston, 2002, pp. 8–9). Another reason time feels ambiguous in the work is that in hell the concept of time does not truly apply, unless it refers to eternity (Comparison of Dante's Inferno and Purgatoria, 2).
Rabelais also employed various techniques relating to time to convey a similar mystique in his work, Gargantua and Pantagruel. Fundamentally an anthology of tales written in 1554 about Pantagruel, the giant son of Gargantua, Rabelais' narrative provides an embellished portrait of the Middle Ages (Brians, 1998, p. 1).
Through his use of ambiguous time, Rabelais explains that "generation after generation, the individual's soul is refined and elevated. His knowledge and wisdom is passed on. Although there seems to be deterioration from Adam and Eve, eventually they reach perfection after the hour of judgement with the return of Jesus Christ. This has some similarities with the myth of the Golden Ages — the golden age being Adam and Eve, then deteriorating until the hour of judgement. What makes Rabelais' interpretation unique is that he brings this macro viewpoint to a single person's life. He is born young and innocent in the golden age and dies old and frail, but he is young again in his children — a rebirth of the golden age. In this way, each generation surpasses the last. The elevation of the soul is passed from generation to generation, carrying with it wisdom and knowledge. In this sense, Utopia for him is a process — a stage of development to be reached over time." (Brians, 1998, p. 2).
Rabelais conveys the education of Pantagruel through his various mentors, Gargantua and then Panurge. The struggle for learning unfolds just as natural time progresses — slowly but surely. Not unlike Dante's The Inferno, therefore, the struggle for enlightenment is reinforced by the application of time references and by expressing a systematic chronology of events.
"Geometric method replaces historical reference entirely"
Dante and Rabelais relate their politics through their literary masterpieces The Inferno and Gargantua and Pantagruel respectively, by contrasting the ambiguity of time with specific mention of famous historical figures. Hobbes, in Leviathan, prefers to convey his ideas outside of time entirely, allowing pure theory and scientific methodology to illustrate his politics. The different uses of time allow each writer to express his beliefs and theories in his own distinctive style without detracting from his main objective or diminishing the timeless quality of his narrative.
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