Dante’s Paradiso

Paradiso is the third and final part of Dante’s Divine Comedy, the epic poem widely regarded as one of the greatest works in the history of literature. Following the events of Inferno and Purgatorio, this concluding volume describes Dante’s journey through Paradise. This sees the poet travel through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven, before making his final ascent to the Empyrean: the home of God.

Dante’s guide for this journey is Beatrice, the personification of divine wisdom. As they travel through Heaven, the pair encounter a host of historical characters, including Thomas Aquinas, King Solomon and Constantine the Great. This provides a springboard for an in-depth exploration of the nature of virtue and divine love, and offers a bright and optimistic end to a journey that began in the depths of Hell.

Sometimes overshadowed by the higher-profile Inferno, Paradiso is every bit as captivating as the earlier stages of the Divine Comedy. This English translation by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow allows readers to immerse themselves in Dante’s elaborate vision of the afterlife, without losing the depth and nuance of the Italian original.