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Canto 30
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Purgatorio, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Purgatory and the Heavenward Journey
Love, Sin, and God
Free Will
Spiritual Power vs. Earthly Power
Time
Summary
Analysis
Weeping and overcome, Dante stammers out a confession that, indeed, after Beatrice’s death, he was distracted by “mere things of here and now” and failed to pursue any higher good. Beatrice scolds Dante for allowing himself to be “pierced by the arrows of fallacious things,” instead of striving to get closer to God after her death. Dante just stands there, looking shamefully at the ground, like a “little boy,” and finally faints with remorse.
Even after Dante has finished climbing Mount Purgatory, it’s only after he’s confronted by Beatrice face to face that he’s fully overcome by the weight of his sin. This suggests that it’s only compared to the beauty of innocence (as seen here in the Earthly Paradise) that the ugliness of sin becomes truly apparent. Indeed, because for Dante, Beatrice symbolizes God’s love, it’s as if he’s under God’s judging gaze, too.
Active
Themes
Then, Dante finds himself being drawn into the stream by Matilda’s grip. After he’s been submerged in Lethe, he’s drawn, still dripping, to join the dancing Four Virtues. These ladies guide him over toward Beatrice, who is standing by the gryphon. When Dante looks at the beast being reflected in Beatrice’s eyes, he sees, to his astonishment, that the creature is alternately reflected as an eagle and as a lion. Then, the Three Graces come forward, singing, urging Beatrice to lift her veil and look at Dante.
Active
Themes
