7 Deadly Sins: Wrath, Envy and Pride

 The last three sins in Dante´s list that I still need to analise are: Wrath, Envy and Pride.

Ira (wrath)

The sin of wrath is related to hatred and strong resentment. Dante described wrath as “love of justice perverted to revenge and spite”. Wrath is a sin since we, humans, according to the Bible, don't have the right to be angry with our "brother", instead we should try to solve the situation in order to not sin.

Stroganov L. (2015) Wrath [lithograph on paper]

Thomas Aquinas, in the Summa Theologiae, explained anger as "the name of a passion. A passion of the sensitive appetite is good in so far as it is regulated by reason, whereas it is evil if it set the order of reason aside."

Symbols

Wrath can be symbolized by the bear due to the celtic goddess Artio, a bear goddess, who was fiercely overprotective. The dragon can also be a symbol of this sin and the colour red is also associated with it. The punishment is to be dismembered "alive".

Invidia (envy)

Envy is when someone achives something that we want and we think that person does not deserve it. Furthermore, it can also be related be charateristic of the others. It is commonly related to our inconscient feeling of inferiority among the others.

"Envy, when it is not in its benign form, occurs when we lack another’s superior quality, achievement or possession, and either desire it or wish that the other lacked it" explains Richard Smith.

Potocki G. (,,,) Envy [oil on canvas]

Symbols

The colour green is commonly associated with envy. As well as the dogs and bats. The punishement is to be immersed in freezing water for the eternity, as stated in Proverbs 14:30, “envy makes the bones rot".

Superbia (pride)

Pride is considered by many the deadliest sin, the one that leads to all the others. According to the Bible what made the angel Lucifer to be banished from the Heaven and turn into Satan, was the sin of pride. He considered himself better than God and wanted all the power and glory for himself, refusing the plan of God.

Pride is all about "I". The word "pride" is defined in the dicitonary as "the feeling of deep pleasure derived from one’s own achievements", which is not bad at all. It is only considered to be a sin when we take credit for what we have achieved or done without thanking God.

Wyeth J. (2008), Pride [oil on canvas]

Symbols

 There are several symbols that can be associated with this sin, for instance, animals such as the horse, lion and the peacock, wich can appear proud. Furthermore, the colour purple, which is normally associated with "royalty", can also represent the sin of pride. The punishment for those who are proud is to be broken on the wheel (also known as Catherine wheel).

With this research I conclude the majority of the research that I needed to start my project, now I should start to sketch and painting all the final pieces.

Reference:

Covanlent Logic (2019) To Hell with It: A Sinopsis of the 7 Deadly Sins and Their Punishments [online] Available from: https://www.covalentlogic.com/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/542 [Accessed 19.02.2021]

Anciety Symbols (n.d.) Seven Deadly Sins Symbols [online] Available from: https://www.ancient-symbols.com/symbols-by-subjects/seven-deadly-sins [Accessed 19.02.2021]

Christianity (n.d.), What is Wrath? [online] Available from: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/sin/what-is-wrath-the-meaning-of-this-deadly-sin.html [Accessed 19.02.2021]

https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-24/edition-2/deadly-sins [Accessed 20.02.2021]

Riggleman H. (2020) What Makes Pride a Sin?[online] Christianity.com Available from: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/sin/what-makes-pride-a-sin.html [Accessed 13.02.2021]