Monday, 25 July 2011

In Canto 18 of Dante's Inferno, why is the priest in hell?

Dante
explores the numerous circles of Hell in this story, in each of which a different sin is
relegated. Throughout the story we have seen the punishments for a number of terrible sins, and
in18, we come to the area where fraud is punished. The eighth circle of Hell, one of the worst,
holds the eternal punishment for sinners guilty of fraud.

Within this circle
is the priest, normally considered a holy man, and Dante is shocked to find a clergy member here
in Hell. However, this gets to the heart of sinthat anyone can fall deeply into it. The priest
is guilty of defrauding his congregation, and this is what Dante wants to comment on in the
Catholic Church. He is angered at the amount of deception in the church and wants to condemn it
in this work.

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