2014+SH+P5+The+Acheron+River

Aim- Conner Cech

In the story of “Dante’s Inferno” the author, Dante, includes the river Acheron and there is a purpose behind this. Dante describes the river Acheron as the gateway to Hell, and the real border to Hell. In Greek Mythology, the river Acheron is told to be the river of Hades, who is the God of the underworld. The purpose of the river Acheron was to give a representation of Hell in the real world. “The gate of Hell.—Virgil lends Dante in.—The punishment of the neither good nor bad.—Acheron, and the sinners on its bank.—Charon.—Earthquake.—Dante swoons” (Aligheri 22). Here is the evidence that the author describes Acheron as the gateway of Hell. Dante’s purpose of including the river Acheron was to give the representation of Hell. By doing so he created an image in the mind of the reader of what the gateway to Hell looked like from the characters in the story perspective.Dante did not just include the river Acheron just to put it in his story, he had a purpose for the river Acheron that has a great affect on the book and on the readers.



Cultural- Genevieve Veneziale

The persuasion affects modern society of the written text because in “Dante’s Inferno” canto three the author talks about how the Acheron River is the Gate to Hell. In Greek mythology people believed the river was the underworld because Odysseus poured sacrificial blood to gather all of the ghosts. In one article the author says “ The inscription above this gate--ending with the famous warning to "abandon all hope"-- establishes Dante's hell as a creation not of evil and the devil but rather of his Christian God, here expressed in terms of the Trinity: Father (Divine Power), Son (Highest Wisdom), and Holy Spirit (Primal Love)” (Gate of hell, canto three 1). The author describes Dante entering the Gate of Hell and how there is no hope. Once someone enters the gate of hell there really is no returning unless denied entry into heaven and hell. Hell is pool of dead souls but on Heaven when the souls arrive they are alive. The persuasion used in the text is used to show how terrible it is around there and to describe the detail of everything and everyone around there. It also shows what happens in the Acheron river and what will happen to the almost dead souls that arrive there.



Historical- Noelle Kerr

According to early Greek and Roman Mythology, there were five rivers that were associated with the Greek underworld. “In ancient Greek mythology, Acheron was known as the river of pain, and was one of the five rivers of the Greek underworld” (Mythology and Belief: Acheron 1). Hades, the Greek God of the underworld, was connected to the “river of pain/woe.” It was said that the dead would be shipped across the Acheron to arrive in the underworld. Charon, a figure in Greek mythology, was the captain of the ship that would bring the new souls to Hell. In “Dante’s Inferno,” the book describes the river as the border of Hell. Today, the Acheron River is found in the Epirus region of northwest Greece. It’s 36 miles long, and it flows through Greece until it comes to its mouth in the Ionian Sea, near the town of Parga. Currently, the river is used by tourists for kayaking, boating, rafting, and wading. Supposedly the river has healing powers if you walk or bath in the water.



Audience- Gavyn Gates

In Dantes “Inferno”, Dante provides information shown by “The Acheron River”. There is however a connection between Dante’s interpretation to the river, as well as the greek mythological side. In Greece’s era, The RIver Acheron was thought of as a portal to hell, belonging to the greek god of death and suffering, Hades. The river was also referred to as; “The gateway of hell” and “The border of shame and suffering” This interpretation was thought to give a visual representation to the borderline between life, and hell. Showing the audience of believers what was in store for them if they did not oblige to the gods rules, humanity was frightened and did as they were told. Alighieri writes, “Through me is the way into the woeful city; through me is the way into eternal woe; through me is the way among the lost people”(Alighieri 22). The River was often referred to in this context, which frightened it’s wide audience. Believers ranged from; children, adults, and elders. Being the main audience of the gods and what they had to say, even if the myths were accurate or false, they were obedient. The audience is shown definitively from the wide variety of support the gods gained from their followers, and what was in store for them in The Acheron River, lest they be dishonorable.

Works Cited

"Acheron." Infernopedia. Infernopedia, n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.

"Dante's Inferno - Gate of Hell - Canto 3." The University of Texas at Austin. Liberal Arts- Instructional Technology Services, n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2014.

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Acheron (river, Greece)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.

"Mythology and Belief: Acheron." Bible History. Bible History Online, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.