LOST ~ Bringing Dialogue to Marriages Since September 22, 2004

Do you watch LOST? No? Okay, I'm going to shoot strait with you. Go ahead and stop reading. Aside from my witty, charming and endearing writing this post isn't going to be of any interest to you. shoo. 

Okay, fellow Lost fans (stop snickering DH~ I'm still a fan.) now that it's just us.

I'm sure I don't even need to ask if you watched this week's episode cause its Thursday. And even if you were stuck at the office err gym.. okay the bar and missed the episode, you've surely seen it by now online or courtesy of your Tivo. 

There are a million and one theories out there on the island, the characters, the "monsters" ... blah blah blah blah. I won't bore you with discussing them all. I do however want to discuss what I think it all means. Helloooo this is my blog ~ what, were you expecting a democracy? not here people. 

So, it just so happens that I'm in the midst of reading Dante's Divine Comedies ~ Inferno, Purgatorio & Paradisio. Ah yes, thank you twilight fanfiction for turning me on to said reading.

I'm more convinced than ever that the entire Lost series is based on these Medieval poems. I don't want to turn this into a lecture so I'll be brief but if you want to discuss further by all means leave me a comment... or email me. I'd love to discuss.

1. Being "Lost"

Divine Comedies (DC): We first meet Dante when he is lost. Literally in the woods and figuratively~ his soul's path toward salvation. 

Lost: Each of the characters who find themselves "lost" on the island also seem to be struggling to find their way in their real lives as well as physically on the island. 

2. Good vs. Evil - The Rules

DC: There are clear rules that seem to be unbreakable in hell, purgatory and heaven (paradise). One being that the devil is unable to leave hell. He there for can not enter purgatory nor can he enter heaven.

Lost: IF the island is hell as some have described and our new "friend"- the man in black/smoke monster is indeed the devil he is physically unable to leave. Of course there have been hints at a loophole that would allow him to leave. Alas, am thinking that in Dante's time "loopholes" to your salvation did not exist.

3. Pennace is required for one's salvation.

DC: The entire Comedies are based on this notion.  Accepting God is without question the most crucial step towards salvation however, your past sins aren't exactly wiped away. You must repent and pay penance for your sins before you are invited to paradise. In the Comedies these sinners are forced to pay penance (in some pretty creatively nasty ways) for hundreds and thousands of years before they may assend.

Lost: Our lovable sinners are given a much easer time of their penance if in fact that's what is happening. Regardless, it is clear that they are all being forced to work through their "real life" issues and behavior.


4. Virgil & Hurley
DC: Dante is led through Hell by the Greek poet (and one of Dante's heros) Virgil. He is able to calm, instruct, persuade and even scold Dante when needed. 
Lost: Hurley is the most genuinely good figure in this story. He is innocent but wise and often scared but always brave in the end. He is the "voice of truth" expressed by those unable to do so themselves (usually because they are dead but that's another issue)


okay... seriously peeps I could go on, (ie Jacob being the Angel at the gates of Purgatorio keeping the devil out) but nap time is almost up and mommy needs to get started on today's errands....so this is it.


5. Beatrice & Isabella
DC: She is at the very heart of Dante's life and his writing. To quote an incredibly talented author. "she represents courtly love, poetic inspiration, faith, hope, and charity. She is the ideal of feminine perfection, at once intelligent and compassionate, and vibrant with the kind of selfless love that can only come from God. She inspires Dante to be a better man." She is the driving force and the reason that Dante's soul may be saved. 
Lost: It is clear that Richard and Isbella have an epic love as well. Their situation seems to be oddly reversed from that of Dante and Beatrice. Richard was able to spend his "life" with Isabella but now must face eternity with out her. Despite this separation, on more than one occasion Isabella "saves" Richard. Even now she is only concerned with his salvation. She is clearly watching over him and appears (through Hurley) to remind Richard not to stray from his intended path.


And more to this point ~ the names Isabella and Beatrice. During the time which Dante is writing (late 1200's) the name "Beatrice" was understood to be a personification or the human beautification of love- from the Greek which has four versions of love. Eros (sexual), Agape (sacrificial), Philia (friendly), and finally Storge (familial).

Isabella, as you can guess is a form of Bella - meaning beautiful in Italian, incidentally this is Dante's native language. And speaking of Italy, Sandro Botticelli, the famous Italian Renaissance painter did an entire series of paintings depicting Dante's stories and his "image" of Beatrice. The woman depicted in his paintings is often referred to as his muse, La Bella Simonetta. Take a look at these painting and tell me she doesn't look a lot like Richard's Isabella?

This last one is Botticelli's painting representing the four types of love....

NOTE: The main issue for me remains to be Bernard and Rose. Why they are there? Is it a reward because she was sick in "real life"? Are they meant to be an example for the other characters? Oddly enough this is one point which DH and I completely agree on ... we are flummoxed. 

So my dearest DH, if you don't share a comment on today's post I don't imagine you ever will. ;)

Cheers, 
Ouiser