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The Divine Comedy · Character

St. Benedict

Founder of Western monasticism, appears in the Heaven of Saturn.

minor

Also known as Benedict

First appearance: Canto XXII: St. Benedict's Lament and the Eighth Heaven

St. Benedict shows up with force in Canto XXII: St. Benedict's Lament and the Eighth Heaven. The page is where that presence becomes real.

Appears as the largest and most luculent pearl.
In the storyCanto XXII: St. Benedict's Lament and the Eighth HeavenOpen this moment free

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In Canto XXII: St. Benedict's Lament and the Eighth Heaven: Appears as the largest and most luculent pearl. He laments the corruption of…

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See St. Benedict in Canto XXII: St. Benedict's Lament and the Eighth Heaven

Character Web

17 connections

A slice of how St. Benedict sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

CMCharles MartelSPSt. PeterSFSt. FrancisRORomualdusGOGodfrey of Bou…SBSt. Benedict

Relationship types

  • Other

Character groups

  • Sinners and Historical Figures
  • Heavenly Guides and Saints

+12 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.

SetupAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

In this canto, the dramatic climax occurs when Dante, having been emboldened to ask Virgil to teach him the na…

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In the story

St. Benedict appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See St. Benedict in Canto XXII: St. Benedict's Lament and the Eighth Heaven