Comparison Essay Inferno and King LearIn Dante Alighieri's poem Inferno and William Shakespeare's Tragedy of King Lear, the common theme of justice plays a essential role in both literary works. Often depicting righteous and ironic punishments fitting the crime, both plays focus on the possible consequences of one's actions towards others, resulting in the person's death or eternal damnation that awaits them. Throughout King Lear, King Lear's arrogance in not recognizing Cordelia's unconditional love leads to his brutal death. Throughout Inferno, Alighieri alludes to somewhat ironic and righteous forms of punishment in punishing the souls of Hell, such as twisting the heads of people who predicted the future so that they only see what they see. there is behind them. Both Lear's and Dante's final realization depict the self-realization in which both protagonists perceive. Although Dante can ultimately change the outcome of his current spiritual justice, the repentant King Lear can only watch as the actions he has demonstrated result in the ultimate destruction of his idyllic project. The similar theme of justice in Inferno and King Lear both describe the eventual consequence. of his actions throughout his existence. Often causing more harm than good, the actions they perform tend to harm them more than the action itself. In William Shakespeare's King Lear, King Lear decides to deny Cordelia, the youngest of the three daughters, possession of part of his kingdom, because Lear wanted to see which girl loved him the most, to which Cordelia responded: “Unfortunate that I am, I cannot lift, My heart in my mouth: I love Your Majesty, According to my bond; neither more nor less. (Shakespeare 9) Although C...... middle of paper... the fact that Cordelia died, and the pain and guilt that her actions killed her daughter, is the catalyst for her apparent death. Throughout the works of famous literary plays such as Dante Alighieri's Inferno and William Shakespeare's King Lear, the common theme of justice prevails in all works. Often resulting in physical pain, the concept of justice in these two literary works reinforces the brutal and cruel perspective that Dante and King Lear experience first-hand. King Lear's subsequent death after Cordelia demonstrates the ultimate guilt that King Lear lived in due to his arrogant and ignorant perception of the amount of love Cordelia feels towards her father. Dante's journey through the afterlife conveys the illumination of his transformation from a sinner who lost his way to a spiritually righteous man..