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The Divine Justice Of Afterlife In Dante's Inferno

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The Divine Justice of Afterlife in Dante’s Inferno
Dante uses the poem Inferno to enable man understand the punishment of the soul is retributive justice assigned by God. In the Inferno, one’s punishment fits his crime, in a form of justice that forces one’s sin to turn back on the sinner. Through the concept of contrapasso, which means counter- penalty, Dante asserts that sinners are punished according to the nature of their sins. The poem Inferno as written by Dante Alighieri portrays the inevitable punishment to be faced by everyone in the afterlife. Dante depicts God’s justice to be springing from His primal love and though it may be difficult to recognise, it is a justice that is conditioned with compassion. In his trip through hell we are shown the divine justice of God and the level and degree of punishment for sinners is dictated by Christian morality.
Traveling through a dark wood on a Good Friday, Dante who has lost his path wanders fearfully through the forest. He encounters the ghost Virgil, who promises to guide him through hell into heaven where his beloved Beatrice awaits. In his version of hell, nine circles exist with each circle reserves for specific category of crimes or sin. Through his journey we learn that justice is about paying the price for committing sin. Each sinner is also punished according to the sin that is committed. The imagery of being lost in the woods creates a vivid picture of the ignorance one endures due to lack of faith in God.

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