Final Thoughts On PURGATORIO

Final Thoughts On PURGATORIO

From Walking With Dante by Mark Scarbrough

April 26, 2026 · 20 min · Season 2 · Episode 260

About this episode

The episode provides final thoughts on Dante's PURGATORIO, exploring its connections to INFERNO and PARADISO.

We've reached the end of our time on the great mountain of Purgatory . . . and in the great second canticle of COMEDY. Here are some final thoughts, an attempt to bring our time with this part of the poem to a close. Dante has worked hard to make PURGATORIO the hinge of his entire poem. Let's explore some ways it reflects back on INFERNO and looks ahead to PARADISO. Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE: [01:01] PURGATORIO is an inversion of INFERNO. [02:54] PURGATORIO is most human part of COMEDY. [04:34] PURGATORIO is a rehearsal of the structure of the New Testament. [07:29] PURGATORIO is a meta-commentary on the writing of INFERNO. [09:45] PURGATORIO is the end of one sort of poem and the beginning of another. [10:35] PURGATORIO ends with two unique creations by Dante. [12:01] Where do the souls go when they are lifted out of Limbo? [13:46] Why does PURGATORIO end with the virtue of purity? [15:48] Is the will truly the necessary, sufficient, and final cause of a soul's purgation?

People in this episode

Host: Mark Scarbrough

Topics covered

  • Purgatory
  • Dante
  • literary analysis
  • structure of poetry
  • spirituality
  • human experience

Keywords

  • Dante
  • Purgatory
  • Inferno
  • Paradiso
  • literary structure
  • spirituality
  • humanity
  • meta-commentary
  • virtue of purity

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: PURGATORIO, INFERNO, PARADISO, COMEDY, New Testament

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