Episode
Purgatorio: The Earthly Paradise (Cantos 28-31) with Dr. Michael West
- Published
- Mar 24, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 5902
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Summary
Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Michael West discuss the top of Mount Purgatory: The Earthly Paradise (Cantos 28-31). Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Purgatorio. Check Ascend out on X, Facebook, Youtube, and More ! They explore the serene, uncultivated garden where Dante encounters the mysterious Matilda picking flowers, the two rivers (Lethe, which erases the memory of sin, and Eunoe, which restores the memory of good deeds), and the elaborate apocalyptic procession featuring candelabras, elders, symbolic creatures, the griffin-drawn chariot of the Church, and dancers representing the theological and cardinal virtues. The discussion highlights Dante’s use of erotic imagery, classical allusions (Proserpina, Venus, Hero and Leander), and the communal themes running through the Commedia, while noting how Purgatorio depicts the gradual strengthening of the will through spiritual “exercise,” much like physical training. The conversation then turns to the dramatic appearance of Beatrice in Canto 30, her stern rebuke of Dante for pursuing “shadows of false goods” after her death, and the emotional departure of Virgil, whose guidance ends as Beatrice assumes the role of divine wisdom. They interpret Canto 31 as a sacramental confession scene in which Dante acknowledges his sins, experiences contrition while gazing at Beatrice’s eyes reflecting the dual-natured griffin (Christ), and is immersed in the River Lethe by Matilda. The hosts reflect on the limits of human reason and mentorship (Virgil), the incarnational role of beauty in leading the soul to God, the necessity of properly ordered eros, and the deeper Christian vision that Eden is not the final destination but a way station toward the beatific vision. The episode ends with an…