Examples Of Contrapasso In Dante's Inferno

The principle of “an eye for an eye,” exemplified by Dante’s use of contrapasso in the Inferno, is not a viable justice system in the modern world. In Dante’s Inferno, there is a specific punishment, that goes along with each sin, that the perpetrator must endure. Each punishment is a direct reflection of its corresponding sin, almost like a mirror image showing the same crime being committed on the sinner. For example, the lustful and carnal sinners are blown around in a violent, never-ending storm with no rest. This is an example of contrapasso because the sinners lived life uncontrolled, purely with emotion, and never settled down. While some of the punishments may seem harsh (especially for eternity), in the Inferno, they are decided by a God who has infinite knowledge and wisdom beyond human comprehension. A perfect justice system of this type,

In the eyes of this system, both people ended up killing someone, and should both pay for it with their lives. This example shows that an “eye for an eye” system often perpetuates violence, rather than addressing the underlying problems. Another problem with this system is that if it were to be executed correctly (to the letter), many punishments would be "cruel and unusual," to say the least. Some examples include: rapists get raped, kidnappers get kidnapped, torturers get tortured, people who kill peoples’ children having their children killed, assaulters get assaulted, etc. Not only are these punishments cruel or unusual (or in some cases, both), many of the crimes committed do not justify the retribution that comes as a result. The victim of an offense who takes advantage of this system would then become guilty and damaged themselves by mirroring the offense. In the case of the torture example, what is really happening is two people end up getting tortured (the victim and the criminal), instead of just one (the victim). If this happens, and the torturer gets tortured, is all well again? Are both parties