Divine Comedy: Purgatorio Literary Elements

Narrative poem, allegory

Mount Purgatory (on an island in the Southern Hemisphere), 1300 AD

The narrator is Dante, who is both the author and the main character. His knowledge is sometimes limited and sometimes omniscient.

Detailed, reverent, anticipatory

Dante is the protagonist, representing common man. There isn't a particular antagonist in this volume, except perhaps sin.

Dante progresses up the mountain, looking upon and bypassing all sorts of images that help him toward his final goal: the acquisition of divine knowledge.

Dante reaches the Earthly Paradise and beholds a highly symbolic vision, reminiscent of Biblical visions from prophetic books such as Daniel and Revelation, before ascending to Paradise.

Throughout the journey, Dante sees visions of things that are almost perfect but are still hampered by imperfection (being in Purgatory, not Paradise). All things seem to point to Paradise, especially the ascension of the soul of the poet Statius, which foreshadows Dante's own ascent.

Dante uses classical and biblical allusion in almost every canto, referring to a wide number of works and figures.

Throughout the course of Purgatorio, Dante and his narrative journey are often described using the imagery of a voyage in a ship. This has particular import as an allegory for Dante's progression to Heaven in relation to the journey of the Christian; as Dante completes his voyage, so will the Christian arrive safely in Heaven.

There is a dramatic parallel between Dante's journey and that of the human soul in its conversion to Christianity. It begins in a state of death and depravity (Inferno), then, by way of sanctification (Purgatorio), ascends to Heaven (Paradiso).