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Examples Of Just Punishment In Dante's Inferno

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Examples Of Just Punishment In Dante's Inferno
The Just or Unjust
Dillon S.
Mike C.

In reading Dante’s Inferno, there were many just punishments that correlated with there punishments. There are three that stand out as just and equal to the sins that were committed. The fortune tellers, hypocrites and thieves are some examples of suitable punishments. The fortune tellers predicted the future and for a just punishment they have their heads on backwards, because they looked into the future and now they can only see what is behind them. The hypocrites posed as things that they weren’t, so now in hell, they are in lead cloaks and can’t pose as something they are not. Lastly, the thieves stole from people, now in hell their hands are bound by reptiles and they are in a pitch full of other reptiles. Dante give the fortune tellers, hypocrites, and thieves a suitable and just punishment for their sin. …show more content…
Their sin was to see into the future. The punishment for the fortune tellers was their heads were turned backwards. They now can’t see ahead of them, which is a difficult thing to do. In this case, it is not really torture because it isn’t painful and it correlates with their sin. God would maybe encourage this as a punishment for those who try to look into the future. In the canto, Dante sees these people with their heads on backwards and the sight of them could possibly lead you to the conclusion of them being fortune tellers or diviners. Dante could have been cruel and made some kind of painful punishment that caused them agony, but he gave them one of which brings them no pain. It just makes their eternal life a struggle of not being able to see where they are
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