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Canto 26
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Paradiso, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Earthly and Heavenly Justice
Creation and God’s Providence
God’s Character and Will
Vision, Knowledge, and the Pursuit of God
Language and the Ineffable
Summary
Analysis
Following the conclusion of Dante’s examination, all of Heaven erupts in a sweet song, and Dante reels at what sounds like “the laughter […] of the universe.” Then, Dante watches as St. Peter begins to glow brilliantly red, and Heaven falls silent. Peter fiercely condemns the one who has robbed him of his place and ravaged Rome. Dante sees the rest of Heaven’s inhabitants flush red with anger, too.
The sweetness and delight of the heavenly hymn contrasts pointedly with Peter’s anger. Peter’s diatribe against the current occupant of the papal throne (Boniface VIII) is Paradiso’s peak example of Heaven’s concern for earthly justice. Peter’s biggest critique is that the Church has gotten increasingly mixed up in (and tainted by) secular politics—a continual concern for Dante, too.
Themes
St. Peter continues in his denunciation, saying that the Church wasn’t built on his own blood in order to be used in the pursuit of wealth, favoritism, warfare, and sale of ecclesiastical privileges. Now, on earth, wolves invade Christ’s flock. Peter laments that the Church’s faithful beginning has deteriorated in this way. But he has hope that, in God’s providence, a rescuer, whom he likens to Scipio, will soon emerge. Peter urges Dante not to conceal anything of what he’s heard when he returns to earthly life.
According to Roman Catholic teaching, St. Peter was the apostle on whom the Church was founded, as well as one of its earliest martyrs. For Peter, the corruption of the present-day Church—which Dante describes in terms of the Pope’s favoring of the Guelphs and his readiness to support Italy in war against other European countries—is a personal affront, besides harming ordinary Christians. Peter also cites Scipio, who defended ancient Rome against Hannibal’s forces. In this way, Dante has Peter emphasize Rome’s centrality in God’s providential plan throughout history. Dante also has Peter echo Cacciaguida’s command that Dante write boldly about Italian corruption.
Themes
Beatrice then encourages Dante to admire the sight of the earth beneath them once more. After that, Dante is drawn by Beatrice’s increasingly radiant smile into the next sphere of Heaven, the Primum Mobile. This sphere, the ninth, contains no stars and isn’t visible; in fact, in only exists within God’s mind; yet it directs the movements of the other spheres by means of love. Beatrice indignantly observes that greedy, self-serving humanity doesn’t deserve to dwell in such a perfectly ordered universe.
The Primum Mobile invisibly directs the movements of the other spheres and orders time. All space and time, in other words, is contained within it and determined by it. In this way, the sphere of the Primum Mobile is a primary example of God’s providential ordering of the whole universe—guiding everything that occurs in creation, by means of God’s power operating within and throughout creation. All of this occurs by way of God’s love. The sublimity and perfection of the Primum Mobile contrasts starkly with the degeneracy of humanity, hence Beatrice’s outburst.
Themes
