The First Circle Of Hell Less Significant Than The Sin In The Inferno

“The Inferno”

1. Considering Limbo, why is the character of Virgil there, considering he was chosen by the Virgin Mary to be the character Dante's guide?

Those who have sinned without consciousness and malice are sent to first level of hell, “Limbo” (Alighieri 19). Sins committed by mortals are punished according to the degree of severity. Virgil resides in Limbo because he is a “virtuous pagan” a term coined by Alighieri for the sinners in the first level of Hell (19). The era in which Virgil was born preceded the coming of Christ consequently Virgil was not baptized. The character did not have any ownership of this action thereby it was a sin committed without consciousness. The simple act of birth is a joyous event which reflects no malice on part of the mother nor the child. Virgil therefore is free of consciously committing a sin with malice. This in turn allows him to navigate through the various levels to facilitate Dante’s journey.

2. Why is the sin of the first circle of Hell less significant than the sin in the last circle of Hell?

At the tip of the edge of Hell is “circle one: Limbo” as Alighieri has written (19). The proximity to the light and warmth of God signifies the lesser evil committed by those whom reside in Limbo. The sin committed by these members is that of being unbaptized or born before the reckoning of Christ. These members did not commit a sin in good consciousness. The ninth circle of Hell is divided into four subsections. Each subsection is located farther from the grace of God resulting in a freezing land of ice. The action committed by those in this last circle is treachery. The members of this circle maintained their consciousness when committing the act of betrayal. They in their right mind chose to break the loyalty they had to those whom they