Paradiso (; Italian for "Paradise" or "Heaven") is the third and final part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno and the Purgatorio. It is an allegory telling of Dante's journey through Heaven, guided by Beatrice, who symbolises Christian grace or revelation. In the poem, Paradise is depicted as a series of concentric spheres surrounding the Earth, consisting of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Fixed Stars, the Primum Mobile and finally, the Empyrean. It was written in the early 14th century. Allegorically, the poem represents the soul's ascent to God.
Composition Though the precise dates of composition are uncertain, research by Giorgio Petrocchi suggests that Dante began planning Paradiso while revising Inferno and Purgatorio from 1313 to 1317. It was likely not published until after Dante's death. Giovanni Boccaccio claimed that Paradiso was initially thought unfinished at Dante's death until his sons discovered the final thirteen cantos among his papers.
Scholars such as Robert Hollander suggest that Dante may not have finished his revisions to the poem before his death; Hollander points to subtle contradictions in the poem not present in the first two cantiche, suggesting that Paradiso lacks the "'finished' quality" of the first two. Stylistically, the poem often diverges significantly from the first two cantiche, featuring far fewer characters (there are fewer than twenty speakers in Paradiso compared to over fifty in each of the two prior cantiche), far longer individual speeches, and a greater emphasis on philosophical discourse. Structurally, it matches the prior two cantiche, featuring thirty-three cantos traversing one portion of the afterlife--here, Dante is led through the nine heavenly bodies before reaching the nonphysical Empyrean.
Introduction
The Paradiso begins at the top of Mount Purgatory, called the Earthly Paradise (i.e. the Garden of Eden), at noon on Wednesday, March 30 (or April 13), 1300, following Easter Sunday. Dante's journey through Paradise takes approximately twenty-four hours, which indicates that the entire journey of the Divine Comedy lasts one week, Thursday evening (Inferno I and II) to Thursday evening.
After ascending through the sphere of fire believed to exist in the earth's upper atmosphere (Canto I), Beatrice guides Dante through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven, to the Empyrean, which is the abode of God. The nine spheres are concentric, as in the standard medieval geocentric model of cosmology,C. S. Lewis, The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature, Chapter V, Cambridge University Press, 1964. which was derived from Ptolemy. The Empyrean is non-material. As with his Purgatory, the structure of Dante's Heaven is therefore of the form 9+1=10, with one of the ten regions different in nature from the other nine.
During the course of his journey, Dante meets and converses with several blessed souls. He is careful to say that these all actually live in bliss with God in the Empyrean:
But all those souls grace the Empyrean; and each of them has gentle life though some sense the Eternal Spirit more, some less.Paradiso, Canto IV, lines 34–36, Mandelbaum translation.
However, for Dante's benefit (and the benefit of his readers), he is "as a sign"Paradiso, Canto IV, line 38, Mandelbaum translation. shown various souls in planetary and stellar spheres that have some appropriate connotation.
While the structures of the Inferno and Purgatorio were based around different classifications of sin, the structure of the Paradiso is based on the four cardinal virtues (Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude) and the three theological virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity).
The Spheres of Heaven
Dante's nine spheres of Heaven are the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Fixed Stars, and the Primum Mobile. These are associated by Dante with the nine levels of the angelic hierarchy. Dante also relies on traditional associations, such as the one between Venus and romantic love. The first three spheres (which fall within the shadow of the Earth) are associated with deficient forms of Fortitude, Justice, and Temperance. The next four are associated with positive examples of Prudence, Fortitude, Justice, and Temperance; while Faith, Hope, and Love appear together in the eighth sphere.
First Sphere (The Moon: The Inconstant) When visiting the Moon, Beatrice explains to Dante the reasons for the markings on its surface, describing a simple scientific experiment in optics. She also praises the experimental method in general (Canto II):
Yet an experiment, were you to try it, could free you from your cavil, and the source of your arts' course springs from experiment.Paradiso, Canto II, lines 94–96, Mandelbaum translation.
The waxing and waning of the moon is associated with inconstancy.Dorothy L. Sayers, Paradise, notes on Canto II. Consequently, the sphere of the Moon is that of souls who abandoned their vows, and so were deficient in the virtue of fortitude. Here Dante and Beatrice meet Piccarda, sister of Dante's friend Forese Donati, who died shortly after being forcibly removed from her convent. They also meet Constance of Sicily, who (Dante believes) was forcibly removed from a convent to marry Henry VI (Canto III).Dorothy L. Sayers, Paradise, notes on Canto III. Beatrice discourses on the freedom of the will, the sacredness of vows, and the importance of not collaborating with force (Canto IV):
for will, if it resists, is never spent, but acts as nature acts when fire ascends, though force a thousand times tries to compel.
So that, when will has yielded much or little, it has abetted force as these souls did: they could have fled back to their holy shelter.Paradiso, Canto IV, lines 76–81, Mandelbaum translation.
Beatrice explains that a vow is a pact "drawn between a man / and God,"Paradiso, Canto V, lines 28–29, Mandelbaum translation. in which a person freely offers up his free will as a gift to God. Vows should therefore not be taken lightly, and should be kept once given – unless keeping the vow would be a greater evil, as with Jephthah's and Agamemnon's sacrifice of their daughters (Canto V).Dorothy L. Sayers, Paradise, notes on Canto V.
Second Sphere (Mercury: The Ambitious) Because of its proximity to the sun, the planet Mercury is often difficult to see. Allegorically, the planet represents those who did good out of a desire for fame, but who, being ambitious, were deficient in the virtue of justice. Their earthly glory pales into insignificance beside the glory of God, just as Mercury pales into insignificance beside the sun. Here Dante meets the Emperor Justinian, who introduces himself with the words "Caesar I was and am Justinian,"Paradiso, Canto VI, line 10, Mandelbaum translation. indicating that his personality remains, but that his earthly status no longer exists in HeavenDorothy L. Sayers, Paradise, notes on Canto VI. (Canto VI). Justinian recounts the history of the Roman Empire, mentioning, among others, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra; and bemoans the present state of Italy, given the conflict between Guelphs and Ghibellines, and the involvement of the "yellow lilies" of France (Canto VI):
For some oppose the universal emblem with yellow lilies; others claim that emblem for party: it is hard to see who is worse.
Let Ghibellines pursue their undertakings beneath another sign, for those who sever this sign and justice are bad followers.Paradiso, Canto VI, lines 76–81, Mandelbaum translation.
By association, Beatrice discourses on the Incarnation and the Crucifixion of Christ, which occurred during Roman times (Canto VII).
Third Sphere (Venus: The Lovers) The planet Venus (the Morning and Evening Star) is traditionally associated with the Goddess of Love, and so Dante makes this the planet of the lovers, who were deficient in the virtue of temperance (Canto VIII):
The world, when still in peril, thought that, wheeling, in the third epicycle, Cyprian the fair sent down her rays of frenzied love,
... and gave the name of her with whom I have begun this canto, to the planet that is courted by the sun, at times behind her and at times in front.Paradiso, Canto VIII, lines 1–3, 9–12, Mandelbaum translation.
Dante meets Charles Martel of Anjou, who was known to him,Dorothy L. Sayers, Paradise, notes on Canto VIII. and who points out that a properly functioning society requires people of many different kinds. Such differences are illustrated by Cunizza da Romano (lover of Sordello), who is here in Heaven, while her brother Ezzelino III da Romano is in Hell, among the violent of the seventh circle.Inferno, Canto XII, line 109, Mandelbaum translation: "That brow with hair so black is Ezzelino."
The troubadour Folquet de Marseilles speaks of the temptations of love, and points out that (as was believed at the time) the cone of the Earth's shadow just touches the sphere of Venus. He condemns the city of Florence (planted, he says, by Satan) for producing that "damned flower" (the florin) which is responsible for the corruption of the Church, and he criticises the clergy for their focus on money, rather than on Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers (Canto IX):
Your city, which was planted by that one who was the first to turn against his Maker, the one whose envy cost us many tears
produces and distributes the damned flower that turns both sheep and lambs from the true course, for of the shepherd it has made a wolf.
For this the Gospel and the great Church Fathers are set aside and only the Decretals are studied as their margins clearly show.
On these the pope and cardinals are intent. Their thoughts are never bent on Nazareth, where Gabriel's open wings were reverent.Paradiso, Canto IX, lines 127–138, Mandelbaum translation.
Fourth Sphere (The Sun: The Wise) Beyond the shadow of the Earth, Dante deals with positive examples of Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude. Within the Sun, which is the Earth's source of illumination, Dante meets the greatest examples of prudence: the souls of the wise, who help to illuminate the world intellectuallyDorothy L. Sayers, Paradise, notes on Canto X. (Canto X). Initially, a circle of twelve bright lights dance around Dante and Beatrice. These are the souls of:
Thomas Aquinas Albertus Magnus Gratian Peter Lombard King Solomon Dionysius the Areopagite (Dante likely believed the saint and pseudepigraphical author of De Coelesti Hierarchia, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, were the same person.) Orosius Boethius Isidore of Seville Bede Richard of Saint Victor Siger of Brabant
This list includes philosophers, theologians and a king, and has representatives from across Europe. Thomas Aquinas recounts the life of St. Francis of Assisi, and his love for "Lady Poverty" (Canto XI):
Between Topino's stream and that which flows down from the hill the blessed Ubaldo chose, from a high peak there hangs a fertile slope;
from there Perugia feels both heat and cold at Porta Sole, while behind it sorrow Nocera and Gualdo under their hard yoke.
From this hillside, where it abates its rise, a sun was born into the world, much like this sun when it is climbing from the Ganges.
Therefore let him who names this site not say Ascesi, which would be to say too little, but Orient, if he would name it rightly.Paradiso, Canto XI, lines 43–54, Mandelbaum translation.