Paradiso

Compare some of the different souls whom Dante meets in Heaven. How do they differ in their message to Dante and their view of life on earth? What wider virtues and ideals do they embody?

Perfection or purification of vision is one of the major themes of the Paradiso. How is this theme expressed through the relationship of Dante and Beatrice? How does Dante purify himself as he ascends through heaven?

Consider the form of terza rima, with its steadily unfolding rhymes. How does this poetic form relate to the themes and meaning of the Paradiso?

How does Dante’s vision of heaven in Paradiso compare with other medieval depictions of heaven? In what ways does Dante conform to, or diverge from, common tropes and ideas?

Although Dante meets a wide variety of people in Heaven, he spends most of his time talking to fairly recent saints and his Italian compatriots (e.g. Cacciaguida, St. Thomas Aquinas, Piccarda). How does Dante depict contemporary Italian life and recent church history? What political, cultural, and religious ideals does he express through these contemporary digressions?

Analyze the role of Beatrice in Paradiso. How is she characterized? How does her depiction relate to some of the text’s key themes? How does she compare with Virgil as a guide?

For Dante, God is the embodiment of justice, but he admits that he does not always understand the rationale behind God’s decisions. How does Dante conceive of divine justice in Paradiso? How does this justice relate to other aspects of God’s character, such as love?

Dante includes Christian saints, Old Testament patriarchs and matriarchs, and some pagan historical figures in Heaven. What does this mixture say about Dante’s worldview and beliefs? What influences—literary, historical, philosophical—does Dante’s heavenly assembly reveal?