- The Divine Comedy by Dante and Toni Morrison's Beloved share similarities in their structure of the series. The Divine comedy is comprised of 3 novels: the Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. 

- Much like Dante's series, Morrison's novels follow the same structure, with her novels Beloved, Jazz, and Paradise.

Novel Backgrounds : Structure & purpose

The Set-up

The purpose

- Each authors' work can be directly, in Dante's case, or indirectly, as Morrison demonstrates, a representation of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. 

- The writers have both created novels to express a purpose, each with underlying motives of frustration, seeking retribution of mistreatment through literary action. Morrison expresses rememberence, to pay respect to all the lives lost and all affected by slavery, and Dante seeks justice for his exile.