The Role of Women in The Divine Comedy - Essay Example

Role of women in the Divine Comedy Indeed, Dante portrays the role of women in the inferno, the Purgatorio, and Paradiso phases. Dante mainly concentrates on two women Beatrice the lady he loved but got married to another man and died beside the Virgin Mary mother of Jesus. Dante extensively describes the role of the two women as caring, companion, mediator, and sympathetic role while in his journey to Paradiso. The caring role played by Beatrice and Mary on behalf of Dante portrays itself in the inferno and Paradiso level.

Dante describes to the reader how the inferno that was the hell was not a pleasant place as there was no one to help or care for another. Through Beatrices intervention, Virgil came to take him through the nine steps of hell. Beatrices action counts up to her caring role in a quest to save Dante a longtime friend she knew. Mary, on the other hand, showed care for Dante’s entry into the mortal life by praying on behalf of Dante for God to accept him in Paradiso. Intercessory role of Beatrice and Mary shows in both the inferno and Paradiso stage respectively.

As Dante finds himself in Hell where nobody can help him out, Beatrice his longtime friend takes upon herself to help him through the stiff path of Hell. Beatrice does her role as an intermediary by interceding on behalf of Dante for him to get saved out from the Inferno. As a result, of Beatrice prayers and Virgil comes for Dante in order to save him from hell by guiding him through the hell gates by overcoming the nine steps. Mary also intercedes for Dante to God for his acceptance into eternal life in Paradiso.

Beatrices role as a companion fundamentally comes up in the Purgatorio. Beatrice arises up to accompany Dante out of Purgatorio into heaven. Through this Beatrice, shows a decisive role of companionship as she leads Dante out of repentance stage. Indeed, Virgil also acts as a companion of Dante up to the Garden of Eden to the mountain of purgatory. Notably, Virgil has an interest in guiding and supporting Dante as he accompanies him through the steps down to the gate of hell. Beatrice extends this role by guiding Dante through the nine spheres to heaven.

Mary plays mediator roles as St. Bernard says a prayer on Dante’s behalf in order for him to gain fruitful acceptance in Paradiso. Mary acts as a mediator on behalf of Dante as she has no affiliation to any side and can be mutually accepted both by God and Saints as she is the mother of Jesus. As a Roman Catholic faithful Dante believed in the mediator role of Virgin Mary between the Christians and God through the saints in order to gain forgiveness of their sins and advance acceptance through the answer of prayers.

Mary’s mediator ship role is evident in Dante’s Canto that has a unique expression referring to the Blessed Virgin Mary as “O virgin Mother, daughter of thy Son." As a result, of Mary’s mediation, Dante is eventually permitted the Beatific Vision of God and as the vision passes Dante becomes mortal and fallible. Certainly, through Dante’s descriptions of the mortal life after the earthly life as a Christian highlighted vividly. Dante accredits his passage from the inferno, into the Purgatorio and finally into the victorious Paradiso to the roles played by virtually the two women Mary and Beatrice.

Remarkably, Beatrice plays a lot of roles on his behalf as they had a relationship before thus, acts under the influence of care, compassion and intermediary in order to save Dante out of hell.Work CitedAlighieri, D. La Divina Commedia (The Divine Comedy) Purgatorio. Philadelphia: Xlibris Corporation