Purgatorio

Purgatorio
A page of the Purgatorio at the Laurentian Library
AuthorDante Alighieri
LanguageItalian
SeriesDivine Comedy
Genrenarrative poem
Publication date
c. 1321
Publication placeItaly
TextPurgatorio at Wikisource

Purgatorio (Italian: [purɡaˈtɔːrjo]; Italian for "Purgatory") is the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno and preceding the Paradiso. The poem was written in the early 14th century. It is an allegory telling of the climb of Dante up the Mount of Purgatory, guided by the Roman poet Virgil—except for the last four cantos, at which point Beatrice takes over as Dante's guide. Allegorically, Purgatorio represents the penitent Christian life.[1] In describing the climb Dante discusses the nature of sin, examples of vice and virtue, as well as moral issues in politics and in the Church. The poem posits the theory that all sins arise from love—either perverted love directed towards others' harm, or deficient love, or the disordered or excessive love of good things.

  1. ^ Dorothy L. Sayers, Purgatory, notes on Canto VII.