In this divine comedy "Inferno" by Dante Alighieri the author is led by Virgil through the many levels of hell.    In canto five, Dante is led through the second circle of hell. As Dante and Virgil approach a cliff, they see a whirlwind . This whirlwind spins with the souls of the "carnal sinners". At this point they encounter the souls of Paolo and Francesca, two  souls who are being punished for adultery.   This couple has been portrayed in several works of art such as these two paintings.
    The first painting is a depiction of the couple before death. It is evident that the relationship between the two is secretive. The position of the two describes their feelings for each other. The position of Francesca's body and her closed eyes show that she knows that her actions are wrong and possibly fears the consequences.
    The second painting shows the couple in a completely different light.  They appear to be suffering both emotionally and physically. Paolo and Francesca are clinging to each other as if they are in a tremendous amount of pain  and are terrified.
    These two paintings are very good examples of a person's choices and the consequences of these choices. They do a good job of portraying Dante's ideas included in his work.