Dante Alighieri & The Divine
Comedy
Exploring Vision, Allegory, and Spiritual Enlightenment
PRESENTED BY:
DENMARK MATIAS
CHRISTOPHER ACOB
JASMINE LANGUIDO
Who Was Dante Alighieri?
Born in 1265 in Florence, Italy
Poet, philosopher, and political
thinker
Exiled from Florence in 1302
Died in 1321 in Ravenna
What is The Divine Comedy?
Epic poem written between 1308–1321
Divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso
An allegory of the soul’s journey toward God
Written in terza rima (three-line rhyme scheme)
Themes in The Divine Comedy
Education and salvation
Choices and consequences
Art and experience
Sin, redemption, and divine justice
The soul’s journey toward God
Political commentary
Inferno – Journey Through Hell
Guided by Virgil through the nine circles of Hell
Punishment fits the sin (contrapasso)
Famous sinners: Judas, Brutus, Cassius
Purgatorio – Path of Redemption
Souls cleanse themselves before entering Heaven
Seven terraces of Purgatory, corresponding to the Seven Deadly Sins
Guided by Virgil, then Beatrice
Paradiso – The Realm of Heaven
Dante’s final destination: the vision of God
Guided by Beatrice through the nine celestial
spheres
Ends with the Empyrean, where Dante sees the
divine light
Influence of The Divine Comedy
Shaped Italian literature and language
Influenced writers like Milton, T.S. Eliot, and Borges
Continues to inspire art, music, and philosophy
Dante’s Divine Comedy Summary
Let's go through a quick rundown of what is the Divine Comedy about. In Dante’s
Inferno, he finds himself lost in the forest. Virgil helps him on his journey, accompanying
him throughout Inferno and Purgatorio. He encounters the horrors within Inferno and
goes through its nine circles. We will take a closer look at each of the circles of hell,
determine their specifics and differences, and look at Dante’s Inferno—Satan himself.
Purgatorio is a part of The Divine Comedy in which Dante and Virgil travel through the
seven mountain terraces, each representing a deadly sin.
In Paradiso, the main character's beloved Beatrice guides Dante through the nine
celestial spheres of Heaven. The final part of Dante's poem differs from Inferno and
Purgatorio in that the protagonist encounters virtues, not sins. As a result, the poem
concludes on a happy note, which provides an explanation for why is it called the divine
comedy.
Inferno (Hell) Summary
Dante descends into Hell, which is structured as nine concentric circles, each
punishing sinners according to the severity of their sins. He is guided by Virgil, who
represents human reason. The deeper Dante goes, the more terrible the punishments
become.
The outer circles punish lesser sins (lust, gluttony, greed, and wrath).
The middle circles deal with more serious sins (heresy and violence).
The innermost circles punish fraud and treachery, with Satan frozen in ice at the
very center, eternally devouring the greatest traitors: Judas, Brutus, and Cassius.
Dante and Virgil escape by climbing down Satan’s body and emerge at the base of
Mount Purgatory.
Purgatori (Purgatory) Summary
Dante ascends Mount Purgatory, which consists of
seven terraces, each cleansing a different deadly sin.
Souls here suffer temporarily, purging themselves of sin
to reach Heaven.
Virgil continues to guide Dante until they reach the
Earthly Paradise (Garden of Eden) at the top of the
mountain. Here, Dante meets Beatrice, who represents
divine love and grace. She takes over as his guide,
leading him into Paradiso.
Paradiso (Heaven) Summary
Dante travels through nine celestial spheres, each corresponding to different
virtues and levels of blessedness. The higher he ascends, the closer he comes
to God’s divine light.
The spheres include the Moon (faith), Mercury (hope), Venus (love), the
Sun (wisdom), Mars (courage), Jupiter (justice), Saturn (temperance), the
Fixed Stars (contemplation), and the Primum Mobile (pure intellect).
Finally, he reaches the Empyrean, where he beholds God’s eternal glory in
a vision of pure light and love.
Dante’s journey ends with an overwhelming experience of divine unity, as he
attempts to comprehend the infinite love of God.
Conclusion
Dante’s work is a masterpiece of literature,
philosophy, and theology
A timeless reflection on morality, justice, and
redemption
Encourages self-reflection and spiritual growth
THANK YOU!
