Francesca and Hymn to Virgil: Hozier’s Infernal Inspirations.

In his third studio album Unreal Unearth, Hozier takes us through the infernal landscape of Dante’s Divine Comedy. The single Francesca is the most explicit of these references, based on the tragic lovers found in Canto 5 of Dante’s Inferno - Francesca Da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta. Two souls suffering eternal damnation in the second circle of hell (lust), Francesca and Paolo are real historical figures that Dante incorporates into his version of hell. Francesca was allegedly murdered by her husband, Giovanni Malatesta, when he discovered she was having an affair with Paolo (his brother). In his later deluxe editions of the album, completed with Unreal Unearth: Unending, Hozier strengthens the links between his lyricism and Dante’s Hell, particularly through Hymn to Virgil. Historically, Virgil is a famous Roman poet, but he is also Dante’s guide through hell - which is what Hozier calls to in the song. 

Would you commit to eternal damnation for the love of your life? This is the question that is posed to us in Hozier’s Francesca and perhaps Hymn to Virgil too. Both of these songs are linked not only in their references to medieval Italian poetry, but their lyricism that highlights a kind of love that manifests through a willingness to sacrifice everything. Hozier’s Francesca accepts her position in Hell because of the love she feels for Paolo - she “would not change it each time”. The song’s strong vocals are thus paired with lyricism as powerful as the infernal winds that torture the lovers - the lovers who, from Hozier’s view, accept this torture because the love they shared was worth infinitely more. Dante’s Francesca tells the story of her affair and how “he, who will never be separated from me, kissed my mouth all trembling” (Inferno 5.134-136, translated by Robert M. Durling). Francesca and Paolo’s damnation involves being perpetually caught in a hurricane, hence Hozier’s “My life was a storm since I was born / How could I fear any hurricane?”. Despite the torture, Hozier presents a Francesca and Paolo who are willing to suffer because, at least in hell, they can be together. The power of their love triumphs their agony - “If I could hold you for a minute / I would do it again”. There is no regret for their apparent sins in Hozier’s take on the story - only a testament to their immense adoration for one another. 

Hymn to Virgil surely sings to Virgil from Dante’s (the pilgrim travelling through hell more so than the poet) perspective. Virgil appears to Dante in the first Canto in Inferno, and guides him through Hell as well as Purgatory, before disappearing toward the end of Purgatorio (because he cannot enter Paradise). Virgil is a paternal figure to Dante, a source of poetic inspiration, and the reason Dante is able to travel through Hell and Purgatory to return himself to la diritta via (the straight way). Hozier captures the depth of their relationship and Dante’s reliance on Virgil in the chorus: “And I can only do my best, I do not do this for myself / I’d walk through hell on living feet for you”. Repeatedly, the strangest aspect of Dante’s journey to those he meets is the shock of finding a human being with “living feet” in hell. Dante exposes his living self to the violence and horror of each circle because he places his trust in Virgil, just as Hozier’s lyrics suggest. However, it is important to know that Virgil is not the only individual whom Dante travels through hell for, as the entire journey has the goal of reuniting him with his love, Beatrice and ultimately God. Thus, Hozier’s Hymn to Virgil reimagines the focus of The Divine Comedy, placing Virgil as the most important figure to the pilgrim Dante. Hozier’s lyrics also allude to the separation of Dante and Virgil: “You tell me the sun is shining in paradise / And I have to watch your lips turn blue”, “I wouldn’t be seen walking through any door / Some place that you’re not welcome to / You stare at the faces smiling from somewhere warm / From some place, the sunlight won’t come through”. These lines allude to Virgil’s position - outside of being Dante’s guide, he is condemned to the first circle of hell (limbo - those who never got to know Christ). Thus, Virgil cannot travel with Dante through the realms of Paradise, and the role of guide is passed on to Beatrice. Rather than a dramatic goodbye, Dante discovers Virgil is gone in Purgatorio 30 when he turns to say something to him and finds him absent. Hozier gives us an explanation for this narrative structure - that Dante would never willingly leave Virgil behind - “I wouldn’t be seen walking through any door / Some place that you’re not welcome to”. Dante’s reaction to Virgil’s absence is appropriately emotive: “But Virgil had left us deprived of himself - Virgil, most sweet father, Virgil, to whom I gave myself for my salvation” (Purgatorio 30.49-51, translated by Robert M Durling). These lines are perhaps what Hozier recalls in his Hymn to Virgil as they place Virgil at the forefront of Dante’s reasoning to travel through hell. 

Ultimately, Hozier appears drawn to Dante because he is drawn to writing about love in its most powerful and intense forms - and what could be more intense than going to hell for the person you love?