Dante Alighieri was no stranger to pride, both as an author and a character. The Divine Comedy, particularly Purgatorio, details his experience with this vice. Although Purgatory is meant to bestow upon the inhabitants remedial punishment, Dante's actions after his experience in the first cornice can serve to teach Christians today a grave lesson on the dangers of Pride. As with all cornices in Purgatory, the first cornice has an angel, a meditation, a benediction, a prayer, and a penance. Following the style that began in the Inferno, Dante describes the penance as corresponding to the crime committed on Earth. The Proud are burdened with colossal slabs of rocks that press the souls into the very ground, each weight equal in accordance to the extent of their sin. Here, pride is shown to be a vice that presses down on the spirit, crushing it with worldliness. The Whip of Pride, intending to encourage the souls, is Mary humbling herself at the Annunciation, King …show more content…
It is established very early on in Canto 4 of the Inferno that Dante is prideful. He is also sinful in many other ways, but pride in particular is a thorn in his path. Witnessing the whip, the penance, and the rein strike home to Dante. Just as he was affected by the plight of the prideful in Hell, Dante is even more affected by the status of the proud in Purgatory. He begins to mimic their behavior, crouching low as if carrying a weight of his own on his back. Dante's behavior should not be incredibly bizarre to us, however. People can often read about mass shootings and terrorist attacks, and rightfully describe them as awful and terrible; yet, they cannot grasp the truest extent of the suffering in these tragedies until they experience them firsthand. When Dante witnesses what awaits the Prideful not just in Hell, but even in Purgatory, he appears to comprehend how vital repentance