Reviews

PURGATORY: Dante's Divine Trilogy Part Two. Englished in Prosaic Verse by Alasdair Gray by Dante Alighieri

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sidharthvardhan's review against another edition

3.0

“Ah me! how different are these entrances
From the Infernal! for with anthems here
One enters, and below with wild laments”

Purgatorio isn’t half as interesting as Inferno. It is a bit like shower children have to take after being beaten for having spoiled their clothes in mud and before they can have their food. And so it neither is punishment (Inferno) which is at least reminiscent of joy contained in playing with mud (sin), nor offers the benefits of paradise (delicious food).

To be honest, I never got the big deal with it – there is no such concept in Hinduism and Islam, you either get paradise or hell. In Purgatory, you have to pray to God and saints, and regret your sins –which is far worse than anything in Inferno. Even Dante seemed to have fallen dull, having already put all his enemies in Inferno and little else to describe, he rather discusses philosophy with Virgil:

“The natural was ever without error;
But err the other may by evil object,
Or by too much, or by too little vigour”

But only thing that keeps it moving is his much looked-forward meeting with Beatrice:

“And if my reasoning appease thee not,
Thou shalt see Beatrice; and she will fully
Take from thee this and every other longing”

... until things started lightening up in last few chapters when he entered the Earthly Paradise (Adam and Eve place):

“Those who in ancient times have feigned in song
The Age of Gold and its felicity,
Dreamed of this place perhaps upon Parnassus.
Here was the human race in innocence;
Here evermore was Spring, and every fruit;
This is the nectar of which each one speaks”

My favourite parts include, first, river Lethe which divides Purgatory and Earthly Paradise. Drinking its water makes you forget all bad memories and fill your mind with good ones:

“Upon this side with virtue it descends,
Which takes away all memory of sin;
On that, of every good deed done restores it.
Here Lethe, as upon the other side
Eunoe, it is called; and worketh not
If first on either side it be not tasted.”

And second, the best part in the entire comedy so far, is what Virgil says to encourage Dante to move on, right before he enters Earthly Paradise:

“And my sweet Father, to encourage me,
Discoursing still of Beatrice went on,
Saying: "Her eyes I seem to see already!"

.... and, of course, stars.

4lbxrtoii's review against another edition

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5.0

It proved more engaging than Dante's Inferno, delving into the intricacies of the seven deadly sins as Dante ascends Mount Purgatory to shed the marks of sin, emphasizing the rejection of determinism in favor of advocating for human free will. Yet, the most poignant aspect for me was the melancholic departure of Dante's guide, Virgil, who fades away, leaving room for Beatrice to take over without Dante getting the chance to bid a proper farewell. This shift adds an emotional layer to the narrative as it sets the stage for the final installment, Paradiso.

nattyyllie's review against another edition

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2.0

(2.5 star)
My favorite quotes:
“‘How could a good that’s shared by many souls make all those who possess it more wealthy than if that good were possessed by fewer?’ So he said to me, ‘Persist in thinking of earthly things alone, and you will reap only the darkness, even from the true light. …The more ardor it encounters, the more it gives. The greater the measure of love we have, more eternal good we receive. The more souls on high, each with love for each, the more all will love, with more to love well. Every soul a love-mirror mirroring.’”

“‘If you wore a hundred masks on your face you could not hide the slightest thought from me. What you saw was shown so that you might learn to let your heart be open to the peace that flows down from the eternal fountain. I did not ask ‘what’s wrong?’ as one who sees with the eyes only, which cannot function once the soul and body leave each other, no I asked this to give strength to your limbs. So must the wise stir the lax and slothful to use their waking hours when they return.’”

Still overall enjoyable. My opinion has yet to shift from my first review under “Inferno”. On to “Paradise”!

ergoebel's review against another edition

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3.0

yes! love questioning the meaning of life every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30-2:45 with my freshman besties! purgatory sure would be better than this hell! pretty sure the 2nd floor of Hampton is actually Inferno!

(i actually enjoyed reading this. it’s a good book and i now want to read the other two. i just hate this class)