ipl-logo

Dante's Inferno Canto 22 Punishment

456 Words2 Pages

Canto 22 explores the eighth circle of Hell, where the fraudulent are punished. In this canto, Dante and Virgil meet the False Counsellors, who receive a punishment that matches the severity of their sin. This canto comments on the moral and political landscape of Dante's time and is significant within the time in which Dante lived. The False Counsellors are divided into two groups: the seducers or flatterers. Seducers are punished with flames, flatterers with excrement. The False Counsellors deceived people with their words, leading to this punishment. They posed as trustworthy advisers, but were actually manipulative and deceptive. The punishment reflects their deception through false promises and words. False counsellorss receive a punishment that reflects the nature of their sin. The seducers are engulfed in flames as their sin was driven by passion and desire. They manipulated and seduced others with their words, leading them towards destruction. The flames represent the passion and desire that led them …show more content…

They manipulated and flattered others with their words, leading them towards destruction. The excrement represents the dishonesty and degradation of their words. The punishment of False Counsellors is significant for its commentary on the moral and political landscape of Dante's time, as well as its uniqueness. Dante lived in a politically turbulent Italy, and the False Counsellors reflect the corrupt advisers who were common during that period. These advisers manipulated and deceived the Italian states, leading them towards destruction. Canto 22 is significant for its portrayal of the connection between language and morality. Dante believed language was a powerful tool for good or evil, and the False Counsellors warn against its misuse. The punishment demonstrates that using language to deceive and manipulate has consequences and will lead to

More about Dante's Inferno Canto 22 Punishment

Open Document