illustration of a human covered in a starry sky walking from the sky and plains toward a fiery opening to hell

The Divine Comedy

by Dante Alighieri

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Student Question

What does the phrase "A quest for heaven is also a quest for order" mean in "The Divine Comedy"?

Quick answer:

The phrase "A quest for heaven is also a quest for order" in "The Divine Comedy" suggests that striving to reach God or heaven is inherently about seeking order and meaning. This journey towards God represents a move from the chaos of earthly life to the divine order and clarity of heaven, highlighting the alignment of spiritual enlightenment with a structured, purposeful existence.

Expert Answers

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At its most basic level, the language is straightforward: getting closer to God is good; it makes sense. There is order in God's world (as opposed to the world people live in who do not know God). So, traveling toward God, and heaven, is traveling toward order, or sense (a good thing).

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