Author Archives: Alison K Merchan

Beatrice and her divine love

Ally K. Merchan

Dante’s Divine Comedy

Professor Porcelli

May 24, 2019

Beatrice and her divine love

            Throughout the Inferno, two of the most important characters to Dante Alighieri was his beloved Beatrice and his trustworthy guide Virgil. In canto 2, Virgil is sent by Dante’s adored Beatrice to accompany him on his journey to the underworld. Since she is in heaven, she cannot accompany Dante through hell; she believes that Virgil will be a very honorable guide for Dante. Beatrice believes that Dante needs a dependable guide to help him through this journey because Dante feels unworthy of this journey. Virgil is the perfect fit since he also reassures and helps Dante whenever he needs. He serves as both a motherly and father figure. Beatrice is also shown as a motherly figure later in the Divine Comedy since she tends to scold him and make sure he is always okay. Moreover, Giovanni Stradano and Gustave Dorè both created visual works of art representing the same scene of Virgil and Beatrice in the Divine Comedy. Dante casts Beatrice as the representation of divine love in Inferno. She is sent by God and depicted as heavenly in both paintings. The most accurate representation of Virgil and Beatrice in canto 2 is the painting by Giovanni Stradano.

Johannes Stradanus (Jan van der Straet) was a Flemish painter who lived from 1523-1605. He is not a well-known artist, but he has created many artworks in the second half of the 16thcentury. Giovanni settled in Italy in 1545 where he worked in Florence for the rest of his career (Stradanus).  He is best known in Italy as Giovanni Stradano. He worked with the Medici family frequently. He created over 130 cartoons for the Arazzeria Medicea, which was a tapestry factory that was founded by Duke Cosimo de Medici in 1557. He also painted many altarpieces for Florentine churches remodeled by Vasari and later in 1564 he contributed to the tomb decoration of famous painter and sculptor Michelangelo.  Additionally, after 1578, Stradano began creating engravings and produced countless drawings that later became translated into prints. He had a “second career as a draughtsman and designer of hundreds of prints. There were engraved, published, and distributed all over the then-known world by Antwerp publishers in huge numbers” (Painting). All of these works were widely spread, collected and became popular which made him earn his place in art history an innovative and influential artist.

Paul-Gustave Dorè was a French illustrator who was born on January 6, 1832 and died on January 23, 1883 Paris France. He never got married and lived his entire life with his mother. Nonetheless, Dorè had a very successful career. Gustave has produced over 90 wood engraved illustrated books in his lifetime; this produced countless jobs for wood cutters in the late 18thcentury. He is famously known for his artwork in the Bible and Dante’s Divine Comedy. His black and white painting were characterized with such fine detail, technical mastery and the realist depictions of humans as well as fantasy creature (Artstor).  “It is based on a Christian view of the afterlife but is enhanced by Dante’s preternatural vision of the other world. His depiction of the horrors and tortures of Hell are particularly vivid, and Dore’s illustrations are a fitting companion to Dante’s great work” (Artsor).

This painting of Beatrice and Virgil was made in 1587 by Giovanni Stradano. When first looking at this painting you notice that it looks older due to the colors used. Stradano mostly used black, orange, and a hint of white for this painting. The faces of both Beatrice and Virgil are not as detailed as everything else in the photograph. The background looks like the outside castle and gates of the city Dis since this is only the second canto. It may also be from the outside gates of hell since there are visible orange flames behind the back right. Beatrice is floating in the air like an angel sent from above. She has a white outside glow that outlines her entire body and makes her look godlier. Stradano made her like this to emphasize her heavenly sense and represent her love. Since she is coming to tell Virgil to take care of her treasured Dante. Beatrice is wearing a leaf crown around her head along with a robe that has a sash across her chest.  Virgil is looking up at her while also wearing a leaf crown and robe with a sash across his chest that says his name on it. He has a confused look on his face like Beatrice caught him off guard since he has his right hand up. Beatrice has her hand down almost pointing to Virgil. Moreover, they are surrounded by grassland and a little blurb right above their heads. It appears to be two young women that look like Beatrice’s handmaidens.  The handmaidens look like Rachel and Lucia. This is very similar to the Inferno. In lines 97-105

She called Lucia in her request and said: — Now

your faithful one has need of you, and I put him in

your hands—

Lucia, enemy of all cruelty, moved and came to

the place where I was sitting with the ancient Rachel.

She said: — Beatrice, true praise of God, why do

you not help him who loved you so, who because of

you came forth from the common herd.

The feelings and emotions that are associated with this painting is reassurance along with confusion. Since the colors in the painting are dull, one doesn’t sense happiness. The confusion comes from the look of Virgil’s face because he doesn’t seem to know her or what is going on.

Dorè’s painting of Virgil and Beatrice made in 1857 and was all painted in black in white. Beatrice has a glowing circle around herself and especially over her head. It almost appears as a sun behind her. This is another representation of her godly self since she is the only one with light behind her. There are thin fine lines surrounding her entire body which emphasizes the fact that she is holy, godly, and heavenly. The light also serves as an allegorical representation of purity which Beatrice is.  She is pointing on to the sky to the far left right, likeshe is telling Virgil that he should head in this direction. You can see her petite figure through this dress/robe she is wearing, and it looks like she is holding the end of her dress with her right hand. When looking at this painting it looks like Beatrice has long dark hair with her hair parted in the middle. Her facial expression looks serious but also attentive. Virgil’s face is not seen in this painting, but he is also wearing a leaf crown with a thick and long robe around him. Virgil appears to be pointing to Beatrice while his other hand is holding his robe. One cannot tell what Virgil’s facial expression is since it cannot be seen. Furthermore, the background looks like an abandoned forest with big trees. Beatrice and Virgil are talking to one another in the grass.  Additionally, the feelings and emotions one senses while looking at this painting is melancholy along with reassurance. Since the colors are black and white, there isn’t much happy emotion in the painting. Beatrice’s face is in between both sad and happy since she isn’t smiling or frowning.

Dorè’s painting of Virgil and Beatrice made in 1857 and was all painted in black in white. Beatrice has a glowing circle around herself and especially over her head. In lines 58-67 of canto 2, Beatrice says

O courteous Mantuan soul, whose fame still lasts

in the world and will last as far as the world will go,

my friend, not the friend of fortune, on the

deserted shore is so blocked in his journey that he

has turned back for fear;

and I am afraid that he may be already so lost

that I have risen too late to help him, according to

what I have heard of him in Heaven

It almost appears as a sun behind her. This is another representation of her godly self since she is the only one with light behind her. There are thin fine lines surrounding her entire body which emphasizes the fact that she is holy, godly, and heavenly. The light also serves as an allegorical representation of purity which Beatrice is.  She is pointing on to the sky to the far left right, like she is telling Virgil that he should head in this direction. You can see her petite figure through this dress/robe she is wearing, and it looks like she is holding the end of her dress with her right hand. When looking at this painting it looks like Beatrice has long dark hair with her hair parted in the middle. Her facial expression looks serious but also attentive. Virgil’s face is not seen in this painting, but he is also wearing a leaf crown with a thick and long robe around him. Virgil appears to be pointing to Beatrice while his other hand is holding his robe. One cannot tell what Virgil’s facial expression is since it cannot be seen. Furthermore, the background looks like an abandoned forest with big trees. Beatrice and Virgil are talking to one another in the grass. Additionally, the feelings and emotions one senses while looking at this painting is melancholy along with reassurance. Since the colors are black and white, there isn’t much happy emotion in the painting. Beatrice’s face is in between both sad and happy since she isn’t smiling or frowning.

The two painting were made almost three hundred years apart which explains why they were made this way. Giovanni Stradano made his painting during the Renaissance period which clarifies why some of the painting is dark. During this the Renaissance, many things were occurring in Italy. There were countless developments in philosophy, literature, music, art and science. He also used a dull color scheme which was popular during this time period. “Renaissance art showed the world around it that art could be used to show emotion in people as well. Additionally, painters using different shading techniques and color patterns, you could be able to showcase the mood of any setting” (Nix).  Moreover, art during the eighteenth century was based on realism/naturalism and impressionism. These are some of the methods Gustave used for his paintings. He used realism to capture the most romantic movement in his painting which was when he painted Beatrice. Impressionist art was a style pf painting that mostly French artists used. Gustave used this when he captured the image of both characters; people would see it as soon as they catch a glimpse of it. However, he didn’t use a lot of color but did include an outdoor scene.

Beatrice and Virgil painted by Giovanni Stradano is the painting that is most similar to episode 2 in the Inferno. His painting is the only one that includes the handmaidens Lucia and Rachel in a blurb above them, exactly like canto 2. The setting of this place is dark just as described in the episode. In lines 1- 3 Dante describes the setting “The day was departing, and the darkened air was releasing all living creatures on the earth from their toils; and I alone…” The entire background of the painting are dark colors associated with the color orange. Beatrice is very heavenly, and she does represent divine love as shown in the Divine Comedy. She is symbolic of the spiritual love that a benevolent God has for us. She is the bright light that Dante wanders through hell in search of. She is his salvation.

Works Cited

Alighieri, Dante, et al. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. Oxford University Press, 2011.

Artstor. “Artstor.” Library.artstor.org, library.artstor.org/#/collection/87729441.

“Jan Van Der Straet (Stradanus).” Jan Van Der Straet (Stradanus) Biography – Jan Van Der       Straet (Stradanus) on Artnet, stradanus/biography.

Nix, Cameron. “Renaissance Art Changing Society.” Prezi.com, 14 Sept. 2012,     prezi.com/k7kjcfmhdndf/renaissance-art-changing-society/.

“Painting & Artists Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s Inferno.” Florence Inferno, 24 Mar. 2015,         www.florenceinferno.com/artworks/.

Stradanus (1523-1605), Court Artist of the Medici,  Brepols Publishers: Publication Detail,         www.brepols.net/Pages/ShowProduct.aspx?prod_id=IS-

The World of Dante, www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html.

 

 

 

 

 

Virgil & Beatrice

Throughout the Inferno, Dante is scolded by his guide Virgil. Similarly, in Purgatorio, Dante is scolded like a mother to a child by his lover, Beatrice. Dante is scolded by two of the most important people to him. In canto 30 of the Inferno, Dante is watching Sinon and Master agrue and go back and forth. Virgil comes and hits Dante in the back of his head and tells him to stop watching this shameful argument. In lines 130-136:

I was all intent to listen to them, when my master

said to me: “Now keep looking, for I am not far from

quarreling with you!”

When I heard him speak to me angrily, I turned

toward him with such shamethat it dizzies me in

memory.

Dante hangs his head in shame and Virgil after seeing this takes him under his arm and forgives him. Just as a mother scolds her child and the child is ashamed; the mother feels bad and shows affection to her child. In canto 30 of the Purgatorio, the moment everyone has been waiting for: the appearance of Dante’s beloved Beatrice. When she first appears, Dante is taken back by her beauty and like a scared child turns to Virgil for answers. Virgil was gone. Dante starts panicking wondering where Virgil could’ve gone and as he is about to cry Beatrice scolds him. Beatrice foreshadows that Dante will encounter another terrible wound so he should save his tears. Without mercy, she scolds him for crying in the earthly paradise; the place where men are supposed to be happy. Dante hangs his head in shame and then sees his shameful reflection in the stream. Beatrice is compared to scolding Dante as her child. As shown in lines 73-81:

“Look at us well! Truly I am, truly am

Beatrice. How have you designed to approach thee

mountain? Did you not know that here mankind is

happy?”

My eyes fell down to the clear spring, but,

seeing myself there, I turned them to the grass,

such shameweighed down my brow:

so as a mother seems severe to her son as she

seemed to me, for bitter is the flavor of

compassion still unripe.

 

Reflection Post 1

 

After reading all my posts about the Inferno, I noticed numerous similarities and distinctions throughout them. My first four blog posts were more like summaries rather than reflective posts. They all included images with a short description of them but, I mostly summarized what the canto was about. However, my blog posts five and six had more connections, comparisons, similarities and changes in style. These two posts didn’t include images but made various connections between all the cantos we have read so far.

In my blog post 2 about gluttony, cerberus, and ciacco, my style was repetitive and colloquial. I included an image and a terzina but simply summarized what Canto 13 was about. I tried to include some imagery in my post but did it very poorly; I did the same thing with my first blog post. My first post included a picture of Virgil and Beatrice in paradise which I have not read at all but I thought it was related to Canto 2. I introduced who Beatrice was and how important she was to Dante. Moreover,  in my first two blog posts I  had countless grammar mistakes such as punctuation and fragmentation. In my fourth blog post, I was trying to use imagery to best describe Geryon but it sounds like a huge summary. For example, “ Dante was struck with horror when Virgil requested a ride from the monster. As he climbed on Geryon he saw countless sinners suffering from above and was scared the entire time”. Instead of summarizing what Canto 17 was about I should have made more comparisons and similarities with Geryon and the other beasts introduced in the Inferno. Also, I should try to include more outside resources rather than just quoting from the Inferno to support my posts. Lastly, my lack of present tense is evident throughout my posts but gets better toward my most recent post.

My most recent blog posts five and six are my most clear and concise posts so far. My fifth blog post I compared how Dante has treated the sinners and how Virgil has treated Dante from this throughout the Inferno. I made good comparisons and similarities between Cantos 5, 8, 13, 15, 19,  and 20. For instance, “ Like in Canto 19, Virgil is very pleased with Dante’s attitude towards these sinners because it is showing him not to sympathize with them anymore. He joyously hugs and kisses him in Canto 8 and happily carries him like a baby across the bridge in Canto 19”. Additionally, in my most recent blog post I wrote about how Virgil babies and reassures Dante like a mother throughout the Inferno. I made countless clear and concise similarities among Cantos 2, 8, 19, 23, and 24. I used many quotes to support my theme about Virgil and Dante; also, my writing style is not as repetitive as before.

Virgil’s reassurance towards Dante

Throughout the Inferno, Virgil always helps, reassures, and gives Dante confidence in any given circumstance. Virgil also tends to baby Dante when Dante does something to please him. In Canto 23, Virgil and Dante managed to slip away from Barbariccia and the other demons that were distracted by the demons Calcabrina and Alinchino fighting. Virgil and Dante saw this as their final opportunity to leave but Dante is terrified that the demons will come and look for them since they slipped away. Virgil reassures Dante by carrying him across. In lines 37-43, Dante says “ My leader seized me quickly, like a mother who is awakened by the noise and sees the flames burning close by, who takes up her son and flees, caring more ofr him than for herself, not stopping even to put on her shift:”. Virgil reassures Dante that nothing is going to happen to them by showing him this kind of affection. Similarly, in Canto 24, Virgil pushes Dante to get moving and helps him down the rocky bank. Dante mentions that if it weren’t for Virgil, he probably would’ve given up by now. In lines 23-27 “… he opened his arms and took hold of me. And like one who uses judgement as he acts, always seeming to look ahead, so, carrying me up to the top…”, Virgil carries him again to get to the summit of the bridge. Without Virgil being there, Dante would have been completely lost and hopeless throughout each circle of hell. Additionally, in Canto 19, Virgil also happily carries Dante like a baby across the bridge. Virgil was proud of him for not sympathizing with the sinner Pope Nicolas III. Evidently, there is a recurring theme of Virgil carrying Dante in these three cantos. Nonetheless, Virgil’s reassurance is shown in the beginning of the Inferno in Cantos 2 and 8. In Canto 2, Virgil reassures Dante that everything will be okay in his journey by telling him that he was sent by his beloved Beatrice. In lines 133-136, Dante says “Oh full of pity she who has helped me! And you courteous, who have quickly obeyed the true words she offered you!”. Dante is eternally grateful to have received Virgil as his master and guide throughout his journey. Furthermore, in Canto 8, thousands of enraged sinners try to bar Dante from getting into the city of Dis because of his “alive-ness”. Virgil reassures Dante that they will get into the city of Dis. Virgil at first fails but then succeeds in the beginning of Canto 9. In lines 121-123 of Canto 8, Virgil tells Dante “And to me he said: “You, though I am angered, do not be dismayed, for I will overcome this test, however they scurry about inside to prevent it”. Virgil’s ego does take over here, but he was successful either way when they both got into the city of Dis. Thus, Virgil’s reassurance and encouragement has helped Dante face numerous obstacles throughout the Inferno.

Dante’s tone towards sinners

In Canto 19, Dante and Virgil have reached the third pouch of the eighth circle called the simonists. Dante considers these sinners the worst kind because these corrupt clergy fornicate for gold and silver. The simonists are punished by being buried upside down in holes the size of baptism basins; their feet also protrude only to be burnt by eternal flames. In lines 103-105, Dante says “I would still use heavier words; for your avarice afflicts the world, trampling the good and raising up the wicked”. If Dante did not have respect for the papal office, he would have many more negative things to say regarding the simonists. Throughout the Inferno, Dante’s tone has varied with different sinners. In this particular canto, he feels no pity or sympathy towards Pope Nicholas II and unconsciously takes the role of a friar at a religious confession. Pope Nicholas II is unaware of this and thinks it’s his successor but Dante later on reveals himself. Dante’s attitude toward this sinner is nothing but rage; he does not sympathize with him whatsoever. Similarly, in Canto 8, Dante does not sympathize with the sinner At Filippo Argenti who was an enemy of Dante in the real world. He becomes infuriated with his ambiguous answer regarding why the sinner has become so ugly and pushed him back into the river. Like in Canto 19, Virgil is very pleased with Dante’s attitude towards these sinners because it is showing him not to sympathize with them anymore. He joyously hugs and kisses him in Canto 8 and happily carries him like a baby across the bridge in Canto 19. Nevertheless, Dante does sympathize with some such as the sinners in Canto 20 whose heads are on backwards and they are forced to walk without seeing anything in front them or their future. Likewise, Farinata the heretic in Canto 10, who can dive into the future but know nothing about the present state of human affairs. This fourth pouch consists of diviners, astrologers, and magicians who all cry as they walk while tears trickle down their buttocks. Dante feels so much pity for them while Virgil only feels scorn for the sinners. Dante wept as he did for Francesca and Paolo in Canto 5 who both suffered from lust. Additionally, Dante sympathizes with Pier Della Vigna in Canto 13 who committed suicide due to nasty rumors and Brunetto Latini, his former mentor and sodomite, in Canto 15. Thus, Dante’s attitude toward the sinners in the different circles has varied depending on what sin they committed and who they mean to him.

 

” The Filthy image of Fraud”

A wood engraving of Geryon by Gustavo Doré.

Towards the end of canto 16, Dante notices a monster that rises from the depths of the water and this is Geryon. In Canto 17, Geryon is introduced as the monster, the “filthy image of fraud”. Geryon is a personification of fraud, (lines 10-15) “Its face was that of a just man, so kindly seemed its outer skin, and the rest of its torso was that of a serpent; it had two paws, hairy to the armpits; it had back and breast and both sides with knots and little wheels: …” He is described as a hideous beast that is used as the image of fraud. Dante uses a metaphor and compares him to a beaver because during medieval times the biologists thought that beavers caught fish by sticking their tails in the water and secreting some oily substance that the fish were fond of. Geryon is secreting “fraud” or in the words of Dante “Behold the one that makes the whole world stink!” (line 3) “Fraud makes all physical barriers and defenses (mountains, walls, and armor) useless”. It poisons the world with venom and humans do grow fond of fraud and end up committing it. People convince one another to commit fraud by promising that they will end up rich and live extravagantly and use deception for personal gain.

Geryon’s body represents the “chronological sequence of a fraudulent deal”.  Geryon’s initial appearance represents trust, the bright colors of his torso can confuse and by the end of the ordeal comes the sting which is either death or of loss. Geryon’s colorful torso is also related to the leopard’s painted skin that represents fraud.  In lines 25-27 Geryon is compared to a scorpion “In the emptiness all its tail was wriggling, twisting, upward the poisoned fork that armed it tip like a scorpion’s”.  Certain scorpions with rose tails symbolize a “double-edged sword” meaning that they can sting immensely or be pleasant. Both scorpions and Geryon have very venomous tails. In other words, Geryon can sting by deceiving someone with his honest face for his own personal interests or he can be somewhat helpful. In this canto, Geryon did help Virgil and Dante by taking them around the waterfall of the river Phlegethon down to the Circle of Fraud. Dante was struck with horror when Virgil requested a ride from the monster. As he climbed on Geryon he saw countless sinners suffering from above and was scared the entire time. Moreover, in Canto 3, Cerberus was introduced was a three-headed dog but is also “the great worm”; like Geryon they are both part snake. In Genesis 3, serpents are considered the first deceivers.

Violence Against Themselves

 

Dante about to rip off a twig off of Pier della Vigna, Illustration by Gustavo Dorè

In Canto 13, Virgil and Dante enter the 7thcircle, Second ring: Violence against themselves. Dante had noticed all these black trees and black leaves surrounding them; it had been the homeland of the Harpies. Virgil then asks Dante to break off a part of branch and as soon as Dante does it the tree cries out.

“Then I stretched out my hand a little way and from a great thornbush snapped off a branch,
at which its trunk cried out: “Why do you tear me?” And then, when it had grown more dark with blood, it asked again: “Why do you break me off? Are you without all sentiment of pity?” (Inferno 31-36)

When reading through this canto you immediately picture entering a dark place, filled with tall black trees filled with black leaves bleeding black blood everywhere. Along with seeing this you hear the loud moans of something sounding like humans, almost like loud cries. With all of this dark and gloomy imagery, the reader can sense the feelings of loneliness, disparity, and melancholy as described in canto 13. When reading through these two terzinas, I thought to myself how sad it was to be stuck inside a tree for the rest of your life for the sin you committed. Since, committing suicide was one of the biggest sins, they received a very harsh punishment. They are punished to feel as inhumane as possible; they’re stuck inside trees with no voice whatsoever. They even get tortured when harpies eat their leaves. Moreover, the tree that talked to Dante was Pier della Vigna, who was the private counselor to Emperor Frederick the Third. Pier goes on to explain that he and the rest of the forest used to be men and they deserve greater mercy by men like Dante. Pier was stuck in the 7thcircle because he had committed suicide after hearing nasty rumors about himself and the Emperor. After Dante hears his story, Pier asks Dante if he could clear his reputation in the living world by clarifying that he never betrayed Emperor Frederick the Third. Lastly, Dante’s use of imagery was very effective throughout this canto because you were vividly able to picture the forest in your mind. It makes it more pleasurable to read because you start to imagine everything in your head making easier to follow.

Gluttony, Cerberus, and Ciacco

I got the image above from the website below.
http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/gallery05.html

In Canto 6, Dante finds himself surrounded by new sinners that are suffering and this third circle he entered is the gluttons. It always seems to be raining in this circle, but it is not pure water, it is dirty water that’s polluted, smelly, and filled with hailstones too. Cerberus is introduced; he is a gigantic three-headed guard dog of the underworld. In line 13 he is described as “cruel, monstrous beast, with 3 throat barks doglike over the people submerged there” (Inferno). Moreover, in line 15 “his eyes are red, his beard greasy and black, his belly large and his hands have talons; he claws the spirits, flays, and quarters them”. Moreover, Cerberus himself is considered a glutton when Virgil picks up a handful of stinky mud, throws it into Cerberus’s mouth and he eats it. Additionally, Ciacco from Florence is introduced. His sin was also gluttony, but Dante does not express much interest in his life other than his suffering has made him emotional. Ciacco starts a speech and proceeds to talk about the political strife between the Blacks and Whites and how the Blacks will eventually drive them out. Then, Ciacco asks Dante for a favor: to make his name famous in the living world but then Virgil interrupts and says that Ciacco will not rise again till judgement day. Ciacco would have to wait until that day to determine if that will occur. As the Canto is about to end Dante asks Virgil if the sinner’s punishments will get better or worsen after judgement day and Virgil pretty much says worse. The sinner’s bodies will be re-united with their souls, but it won’t be just their souls that are suffering. These are the souls that will be damned because their souls won’t only be suffering but along with their body which is worse. They will be experiencing both mental and physical pain. Dante usually sympathizes with the sinners whenever he hears their stories of sufferings however, in Canto 8 when he encounters Filippo Argenti he only shows rage. He asks him ” Who are you, who have become so ugly?” The sinner gives an ambiguous answer which infuriates Dante and Virgil pushed him back into the river. Virgil, in a weird way is proud of Dante for not crying or sympathizing for them anymore instead he curses them. Dante’s (the pilgrim) emotional reaction toward the sinners have been changing as we read further into the cantos; he’s been more tough with the sinners rather than soft.

Assignment #1- Canto 2

 

I found this image in the World of Dante under the Resources tab. The website is dedicated to be a multi-media research tool for the study of the Divine Comedy. I believe it is in the public domain since the main purpose of the website is to show the public Dante’s Divine Comedy and works. This website also allows its users to interact with poems in various ways. The image above is Beatrice visiting Virgil in Limbo made by Gustave Doré in 1890 (Dante).

In Canto 2, line 70 Beatrice is introduced, “I am Beatrice who cause you to go; I come from a place where I long to return; love has moved me and makes me speak” (Inferno); dialogue spoken by Virgil himself.  Beatrice means “She who makes blessed”. She also represents divine grace, accommodation, mediation and revelation (Inferno). In the lines 76-78, it is the first reference in which Dante gives allegoric dimension to her. “‘O lady of power, through whom alone he human race rises above all the contents of that heaven whose circles are smallest, so pleasing to me is your command that obeying….” Moreover, Beatrice plays a big role in making Dante feel better about his journey to the underworld because he does not feel worthy compared to a hero like Aeneas or the Apostle Paul. She is the one who sent Virgil to help Dante. This happened when Virgil was approached by a beautiful young woman (Beatrice) who was sent from heaven and explained she needed his help with Dante. Dante had been in love with Beatrice when she was alive so to know that she will be involved gives him reassurance.