Summary of the Terraces of Purgatory

Just as the landscape of Dante’s Purgatory is different from that of Hell, the second book of Dante’s Divine Comedy is also a radical change from Inferno.  Unlike the dark Inferno, Purgatory is a book of hope and transformation.  Although the structure of the poem is the same as Inferno, the mood is different.

Dante’s trip through Hell took him down to the center of the earth and continued out the other end.   Dante’s journey continues with a climb up the seven terraced mountain of Purgatory

hell to purgatory
Hell to Purgatory

These are the seven terraces:

Base of Purgatory – The excommunicated and souls who delayed repentance, forced to delay entrance into Purgatory for many years.

Terrace One – The proud.  Crawling on their knees with heavy stones on their backs.

proud
The Proud

Terrace Two – The envious.  Eyes sewed shut.

Terrace Three – The wrathful.  Engulfed in black smoke.

Terrace Four – The slothful.  Constantly running and in a hurry.

Terrace Five – The covetous.  Lying on the ground, never looking up.

Terrace Six – The gluttonous.  Emaciated, living in constant starvation.

Gluttons
The Gluttons

Terrace Seven – The lustful.  Living in flames of fire.

Lustful
Lustful

Summit of Purgatory –Final preparation to ascend to Heaven, The Garden of Eden.

eden
Earthly Eden

From the garden of Eden, Dante begins his ascent into Heaven.