The concept of love is so complex and irrational that it is difficult to justly describe with regular prose. In La Vita Nuova, Dante dedicates an entire collection of sonnets and analyses to articulate the emotions he experiences from true love. From the moment he meets the gracious lady Beatrice, when they are age nine, Dante pursues his quest for her love even after her death. In order to hide his secret passion because he feels unworthy, the writer releases the stress of his emotional burden through intense, passionate poetry. He concludes his account with the decision "[...] to say no more about this blessed one until [he] would be capable of writing about her in a more worthy fashion" (84). Through the use of figurative language and poetic writing style, Dante expresses and reproduces the many stages of love and in doing so conveys spiritual enlightenment.
             In the following lines, Dante exemplifies the richness of his love for the gracious lady Beatrice and the inspirational role that she plays in his life:
             Now all is spent of that first wealth of joy
             that sprang to birth from Love's bright treasury;
             in writing's place comes insecurity.
             And therefore I have sought to be like those
             who cover up their poverty for shame:
             but in my heart I weep and waste away. (11)
             When referring to Beatrice in his poetry, Dante passionately employs literary devices and elaborate sentence structure that correspond to the high regards in which he holds her. For example, the poet discusses "[...] that first wealth of joy/that sprang to birth from Love's bright treasury." Dante describes his beloved with beautiful language including imagery and careful word choice that illustrates his strong adoration. Dante, through the use of metaphors, also compares Beatrice to wealth, joy, and a treasury; she is the "treasury" of love and Dante "lives in poverty" without her;. In co...