A Literary Look at the Afterlife Essay - 1029 Words

Since the beginning of time, legions of people have all had their own interpretation of the after-life, and if there even is one. Many philosophies, religions, and individuals have all asked themselves the same question at one point or another: Is there a Heaven or a Hell? Where will my body go? Will my soul follow? The Bible has many passages in which it describes its specific thoughts and claims on the â€Å"afterlife†. The afterlife as noted in the Bible, is divided into two different places, Heaven and Hell. Under this notion, everyone will continue their life after death eternally either in Heaven or Hell based on the type of life they lived. Where one spends the rest of their life is determined by whether a person puts their trust in†¦show more content†¦In his narrative poem The Divine Comedy Volume 1: Inferno, Dante recounts the story of a Pilgrim’s journey through hell. Inferno is based on Dante’s own idea of what the afterlife looks like and the matter in which it functions. As the Pilgrim sees it, Hell is subdivided into nine different â€Å"circles† which separate the sinners by the nature of the indulgence they have committed and its corresponding â€Å"contrapasso†, or form of punishment. The larger their sin is, the lower the level to which they are doomed to spend eternity. After reading the poem in its entirety, a reader discovers that Dante has made a spot in Hell for just about every type of sinner, even those who go against the mere thought of the afterlife. While on his journey, the Pilgrim is guided by Virgil the poet. Together they pass through different circles of He ll witnessing the atrocious punishments that all the sinners are serving. Though some circles hold gluttons, and others house those filled with lust, there is one circle in particular which is home to those who chose to live their lives denying the existence of an afterlife as it is explained in the Bible. Dwelling in the sixth circle of Hell are the souls of â€Å"arch-heretics†. Heresy is an opinion at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine of a church or religious system consequently; heretics are those who have their own opinion against the accepted doctrine (dictionary.com). Mark Musa affirms in hisShow MoreRelatedLaura Esquivels Like Water for Chocolate Essay1709 Words   |  7 Pagesgive up on marring Padro. After her forgetting about Pedro he goes and marries Rosaura, and Tita falls in love with John. The whole story then gets thrown when Mama dies and comes back to haunt Tita for her relationship with Pedro. The idea of the afterlife is presented to us in t his part showing us how big of an influence life after death has on Mexican religion. This novel takes place through all twelve months of the year starting at January and ending in December. 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