2. Rachel Hyde Canto II Due Date: November 20, 2007

3. Characters in Canto II Dante- main character, sent on a journey to hell, purgatory, and paradise. Virgil- Dante’s accomplice through his journey through hell. Beatrice- Dante’s love. She will guide him through paradise. We find out Beatrice went to Virgil and asked him to help guide Dante. Virgin Mary- Only mentioned in the second canto briefly, we find out that the Virgin Mary is who sent Beatrice to help Dante. St. Lucy- Also only briefly mentioned, we find out that St. Lucy, is a saint who was asked by the Virgin Mary to help Dante.

4. Since the start of the first canto, a whole day has passed. However, Dante is still in the woods with Virgil. Dante compares himself to Aeneas because both have traveled to the “underworld.” Summary of Canto II… Dante and Virgil in the woods. They watch the night fall and the day passes.

5. Summary of Canto II cont… Dante is scared. Who wouldn’t be? He is lost and in dark woods! Virgil tries to vanquish his fears by telling Dante, that he was one of these souls. He has been through hell and he was sent here by people of higher power. So do not be scared. Virgil's soul in the afterlife is in Limbo. This is Dante and Virgil in Limbo when they meet the other four poets. Although this does not happen until canto 4, Limbo is where Virgil's afterlife is. Virgil tries to dispel Dante’s fears of traveling through hell informing him that he has already been here and will help him.

6. Virgil tells Dante that Beatrice asked him to help Dante. Beatrice was the love of Dante’s life. Beatrice is shown as the angel that appears to Virgil in Limbo and tells him to help her friend, Dante. Summary Cont …

7. Summary… Virgil tells Dante that the person who sent Beatrice to help him was the Virgin Mary. Finally the Virgin Mary also sent a saint to help Dante- St. Lucy. There journey has a purpose and was assigned by people of a higher power. Therefore they will be safe. To the left is the Virgin Mary who appeared to Beatrice. To the right is St. Lucy. The saint sent to help Dante.

8. End of Canto II With all this new knowledge Dante has learned about his journey. He has a change of heart and compares it to flowers in the morning that are wilted but once the sun hits them they bloom and stand up.