Faith in Dante's Inferno

            Throughout Dante’s Inferno, we see the battle of reason versus fear. Dante the poet defines fear as a lack of faith and trust in God. Reason, conversely, is the understanding of God’s omnipotent power, which even exists in the deepest circles of hell. Dante, in his naive, morally lost state, represents fear, while his guide, Virgil, represents reason. Dante has fallen off the moral path, thus losing his faith and trust in God. By using fear as a theme, Dante conveys the risk and uncertainty that go along with having faith. Dante trusts Virgil, but his faltering faith seems to be what is causing this fear. Hell challenges Dante from the onset. We see in the inscription that he is challenged to “abandon all hope.” This is extremely ironic because he is on this path to regain his hope. As he makes his journey through Hell and to other realms, Dante may lose the cowardice because his faith is strengthening. We know that he has fallen off the moral path and this may be why he is so hesitant to trust Virgil, a guide from a higher power. Initially, in Canto I, we see Dante using the word “fear” as “harassing [his] heart.” He is aware that his journey ahead is quite daunting. Dante fears the unknown because his faith is still faltering from losing sight of the “right road.” However, Virgil’s presence always seems to interrupt this uncertainty. In line 44 of Canto I, Dante plainly states, “hope was hardly able to prevent the fear I felt.” Thus, without the help of his guide, reason, he will not be able to reinvigorate his faith in God.  Dante fears the three beasts and all the foreign creatures he views as his journey progresses. Virgil rebukes him for this and says, “your soul has been assailed by cowardice” (2, 45).  However, as Virgil explains each circle and reassures Dante, his fear begins to subside and he learns to trust. Each time a guard, like Charon, questions Dante’s presence in such a place considering he is not a “shade.” Virgil repeats numerous times that this trip is “willed by a higher power.” This phrase seems to strengthen Dante at times of uncertainty and solve their issues with entry into each lower circle. However, this is challenged when Virgil attempts to gain access into the city of Dis. Dante is denied entry because he is still of the living. Fear takes over once again for Dante. The Furies appear and warn of Medusa's possible appearance. For once, Virgil cannot gain them safe passage. Reason is not as foolproof as it seemed at the onset of Inferno. Dante’s fear quickly returns as he begs, “O my dear guide, who more than seven times has given back to me my confidence… do not desert me…” (8, 97-99). However, as soon as reason fails, Heaven's messenger clears the darkness and has the gate opened. Thus, when reason cannot explain, faith can work wonders. This can be seen as God testing Dante’s progression of faith. There is no reason in this situation. He must trust blindly in his God. This could be foreshadowing the regaining of Dante's weary faith throughout the novel. This scene marks a turning point for the wandering Dante.