Contrapasso In Canto V With Francesca Da Rimini And Paolo

One example of Contrapasso is seen in Canto V with Francesca da Rimini and Paolo. These two characters find themselves in a situation described as an “infernal storm, eternal in its rage, sweeps and drives spirits in its blast: it whirls them, lashing them with punishment” (110.31-33). This punishment fits the crime here because the sinners guilty of lust have allowed themselves to be swept adrift according to their own passions instead of giving into God’s will; they are punished by no longer having any will of their own. Dante also hears “the notes of anguish start to play” (110.25). These notes of anguish must be a cacophony of screams, moans, and groans, similar to what these souls have been accustomed to in life. Also, this circle is

Born is guilty of separating a father and son who were previously conjoined. Since he separated two things that were together, he spends eternity separated himself: “I bear my head cut off from its life source” (329.140). Born is a unique individual in the sense that he is not diluted like many other sinners in the story are. He compares his sin to that of Ahithophel’s counsel to Absalom about David and, unlike many others, he gets his comparison right: “Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and all the people with him will flee. I would strike down the only king and bring all of the people back to you” (II Samuel 17.1-3). It is also interesting how closely related Born’s punishment is to Absalom and Ahithophel’s death: “The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his (Absalom) head was caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth.” (II Samuel 18.9). Second Samuel Chapter 17 Verse 23 states that Ahithophel hanged himself. Just like Born’s head was separated from his body, Absalom and Ahithophel died separated between heaven and