Perfect Guardian Angel For Dante example essay topic

In Dante's Divina Commedia, he takes on a journey with unforgettable characters, from the poets from antiquity, demons, giants, and finally too famous saints. Dante's and the character interaction with them are what make this story. The yare the legs on which this work was able to stand for so many years as a masterpiece. It was the characters that I most enjoyed it this work, you find yourself loving and hating the different shades you meet during Hell, the penitents of Purgatory and the saints of Heaven.

The most developed characters we find in Commedia are Dante, Virgil and Beatrice. Yet there are several minor characters that if one looks more closely are just as interesting as our main stars. One such minor character is my favorite Matelda, and also a perfect example of Dante's brilliance in characterization. Matelda is a minor guide that helps Dante after Virgil disappears, and until Beatrice takes him to heaven (Cantos XXV - ). Although Matelda may look like a plain old static-stock character, her motives are pure, her actions consistent and she is plausible as a guardian angel type whose actions a removed by the Divine love in her.

Dante the Character at this point in the story is about to leave the world literally and to meet his love Beatrice (who actually yells at him for his sin, before taking him to heaven). He has been left by his faithful guide, Virgil (which he doesn't even notice at first has been gone for a few cantos) and finds himself in the hand of a loving and beautiful hands of Matelda. Matelda is a perfect guardian angel for Dante at this point in his journey, and faithful to helping him during this transition. Are her actions consistent?

Yes. all are in line with Divine Love. We see this trough her actions. We first me ether she is the lovely creature that resides in the Garden of Eden. At Dante's request she explains all of his questions. She guides him through the Garden and then washes him clean and helps him to drink from the rivers of memories, all after he gets reprimanded by Beatrice.

All this is done out of Love, for it is ultimately Divine Love that motivates her, motives that are pure in guiding her charge. For example "Why are you so intent on looking only at those living lights? Have you no wish to see what comes behind?" This encouragement will help Dante to move forward to his goal. Yet I think it's her purity of motives that make her a static character because her motives are divinely centered and as such she has now personal development because she is already whole. For Dante the writer's purposes she doesn't need to develop, Dante the character is the one to develop, and it is her purpose to help him get there. The third argument is my weakest.

Is the character plausible, or lifelike? No she isn't your typical human like creature. But I think the way around that is that she is not meant to be. Dante the writer has written her to be the sweet voice of compassion and guidance that she is to Dante the character, which does all things out of Divine Love. So I think the question is, is the character plausible in their circumstances. That she is, her actions are plausible for what she is meant to be.

Or in the word's of our Pilgrim, "My Lady, you know all my needs and how to satisfy them perfectly". Each character in the Commedia has a purpose. Some are more exciting than other and more complex. Yet Matelda is a small but vital role in this drama.

She is the guardian angel that the pilgrim need at this particular time and through her words and actions she perfectly fulfills this role. Because of this role I think she is one of the more attractive characters. She is a sweet oasis of Divine Grace and Love after the trials and tribulations of Hell and Purgatory, and angelic enough to start to prepare Dante for the heavenly realm he is about to embark on. Through out her appearance she is gracious to the pilgrim and in turn proves she a worthy character to take the time to look a little more closely at when reading through the realms of such an adventure, a lady moved by love.