The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri Essays - 983 Words

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieris The Divine Comedy, Purgatory Dantes The Divine Comedy section of Purgatory is a depiction of Dante and his struggle to reach paradise. He is a character as well as a narrator. The purgatory section deals with the seven deadly sins and Dantes task of cleansing himself on his journey to heaven. He confronts many different people on his journey to self-righteousness, which help and guide him to his destiny. Accompanied by Virgil or reason as he is depicted, his quest is a hard journey with many answers to be found. Dante was born in May 1265 and lived his early life at a time of change and of great economic and cultural expansion in Florence (Kirkpatrick 2). The poet was critically†¦show more content†¦He wandered for the next twenty years depending on patrons to help him survive. It is hard to find any documentation on Dantes journey outside of Florence. It is know that his last days were spent in Ravenna, under the watchfu l eye of Guido da Polenta. The city recognized him as a great poet and it was here the last of The Divine Comedy was written. Dante died shortly after finishing his final and best work in 1322. His ashes are still buried next to the church of San Francesco. Dantes Purgatory section of The Divine Comedy covers Dantes journey through Purgatory and the challenges he faces. Purgatory was an island with a huge mountain towering from it. At the top was Paradise or heaven. It was sealed off by a gate with angles guarding the entrance. The bottom was antepurgatory where the souls that were not ready for the journey resided. The mountain itself was composed of seven concentric ledges separated by steep cliffs. On each ledge, one of the seven capital sins waited on a soul. They were composed of Pride, Envy, Wrath Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony, and Lust. When the soul had released his sin, he was able to proceed to the next level. When he ascends to the next level, an angle would greet him and perf orm a cleansing ritual. In addition, on each ledge of Purgatory, there were models of the sin as well as the virtues which opposed the sin. These were a kind of test for the soul. Dante was guided by Virgil orShow MoreRelatedThe Divine Comedy By Dante Alighieri873 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Divine Comedy† is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri. He wrote the epic sometime between 1308 and 1321, the year he died. It is considered one of the greatest works of world literature. He wrote â€Å"The Divine Comedy† while he was exiled from Florence, Italy (Bishops 182). â€Å"The Divine Comedy† recounts Dante’s idea of the afterlife. It is written in a first person perspective and follows Dante’s journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. At the time Dante wrote the Divine Comedy, Italy wasRead MoreThe Divine Comedy By Dante Alighieri1725 Words   |  7 PagesIn composing the Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri has created and brought to his reader s three examples of literary brilliance. A masterfully written poem that still serves as a preface for contemporary heaven/hell/purgatory imagery, the divine comedy brings readers along for the ride on Dante’s path towards salvation. Depending on how gullible one may be, interpretation of the legitimacy of the Divine Comedy is varied; that is to say, although a few might believe Dante actually did somehow travelRead MoreThe Divine Comedy By Dante Alighieri Essay1691 Words   |  7 PagesDante Alighieri is known as one of the greatest Italian poets. One of Alighieri’s most famous works of art would be his poem called the Divine Comedy written in year 1320. 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Dante writes his book to scare others into changing to beRead MoreThe Divine Comedy By Dante Alighieri1277 Words   |  6 PagesDante Alighieri wrote the Divine Comedy from 1308-1320. The story narrates Dante’s pilgrimage through hell, purgatory, and heaven while guided by Virgil and Beatrice. Throughout this journey Dante conforms himself to virtue, properly orders his passions, and conforms his conscience, â€Å"Dante s psychopoiesis operates through the mimetic deformation, reformation, and transformation of conscience† (Macready, 2). This essay will examine what a true conscience is according to the Catechism of the CatholicRead MoreThe Divine Comedy By Dante Alighieri Essay2228 Words   |  9 PagesThere is no doubt that Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) has made a momentous contribution to Medieval literature in general and Italian in particular. He is best known for his magnum opus, The Divine Comedy. It is a brilliant masterpiece of literature which students read as a part of their curriculum in literature courses, in order to probe the mind of a genius commenting on both temporal events and the spiritual, scientific, and philosophical themes and concerns of his predecessors and peers, therebyRead MoreThe Allegorical Messages of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri 598 Words   |  2 PagesThe beginning lines of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri indicate a pragmatic journey through the dark woods. It is soon evident that The Divine Comedy is in terms of an allegory. Midway through his life, Dante finds himself lost and in darkness. He is confused and unaware of how he has ended up in these dark woods. Dante soon comes across Italian poet Virgil, who will guide him through the Nine Circles of Hell. Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy: Inferno portrays Dante’s life and adventure throughRead MoreDante Alighieri and his Divine Comedy Essay596 Words   |  3 PagesDante Alighieri (1265-1321) was an Italian poet in the Middle Ages. The Divine Comedy, of which Inferno is a part, is considered the greatest literary work in the Italian language and a masterpiece. Inferno is the story of Dante the pilgrim’s journey from the dark wood of error through Hell, led by Virgil. This is Dante the pilgrims opportunity to recognize his sins; he is given the opportunity to see how the error of his ways will be punished if he does not change. In Dante’s Hell, the punishmentRead MoreThe Vaule of Personal Development in The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri1209 Words   |  5 PagesIn Italian Dante Alighieri (1265) Poem, The Divine Comedy Inferno, Translated by Mark Musa. 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Of his talent, came a business of the