The Role of Beatrice Portinari in Dante The Divine Comedy

Beatrice Portinari is seen throughout the book of â€Å"Dante The Divine Comedy†. She originally meets Dante in the year 1274, on May Day in Florence, Italy. Beatrice is from a wealthy Florentine family and was eight years old the first time they meet and did not speak a word to each other (Cotter, 21). She was the principle inspiration for Dante’s La Vita Nuova, a book about Dante’s love connection to her (Passages to the Past). Dante and Beatrice have only met twice, but Dante was so touched by both meetings he shares his love for Beatrice with the reader. The second encounter occurred when they passed each other on the streets of Florence. She turned and greeted him; this filled him with such joy that he ran to his room and started to†¦show more content†¦In this sense Beatrice seems as the only evidence on why Dante should continue his journey through hell. Beatrice is the reason why Dante even made it through the underworld, by sending a guide do wn to help him. Her love for him got him through hell and on to the next chapter of his journey. Beatrice is seen in Dante’s Purgatory when she comes to him in a griffin drawn chariot. She comes down to Dante wearing a white veil representing faith, a green cape symbolizing hope and underneath the cape she wore a robe of flaming red signifying burning love. When she first arrives to Dante she comes to him in a harsh approach, something like an admiral. She does this to try to get a confession out of Dante, and mention to him that he cannot continue his journey if he is not happy and cleansed (University of Texas at Austin). Beatrice comes to him and mentions to him that Virgil can no longer help on his quest, he cannot leave limbo. Beatrice speaks to Dante and tells him to not weep about the fact that Virgil cannot help him on his journey anymore, but to look forward to the next point in his journey. She comes to him and tells Dante to wash himself in the waters of Lethe (Kline). 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