He encounters the horrors happening within Inferno and goes through the nine circles of it. Virgil helps him on his journey, accompanying him throughout Inferno and Purgatorio. In Dante’s Inferno, he finds himself lost in the forest and realizes that he has died. You might also be interested in discovering SYMBOLISM and ways to use it in your own writing effectively. Brace yourself, take a deep breath and let the hell begin!

We will analyze the main characters and their significance to the plot. In this article our psychology essay writing service will take a detailed look at all of the parts of the poem, paying most attention to Dante’s Inferno book. Lastly, the number nine is used for the nine circles of Hell, and the nine spheres in Heaven. There are seven deadly sins and seven terraces in Purgatorio. Another number significant to The Divine Comedy is seven. The reason Dante Aligheri chose the number three is specifically due to its significance in Christianity: there is a Holy Spirit, God-the Father, and Jesus (the three godheads). In Inferno, the first part of The Divine Comedy, we encounter three beasts, a three-headed dog-Cerberus, and a three-faced Satan. The number three is one of the most common and important ones. There is a lot of symbolism in connection with numbers throughout the novel. The purpose of Dante’s Divine Comedy was to show people the horrors their souls would go through if they did not obey God's laws, and did not live their lives righteously. Such division reflects the medieval theology specific to Christianity. Each part consists of thirty-three cantos. It has three parts: Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory) and Paradiso (Heaven). Without faith, you'll go no higher.Īt some point in the journey toward God, one must leave Reason behind.The poem, The Divine Comedy, is about a journey of the author himself, towards God. Reason might get you to the highest mountaintop on earth, but on earth you'll forever remain. But can Reason get you all the way to heaven?ĭante answers, no. And Reason, as we've seen, was able to lead the Pilgrim through hell and up Mount Purgatory. More on the Pilgrim's new guide in the weeks to come, but for today a farewell to Virgil.Īgain, in the symbolism of the Comedy the pagan poet Virgil represents Reason. If the Pilgrim is going to reach God he will require a different guide. Sanctification is straightening our bent loves.Īt the top of Mount Purgatory, Virgil and the Pilgrim reach the Garden of Eden, the earthly paradise.

That's a neat summary of Dante's vision of spiritual formation: to straighten in us what the world has bent. Which straightens in you what the world has bent. As the Pilgrim says in Canto XXIII:Ĭlimbing and ever circling round this mount And so, the Pilgrim and Virgil get to the top of Mount Purgatory, the sins of the Pilgrim purged on each terrace.

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