Dante's Levels of Style in Divine Comedy

• The text focuses on Dante's "Inferno," "Purgatorio," and "Paradiso"
• "Inferno" contains nine circles where the damned are located
• "Purgatorio" is composed of seven ledges that hold purifying souls
• "Paradiso" develops across nine heavens that is home to blessed souls

Levels of Style

• Dante uses an elevated style to address important topics

• The important topics include divine dignity, soul wisdom, and the concept of divine justice

• The language is poetic, solemn, and full of symbolism

• The style is present in "Paradiso," where the language reflects perfection and divine harmony

• Dante adopts a style that expresses complex content without overly solemn tones

• The style is accessible compared to that of "Paradiso"

• It is used mainly in "Inferno" and "Purgatorio," which deal with sin, purification, and redemption

• The record remains high but needs greater reader comprehension

• Dante adopts a simpler tone, close to spoken word, to describe earthly situations or to speak of humble characters

• The style appears often in dialogues between the damned or blessed, as arguments of daily life are discussed

• The language remains poetic but is less sophisticated than the other registers

Canto I of Dante's Purgatorio

• The first few verses that open the second canticle are dedicated to the proem and invocation to the Muses
• Calliope is the specific Muse invoked, named "dalla bella voce," who protected epic poetry
• This is to underline the change of topic and style of the cantica, according to the tripartition of the styles of medieval poetics
• Virgil is the model of reference

Summary of Canto I

• It opens with Dante and Virgil landing on the beach at the foot of Mount Purgatory

• Dante is halfway through his journey from the trip to Hell and his ascent to Paradise

• Dante describes the scene at the beginning of Canto with a bright and serene landscape

• The description is a contrast to the darkness of Inferno

• Purgatory is represented as a place of hope, where souls are destined to purify and ascend towards Paradise

• The purging souls are described as souls of those who regret their sins

• Initially, Dante does not see any souls, but hears sounds of celestial songs coming from inside Purgatory

• The mountain is a symbol of spiritual ascent, a path that leads to enlightenment and purification

• Souls are in a place where performing acts of penance and hope is still possible

• Dante hears some angels singing a welcome to souls entering Purgatory

• Their music a sign of imminent purification

• Dante is surprised by the beauty of the song, which evokes God's greatness and love

• Virgil explains to Dante that Purgatory is divided into various frames (purification plans)

• Before starting the journey, they must pass through the gate of Purgatory, guarded by an angel

• The door is decorated with images that tell the story of salvation and creation

Key Symbolism

• Purgatory as a Mountain represents the path to redemption and salvation
• Its shape symbolizes the difficulty of the spiritual path, but also the possibility of ascension
• Light symbolizes divine knowledge and salvation, growing as one ascends
• The darkness of Hell is left behind

Additional Points

• The canto opens with a description of the landscape as Dante and Virgil land on a beach

• The beach is after going through hell; Dante finds himself in Purgatory.

• Dante is now in Purgatory, a place of purification where souls atone for their sins before ascending to Paradise

• The scene is bright and serene, a stark contrast to the darkness and sorrow of Hell

• The light here is described as a ray of sunshine that spreads throughout the area.

• Dante and Virgil are greeted by a chorus of angels who sing hymns to God

• The angels' song symbolizes heavenly music that seems to celebrate the salvation of souls

• The angel voices gives Dante a sense of peace and serenity, a symbol that Purgatory is a place of hope and not eternal suffering like Hell

• Dante describes the song as praise to divine mercy

• Dante and Virgil begin to climb towards the mountain of Purgatory

• The mountain is high and arduous, also the symbol of redemption and the path to salvation

• Purgatory is divided into different levels (the frames) where souls atone for the various sins

• Each frame represents a specific sin to purify

• Dante has not described the purging sinners, but the environment is already a sign that ascent to Paradise is possible

• Dante and Virgil approach the Gate of Purgatory, which is guarded by an angel

• The door is described as a shining door, a symbol of salvation

• The angel guarding it is a guardian of divine justice and represents the mercy of God

• This shows that only those who have sincerely repented can enter Purgatory and purify themselves

• The door is decorated with scenes depicting biblical episodes, especially creation and salvation

• Dante expresses his amazement and reflection on the path he is embarking on in the end

• Virgil reassures him and explains that rising towards salvation is possible, but will require effort and dedication

• The scene closes with Virgil's invitation to advance towards purification, marking the beginning of Dante's journey through Purgatory

Introduction

• Canto I of Purgatory opens the second Cantico and is the doorway to the journey of Dante to the second of the afterlife realms
• The first canto which is Purgatory, is important because it signals Dante's transition from a realm of despair to one of hope, symbolized by the ascent from Hell to Purgatory
• The concept of repentance is introduced, with souls ready to purify themselves of their sins
• The word "resurga" means the resurrection of souls, their purification path, and expiation of sins with the goal of obtaining salvation and ascending to Paradise
• The space-time setting reinforces this intention: it is Easter Sunday, the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ, and Dante and Virgil are enveloped in the light of dawn
• The setting mirrors the light of divine Grace that embraces the souls, saved from eternal damnation, and symbolizes hope after darkness
• The setting is serene and faithful, which translates into an elevated style

Characters

• Canto I features Dante and Virgil

Narrative Summary

• Dante is ready to sing with more calm after leaving the terrible sea of Hell, about Purgatory, where the soul is purified to access Paradise
• The poet invokes the help of the Muse Calliope to assist him with the same singing which defeated the Piche

Canto I Analysis

• Dante begins the second canticle with an invocation to Calliope
• Calliope is the muse and protector of epic poetry, and was invoked by Virgil in Book IX of the Aeneid
• Drawing this comparison, Dante references the myth of the daughters of Pierus who challenged the Muses to a singing match
• Calliope won to transform them into magpies, condemning them to screech for eternity
• Dante puts Canto I of Purgatory, and the entire Cantico under the warning against pride
• Without humility, the salvation of souls, the ultimate goal of afterlife, cannot be achieved

Allegories

• Dante introduces the constellation that symbolize the four cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, strength, and temperance qualities
• Cato represents freedom
• When Virgil hurriedly uses the penitential to represent humility.
• Virgil is a symbol of human reason
• Dante realizes that rationality, goodness, and intelligence are not enough to guarantee the salvation of man
• Divine power is needed, which Virgil could not receive because he was pagan