In Dante's Inferno, Dante creates inventive imagery between sin and the punishment he would receive in hell. One of the main themes Dante uses in the book is allegory, or how punishment fits sin. This theme illustrates what happens to people who sin on earth. In this theme, Dante created a hell with nine levels, each worse than the first. Starting with a small paradise and ending with the ninth icy circle, where Lucifer resides. In each circle, sinners are punished according to their crimes. For example, those who are sent into the lustful circle are forced to endure ravishing winds and storms for eternity. As Dante travels through Hell, the punishments become much worse. The first level is purgatory, canto four, a place where people go who have done neither good nor evil. The idea of ​​purgatory, or limbo, is a region on the edge of hell where those who were not saved even though they had committed no wrong were sent after death. Dante's version of this is more generous than most versions of the realm of hell. Purgatory is the first circle of hell, including honest and moral non-Christian adults as well as unbaptized babies. (Lummus, 63 years old). Some of the great philosophers, poets and heroes would be found there. For example, poets and philosophers like Homer and Aristotle live their eternity in limbo. When Dante first enters Limbo, he finds himself at the edge of a dark valley. Virgil, the poet who first came to him in the dark woods, tells him that it is time to enter the valley, Dante is afraid to enter, but Virgil assures him that everything will be fine. A flame bursts which illuminates the valley and Dante sees a large castle where great thinkers, poets and philosophers lived. (Dante. 4-15 With ...... middle of paper ......ing devoured for eternity for example; it is believed that this would be a better punishment. In conclusion, allegorically, Dante's Hell represents Dante's Hell. The soul sees corruption and sin for what they really are, creating a lot of tension between the impartial punishment of God's justice and Dante's sympathy. for the lost souls he sees around him As Dante travels further into Hell, Dante feels less inclined toward pity for the souls, because the sins become so great that even Dante feels that. they deserve what they receive. This writing exercises the wisdom of divine justice and those who have sinned receive the perfect punishment for their sin. Works CitedAlighieri, D. Inferno 2011. Class ReadingsLummus, D. Dante's Inferno: Critical Reception. and Influence 2006. Stanford University. Retrieved from the Web in April.. 18, 2014