Punishments in Dante’s Inferno

Punishment in Dante’s Inferno
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Punishment in Dante’s Inferno
The inferno is an interesting description of sins and their corresponding punishment by Dante. The chart illustrating the nine inferno circles illustrates that many forms of punishment are consistent with the seriousness of the committed crimes. One of these is “being forced to swim in a boiling stream of blood” for the violent individuals (Lapham’s Quarterly, n.d.). In this context, this punishment appears ideal and sufficient for such persons considering the pain emerging from their actions in earlier life. Enduring the scalding while swimming in the blood would remind them about the experiences they subjected other persons while perpetrating their violent crimes. Blood would be symbolic that their acts led to its spillage while swimming as it boils would emphasize how painful the experiences of the victims were.
Although some punishments appear appropriate for their crimes, others seem disproportionate. For instance, the heretics’ one could be too aggressive and severe for holding an odd belief. Alcorn (2013) ...