Dante Club Essay Example

corpse had been interred headfirst into the soil, and the deceased's feet were set ablaze. This peculiar method of execution reminded Dr. Holmes of the punishment inflicted upon preachers in Dante's poem.

Phinneas Jennison, a well-off donor to the Harvard Corporation and an acquaintance of the Dante Club, was later discovered brutally murdered in a style mirroring the fates of characters in Dante's Inferno. The Dante Club draws parallels between this murder and that of Healey, noticing they both echo punishments from Dante's poem. Consequently, they undertake the task of unmasking the murderer themselves. The killer turns out to be Dan Teal, a former soldier from the Civil War who is persuaded that only Dante grasped the necessity for flawless justice in the world. Teal exterminated all individuals attempting to halt the translation of the poem. Commentary

"The Dante Club", penned by Matthew Pearl is a historical novel filled with literary creativity. In his book, Pearl employs detailed descriptions to vividly portray scenarios to readers, adding authenticity and intrigue to the storyline. He leverages mystery to kindle curiosity in the reader, enticing them to continue reading. The narrative also underscores the potent impact literature can have on people. The objective of this essay is to analyze three focal points: detail-oriented description, mystery and the overarching theme of literature's significant influence on individuals. Illustrative examples extracted from the text will be utilized to expound on these key areas of interest.

This essay will first explore the way in which the author, Matthew Pearl, skillfully utilizes mystery throughout his narrative to incite suspense and invoke curiosity in the readers. The term 'mystery', as defined by Dictionary. com, refers to anything

that is intentionally kept undisclosed or remains unexplained or unknown.” An instance of this is seen right at the outset when Pearl alludes to a murder in his opening page. To illustrate, Pearl writes “On one side, the Irish woman who discovered the body was blubbering and wailing prayers unfamiliar (because they were Catholic) that prickled the hair in Kurtz’s ear ;”(3). Here, it's uncertain who the victim of this murder is.

The narrative keeps the reader engaged and eager to discover the murderer. From the first page, Pearl effectively grips the reader's attention. One instance of mystery unfolds when the maid who found the corpse infested with maggots insisted that she had heard the victim's cry. However, the coroner refutes this, stating that maggots only feed on dead tissue, making it scientifically impossible for the victim to have cried - a point Pearl emphasizes when he wrote “Mr. Barnicoat, the coroner, says that your chambermaid’s belief that the chief justice was alive when she found him is scientifically impossible–a hallucination.”(13) This creates a question for the reader - who is correct, the chambermaid or the coroner?

Another layer of intrigue is added when the Dante Club persists in translating a poem called "The Divine Comedy," despite threats from Augustus Manning, treasurer of the Harvard cooperation, of cancelling contracts with their publishing firm if they go ahead with its publication. The puzzle here is why the university has such strong opposition to this particular piece. Questions arise in readers' mind like "What is 'The Divine Comedy'?" or "What elements in this poem could potentially tarnish their reputation?"

Pearl offers some insight to the reader about the poem

through the character Osgood who states,"The content of the work is at this time unknown except to say that it has never been read in our country and shall transform the literary landscape.""(16) At this juncture, Pearl surely engages the reader and evokes intrigue. Moreover, the reader finds themselves pondering 'What is the connection between the poem and the novel's homicides?' The responsibility to decode this enigma lies with the reader. The subsequent matter to address is Pearl's adept use of extensive detailing to visually portray his ideas to the reader."

Per the definition on Dictionary.com, description can be outlined as "a representation, narration, or portrayal that describes". This was beautifully demonstrated when Kurtz, the head of the Boston Police, escorted Mrs. Healey to observe her deceased husband's corpse. He penned "The remaining patches of flesh gnawed beyond recognition stretched across all exposed regions; the horrific bulge on the posterior of the skull seemed to throb with maggots even post their extraction. The nostrils were now almost indistinguishable and the underarms ravaged.

Without the artificial teeth, the face appeared sunken and droopy, reminiscent of a deflated accordion. "(10) Pearl portrays such a vivid and unsettling image that it effectively sparks the reader's intrigue. This prompts questions such as "Who could possibly do something like this?" Another instance of Pearl's masterful use of descriptive prose occurs on page 34. Here, Lowell witnesses Hill holding a piece of blue paper with a handwritten quote from a late British poet who penned commentary on Dante's poetry.

The quote declares, “What animosity towards the whole of humanity! What delight and amusement at perpetual and inevitable torment! This narrative indicated to the reader

that the poem must hold some intriguing elements; thereby, sparking an interest in the reader. The last point of interest to be conveyed is the notion that literature has a formidable impact on individuals. As per Dictionary.com, literature is defined as “writings where expression and form, aligned with ideas of lasting and global significance, stand as defining or vital elements, like poetry, fiction, history, biography, and essays.” Literature indeed holds a significant sway over people.

The narrative unfolds when Teal, a former Civil War soldier turned murderer, eliminates everyone attempting to interrupt the poem's interpretation. His method of execution mirrors Dante's depictions in his poetry. This connection is unearthed by Lowell and Holmes during their exploration of the location where Healy's body was found. As noted by Pearl, Lowell was struck by a powerful realization - the Neutrals, as depicted in the third canto, hold no preference towards good or evil, causing them to face disdain from both Heaven and Hell. They are relentlessly tormented by gadflies and wasps, tears mixed with blood tarnishing their bodies while vile worms consume the bloody mixture at their feet.

The decaying flesh produces an increase in worms and flies. Flies, wasps, and maggots were the insects discovered on Artemus Healey’s remains. "(150) As demonstrated, many methods were employed by Matthew Pearl to spark intrigue and curiosity in the reader. He utilized elements of mystery, intricate detailing, and the predominant theme of literature's profound impact on people. I grasped how Matthew Pearl connected his novel with Dante's poem and how every victim's death mirrored The Divine Comedy.