When I first heard that we would be reading The Inferno, I have to admit that I was less than excited. I did hear that Dante Alighieri was a good writer, but I do unfortunately judge books based on the summary. From what I know of The Inferno, it’s basically about hell. I mean, I have read many books and watched countless movies related to Heaven… Everyone loves to talk about Heaven! Hell on the other hand, is a topic which one does not ordinarily want to talk about. I cannot exactly say I was too eager to read about Hell.

However, when Ms. Arawiran read just a tiny portion to the class, I could not help but “ooh” and “aah”. That little excerpt certainly helped pique my interest about The Inferno. I couldn’t wait to get started reading it!

Can you imagine being lead through hell? What a terribly frightening experience. I certainly wouldn’t want to be in his shoes. However, I do admire how Dante was able to realize and to admit that he had strayed from the right path—to admit that he made a mistake. They say that the first step to overcoming anything is admitting there is something wrong. Since I am aware that I’m a rather proud person, I honestly do not know if I would have been able to acknowledge my mistake as quickly as he did.

 What really caught my fancy while Ms. Arawiran was reading was the irony that Dante Alighieri portrayed so well. It gave a new meaning to the usual concepts of “karma” and “the golden rule”. In The Inferno, the sinner’s punishment and their place in hell are practically mirror images of their lives on earth, only this time, it is reversed. The way they sought pleasure on earth was the exact same way they were tortured in hell. I cannot quite find the words to explain it, but what I’m basically trying to say is that Dante Alighieri portrayed a system of justice that I thought was quite suitable.

The only thing I don’t agree with in that system was the canto about Limbo. Even when I was young, I did not quite understand the concept of Limbo. All I know is that people who were not baptized end up there instead of in Heaven, even if they lived a good life. I don’t mean to question the Lord or anything, but I would just like to point out my confusion. If they did not have the opportunity to be baptized, or in other words, if it was not their fault, then I doubt God would punish them by keeping them hopeless in Limbo. That would make it an unwarranted punishment—and God, who is good and just, would never allow that. I understand that, in The Inferno, Virgil mentioned that God did take some souls from Limbo in order to bring them to Heaven (or at least, that was how I understood it). However, only a few were mentioned. I am merely asking this question with regards to the other souls who still suffer there.

All in all though, I loved reading The Inferno. Even though I have only read the first six cantos so far, I realized how Dante Alighieri had painted a picture of hell which I had never imagined before. I have never heard a better portrayal of The Eternal Fire, as it is often called. Dante Alighieri has definitely opened my eyes and given me a new perspective. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I cannot wait to continue reading this book.