Through the Inferno poem, Dante Alighieri describes an allegorical journey to demonstrate the fates of various people in the underworld. As such, Dante indicates that sins are punished on the basis of their seriousness. Consequently, the poet indicates that Hell is subdivided into various sections representing the different sins. Each sin attracts a specific punishment.
Dante indicates that Hell is divided into 10 main portions (Circles), namely; Vestibule; Limbo; Lust; Gluttony; Greed; Anger; Heresy; Violence; Fraud; and Treachery respectively. Souls are grouped based on their respective sins. Commensurate punishment is then meted out in the 10 circles. In the Vestibule, souls who were uninterested in evil or good chase self-interests. Hornets and wasps sting the people while maggots imbibe their tears and blood. In Limbo, un-baptized, righteous pagans live in an incomplete Heaven. Within Lust are immoral people who are ceaselessly blown about by a violent tempest. Gluttony hosts insatiable persons in an evil sludge emanating from unending, icy rainfall. Inside the Greed Circle, tightfisted and rapacious people who stockpiled or wasted property relentlessly push huge weights using their chests (Alighieri 124).
Afterwards, Dante describes the occupants of Circle 5 (Anger). Within this Circle, wrathful people battle with one another on the surface of the swampy River Styx. Sullen or sulky persons gurgle under the water. Within Circle 6 (Heresy), heretics are ensnared in blazing tombs. Circle 7 (Violence) has 3 rings for holding violent people. The Outer Ring holds persons who are violent to property and to other persons. These suffer in a hot fire-and-blood river. The Middle Ring has suicidal people who turn into thorny, gnarled bushes on which Harpies feed. These people do not await resurrection. The Inner Ring holds people who violated nature (sodomites and usurers) and blasphemers. These people live within a desert composed of burning sand onto which burning flakes fall from the Heavens. While the sodomites stroll in groups, the usurers are seated (Alighieri 241). The blasphemers sleep on the sand.
Within Circle 8 (Fraud), deliberate fraud is punished within a Circle named Malebolge. This circle s subdivided into 10 Bolgie. Bolgia One holds seducers and pimps who are flogged by fiends. In Bolgia Two, flatterers reside in human excreta. People guilty of Simony reside in Bolgia Three. The captives’ heads are thrust into gaps within a rock as their feet burn. In Bolgia Four are bogus prophets, astrologers, as well as sorcerers with backward-looking heads. These peoples’ walking thus proceeds backwards. This punishment is meted out because of the people’s perverse use of magic. In Bolgia Five, corrupt politicians reside in a pond of hot pitch, thus suffering for their dark secrets and thievery. Bolgia Six holds hypocrites who walk in gilded lead veils, thus suffering for the falsity that camouflages their actions. Bolgia Seven holds thieves who are chased and attacked by lizards and snakes. These thieves are transformed by the snake bites. Within Bolgia Eight are evil counselors and fraudulent advisors who are covered by flames for offering bogus advice and urging others to embrace fraud. Bolgia Nine holds instigators of disagreements who are hacked by a rapier-wielding devil. Just like they repeatedly caused discord, the people are continuously hacked. In Bolgia Ten are impersonators and falsifiers who suffer from various diseases (Alighieri 242). Just like they continuously taunted other people, these impersonators and falsifiers face endless diseases.
Dante then progresses to Circle 9 (Treachery) which has traitors who have been sorted into 4 different icy compartments (Rounds), namely: Caina; Antenora; Ptolomaea; and Judeca. In Caina, people who betrayed kindred reside within ice that covers their entire bodies save for the faces, thus instigating shame. Antenora holds betrayers of political entities. The betrayers continuously attack each other. Within Ptolomaea are betrayers of guests. The betrayers are immersed in ice. Judecca holds betrayers of benefactors and masters who reside in ice (Alighieri 212). Their bodies are severely distorted.
The foregoing discussion indicates that the various penalties described in Dante’s Inferno are suitable based on 2 reasons. Firstly, they correspond to the people’s sins. In addition, the punishment considers the motives of the sinners; more malicious sinners are punished severely than those depicting less malice.
In addition, the punishments are governed by the Contrapasso principle. Consequently, the punishments do not merely represent heavenly revenge. Instead, they facilitate the fulfillment of the destinies that various characters choose. In this regard, people are judged according to their individual sins (Alighieri 213). For example, those who were selfish are allowed to continue pursuing their self-interests within the Vestibule.
The Contrapasso principle applies to the punishment that Francesca and Paolo earn within the Second Circle. To illustrate, these people are continuously bombarded with strong winds that throw them about. Such punishment is fitting for Francesca and Paolo because the couple gives in to their lustful desires. Consequently, they are ceaselessly thrown about by strong gales. Although Paolo is aware that Francesca is the wife of Gianciotto – Paolo’s brother – the former gives in to lust to have sex with the lady. Likewise, Francesca allows her lust to compromise her obligation to remain faithful to Gianciotto (Alighieri 214). The sinners permitted themselves to be swayed by the tempest of lust.
Work Cited
Alighieri, Dante and Lombardo, Stanley. Inferno. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett Publishing, 2009. Print.