The Inferno Essay Research Paper The Inferno — страница 2

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not live without on earth becomes the root for your damnation in hell. For example, in The Inferno Dante’s circles of hell have punishments for each of the sins committed and for such sins, as lust, the violators of this sin are bound together in all eternity never able to contact with the flesh only the mind: “Love, which permits no loved one not to love, took me so strongly with delight in him that we are one in Hell, as we were above. Love led us to one death” (61). Other examples of Dante’s punishment for sinners are the suicides living in hell as trees. This depicts the sin that because on earth they mistreated their bodies and harmed their bodies they are denied human form in the afterlife. Each direct physical setting of the circles of hell in Dante’s Inferno

show a unique atmosphere that raises the level of irony. For example, in the third circle of hell, the gluttons, the characters Dante and Virgil see themselves in “gigantic garbage dump” (78). Punished are forced to live in this garbage dump in a setting or atmosphere they never could stand on earth. Another instance of ironical atmosphere, the silence that constantly maintained throughout Limbo. In all the other circles of hell there is constant reference to the wailing and ugly noise of hell; yet, in Limbo like those who could not decide, the noise neither happy or sad. Setting reinforces the theme that the irony of the sin committed will become the punishment received. This can become realized when Dante stated, What I was living, the same I now, dead (109). Through the

symbolism, representation, and physical details Dante exhibited the essence of the meaning of irony. Through this irony, readers can both identify and understand with the work. While the sinners represent man’s imperfections, Virgil symbolizes human reason. Throughout the poem, Virgil uses logic and reason to convince the monsters to allow him to gain passage to the various circles of Hell. Use of characters and mentors distinctly seen in the piece and used to display the theme. There are numerous characters in the Inferno. Sinners are arranged in a hierarchy. In each group of sinners, Dante distinguishes a few characters. Virgil acts as Dante’s mentor and guide, leading him through the intricate levels of Hell. Although Virgil is Dante’s mentor, Dante, himself, acts as a

mentor for some of the souls in Hell. He informs them as to what happens in the land of the living. Sinners also function as mentors by telling Dante about themselves, their sins and about Hell. Sinners have experienced life outside of Hell, and are curious about it. Dante criticizes the world this way from a religious perspective. In Dante’s Inferno, Dante specifically criticizes believers of Judaism and Islam. Dante criticizes these religions because of his loyalty to Christianity. Example of this when Dante meets Mohammed and gruesomely describes him: “Between his legs all of his red guts hung with the heart, the lungs, the liver, the gall bladder, and the shriveled sac that passes shit to the bung. I chose the Deconstruction criticism for this play. One the surface, this

work can become realized as an interesting story about a journey through hell. If one breaks down the characters and the setting one can realize the religious message and ironic theme sent: that what one does in this life will meet him in the next. By breaking the piece down you can identify differences in punishments and circumstances and become more aware of the theme which is attempted to get across.