The Inferno · Chapter
II: St. Louis Leads Me to Orfila explained
The narrator continues chemical experiments through winter, isolates himself, and reluctantly socializes with a bohemian artist circle.
What happens
The narrator continues chemical experiments through winter, isolates himself, and reluctantly socializes with a bohemian artist circle. He becomes convinced of an invisible guiding hand, comparing it to Socrates' demon. A spring morning walk leads to a series of signs: a dyer's shield with his initials and a rainbow, then a book by Orfila confirming his hypothesis about sulphur's composition. He gains access to the Sorbonne laboratory, discovers sulphur is a compound of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, and later finds monuments to Orfila, whom he regards as a protector.
Themes in this chapter
Science vs. Spirituality
The narrator's chemical experiments are intertwined with religious ecstasy and signs, blending empirical discovery with spiritual interpretation.
The Invisible and the Occult
The narrator treats the Unknown as a personal acquaintance, experiences premonitions in dreams, and sees omens like the rainbow and initials.
Isolation and Paranoia
The narrator isolates himself from society, feels persecuted by youthful scorn, and views his life as a new purgatory.
Characters to notice
- The Unknown
The narrator experiences a spiritual awakening, converses with the Unknown as a personal acquaintance, and interprets signs as divine guidance.
- August Strindberg
The narrator's initials A.S. appear on a dyer's shield, interpreted as an omen; he is the central figure conducting chemical experiments.
- Providence
The narrator reflects on the ways of Providence, feeling punished despite his desire for purification, and later sees the rainbow as a sign of covenant.
- David
The statue of David rises like a boundary mark in the Luxembourg Gardens, part of the narrator's morning walk.
- St. Vincent de Paul
St. Louis is mentioned as the friend of the poor and plague-stricken, possibly the narrator's patron and guardian angel.
Key passages
“The Unknown has become for me a personal acquaintance with whom I speak, whom I thank, whom I consult.”
The narrator now treats the invisible force as a close confidant, conversing with it regularly.
Highlights the narrator's shift from atheism to a personal relationship with the divine.
“Omen accipio! and am reminded of the passage in Genesis, 'I have set my bow in the clouds to be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.'”
The narrator accepts the rainbow and initials as a divine sign, recalling the biblical covenant.
Shows the narrator's superstitious interpretation of everyday events as spiritual messages.
“One may imagine my almost religious ecstasy at this well-nigh miraculous discovery.”
The narrator experiences a near-religious fervor upon finding Orfila's book confirming his hypothesis.
Blends scientific discovery with spiritual ecstasy, central to the chapter's theme.