Please pick up one or several scenes in which Dante describes eternal suffering. After you explain how the contrapasso operates, imagine a fictional scenario of infernal suffering that would reflect our 21st century anxieties.
Any funny visions of our contemporary Hell :--)?
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Dante describes eternal suffering, and how the concept of the contrapasso operates, in Canto XXVI(26) with regards to Ulysses and Deidamia. As explained to Dante by Virgil, that within those flames he sees, “there are souls, each one swathed in that which scorches him.” Ulysses and Deidamia were eternally punished for the fraud they committed while devising the plan of the Trojan horse, in order to trick the Romans. They are eternally punished by the fire, the same fire they used to fight the Romans. This clearly shows the contrapasso, that the sin they did in reality, fraud and trickery which ultimately led to the use of fire, now his sins are being paid for in the afterlife, by reminiscing on his fraudulent actions as a soul formed from fire. Perhaps a modern day example of the contrapasso, is Bernie Madoff, who has committed a great extent of fraud in order to make an enormous amount of money. His contrapasso, although he technically is still alive, is that he was put to jail for the remainder of his life, as well as losing all that money he gathered. He must now think, for the rest of his life, about his fraudulent actions that caused so much harm and damage, just like Ulysses and Deidamia, who, for the rest of eternity, must also live with the guilt and reminisce about their fraudulent actions.
ReplyDeleteIn Dante's Inferno Canto V is the scene that I love most. It depicts the Second Circle where the Lustful are "forever buffeted by violent storm." In all its tragic beauty, the suffering is a clear way portrayal of contrapasso. Dante, instead of using the typical flames of hell punishment, creates a psychological and sin specific hell created for every type of sinner. Contrapasso is Dante's form of punishment for the sinners -- it's not a punishment designated for each person, but instead, it is to relive the sin committed itself over and over again eternally. I feel for Francesca and Paolo because the idea of their love is tragic and bittersweet at the same time. As a reader, I almost felt relieved that they were still together in the inferno so that at least they still have each others' company. However, the idea of reliving their sins and reliving their consequences next to each other ruins the memory of the love they shared. I feel that Dante does this as a way to show us that although sins may not have an extreme physical punishment in his type of hell, the psychological and emotional suffering eternally is enough. Perhaps his form of suffering is worse than the flames of hell that is normally shown as punishment. Dante's form of hell is unique in the way that contrapasso works. It is not an eye for an eye exactly, it is to relive the sin for eternity so that you realize the regret of the sins you committed.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a form of infernal suffering for our affluent society is to live in a "primitive" (that's ethnocentric, I know) society where we do not have the technical luxuries that we do now. This is the opposite of contrapasso, I know, but I think it would be pretty effective for those who are attached to their Blackberries (which I, myself, am too). :)
In Canto XVIII Dante writes about Bertran de Born the man who made a father and son rebellious against eachother. Like discussed in class Dante considers this one of the worst sins a man can committ. Professor Sorin calls this a perfect contrapasso. Bertran de Born is carrying his own head in the inferno this contrapasso is perfect because seperating a father and son coincides with the seperation of Bertran de Born's head.
ReplyDeleteDante illustrates different contrapasso for different individuals. He does that for purpose. Not all sins or crimes are same. You can not have the same punishment for everyone. For example, the lustful, in circle two, can not have the same punishment as symonists in canto 19 because they are both different sins in weight. The lustful ones rebel only against their own souls. The symonists, however, rebel against their own soul as well as others'.
ReplyDeleteI liked the contropasso for a poet who helped to a prince to rebel against his own father. As a result, both the prince and the poet is killed and the poet's contropasso is carrying his beheaded head on his hands. So his punishment matches his sin. I can imagine a fictional scenario about the suicide bombers. They blow up themselves killing hundreds of innocent people for the purpose of going to haven. Hopefully in inferno, or where ever they go, they will get the same cotropasso.