Hope as displayed in Dante's Inferno.

Throughout Dante’s Inferno, there is little to no reference of hope. One purpose of the piece is to instill fear into the readers and to teach them of various sins and their consequences, so the exclusion of uplifting emotions is a logical decision. When hope is mentioned, it is often “crippled” (Dante 77), and serves only to remind the reader of its scarcity.

Just because it is not described in depth or brought up frequently, however, does not mean it is not present in some way. Throughout Dante’s journey, he encounters a large number of shades who find hope in him. They tell him their stories so that they can be remembered, and this possibility of living on outside of Hell gives them something to hold on to and believe in. It gives them hope.

Alongside that, there are a few souls who seem to have other reasons for looking forward. Even so far as in Canto XXXII, the First Ring of the Ninth Circle, Camiscion de’ Pazzi mentions that he is “waiting for Carlino to absolve [him]” (Dante 295). He has hope that he will be forgiven for having betrayed his kin, and is waiting for the day when his fate will change. This is reminiscent of the souls living in Limbo, waiting for an angel to come down and select the worthy ones to bring to Heaven despite their mistakes and the conflicting beliefs they held in life.

Though it is rarely referred to by name, hope continues to exist even in the deepest circles of Hell. Those in the Fifth Pouch of the Eighth Circle have come to hope for a moment of respite from the demons that force them down in the pitch, and have developed a signal to alert others of when this kind of opportunity surfaces (Dante 201). Although it is infrequent, the very idea that there can be a moment of peace keeps the sinners fighting to find it, and hopeful that they will.

The inclusion of hope in an epic meant to terrify readers seems almost counterproductive; if it can survive in Hell, then the punishments may not be as bad as Dante makes them out to be at first. However, it is possible for an outside reader to realize that what the souls are hoping for is only temporary, and insignificant when compared to what else they may be suffering in their various circles. The hope itself is crippled through the entire story, and though the souls in Hell may have it on occasion, it is never permanent or a solution to their problems.