In Paradiso, Dante comes to the end of his spiritual journey.
Harman Bhamra
In Paradiso, Dante comes to the end of his spiritual journey, which is why this is possibly the most challenging part of the Divina Commedia to read, partly due to the fact that Dante must represent a vision of God and of heaven to the reader. Dante's use of light to display the presence of God and his angels is easy to accept, although harder to completely understand. Not only does he represent God as a point of light, but also angels, souls and Christ. He journeys through planets made of light. Dante himself writes that he is entering a state that is beyond human explication (per verba).
Dante's human form, which is so important to his progress in Inferno, becomes less relevant as he discovers that the souls in purgatory and in heaven are made of light. In Inferno, he is only allowed to pass to the first circle because of his human form. However, his human body, with its mortal senses, becomes a hindrance to him in Purgatorio and in Paradiso, and his human characteristics are gradually stripped away as his eyes are exposed to increasing amounts of divine light and he ascends to heaven. Dante's spiritual progression away from the physical is also shown by the final and tenth heaven, the Empyrean heaven, being entirely spiritual as opposed to the first nine heavens being physical.
A preliminary way to view Dante's use of light in Paradiso is to compare it with the lack of light in Inferno. Valeriu Borberelu defines the contrast as 'dualism',
'A contrast of Light and Darkness, defining and personifying each to the extreme view where all things are polarized into a conflict between one side and the other.'
In Inferno, it is the strong personalities and their qualities that, turned toward bad purposes, damned them. In Paradiso, these same qualities, turned to good purposes, have made various people into Saints. Dante highlights the unspiritual, misguided nature of the inhabitants and the place by starving it of light. Inferno is where sinners are sent to act out their punishments for all eternity, without any hope of God's light shining upon them. In Canto 1 of Inferno, Dante finds himself 'per una selva oscura' (Inf.1, 2). Having realised that he has strayed from the right path, he experiences feelings of desperation and hopelessness and it is only when he looks upward and sees,
'raggi del pianeta che mena dritto altrui per ogni calle' (Inf. 1, 17),
that he feels his fear being calmed. The first Canto, one which is often considered an introductory Canto, gives an early indication to the reader of the importance of light to Dante in his journey. The sun serves as a point of light to which Dante must aspire to get to, and he eventually does. In Canto 4, Virgil leads Dante into Limbo, where a hemisphere of light overcomes the darkness of the Underworld. Saved by Jesus in his harrowing of hell, here reside many of the great pagan heroes, thinkers and creative minds of ancient Greece and Rome, such as Horace, Ovid, Aristotle and Virgil. Dante seems to pay homage to these great people by placing them in a circle of light, away from the darkness of hell. However, they are never truly free from despair because of their distance from God's Divine Light. They did not commit to God or Satan and thus were damned. Yet again this is another early indicator of the effect that light, or the lack of it, has on the souls of Inferno. It is important to note the correspondence between the souls in Limbo and the sphere of the Moon in Canto 3 of Paradiso, where Dante meets the inconstant souls who did not fully follow their vows or obligations to God. As result of this, they are rewarded with less of God's light, showing that even in Paradiso the souls are "punished".
Having shown an introductory contrast in luminosity between the two cantiche, a starting point that can be made with regards to light in Paradiso is that Dante's senses gradually become more perceptive to visual phenomena such as bright, blinding light. His human senses undergo a preliminary transformation in Paradiso, which allows him to take more and more of the light in the heavens, and will eventually prepare him for his final vision. His eyes are subject to much light in Purgatorio. However, the increasing intensity of the light in Paradiso means that it is only in the final three Canto's of Paradiso, that Dante's eyes are really able to take in the full light of God. Dante is still distinctly human at the beginning of Paradiso and he maintains his human senses throughout. This, of course, still poses problems for Dante, as his eyes are not able to withstand the initial light of the heavens. This is apparent in the first Canto of Paradiso,
'Io nol soffersi molto, né sì poco,
ch'io nol vedessi sfavillar dintorno,
com' ferro che bogliente esce del foco' (Par.1, 58-60)
His eyes are not able to withstand much of the Sun's intense light, although he still sees enough to see its magnificence. More significant is the apparent channel of energy that runs from Beatrice through to Dante when Beatrice herself looks up at the sun.
'Beatrice tutta ne l'etterne rote
fissa con li occhi stava; e io in lei
le luci fissi, di là sù rimote' (Par. 1, 64-66)
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'Io nol soffersi molto, né sì poco,
ch'io nol vedessi sfavillar dintorno,
com' ferro che bogliente esce del foco' (Par.1, 58-60)
His eyes are not able to withstand much of the Sun's intense light, although he still sees enough to see its magnificence. More significant is the apparent channel of energy that runs from Beatrice through to Dante when Beatrice herself looks up at the sun.
'Beatrice tutta ne l'etterne rote
fissa con li occhi stava; e io in lei
le luci fissi, di là sù rimote' (Par. 1, 64-66)
Suddenly Dante's thirst for knowledge presents itself,
'La novità del suono e 'l grande lume
di lor cagion m'accesero un disio
mai non sentito di cotanto acume.'
The light from the Sun is seemingly channelled through Beatrice's eyes and into Dante's. Dante, always hungry for knowledge, is guided by Beatrice, who sheds light on the Divine Truth, which subsequently fills Dante with joy. This is a primary example of the relationship between Dante and Beatrice, and the way she uses light to help understand the way the heavens work. Therefore, one can say that Dante the protagonist is in the perfect situation to increase his understanding of the universe. In Canto 1, Dante undergoes a process of "transhumanisation" when he looks at Beatrice, which gives us an opportunity to look at the varying intensities of light that Dante experiences and their individual effects. Dante's transformation is essentially making him divine so that he may be accepted by the souls who occupy Paradiso. This contrasts directly to his completely human self in Inferno. The beauty of the light that is emitted from Beatrice's gaze overwhelms Dante so much that he insists that it can only really be explained once a person actually experiences it himself.
In Paradiso, Dante is subjected to ever-increasing intensities of light. Often, the intensity of this light causes him discomfort, and his human eyes have difficulty handling the sheer light emitted by the souls. Paradoxically, the greater the intensity of the light, the more Dante's visibility is increased. This principle is outlined by Virgil in Canto 15 of Purgatorio,
'Tosto sarà ch'a veder queste cose
non ti fia grave, ma fieti diletto
quanto natura a sentir ti dispuose.' (Purg. 15, 31-33)
At the end of Canto 3, the light from Beatrice's eyes serves this very purpose. As Dante's eyes lose sight of Piccada, he turns longingly to Beatrice. The light that shines from her eyes is so strong that it causes him to delay his questioning. He is momentarily blinded by reason.
'ma quella folgorò nel mïo sguardo
sì che da prima il viso non sofferse
e ciò mi fece a dimandar più tardo.' (Par. 3, 128-130)
This overwhelming of the senses by reason or, 'soverchio', occurs many more times in Paradiso, and to different levels of intensity. At times, Dante is exposed to such bright lights that he is blinded, only to be able to take in more light at a later stage. These experiences of blinding light are referred to as 'abbarbaglio' and, coincidentally, occur at some of the vital points of Dante's journey. In Canto 25, Dante comes before St. John, whose initial brilliance causes him to look away, 'ignito sì che vincëa 'l mio volto' (Par. 25-27). Beatrice smiles and tells him that his human eyes must become stronger through the radiance of others,
'ché ciò che vien qua sù del mortal mondo,
convien ch'ai nostri raggi si maturi.' (Par. 25, 36-37)
It is, however, through his own humane curiosity that he is blinded by St. John's light. Dante fixes his eyes on St. John, hoping that the story of his ascent to heaven as a mortal is true, however, in doing so he is blinded. When Dante is at his most human, he is blinded. In another instance of 'abbarbaglio', Dante witnesses the blinding light of the Cross in Canto 14. He is overcome and it is Beatrice's radiance that gives him the strength to raise his eyes again. Dante is then aware of having risen higher, to another planet.
Through both of these examples another important fact arises, which helps define the purpose of the light that so often blinds Dante. Beatrice, in both instances, acts as his source of vision when he is without it. What causes Dante to be blinded by St. John's light is that he is looking for signs of a human body. Dante falters in his understanding momentarily and is blinded. While Dante is not in darkness, like those in Inferno, he is still left confused. However, he is reassured by St. John that his sight will be restored by Beatrice, and she does so when he sings in praise of God,
'così de li occhi miei ogne quisquilia
fugò Beatrice col raggio d'i suoi,
che rifulgea da più di mille milia' (Par. 26, 76-78)
Consequently, Dante's eyes are able to see Beatrice much clearer now and, as soon as this happens, he notices another fourth light, that of St. Peter. The increasing intensity of light that Dante's eyes endure is a testament to his increasing love for God. This takes us back to Canto 14, and to the idea that God's light shines in varying quantities and that God's divine light always shines in proportion to Dante's vision of God. In Canto 14, Dante is puzzled by the increasing amount of light as they ascend the heavens and Beatrice asks him whether the light that surrounds the souls is eternal. She also asks if the eyes of the souls will be able to withstand the brilliance of this light once they have returned to human form, after the Last Judgement. Solomon, the light that is shining the brightest, tells Dante that the light that surrounds them will last eternally, always in proportion to the vision of God.
'La sua chiarezza séguita l'ardore' (Par. 14, 40)
Then, Solomon explains that God's light shows Him to them and, as a result, their vision will increase to support their great brilliance.
'per che s'accrescerà ciò che ne dona
di gratüito lume il sommo bene,
lume ch'a lui veder ne condiziona;
onde la visïon crescer convene,
crescer l'ardor che di quella s'accende,
crescer lo raggio che da esso vene.' (Par. 14, 46-51)
Upon Final Judgement their vision will be strong enough to support their radiance, as they will become complete and perfect as when they were created. The significance of the idea that God's light shines in proportion to merit is highlighted in the opening lines of the Paradiso,
'La gloria di colui che tutto move
per l'universo penetra, e risplende
in una parte più e meno altrove.' (Par.1, 1-3)
It is clear that, as Dante progresses through Paradiso, his eyesight improves due to the light that Dante's eyes receive. The final Canto of Paradiso is the place where Dante's journey culminates in his final vision of God and his eyes are able to withstand His divine light. It is, however, important to discuss Dante's reasoning behind his strengthening of the eyes, for it is only in the final three Canto's that he functions "divinely" or without any external interference. It becomes clear as we read that Dante's foundation for this principle lies in religious doctrine.
Dante, while moving from one place to the next, is constantly learning. In Paradiso, the emphasis on his learning through enhanced vision is key to understanding his progress. The dark and gloomy atmosphere of the Inferno, for example, causes uncertainty in Dante, and his eyes and other human senses often deceive him. In Canto 31, he hears a horn blast in the distance and, when he turns to look, he sees towers moving in the mist, although, they in fact turn out to be giants. It is possible to attribute Dante's lack of vision to the lack of light, both spiritual and physical. However, on a more scientific level, the image that is received by Dante's eyes is distorted by the gloomy conditions of hell. Dante uses his knowledge of Aristotle's doctrines in order to describe the giants mistaken for towers. Although, once the mist disappears, he is able to render his image correctly. In Paradiso, Dante still has trouble in rendering images at a distance, although the difference between his sight in Inferno and in Paradiso is that in the latter he is moving into an ever- increasing light. This gives him greater vision as he progresses. In Canto 31, and in most of the Inferno, the absence of light causes sound to become, at times, a primary response for Dante. Dante's sight is, of course, affected by distance in Paradiso,
'Lo viso mio seguiva i suoi sembianti,
e seguì fin che 'l mezzo, per lo molto,
li tolse il trapassar del più avanti.' (Par. 27, 73-75)
However, in Canto 30, Dante enters the Empyrean heaven which is made entirely of spiritual and intellectual light. Since this represents an even higher level of spirituality and of divine light, Dante is blinded, but is given a vision of a river of light, which he drinks from,
'come fec'io, per far migliori spegli
ancor de li occhi, chinandomi a l'onda
che si deriva perché vi s'immegli' (Par. 30, 85-87)
Now, with this new vision, Dante can see the true heaven, not the cosmological heaven, where rest the planets and the stars, but the heaven that is purely spiritual and the true home of God, the angels and the saints. The blinding of Dante marks a dramatic change of events for him, as it is essentially the point where he experiences the light of glory or 'lumen gloriae.' Once he is blinded, he is instructed to drink from a river of light, however, Beatrice warns him that this is only a preface to the truth. The elements of Dante's vision are representative of the light and beauty of the Empyrean, and consequently, of God's divine light. Once he drinks, he is sharing in Divine Grace and is drinking in, with his eyes, the light of glory. Also of some importance is the fact that until now, the light of glory has been reflected in Beatrice's eyes. However, now that he has drunk from the river of divine grace, his eyes are capable of receiving and reflecting divine light.
The doctrine of lumen gloriae is based mainly on analogies of light and was formulated by Albert the Great. Many occurrences of it exist in the Bible and Dante alludes to a select few of them. The river of light that Dante sees is a direct reference to The Book of Revelations (Rev 22:1),
'And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as a crystal coming forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb'
This kind of light analogy draws on texts as far back as Plato's 'Republic'. He used the analogy that as the sun makes objects visible, so the idea of good illuminates truth. This simple analogy is the basis of Dante's use of light in Paradiso. Plotinus developed this idea, after much of Plato's work was lost, and developed the doctrine of emanation. His theory was that the One (God) is the principle of all knowledge, and all things are dependent on Him. To explain the emanations as simple sources of light, Plotinus compared them to the abundance of a flowing river, and a beam of light. Just as a beam of light, as it goes farther from its source, grows weaker and finally vanishes into darkness, so it is with the emanations which, after leaving the 'One,' lose their unity and finally disappear into matter and evil. Augustine inherited Neoplatonic thought into his own and came to the conclusion that knowledge was Divine illumination.
Dante's knowledge of the heavens as light is not only based on medieval scientific doctrines, such as those of Ptolemy or Plato, but also heavily on passages from the Bible. The 'strengthening' of Dante's eyes for the final beatific vision is reminiscent of Paul, on his way to Damascus, in the Acts of the Apostles. The very place in which this was documented to have occurred was called 'Kaukab', meaning "celestial light". Canto 26 is the very Canto in which this reference to the Bible takes place, although it is not the only place. Biblical light imagery occurs in the passage that describes God as a point of light or 'Deus est lux' (John 1:6). Further evidence that Dante used religious and non-religious sources for his inspiration, can be found in Pseudo-Dionysus the Aeropagite's blending of ideas. He merged the Neoplatonic concern for light with the symbology of light in the first chapter of St. John's gospel.
Dante's ideas and visions are represented strongly and clearly. His use of light in Paradiso has a history in doctrines, and can be explained through the writings of Ptolemy and Arab writers in the Middle Ages. His Ptolemaic structure of ten heavens, nestling concentric spheres with the Earth at their centre, allows for the intensity of light to increase as the reader reaches the final heaven. This gives basis to the idea that God imparts greater light onto his souls according to merit. It also allows for Dante to create an artistic vision of heaven. At times, he himself admits, that its ineffable beauty and intense light are inexpressible. Aristotle's reworked idea of Plato's theory of extramission is present in Dante's difficulties with seeing objects at a distance from him. Although he is in Paradiso, Dante encounters this problem until he drinks, with his eyes, from the river of light in Canto 30. His blinding by the light of God is the most ultimate of Dante's examples of blinding, followed by the recovery of greater vision. The allusions to the Bible and to religious doctrine confirm that Dante was as much influenced by his faith and religious doctrine, as he was by scientific doctrine and theory. Although 'perspectiva' was an important scientific advancement in the thirteenth century, Dante's involvement with it is only observational, with regards to Paradiso. God's light is reflected into the eyes of the
souls that merit it, and that is one example of the scientific doctrine in Paradiso.
For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. (Psa 36:9 KJV)
Bibliography
Dante Alighieri - The Divine Comedy, Vol. 3 : Paradise
Translated by Mark Musa, Penguin Books (1986)
Dante Alighieri - La Divine Commedia : Inferno
A cura di Umberto Bosco e Giovanni Reggio
Casa Editrice Felice Le Monnier (1988)
Jim Deardorff
Paul's Conversion Experience
http://www.proaxis.com/~deardorj/paulconv.htm
Lambert Dolphin
What is Light?
http://www.ldolphin.org/light.html
Simon A. Gilson
Medieval Optics and Theories of Light in the Works of Dante
The Edwin Mellen Press (2000)
William Anderson
Dante the Maker
Hutchinson & Co. (Publishers) Ltd (1980)
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