Dante's Commedia and the Tarot
Chapter 12: Devil
The
Devil, of course, is a pivotal figure and one of the most important symbols
in the Commedia. The description of the Devil at the bottom of Dante's hell
(Inferno Canto 34) matches many features on the early Tarot Devil cards including
bat wings, furry body, and eating someone. The illustrations of the Devil are
numerous, e.g., Figure 27 (late 14th century). It is interesting to note
that many of the features that Dante's manuscripts and the Tarot Devil hold
in common seldom appear before the end of the 14th century. For example,
Figure 28 (~1390-1400) shows the eagle talons and beard. Figure 29 (~1385)
shows the variously shaped horns and large ears that appear on the early Devil
cards.
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