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Dante encounters Francesca in the second circle of hell, where the lustful are punished. Francesca had an affair with her husband's brother, Paolo Malatesta. The two of them were innocently reading romantic stories and became swept up with romantic passion. As a result, the two are punished together in hell.
Francesca da Rimini Quotes in Inferno
The Inferno quotes below are all either spoken by Francesca da Rimini or refer to Francesca da Rimini. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Canto 5 Quotes
Love, that so soon takes hold in the gentle breast,
Took this lad with the lovely body they tore
From me; the way of it leaves me still distrest.
Love, that to no loved heart remits love's score,
Took me with such great joy of him, that see!
It holds me yet and never shall leave me more.
Love to a single death brought him and me.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Now in the second circle of hell, Dante listens to the tale of Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta. Francesca explains that love bound the couple together, but also caused them to sin. This passage develops and complicates the theme of love seen in Dante’s relationships with Beatrice and with God. Whereas up to this point “love” has been identified as the motivating factor for Dante’s quest for salvation—and even the main foundation for all divine action—here it becomes a negative force. Francesca shows how this transition may occur subtly, for it first "takes hold in the gentle breast,” employing Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui qui. Qui similique praesentium. Ex consequatur mag
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Francesca da Rimini Character Timeline in Inferno
The timeline below shows where the character Francesca da Rimini appears in Inferno. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Canto 5
...her and the man she loved; both of them were murdered. Dante recognizes her as Francesca da Rimini, who fell in love with her husband's younger brother, Paolo (the other soul...
(full context)
Francesca and Paolo passed the time innocently reading stories about Lancelot and his love for Queen...
(full context)
