Beatrice

Definition: Beatrice is the motivation for Dante to keep making his way through Purgatory. Specifics about her nature are unclear until Dante finally reaches Paradise. Beatrice appears on a Griffin and wears the colors of the three theological virtues. Beatrice and Dante were lovers on Earth before Beatrice died, and she gets mad at Dante for falling for other women after her death. Virgil passes Dante off to Beatrice to experience Paradise, as he cannot bring Dante any further (“Terrestrial Paradise”). In his real life, Dante exhibited an intense passion for a woman named Bice Portinari who lived close to him in Florence. This character is idealized in his poetry (“Beatrice and Dante”).

Importance: Beatrice is an embodiment of perfection, and she is the reason for Dante’s journey. She was the one who had gone down to Limbo and asked Virgil to show Hell and Purgatory to Dante. Beatrice is a fascinating character because she is a vision of perfection yet she is a real woman. She is a fitting guide for Dante because of her dual nature as an ideal pilgrim and a human being like Dante. She is intriguing for the reader because she presents the possibility that humans can be influenced positively by other humans; God can work through our fellow pilgrims.

source: http://www.florenceinferno.com/beatrice-portinari