Fraud>Violence

It is obvious throughout the book that the lower Dante travels into hell, the worse the punishment is. The crimes usually fall under two categories: fraud, and violence. Many would argue violence is worse then fraud, but Dante would disagree. The worst punishment for murder is to be placed in the River of Blood. I thought that was the worst level until I read onto levels 7 and 8. The order of the crimes Dante matched with the levels can depend on different things. My guess would be Dante saw violent crimes as being at least yourself, you hurt someone because you are disturbed, and being violent is your human nature. However, when a person is a hypocrite or flatter, they pretend to be something they are not. They abuse the gifts God has given them.

It is apparent in the book that Dante shows more sorrow for the souls in circle 7 than he does in circle 8.In Circe 7 round three-the violent against God, Nature, and Art; it is shown Dante exhibits sorrow for the souls,"Love of the land that was our common source moved me to tears."(128) Dante feels sorry for the souls in circle 7, and is pained to watch them suffer. As he moves into circle 8, he doesn't share that same pain. When in Circle 8, Dante encounters many familiar faces he recognizes. When Dante encounters Vanni Fucci, he displays a Sharp and insistent tone with him, "Detain him a bit longer and ask him what crime it was that sent him here; I knew him as a man of blood and anger."(210)Usually Dante has more patience and understanding with the souls. Here he is short and ferm. I assume most of his anger goes back to pervious reasons in real life. Most likely, he was one of those people who would rather be killed then lied to.

Circle 7: Round 1

When thinking of a river, words like calming, cleansing, and relaxation come to mind. In literature, a river often represents moral life with its movement and flow. In Siddhartha, the river is used as a guidance, something people look to for its old wise advice. The river is full of wisdom and knowlegde about life. The water is refreshing and cold, and washes away the past. However, this is not the case in Circle 7.

The river of blood in Circle 7 Round 1 is the opposite of what we think of a typical river. This river is unique, "the river of boiling blood," where the souls lye in the deadly burning blood. It is not ordinary blood, but the blood of those who the souls murdered, "There we shall find the river of boiling blood in which are steeped all who struck down their fellow men." (112) The depth of the blood they lye in corresponds to the amount of lives they killed. It is forbidden for the souls to rise from the blood, or else they shall be shot with a arrow of a sentar, "They run by that stream in thousands, snapping their bows at any wraith who dare to eaise himself out of the blood more than his guilt allows."(p.113) This river represents guilt, anguish, and regret. Unlike the ordinary river that reminds us of life, the river of boiling blood represents the dead. It is not cool and refreshing, but boiling hot and very painful. The contropasso for this round is the souls had "boiling blood" in life,the anger that caused them to commit murder, so they remain in boiling blood in death.Dante's view of a river is shown to be painful and frightening. The image of the murders resting in the blood they shed emphases the resentment Dante feels towards murders. The murders are forced to chock on the blood, lye in the blood, and drowned in the blood because of the sins they committed for eternity.

Dantes Spiritual Journey

The Inferno, by Dante Alighieri, begins in the Dark Woods of Error. Dante was guided to the Dark woods by the mistakes in his life. He stays there with the only company of his fear and hopelessness. It was then a light appeared from within the trees, "the shining strengthened me against the fright whose agony had wracked the lake of my heart though all the terrors of that piteous night."(60) He discovered an unknown feeling since being the the Dark Woods, hope. He let this feeling guide him to a hill surrounded by light. When he encountered the three beasts while attempting to go up the hill, he was overwhelmed with terror. When the She-Wolf beast crossed his path,he exclaimed, "I died from every hope of that high summit."(60) It was after he backed down the hill, feeling hopeless and abandon, that he cried for help. Virgil,his guide,lifted Dante's spirits by promising Dante a journey. Although it was not to be a pleasant journey, Dante was just looking for a way out of the forest. This created new hope and happiness for a new beginning.

The Journey through Hell had not been what Dante had expected. The Circles of Hell left him with different emotions. The strongest of the emotions were sympathy,and empathy. Dante had pity for every soul in hell, but showed a certain passion towards each one. By taking this Journey, Dantes sorrow transfers from being sorry for himself to sorry for others.

Sympathy was the most common emotion shown by Dante. When he enters circle one, he encounters some of his biggest influences. He is pleased with the way the group of famous writers welcome him into their group. Circle one gives Dante the impression Hhat ell isn't as bad as he had thought,"This is the highest state man can achieve without God, and the glory of it dazzles Dante,"(49)Dante felt hope for these souls, until he discovered they could never reach salvation,"I thought about how many worthy souls there were suspended in that Limbo and a weight closed on my heart for what the noblest suffer."(51)Although Dante feels great remorse for the souls, it is no more than sympathy compared to the other levels of sorrow in different circles.

So far, Circle 2 seems to effect Dante the most. As soon as Dante enters he immediately is overwhelmed with pity, "Now the choir of anguish,like a wound, strikes through the tortured air."(58)Dante swoons from his empathetic feelings towards Paolo and Francesca's story. I think he is effected by the lustful the most because he would be placed in this level. He not only has pity for everyone else, but fears what is to come for himself,"and i fell,as a corpse might fall, to the dead floor of Hell."(62) This quote leads me to believe he is picturing himself dead on the floor of Circle 2.