In Dante’s Inferno, many rules are presented. One of the few rules is Contrapasso, the “law of nature,” that states for every sinner’s crime there must be an equal and fitting punishment. It is expressed that the punishment must fit with the crime that was committed. With this in mind, a level of Hell that best represents contrapasso is The Gluttony.
To being with, this Circle is devoted to punishing sinners who are guilty of incontinence. The sinners that reside here are not able to control themselves because they put their desires ahead of their reason. While they were alive, they did whatever they wanted such as eating all day to drinking all night. Their desires have always been their first priority before they knew what consequences would lie ahead of them. As a result, their punishment is to live like a pig in a
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This Circle contains two types of sinners: the wasters, who would spent every penny they could and never save anything, while the hoarders, would save up as much as they possibly could. Their punishment is, “on one side and the other, with great howls, rolling weights forward by main force of chest…. they clashed each other..” (Line 26). The punishment does not match the severity of the sin because they are sinners who either overvalued wealth or didn’t value wealth at all. The punishment is not settling enough nor worth it, they are just pushing weights before them in the Circle. Furthermore, this wouldn’t teach them a lesson about the wrongdoings that they have done. Another part of their punishment is they won’t be recognized by anyone because they have failed to accomplish something great for Humankind. For instance, Virgil tells Dante, “vain thought thou entertainest; the undiscerning life which made them sordid now makes them unto all discernment dim.” (Line 52-54). In conclusion, the sinners in this Circle needs a more bitter