Contemplation, Charity and Creation ex nihilo in D ante's Commedia

In this article I reflect on the importance of creation ex nihilo for our understanding of D ante's Commedia . I do so, in particular, by reflecting on the inextricable relationship existing in D ante's poem between creation ex nihilo , contemplation and charity. More specifically, I attempt to outline an understanding of how D ante's idea of the relationship between these three can be seen to underlie the very structure and narrative form of the Commedia . Through reflection on the relationship between contemplation, charity, and creation ex nihilo , I suggest, form and content might be seen, from a theological point of view, to be perfectly at one. Underlying these reflections are also some broader questions. What is the Commedia ultimately about? What is D ante's final end in writing his poem? What bearing does this have on our understanding of the form of D ante's text as a narrative poem? And what, in turn, are the broader theological implications of all this?