The inferno of Dante

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        Al Sahsah 4

Heidi Al-Sahsah

Professor Evans

HUM210

August 23, 2007

The Inferno of Dante as translated by Robert Pinsky is a work of poetry by Dante Alighieri describing Dante’s guided tour through Hell and his witness to the punishments of the sinners dwelling there.  There are many punishments for the many sins that Dante has represented in his rendition of Hell many of which seem to be far more intense than need be and others for sins that are seemingly trivial.

In Canto III of The Inferno of Dante, the nonbelievers dwell in the gates of hell chasing after a blank banner and being stung by flies and wasps (V.31-54).  Though chasing after a blank banner that represents their inability to choose God seems like it would be an apt punishment as it will remind them for all eternity that they stood for nothing.  The bees and wasps, however, seem a little extreme as they represent nothing to the sinner other than a painful experience.  Nonbelievers have not caused any harm to anyone and are guilty of nothing other than not believing.  Having lived their lives ethically should in itself spare these sinners from an eternity of painful torment.  

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Limbo holds the souls of people who lived before the Christian faith to be left to live in longing for what they never had the opportunity to know (Canto IV, V. 25-35).  How can guilt be established when the law has not been written?  Having never committed any sin, these souls should not be damned to hell.  Dante should have chosen these souls that had not had the benefit of the love of God to be sent to Heaven so that they would no longer long for the knowing.  

In the dark, rain pelting and winds are whirling, lie ...

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