The Law of Contrapasso; Torments of Sins, a Fit or Not?
In Dante’s Inferno, there are nine circles of Hell, each incorporate a different punishment for the crimes of their resident's sins, yet many fail to depict the law of contrapasso. The law of contrapasso ensures that that every soul suffers in afterlife based upon a logical comparison with the sin he/she had committed on earth. In the circles of Hell, the damned are forever petrified in the sins that they committed on earth, reflecting retributive and eternal suffering. Dante didn’t invent the contrapasso, but he uses the law throughout Inferno. Although many circles of Hell incorporate the idea of contrapasso and reflect the punishment of crime, like circles three and seven, others, specifically circle six, do not have a punishment that fits the crime of the damned.
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The heretics are punished for their sin of heresy. This means that their opinions and beliefs are contrary to the Christian religion, denying God and the teachings of the church. Dante explains that the sixth circle is taken place in the City of Dis, outlined as a cemetery. There, the souls of the sinners are placed in uncovered tombs and graves lit on fire, "Between the torments and the city wall" (Canto X: 2). The main heretic and his followers share a tomb, enforcing the main sinner to look carefully at his sins and creations: "Their cemetery have upon this side, With Epicurus [and] all his followers" (Canto X: 13-14). This punishment displays eternal and retributive suffering, however doesn't reflect the law of contrapasso. Thus, the main focus of the sixth circle of hell is eternal purification of heresy by flame, "through the city of fire", where "unpleasant [makes] its stench" (Canto X: 22 and