introduction

'Earthly life passed before the half,
I found myself in a dark forest ... "-
With these lines begins one of the greatest and most brilliant works of world literature - "Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri. "This is a poem about the Dante," danteida, "and at the same time, a poem about a man who, descending and ascending the ladder of the universe, cleaned, and acquires perfect knowledge." People at all times sought to know the universe. And he could not. Maybe that's why his "comedy" to this day loved by ordinary readers and critics, and researchers are still hotly debated around her, every day, opening in this work, something new, not yet solved. "" Comedy "- it's poetry, which has become itself the judge, interpreter, and the key to unlocking secrets" - rightly remarked Alexander L. Dobrokhotov in his book "Dante Alighieri".
The theme of my work - "The conductors and the twins Dante and their functions in the" Divine Comedy. '"I think for most of its first full disclosure should understand that in general it is a product.
First, the genre of "Comedy" - a vision. The entire poem - a "journey to the underworld, this poet in a vision." However, it is worth noting that "in the" Divine Comedy "the central character - not an abstract" I "and Dante with all the features of his personality and life events of the past ... At the same time," Comedy "is a fiction that develops on the literary laws." Dobrokhotov draws our attention to the fact that "the combination of real and personal fate of the literary scene was made possible by some middle managers - Chosen sense. Dante does not consider himself an ordinary man: first, he was a poet, and secondly, he is a prophet in the sense that they were the Old Testament poets - reformers and prophets of evil, he was finally chosen, entrusted with a great mission. What kind of - it reveals the poem. "

Hell
In the middle of the first song is a meeting of Dante with Virgil - "the meeting of Christianity and antiquity, when it comes to the allegorical sense, bearing in mind earthly reason, if we talk about the moral. It is also climbing with the help of science and poetry to the world of higher truths. Three senses correspond to the three most common treatment of Dante to Virgil: "Father," "master" ("teacher"), "leader." For Dante has no problem that worried the early Christian thinkers: how to relate to the ancient heritage? ". For him, Virgil - a favorite poet, the precursor, the ideological and poetic. In the Middle Ages, Virgil was considered a magician, a philosopher, and when Dante turns into a symbol of Man, the "Virgil is a symbol of the human mind."
Dante asks Virgil to rescue him from the wolf, which is the most confused character. Virgil is the poet predicts that the wolf will win only by a dog. "Just not established who exactly is meant by Dante, but one thing is clear, that it is a symbol of regal power, which is striving for the common good, to save humanity from the most terrible sores, corroding it" - greed. After this is a call Virgil to follow him into the realm of the dead. Dante boldly hit the road for their favorite teacher.
However, Dante II song begins to waver:
"Is it enough powerful I svershitel,
To me to call such a feat? "
Then Virgil tells the traveler of the reasons for its introduction. "" Three blessed wife "from the heights of Paradise drew on Dante's saving account. Song describes in detail the sequence of events, Mary entices to the mercy of Christ (their names are not mentioned in the rim, which casts its dreadful thing), then turns to Lucia asking Dante to send an assistant, Lucia transfer request of Beatrice, and she descends into Hell to Virgil, to trust him with the mission of the conductor ... Inspired by the heavenly patronage, Dante follows Virgil. "
The first thing Dante met on the threshold of Hell, - an inscription of the poet plunged in terror.

"It's the soul" negligible ", which is neither alive nor dead. Their whirlwind drives, they can not go to hell and can not return to earth and mercy condemnation and turned away from them. Withdrawing the poet, Virgil throws a complete contempt for the phrase: "Look - and by." Dante took so severely to the souls of people, does not have expressed himself in this life. In the same crowd, he put the angels who did not participate in the fight against Lucifer and God. "
Crossing the Acheron by Charon, the characters come out of the vestibule of Hell itself. It should be noted that Virgil does not reveal Dante's Inferno device immediately. The poet finds himself all in order.
The first circle of Hell - Limbo. There are languishing souls are not sinners, but people did not know of baptism, ie, Infants and righteous non-Christians. Virgil from Dante learns that Christ descended into hell after death, derived from the Old Testament righteous Limba. "Wanderers meet here the great poets of pagan antiquity, together with Virgil, they form a five geniuses" proud of the schools: Homer, Horace, Ovid, Lucan. " Passing through the seven gates, they fall into the select company of ancient heroes and sages, including Caesar, Plato, Aristotle, Democritus.
"In these circles of Dante meets souls whom sin was in violation of the natural measure. Such Sensualists second round, third glutton, misers and spendthrifts of the fourth, fifth anger and sad. "
A very important point in the journey of Dante is his transition to the sixth circle, when the Devils refuse to let them, and even Virgil begins to waver. Notable here is the episode of the Medusa: Vergil Dante closes the gas to keep it from turning into a stone look. "Perhaps the poet wants to say here that the contemplation of evil tapeworm soul and deprives it of its strength. You can not with impunity to look into the horror and ugliness, reason (whose symbol, as I have already written, and is Virgil) should be in time to stop hypnotizing effect. "

In the sixth round suffer a fiery tombs of the heretics. The main character of this circle - the famous Ghibelline leader Farinata. I will not dwell on it because I want to do it later.
Until then, we have seen that Virgil did not tell Dante about the structure of Hell. However, when they were already two-thirds of the way, its conductor decided that the time to explain everything to his apprentice has already come.
In the seventh circle is an important conversation between Dante and his guide. Asked about the infernal rivers, Virgil tells the story of Crete aged man, who is one of the most important symbols in the poem. "The old man represents a" dilapidated "humanity, as if the cut sin of Adam ... means a four-part body of the statue in the history of centuries of change, and the head (the" Golden Age ") stayed unaffected wound of sin (the wholeness of the mind). The statue rests on a clay foot (church), but not for iron (Empire) ... The old man looks at Rome, because the salvation of mankind - to recreate the Roman Empire. "
In the eighth circle of hell brings travelers Geryon - snake with the face of man. As in the beginning of their journey Virgil warns Dante wise advice from a sense of pity, compassion: "Here lives the good one in whom it is dead." "Virgil, Dante does not require ocherstveniya and passion for good, which Adu should be turned inside out, and hatred of evil, without losing its intrinsic nature." However, in this circle, when travelers were rescued from the chase, which arranged for them hell, "Dante the second time experiencing doubts about the power of Virgil (terrestrial Intelligence)."
In the ninth circle of Hell Dante and Virgil in the palm of his hand brings the giant Antaeus. This is a place for those whose sin - betray the trust. "Here Dante shows that well-learned the lessons of Virgil: he is full of hatred, hammering one of the sinners, deceives the other." The last song "Hell" describes a meeting with Lucifer. Virgil leads the poet to the king of the underworld, to the waist grown into the ice.
To get out of Hell Virgil tells Dante to clasp him around the neck and begins the descent down the Devil's shaggy coat. Heroes, passed an important milestone, were in the southern hemisphere. Clambering along the stream of Lethe, pilgrims come to the surface: they are - on the island of Purgatory.
Thus, the characters were terrible way. But was he not only discovered before Dante "unknown world, but also changed him. He went through the experience of death, having been in the ground. He knows himself and straight - in difficult situations and indirectly - getting to know their characteristics in some sinners. Abrupt change of events and emotions tempered Dante. Virgil had taught him to obey the voice of reason. "
Purgatory
Even the first steps in Purgatory Dante prepared for the future of climbing. "He knows the major milestones on the path to salvation" love (the first thing they saw - it was the light of the planet Venus), virtue (four stars - four pagan virtues: wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance), for freedom (guard Purgatory - Katon), the light of truth (Virgil guided by the sun), the management of Reason (Virgil), purification (heroes dew wash the tears and the infernal soot from his face), humility (reed, which Dante and Virgil girded).
Dante on the coastal strip makes its first discovery - Virgil shows him swimming in the ship angel who delivers souls in Purgatory. But the important thing is that in Purgatory Dante meets souls again and listens to their stories of life. On some of them I would also like to stop, but later, when I talk about the twins of the poet.
"Dante's Purgatory, represents a huge mountain towering in the middle of the ocean in the south," the upper and better portion of the globe, it is crowned by the Earthly Paradise, which is like an island, hovering over the earth. "
On the Structure of Purgatory, Virgil, as well as about the structure of Hell, did not immediately tells Dante. First, the poet knows all of his own observations. It is only when the characters got to the fourth round, Virgil describes him classification of sins in Purgatory. It occurs in song XVII, which is the midpoint of the poem. In Purgatory, it is also the topography of the middle - the fourth round. Thus, Dante receives new knowledge, being half-way clearing.
In Purgatory, the degree of sinfulness commensurate with the good and not evil, and love of goodness is an ideal, which should correspond to the activity of the soul. In the XVIII song Virgil answers the question, what is love as such. "Love gives the soul as its natural location. If the outer image draws the soul, then it goes into her inner world and becomes the center of gravity, captivates the soul. Such a natural prisoner called love ... We love about Virgil, linking together the themes of love and the highest free-will give a preliminary solution to this problem that worried the Christian thinkers of all ages. "
The fifth circle - an important meeting place. First, Dante and Virgil are witnessing an earthquake. To "meet their soul explains that the mountain is shaken when the penitent is aware of itself and starts to climb clean up. The desire to go further there is always, but the thirst for suffering, which is replaced by a craving for pleasure purgatory, sin hinders the soul. It turns out that the speaker - a poet Statius, who, as Dante believed, secretly converted to Christianity and because, unlike Virgil found a way to heaven ... In addition, it was the poet Dante ... vergilievskogo direction with psychological subtlety represents the meeting with his idol Station with Virgil.
You were the one who for a lamp
Bears in the night, and not to give,
But after walking aid and consolation ...
So Statius defined the role of Virgil's poetic intuition providevshego Christian truth. "
Further, the poets have been going together. Habitats adds Virgil Dante, he explains the provisions of theology, which could not be accessed by the pagan poet. So before the travelers presents a fiery wall last barrier is not the path to the summit. Dante's horror ranges, and cheer up again his Virgil. Hurdle behind us, and strangers in the last sleep on the hillside.
Waking up characters quickly get to the top of the mountain, and Virgil turns to Dante:
... And temporary fire, and eternal
Did you see, son, and you have reached the earth,
Where to stare down my first perfect ...
"Virgil has fulfilled its role of a conductor. Earthly reason can not lead man in this area is in contact with the heavenly realms. In addition, Dante for the march on Mount Purgatory bought that has lost a fallen humanity, - the independence of conscience, will and mind. Virgil says:
From now on the lips I do not open;
Single, straight and sensibly your spirit, in all
Judge you yourself, and I over by thee
You crown the miter and the crown ...
Mithras - a headdress of the high priest, the crown - the king. Dante is himself a priest and king. "
The above words were spoken in the XXVII songs. And Virgil is really up to the disappearance of his songs in XXX will not utter another word.
But my Virgil in this moment an unexpected
Disappeared, Virgil, my father and leader,
Virgil, I present to get rid ...

Matelda
"There appeared a woman, and there was one,
And sing, by selecting a color from the color
Which there was full veil "

Virgil is silent, but still walks beside Dante. Travelers come in a shady forest Earthly Paradise. Dante stops in front of the crystal-clear and at the same time totally dark stream (Summers). "On the opposite bank there is a singing girl picking flowers. Dante seems that her beauty, "warmed by a ray of love, since appearance is not a lie." At the request of Dante, it comes closer. This is the first heavenly vision after endless pictures of suffering. The girl, laughing, weaving and throwing loving gaze on Dante. She tells him about the nature of the Earthly Paradise, the very place where once there was created first man to be happy about his plants, the atmosphere of two sources: Lete, who awards forgetfulness of evil, and Evnoe, restoring the memory of good deeds. She says that the singers of "Golden Age" saw the poetic dreams of this place ... A little later we learn of her name is Beatrice - Matelda ...
To sum up. Meeting Dante at the Spring Meadow Earthly Paradise with a graceful girl weaving a wreath, marks a new stage in the path. He got lost in the realm of humanity pure joy and beauty - an easy and fun - work. It's a world of unspoiled nature, of which he gives a lecture Matelda. Accordingly, this level of mind, the transition from earthly reason (Virgil) to heaven (Beatrice). Conventionally, it can be called a theoretical science. In the language of the Old Testament theology is Sophia, the divine joy of creativity, the active substance dispensation. It is the embodiment of justice, people waiting in the abandoned Paradise Earth. This is an ideal of earthly love ... Matelda - knowledge of the natural light. As well as Proserpine and Evridika, she lost to the world, but should be back. Finally, she, like John the Baptist, must "prepare the way of the Lord" in the sense of the future kingdom of God on earth. No wonder the poem is preceded by a higher type of knowledge - Beatrice. "
Matelda leads the hero to the creek. Without going through a hundred paces, they stopped, and the new patron of Dante tells him: "My brother, look and listen!"

Beatrice
"See bold! Yes, yes, I - Beatrice "

From the East to Dante and his companion moves majestic procession. "Ahead of seven golden lamps - gifts of the Holy Spirit. During the seven lamps stretch bands of color of the rainbow. Following are crowned with lilies twenty-four elders, symbolizing the books of the Old Testament. Then march four six-winged beast, wings which are "full of eyes" - the four Gospels. They are surrounded on four sides dvukoluyu wagon - a triumphal chariot, which is drawn by Griffin, ie lion with wings and an eagle's head. Griffin symbolizes Christ, his divine-human nature. Raised wings griffin go infinitely high in the sky, so that between them are three middle bands of the seven left by lights. This points to the threefold nature of God and Christ at the intersection of the celestial world. At the right cart wheel, symbolizing the church, dancing, three women - the theological virtues, the left four women - the natural goodness ... Then there are two elder, the one that the doctor in clothes, - the book of Acts of the Apostles (it was written by Luke, who is said to have been physician) the one with the sword, - the Apostle Paul (he was a warrior). Next come the "four meek": this is the message of the apostles James, Peter, John, Jude. Then a lone old man, who "walked in a dream with visionary brow." This is the Apocalypse, in which the future is open in a vision, as if in a dream. Thunderclap procession stops in front of Dante. "
In the olive wreath, a white veil,
Appeared a woman, dressed
The green cloak and gown, a scarlet fire.
Dante felt "charm former love," because he already knew who now opens its eyes. Trembling with emotion, the poet turns to Virgil. But he was gone, as has fulfilled its mission. Having lost his mentor, Dante shed tears. But then he hears a voice: "See bold! Yes, yes, I - Beatrice .... " Beatrice is drawn to the hero with a speech in which severely upbraids him for his betrayal of youthful ideals.
Crushed her anger, Dante faints. His picks Matelda and for a moment, plunges into the water with his head, baptized in the waters of Lethe. "Now, Dante, serious erosion memories can look into the eyes of Beatrice. Beatrice looks for Griffin, Dante - in the eyes of Beatrice. He impressed not only by her beauty, but also the fact that in the eyes of Beatrice Griffin appears in one of his nature, then the other; the first thing he saw Dante in the eyes of his beloved - is divine humanity of Christ, the main secret of theology. "
After this process turns back to the east and goes to the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which dried up after the Fall. "Now it is a symbol of the empire, because it is the guardian of distinguishing between good and evil, exercising a natural right. The procession celebrates the griffin because he pecked the tree, ie not encroach on the empire, not subordinated its own. Griffin bind the chariot of the tree branch to the trunk. Pole and the branch form a cross. The tree blossoms, as the relationship of church and state is pumping new energy into an empire. The procession was dissolved in the heavens, and Beatrice continues to play a mystic:
"Are you here for a brief period in the forest canopy,
In order then ever, among the citizens of Rome,
Where is Roman - Jesus, stay with me.

For the sake of the world where the good are persecuted,
Look at the cart, and then
All describe that the eyes were visible, ""
The chariot attack eagle (Empire destroys the right and attack the church). In the chariot is trying to infiltrate a hungry fox (heresy). The first attack was repelled, but the eagle again and showered down chariot feathers (illegal gifts of the Caesars). Crawled out of the earth cracked dragon punches with its tail the bottom of the chariot, and then bending the tail hook, it pulls the bottom of the cart, and it was all overgrown with feathers (the devil ruined foundation of church life - humility and poverty, and the church became rich.) After that, there are seven chapters of the cart. "Instead of the church in front of us dragon of the Apocalypse." A dragon harlot sits, stands next to her giant guarding. They kiss, but casts his gaze on Dante, the giant beat her. According to Dobrokhotov, so Dante depicts the relationship of church and empire in the time of Philip IV and Boniface VIII, ended "Avignon Captivity." Outcome events brings Beatrice, which predicts the impending day of reckoning. "I have come to the successor of the emperors of previous years, a messenger of God" Five hundred and fifteen, "which will destroy" a thief and a giant. '"
Thus, Beatrice Meeting Dante, after a decade of separation took place - then the third date, for which, perhaps, originally was conceived poem. "But now in this thread have crossed many a chain of events. Beatrice, in the same red dress, that's exactly it, and not an abstract allegory, but at the same time, it is heavenly wisdom, she ambassadress of Paradise, she directed and actor in "Miracle", staged for Dante. Moreover, among the "three blessed women", reflecting on the rules of the symbolic art of Dante properties of the Trinity (Mary - power, Beatrice - knowledge, Lucia - love), it takes the place of Christ .... " But at the same time in a single image of the poem can live together and earthly and the heavenly Beatrice. "The archetype for such symbolism is Christ, who is no theologian could not call an idea or principle, as defined dogmatically that he was a man and god."

Paradise
"Paradise" completes the journey of the poet.
Along with Dante's Beatrice rises to the sky and rises higher and higher, one of the celestial sphere to another. This is the scope of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, fixed stars and the sky crystal prime mover, the rotational motion of the sender to all other areas. Over the prime mover - motionless Empyrean, the abode of God, angels and saints. Each celestial sphere rotates with the planet attached to it, and in every sphere of souls of the righteous dwell. What was the virtuous man in his lifetime, the higher he ascends after death. On the moon there are righteous people who have broken their vow to Mercury - aspiring actors, on Mars - warriors for the faith on Venus - loving souls, in the Sun - the wise, on Jupiter - fair, Saturn - spectators, in the night sky - soul triumphant.
In the first two sectors of the soul still preserved human shape, then Dante sees only the radiant lights, which are becoming brighter and brighter the closer they are to the empirical.
It is worth noting that the main physical substance of the world, in which, after all, a stranger came to the end of his long journey, - the light. "Seeing the light energy of motion tells Dante and Beatrice, of light formed by the soul of Paradise, driven by light circles of stars and planets. But light - it is also a metaphor for knowledge gained through contemplation of the subject. Development of knowledge takes place in "Paradise" is not only because at each new level of Dante's Beatrice said that he was able to perceive, but also by the merger with the stranger star, which he achieves. Thus, each step corresponds to the ascent stage of the vision of truth. "
On the way Beatrice, noting that Dante concern unresolved issues, starting a lengthy explanation. After another question Dante's Beatrice gaze burned with such a love that the poet had lost consciousness. "This phenomenon has received from her lips an explanation: in fact, Dante has sharply increased the power of vision, and he saw the level of love, hitherto inaccessible to his eyes ... In the future from time to time will be the transformation of Beatrice, and Dante's eyes have to adjust to new levels of heavenly beauty ".
On the eighth heaven spirit of the poet finally freed from its shell, and he again has an opportunity to see the smile of Beatrice. Here, in the form of stars to him are Mary and Archangel Gabriel. And now he has to test. He was satisfied with the present theological examination three apostles. Peter asks him about the nature of faith, Jacob - of hope, John - of love. Fortunately, Beatrice, her pupil with honor stand test of knowledge and can now move up. Beatrice explains the poet's device of higher heavenly forces, talks about why God created the original worlds.
"The last event of the great journey of Dante - the contemplation of the blessed Rose, who revealed to him" such as the Day of Judgement will appear sight .... " Beatrice in Dante's last raises a new level. After a flash of light it receives new vision of strength and begins to distinguish between the opened picture .... " But his vision is yet to be stronger, he is not ready for a clear and explicit discretion.
And after a few moments became strong vision allows him to contemplate the majestic sight - Rosa empyrean.

Bernard of Clairvaux
"I met not what I was looking for;
And some old man in a snow-white chasuble
In place of Beatrice appeared to me "
Dante turned to ask Beatrice Rose about the device, but it was not there. Next to the elder poet was in white chasuble. This is Bernard of Clairvaux, who was the last conductor Dante. "Beatrice returned to his seat, passing under the leadership of Bernard Dante: Scholasticism gives way to mysticism, which should be prepared to open the student the higher secrets of Paradise. Bernard points to the rim of the amphitheater, the stand-out lights. Mary sits here. Going down the chain from her seat is occupied by illustrious women of the Old Testament for Mary Eva, Rachel ... then the right hand of Rachel sits Beatrice, they represent the contemplative wisdom of the Old and New Testament. This chain of women's shares rose on the two parts to the left of Mary - believed in Christ to come to the right - believed in Christ had come. Mary is sitting opposite John the Baptist. Down from him is a series of "God's servants": Francis, Benedict, Augustine ... This series is divided along the Rose, as well as the opposite number of Old Testament women. Horizontal middle row, separating half the amphitheater serves another boundary. Below this number - the souls of infants. Featuring Dante "patrician empire of heaven," Bernard calls the left of Adam and Mary seated on the right of Peter. It is "like two root roses unearthly", ie founders of the church as the mystical community of believers. To the right of Peter - the Apostle John, to the left of Adam - Moses the right of John the Baptist - the mother of Mary Anne. On the left - Lucia. More than anything the righteous Rose, we do not know, but from what has been said Bernard emerges strict hierarchical order, which is equally at bliss provides different levels of happiness and captures all the moments of sacred history, freeing them from the empirical coincidences ...
The last song "Paradise" tells the story of the vision of the Trinity. Dante collects and binds to this song in a hymn of many of the motifs third rim. Bernard of Clairvaux prays to the Virgin Mary, he asks Dante to bestow the ability to see God and help him in the future earthly journey. Please greeted favorably, and after Maria Dante plunges to the depths of Gd eyes of the world:
I've seen - in the depths of the innermost
Love is like a book, a kind of wove
The fact that razlistano throughout the universe:
The essence and accident, and their relation to the case.
Dante's vision is growing, and he sees the Trinity. "
On this journey the poet ends.
Its conductors have fulfilled their function - the poet received his sight, he could see and know what is inaccessible to the mere mortal. And most importantly, he is described and conveyed to their readers.

Twins Dante
During his trip to the world beyond the grave Dante meets and talks with many souls of the dead. The researchers note that some characters in the "Comedy" is a kind of counterpart of the poet, "that implement the capabilities of his spiritual development and how to allow Dante to look in the mirror of self-knowledge." A lot of work with the critical literature, I noticed that if the conductors of Dante's pretty simple and clear, single point of view as to who is his counterpart in the poem, no.
Of all the proposed points of view, I would like to focus on two - AL Dobrokhotov (monograph "Dante Alighieri"), and KV Sergeyev ("Theatre of fate Dante Alighieri: a practical introduction to the anatomy of genius.") Since they largely reflect my own views.

Dobrokhotov distinguishes two twins Dante - an ancient hero Ulysses and poet habitats.
With the hero Ulysses encountered in the eighth circle of Hell, where flames are enclosed evil advisers. Dobrokhotov said Ulysses, "like Dante that seeks to break the bounds of routine, discover new worlds.