Final answer:
When Dante the pilgrim hears Francesca's story in Canto V, he feels profound grief for her tragic life.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Canto V of Dante Alighieri's “Divine Comedy,” when Dante the pilgrim hears Francesca's story, he feels profound grief for her tragic life. Francesca da Rimini tells Dante of how she fell in love with Paolo Malatesta and the tragically fateful consequences of their adulterous affair, which resulted in their murders. Dante's reaction is one of empathy; he is deeply moved and overcome by her story, which leads him to faint from the overwhelming emotion. This response from Dante reveals the depth of human compassion and connection that transcends time, and demonstrates the poet's own understanding of human vulnerability.