I thought it was interesting the way that Dante used metamorphosis and used it in such a way that it totally contradicts the meaning of the word. In nature, metamorphosis is a sign of hope for things to get better and change. But Dante uses metamorphosis as a way to describe the way thieves in hell do not feel sorry for their crimes but do feel shame for being caught. Dante uses metamorphosis to emphasize that these thieves change in matter but yet they do not seem to change; they still possess the same arrogant and violent attitude. Dante shows the severity of the thieves condition in showing that even though they are suffering they are trying to bring others to their level of misery with no redemptive qualities.
P.s. I commented on Tinsley's post
I agree with what you are saying. When I first read this section in Inferno it made me think of that part in Harry Potter where Dumbledore's phoenix Faux dies, but is reborn from the flames just a few moments later. That is a good sort of metamorphosis that is inspirational. The type of metamorphosis that the thieves go through is terrible and they will never rise back out of the flame. They will just keep dying and returning to the flame.
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