Post 3: Prompt 3

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
and would suffice.

- Robert Frost

Fire and Ice are both very symbolic in Dante's Inferno. Not only do these symbols contradict each other, but the use in Frost's poem relates to Dante's journey through hell. The fact that the whole "hell" concept is based on fire burning, it is interesting to see from his his poem that ice, the opposite of fire, would also be considered in death. Ice has not come into the picture so far in the book, yet fire has played a big role throughout the punishments and contrapasso for the sins. Depending on the severity of the sin, depends on the punishment, but most end up involving burning or boiling, so if not fire, at least pain from heat. Ice would seem to be the opposite and not at all seen in a place, such as hell. Frosts also believes that he fire would be his choice of destruction, yet ice would not be bad. There is not much evidence to prove that ice would be a use of destruction, however, there is a form of ice referred to many times in the book. This would be Water. Throughout the different circles of hell that Dante encounters, in many, there always seems so be a form a water whether its in rivers, rain, or tears.

It is rare to ever see fire and ice combined from a literal point of view, as the fire would melt the ice. However, this could be why we see so much water throughout the circles. It makes since that Frost would point out that Ice would not be a bad way to go out because water, itself, represents peace, serenity, and calmness.

Robert Frost's poem on ice and fire is very relative to our study on the circles in Dante's Inferno. The lyrics to this song follow the guidelines and support Frost's word as fire and ice are destruction. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKCdql0U2Yw) It is most likely that we continue to see more fire and forms of ice as the sins worsen and the punishments become greater. In Circle 9, Dante stumbles onto a frozen lake, otherwise known as ice. Here are punished those sinners who are guilty of treachery against those to whom they were bound by special ties. These sinners are trapped in the ice among one of the four sections depending on the different positions of the damned. This proves Ice is also a good use of destruction; supporting Frost's poem.

Post 2: Prompt 3

Circle 7: Round 1

Dante enters circle 7 of hell and meets the Minotaur and below the river of boiling blood. Here, the violent against neighbors are punished as wallowed in blood during their lives as great war-makers, cruel tyrants, and highwaymen, they are immersed in the boiling blood forever. Dante uses the punishment of those in round 1 just as they did in life to a more harsh and intense level. Essentially, in hell, Dante has written of the sinners punishment to an extreme level where everyone gets a taste of their own medicine.

The archetype symbol is mush related to the contrapasso. Because they wallowed in blood during their lives, they are immersed in the boiling blood forever. Dante used the river of boiling blood as an archetype symbol to portray the literal and agonizing punishments of hell. The person's sins in life get them into deep trouble in hell. Dante uses this to enhance his ideas and show the importance of how the souls are punished depending on their guilt. Though the creatures and punishment are unrealistic, this is hell and Dante has portrayed the punishments to a very literal and extensive way. The Minotaurs are symbolic of human beasts and human tendencies especially when sinning. Those who were violent against neighbors now have to experience the violence in themselves. Circle 7 is all about violence against someone, or something. Dante uses the punishment in each round to dish out the violence to those who sinned.

Post 1: Prompt 3

Dante and Virgil run across many sequences of events in their travel through the circles of hell. In circle three, the Gluttons, Dante and Virgil come to the part of hell that holds those who made no higher use of the gifts of god than to eat and drink and produce nothing but waste. Because they chose to live their lives like this, they are now punished to live here through all eternity as garbage, themselves. They are buried in fetid slush, while Cerberus, the three-headed dog, slavers over them. The punishment embodies the law of contrapasso as they are getting dished what they deserved from life. If they chose to waste all of God’s gifts while wallowing in food and drink, they choose their punishment to be treated as waste because of everything they wasted in life. “In life they made no higher use of the gifts of God than to wallow in food and drink…”(Canto VI Notes).

I think the description Dante gives of this part of hell really paints the picture of how those who sinned with gluttony are suffering. “I am in the third circle of the torments. Here to all time was neither pause nor charge the frozen rain of hell descends in torrents” (Canto VI). The slush represents the garbage they are buried in and the slavering of Cerberus represents the slavering they did over food.

Dante is clearly on an emotional roller coaster ride as he travels through the circles of hell. He is having a hard time handling the punishments given for the sins. In this particular circle, not only does Dante feel sympathy for them, but he also fears for them. He now understands contrapasso and how what you do in life literally and symbolically affects you in death. It seems to me that Dante might be regretting any sin ever committed in his lifetime, because he sure knows he does not want to end up in hell.