Punishment for the Sinners in The Inferno - 2138 Words

Dante begins The Inferno by embarking on a journey to Hell with his poet guide, Virgil. Along the voyage, the reader gets a taste of the gruesome imagery and depictions of the punishments for the different levels of sinner. Throughout this journey Dante encounters many sinners whom he knew or knew of in the real world, and in the beginning the sinners wanted their name to be spread in the world when Dante got out of Hell. But, as Dante explored further and further into the underworld, the sinners got less and less enthusiastic about themselves, which eventually turned into outright shame among the sinners in the lower depths of hell. Dante uses over the top examples of punishments for sins committed and the differing levels of shame†¦show more content†¦The sinners here are trees whose leaves and limbs are broken off causing them to bleed and feel the anguish of their own self-destruction. The third ring holds the violence against god, nature, and art. Here lies the bu rning plain where the sinners are exposed to varying levels of fire raining down on them. Dante again uses his varying degree of punishment to show the reader the severity of the sin gets punished differently. With all the punishments encountered thus far, one can see the gruesome and creative punishments Dante has thought up to bestow his point to the reader. Dante leaves the seventh circle and crosses the barrier to the eighth. The eighth circle is divided into ten bolgia with each one holding a different sin. Because Dante is getting further and further into the depths of Hell, the punishments become more severe in circle eight. The first houses the seducers whose punishment is being driven at a fast walk by demons equipped with lashes. Bolgia two holds the flatterers whose souls are sunk in excrement up to a varying degree based upon the harshness of the sin. The punishment for the simoniacs of bolgia three is being put in a hole upside down with the souls of their feet ablaze from the fire. The sorcerers and diviners are punished by having their heads turned backwards and forced to walk backwards through all eternity. This punishment suits the fortuneShow MoreRelatedThe Inferno is a work that Dante used to express the theme on his ideas of Gods divine justice. Gods divine justice is demonstrated through the punishments of the s inners the travelers encounter.2641 Words   |  11 PagesOUTLINE Thesis statement: In Dantes Inferno, the first part of the Divine Comedy, Dante develops many themes throughout the adventures of the travelers. The Inferno is a work that Dante used to express the theme on his ideas of Gods divine justice. Gods divine justice is demonstrated through the punishments of the sinners the travelers encounter. 1) Introduction A. An overview Dante Alighieris life, writing style and the Inferno B. 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