Allusions In Dante's Inferno

The inevitability of death often implores humans to question the existence of an afterlife and for many, the end spurs angst; however, published in 1920, Frost pursues an explanation for the controversy of life after death in his poem Fire and Ice. In these years, akin to many, Frost seeks a connection to God and clarity in religion as Christianity still dominated mainstream ideals; his poems have been known to preach of an existing connection between the material and spiritual worlds as Frost states “‘It might be an expression of the hope I have that my offering of verse on the altar may be acceptable in His sight Whoever He is’” (Americamagazine.org). Subsequently, the Bible and Inferno forms a dualism that Frost wields to complete an impartial

Notably, it is the references and support of the Bible that greatly reflects what Frost and the majority of Christians of his time believes is Hell as it is seen to be a“blazing furnace” (Matthew 13:50) where sinners will reside. Therefore, the allusions to the Bible and Dante’s Inferno in Frost’s work serve to reflect the christian societal beliefs in the afterlife by exploring the relationship between humans and God.
Essentially, allusions to Dante’s Inferno in Frost’s work serve to reflect an understanding of the afterlife in terms of the Christian faith influenced by the beliefs upon the relationship between man and God; however, they reflect an unique perspective as Dante favours a cold Hell. Thus, it is an era of acceptance and, holistically, Frost introduces the concept that his poem is not a mere opinion, but a widely recognized truth as he writes “some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice” (Frost 1-2). The use of diction sets the fearless and subdued tone in the poem since Frost references death and the afterlife as conversationally as small-talk. Notably, the use of the plural pronoun “some” avails that these