The Divine Comedy · Character
St. Bernard
The barefoot mystic who ran too slowly toward peace, Bernard finally steps forward in Paradise to pray Dante into the presence of God.
supporting
Also known as Bernard
First appearance: Canto XXXI
As a supporting figure in The Divine Comedy, St. Bernard is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
The holy old man who replaces Beatrice as Dante's guide, directing his attention to the Virgin Mary.
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Bernard belongs to the great chain of contemplatives whose burning love for the divine outruns mere doctrine, and in the poem's final cantos he replaces Virgil and Beatrice as Dante's last guide. His devotion is so…
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The fuller portrait of St. Bernard sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See St. Bernard in Canto XXXICharacter Web
18 connectionsA slice of how St. Bernard sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Sinners and Historical Figures
- Heavenly Guides and Saints
+13 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- 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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St. Bernard appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for St. Bernard unlock in the free preview.
See St. Bernard in Canto XXXI