How are the circles of Hell structured in Dante's Inferno?

The circles of Hell in Dante's Inferno are organized as layers that reflect the severity of the sins committed by souls. This structure emphasizes the moral hierarchy present in Dante's vision of divine justice, where each circle corresponds to a specific category of sin, classified primarily into incontinence, violence, and fraud. The deeper one descends into Hell, the more grievous the sins become, leading to increasingly severe punishments that are poetically just, reflecting the nature of the sin itself.

This layered organization allows Dante to convey a clear moral order and the concept of contrapasso, or the idea that the punishment fits the crime. For instance, the lustful are blown about by strong winds, symbolizing their lack of control in life, while the violent are submerged in a river of boiling blood, reflecting the violence they inflicted upon others. Each circle serves not only as a place of suffering but also as a means to illustrate moral lessons about human behavior and the consequences of sin.