Question

Read the following excerpt from Canto i of Dante's Inferno, in which Virgil

describes Hell before he and Dante begin their journey.
Where you shall listen to the desperate screams
And see the spirits of the past in torment,
As at his second death each one cries out
Which sentence best explains Dante's intended use of imagery in this
passage?
O
A. The desperate screams create a feeling of despair at the start of
the journey
O
B. The phrase "an eternal place is used to assure readers that there
is an afterlife
O
c. The words "cries out suggest a feeling of surprise at journeying
through Hell
D. The term 'second death suggests Dante's concern with following
Virgil

Answer 1

A. The desperate screams create a feeling of despair at the start of

the journey

Answer 2

Answer: I would contend that the right answer is the A) The desperate screams create a feeling of despair at the start of the journey.

Explanation: Just to elaborate a little on the answer, it can be added that imagery is the use of figurative language, one that employs literary devices that appeal to the senses of the readers, as it is the case here, or that invite them to go beyond the literal meaning of the words, enriching their reading experience. Inferno is the first part of Dante's Divina Comedy, and is meant to suggest an atmosphere of despair and desolation. By referring to "desperate screams," which one can almost hear, Dante helps shape that atmosphere.

In Canto I Virgil actually saves Dante, so option D is incorrect. In addition, "cries out" does not suggest surprise, but pain and hopelessness, so option C should also be discarded.