| | Dante and Beatrice leave the Earthly Paradise and ascend into [[Heaven]], which is located in what we would now call [[outer space]]. Heaven has nine spheres, one for each of the [[planet]]s known at the time, plus the [[sun]], [[moon]] and [[star]]s. In each sphere, Dante is shown a different group of the souls of the virtuous, who appear as bright lights, often moving in harmony with each other to form patterns such as a [[cross]] or an [[eagle]]. Paradiso contains less action than the other two cantiche, and is home to many long expositions on philosophical, theological and historical matters. However, some of the poetry scales heights not seen before, as the poet struggles to describe the indescribable. | | Dante and Beatrice leave the Earthly Paradise and ascend into [[Heaven]], which is located in what we would now call [[outer space]]. Heaven has nine spheres, one for each of the [[planet]]s known at the time, plus the [[sun]], [[moon]] and [[star]]s. In each sphere, Dante is shown a different group of the souls of the virtuous, who appear as bright lights, often moving in harmony with each other to form patterns such as a [[cross]] or an [[eagle]]. Paradiso contains less action than the other two cantiche, and is home to many long expositions on philosophical, theological and historical matters. However, some of the poetry scales heights not seen before, as the poet struggles to describe the indescribable. |
| − | As Dante nears the edge of Heaven and approaches God's throne, he finally concedes defeat and admits that he cannot fully describe his vision of God, insted submitting to the divine will. The poem ends at this point, and it is implied that Dante then returns to Earth to begin the task of recounting his marvellous journey, the result of which is the Divine Comedy itself.<ref> [[The Divine Comedy]], By Dante Alighieri, Translated by Charles Singleton, Bollingen Series 80, Vol. 3: Paradiso. Copyright 1975 by Princeton University Press. </ref> | + | As Dante nears the edge of Heaven and approaches God's throne, he finally concedes defeat and admits that he cannot fully describe his vision of God, instead submitting to the divine will. The poem ends at this point, and it is implied that Dante then returns to Earth to begin the task of recounting his marvellous journey, the result of which is the Divine Comedy itself.<ref> [[The Divine Comedy]], By Dante Alighieri, Translated by Charles Singleton, Bollingen Series 80, Vol. 3: Paradiso. Copyright 1975 by Princeton University Press. </ref> |