Cantos 21-23

"We have endured too much!" With that he clawed
His grapple into the other's arm, and tearing
Ripped out a muscle.

-Canto XXII (67-69)

In this section of The Inferno, there appears to be a more vivid violent description. Especially with the grafters, who pay for their sins by being thrown in boiling pitch. The demons who throw them in and make sure they do not rise to the surface are sadistic and take joy in the pain they bestow. It is hard to believe that these demons were ever angels, because to be an angel, one must do something worthy in life. These demons are pure evil, uncaring about anyone else, and starving for violence. In canto XXII, the reader learns that much like those condemned to hell, the demons are unable to leave their respective circles. However, one must wonder if they are put in particular circles based on their sins. Dante meets Navarrese who is being tortured by the demons. He uses tricks and deceitfulness that landed him in Hell to escape the torture of the demons. This gives the reader an indication that despite the horrors they must endure for their sins in life, not all the sinners have learned their lesson or are apologetic for their ways. As Dante descends deeper into Hell, the punishments become more and more vicious and he also describes them in more detail, using disturbing imagery and poetic language. As the adventure continues, the sins committed become more unforgivable and therefore the punishments doled out become more difficult to endurable. The most depressing aspect of Hell is the fact that there is no escape, those who have done wrong in their short life must live eternity in anguish. They have no chance to redeem themselves, to repent for the sins they have committed, and they cannot escape Hell through death. They just keep getting killed and tortured forever. Perhaps, they do not deserve sympathy, but some of the sins that doom people to hell, are not as worthy of the intense punishments they receive. For example the hypocrites. They have not necessarily hurt anyone, at least not all of them, and yet they reside in one of the deeper circles of Hell for eternity. Hypocrisy is in no way an honorably trait, but does one truly deserve such a horrible state for not "practicing what they preach?" More souls should have the choice to redeem themselves if they so chose. Those that feel no regret or still commit the sins which landed them in Hell can remain there without salvation.

Down at the bottom, we discovered a set
Of painted people, who slowly trod their rounds

Weeping, with looks of weairiness and defeat.
Their cloaks, cowls covering the eyes and face,

These cloaks were gilded on the side that shows
So that the eye was dazzeled--but all of lead
On the inside: so heavy

-Canto XXIII (53-56, 58-60)