The Just Punishments in Dante’s Inferno - 1041 Words

The Just Punishments in Dante’s Inferno Inferno, written by Dante in the early fourteenth century, is a poem about Dante’s, the main characters, journey through Hell and signifies the nature of sin on Earth and punishment in Hell (Gardner et al online). Those who sinned while on Earth are justly condemned to different levels of punishments in Hell, relative to their sins on Earth. Each of the nine circles of Hell represents a worse sin, and therefore, a crueler punishment. The categorized punishments in Hell that Dante Alighieri assigns are symbolically fair and representative of the sins committed on Earth, given the time period and Christian values context from which this poem was written. The first inhabitants, just outside of†¦show more content†¦Those who act upon their lustful desires do not care about anything preventing their actions, just as a raging storm does not care what it destroys in its path. The seventh circle of Hell is inhabited by the violent. Those who were physically violent towards others while on Earth are justly sentenced to an eternity of being submerged in boiling blood. The river of blood - in which boils everyone. Whose violence hurt others (Inferno XII 41-42) describes the perfect punishment for those who were violent towards others. Each of these souls is subjected to a different level of agony; those who killed one person stand only with their legs in the boiling blood, however, tyrants, like Alexander, are completely submerged. These individuals are now eternally submerged in the blood that they lusted after and shed during life. The boiling blood, which they are depressed in, is also representative of their blood while on Earth, simmering with rage and passion when they committed their violent sin. The endless torment of being immersed in a ghastly pool of heated blood is a just punishment for those who commit the crime of violence and murder. The torments that sinners are subjected to in Inferno may seem extreme to some modern readers, given the liberal advances in societys views of moral norms. However, given the time period and religious context from which this poem wasShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Dante ´s Inferno Essay1606 Words   |  7 PagesDante’s Inferno is a very important piece of literature. There are many things to be learned from it, from the face value knowledge that Hell is a bad place, to a deeper understanding of how God intended us to live; but the most important lesson to be learned here is the power of allegory. Nancy Thuleen says this about it. â€Å"Dantes portrayal of Hell in the Inferno is an undisputed masterpiece of visual and allegorical imagery, enriched not only by extensive use of figurative language, but by concreteRead MoreThe Story in Dantes Inferno910 Words   |  4 PagesIn the story Dante’s Inferno we as readers get to experience hell in a whole light. Throughout the narrative we find out that hell is not only what we know of it from the Christian bible. According to Dante Hell is a complex situation that is nothing like anything we have read earlier. There are many people who have read at least some portion of the Holy Bible. Whether it be because of personal reasons or educational ones, the holy bible most read (and sold) books in existence. Through readingRead MoreWhos Hell is this Anyway? Essay1072 Words   |  5 Pagescentury, wrote in the Inferno of his journey through hell. Virgil, an ancient roman poet of the Augustan period, wrote the Aeneid that tells the legendary story of Aeneas. Within both of these poems there was a visit to the underworld, creating a skewed picture of the underworld. THESIS After becoming lost in his ways of life, Dante introduces his first character, Virgil. By introducing Virgil, Dante is foreshadowing for the thought process of the Aeneid in relation to the Inferno. In Canto I VirgilRead MoreEssay about Dante’s Version of Hell859 Words   |  4 PagesIn Dante’s Inferno, we followed Dante as he narrates his decent and observations of hell. A wonderful part of that depiction is his descriptions of the creative yet cruel punishments that each of the different sinners receive. This story is an integral part of literary history, and even if I were to have the imagination and ability of Dante Alighieri, I don’t believe I would change this tried and true version known universally. Since I have the desire to maintain the validity of Dante’s versionRead MoreThe Inferno And The Systems Theory1220 Words   |  5 PagesDante’s Inferno is an allegorical tale that reflects a tumultuous time in Florence. The Inferno reflects the common thinking of religion and Christianity at the time and through examination of both the Inferno and the systems theory, a better understanding of life in Florence, at that time, can be better comprehended. The systems theory is a model that explores the intertwined aspects of a given civilization. Dante’s Inferno details aspects of the systems theory that can be used to better understandRead MoreDantes Voyage Through Hell1490 Words   |  6 PagesThe Inferno was written by Dante Alighieri around 1314 and depicts the poet’s imaginary journey through Hell. Dante spent his life traveling from court to court both lecturing and writing down his experiences. His Divine Comedy – the three-part epic poem con sisting of Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso (Hell, Purgatory and Heaven)– is generally regarded as one of the greatest poetic feats ever accomplished. All three parts are incredible literary feats with symbolism so complex and beautiful thatRead MoreSympathy for the Devil in Nathaniel Hawthrone ´s The Scarlet Letter725 Words   |  3 Pagesassociations, one of the most well-known displays of him being in Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, Inferno and Peter Cook’s comedic film, Bedazzled. In these two depictions, the devil is shown malicious yet tragic figure, although his reaction his punishments vary. Satan, as in most pieces of literature and media, is depicted as a root of evil in the Inferno and Bedazzled. In Dante’s Inferno, the deepest circle of the Inferno is represented by the sin of treason, where Satan and three others are trapped in a frozenRead MoreThe Influence of Dantes Inferno Essay1380 Words   |  6 Pages Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy is an epic poem that begins with the Inferno. The Inferno is an extremely influential part of European literature. The structure of story is for many people a piece of the vision of Hell. Religiously, this poem has had great prevalence. Dante paints a picture of the Hell that is both unsettling and justifiable. A whole world is created through his poem. The levels and intensity of sin is pondered. Crime is put to a level of small to large scale. ThoseRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Comedia 947 Words   |  4 Pagesbest known for his critically acclaimed epic poem, Comedà ¬a, which would later be called The Divine Comedy. Comedà ¬a has 3 parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The first installment, Inferno, may currently be the most well known of the three poems, spawning countless reprints, several movies and even a video game. Despite being known as a comedy, anyone who has read Inferno realizes that the story is full of symbolism, double entendres, political messages, allusions, religious undertones†¦ the listRead MoreJudaism, Christianity, Islam, and Dante ´s: What Are We? Essay817 Words   |  4 Pages Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Dante’s: What are we? The Inferno is the first part of Dante Alighieris epic three-part poem, The Divine Comedy. In this poem, Dante develops many themes throughout the adventures of his travelers from political to religious. The Inferno is a poem that Dante used to explain and show his ideas of Gods divine justice. Throughout this story religion comes up and shows the comparison of the different Hells and beliefs. This paper develops the connections