--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Midway upon the journey of our life" description: "\"Midway upon the journey of our life\" — Dante Alighieri" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66c/dante-alighieri-590_divine-comedy_midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life-1468_1468082.jpg" --- # Midway upon the journey of our life ![“Midway upon the journey of our life” quote by Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66c/dante-alighieri-590_divine-comedy_midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life-1468_1468082.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66c/dante-alighieri-590_divine-comedy_midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life-1468_1468082.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66c/dante-alighieri-590_divine-comedy_midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life-1468_1468082.jpg) > “Midway upon the journey of our life” [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes the midpoint of life as a moment of reflection and uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Midlife can feel like a dark forest. Key Takeaway Use this pause to reassess life’s direction. Themes midlife reflection uncertainty spiritual journey Mood melancholic contemplative Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career transition - personal crisis - spiritual seeking - creative endeavors Key Concepts existentialism self‑assessment Questions to Reflect On - What does your “dark wood” represent? - How can you find a new path? A Different Perspective Midlife crises can lead to stagnation if not addressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Divine comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine-comedy/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“From Oleg Cassini's memoirs... I learned that Cassini had also suffered from insomnia. One night, he woke from uneasy dreams with the opening of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/from-oleg-cassini-s-memoirs-i-learned-that-cassini-had-also-suffered/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [This miserable way is taken by the sorry souls of those who lived without disgrace and without praise. They now commingle with the coward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/this-miserable-way-is-taken-by-the-sorry-souls-of-those-who-lived/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Through me the way into the suffering city, Through me the way to the eternal pain, Through me the way that runs among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/through-me-the-way-into-the-suffering-city-through-me-the-way-to-the/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [When I had journeyed half of our life's way, I found myself within a shadowed forest, for I had lost the path that does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/when-i-had-journeyed-half-of-our-life-s-way-i-found-myself-within-a/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“There are souls beneath that water. Fixed in slime they speak their piece, end it, and start again: 'Sullen were we in the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/there-are-souls-beneath-that-water-fixed-in-slime-they-speak-their/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [I saw within Its depth how It conceives All things in a single volume bound by Love of which the universe is the scattered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/i-saw-within-its-depth-how-it-conceives-all-things-in-a-single-volume/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Midway along the journey of our life I woke to find myself in a dark wood, for I had wandered off from the straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/midway-along-the-journey-of-our-life-i-woke-to-find-myself-in-a-dark-2/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Midway in our life's journey, I went astray from the straight road and woke to find myself alone in a dark wood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/midway-in-our-life-s-journey-i-went-astray-from-the-straight-road-and/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [In the midway of this our mortal life, I found me in a gloomy wood, astray, Gone from the path direct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-the-midway-of-this-our-mortal-life-i-found-me-in-a-gloomy-wood/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [The journey of our life may take a different route, but our final destination always remain remain the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/the-journey-of-our-life-may-take-a-different-route-but-our-final/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [“HELEN HAYES: “Which part of The Divine Comedy do you like the most, Tiziano?” TIZIANO CONTI: “The fifth Canto.” HELEN HAYES: “The Hell, huh?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merce-cardus/helen-hayes-which-part-of-the-divine-comedy-do-you-like-the-most/) [Merce Cardus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merce-cardus/) > [“This was part of the divine comedy-God's sense of humor undergirding the inner workings of the universe. Sinners participated in the redemption of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/this-was-part-of-the-divine-comedy-god-s-sense-of-humor-undergirding/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“If you lead me astray, then my wanderings will bring me to my destination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-you-lead-me-astray-then-my-wanderings-will-bring-me-to-my/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“His (Islamic astronomer al-Farghani) legacy also endures through the Italian writer and poet Dante (1265-1321), who derived most of the astronomical knowledge he included…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-al-khalili/his-islamic-astronomer-al-farghani-legacy-also-endures-through-the/) [Jim Al-Khalili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-al-khalili/) > [“Everyone loves a comedy, my dear. It is divine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rawi-hage/everyone-loves-a-comedy-my-dear-it-is-divine/) [Rawi Hage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rawi-hage/) ## More by Dante Alighieri > [In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-that-part-of-the-book-of-my-memory-before-the-which-is-little-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“Be as a tower, that, firmly set, Shakes not its top for any blast that blows!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/be-as-a-tower-that-firmly-set-shakes-not-its-top-for-any-blast-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Pure essence, and pure matter, and the two joined into one were shot forth without flaw, like three bright arrows from a three-string bow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/pure-essence-and-pure-matter-and-the-two-joined-into-one-were-shot/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Into the eternal darkness, into fire and into ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/into-the-eternal-darkness-into-fire-and-into-ice/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [O power of fantasy that steals our minds from things outside, to leave us unaware, although a thousand trumpets may blow loud--what stirs you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/o-power-of-fantasy-that-steals-our-minds-from-things-outside-to-leave/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [The purpose of the whole (work) is to remove those who are living in this life from a state of wretchedness and lead them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/the-purpose-of-the-whole-work-is-to-remove-those-who-are-living-in/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“Noi leggeveamo un giorno per diletto Di Lancialotto, come amor lo strinse; Soli eravamo e senza alcun sospetto Per più fiate gli occhi ci…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/noi-leggeveamo-un-giorno-per-diletto-di-lancialotto-come-amor-lo/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Love can move the Sun and the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/love-can-move-the-sun-and-the-stars/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Oh foolish desires of mortals! How weak are the reasons that lead us to not take off our flight from the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/oh-foolish-desires-of-mortals-how-weak-are-the-reasons-that-lead-us/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“On march the banners of the King of Hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/on-march-the-banners-of-the-king-of-hell/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Seldom indeed does human virtue rise From trunk to branch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/seldom-indeed-does-human-virtue-rise-from-trunk-to-branch/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [All hope abandon, ye who enter here!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/all-hope-abandon-ye-who-enter-here/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [We have no hope and yet we live in longing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/we-have-no-hope-and-yet-we-live-in-longing/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Not one drop of blood is left inside my veins that does not throb: I recognize signs of the ancient flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/not-one-drop-of-blood-is-left-inside-my-veins-that-does-not-throb-i/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [It is necessity and not pleasure that compels us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/it-is-necessity-and-not-pleasure-that-compels-us/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) [Explore all 414 Dante Alighieri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) ## More Divine comedy quotes > [“Everyone loves a comedy, my dear. It is divine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rawi-hage/everyone-loves-a-comedy-my-dear-it-is-divine/) [Rawi Hage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rawi-hage/) > [“His (Islamic astronomer al-Farghani) legacy also endures through the Italian writer and poet Dante (1265-1321), who derived most of the astronomical knowledge he included…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-al-khalili/his-islamic-astronomer-al-farghani-legacy-also-endures-through-the/) [Jim Al-Khalili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-al-khalili/) > [“If you lead me astray, then my wanderings will bring me to my destination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-you-lead-me-astray-then-my-wanderings-will-bring-me-to-my/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“This was part of the divine comedy-God's sense of humor undergirding the inner workings of the universe. Sinners participated in the redemption of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/this-was-part-of-the-divine-comedy-god-s-sense-of-humor-undergirding/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“HELEN HAYES: “Which part of The Divine Comedy do you like the most, Tiziano?” TIZIANO CONTI: “The fifth Canto.” HELEN HAYES: “The Hell, huh?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merce-cardus/helen-hayes-which-part-of-the-divine-comedy-do-you-like-the-most/) [Merce Cardus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merce-cardus/) > [“Dante was standing near the Ponte Vecchio, a bridge that crosses the Arno River in Florence. It was just before 1300… Dante saw Beatrice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/dante-was-standing-near-the-ponte-vecchio-a-bridge-that-crosses-the/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [Strangely, Dante's Divine Comedy did not produce a prose of that creative height or it did so after centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenio-montale/strangely-dante-s-divine-comedy-did-not-produce-a-prose-of-that/) [Eugenio Montale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugenio-montale/) > [The happy ending of the fairy tale, the myth, and the divine comedy of the soul, is to be read, not as a contradiction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-happy-ending-of-the-fairy-tale-the-myth-and-the-divine-comedy-of/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [“The last line of the Divine Comedy, in which Dante is faced with the vision of God Himself, is a sentiment that is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-last-line-of-the-divine-comedy-in-which-dante-is-faced-with-the/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“It's the Divine Comedy, not the Divine Tragedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-bauer/it-s-the-divine-comedy-not-the-divine-tragedy/) Cat Bauer > [“No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead, Dante's theme is man-not a man.' Lowell said finally with a mild patience that he reserved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dante-s-theme-is-man-not-a-man/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [I saw within Its depth how It conceives All things in a single volume bound by Love of which the universe is the scattered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/i-saw-within-its-depth-how-it-conceives-all-things-in-a-single-volume/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“There are souls beneath that water. Fixed in slime they speak their piece, end it, and start again: 'Sullen were we in the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/there-are-souls-beneath-that-water-fixed-in-slime-they-speak-their/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“In the mid–path of my life, I woke to find myself in a dark wood,' writes Dante, in The Divine Comedy, beginning a quest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-windling/in-the-mid-path-of-my-life-i-woke-to-find-myself-in-a-dark-wood/) [Terri Windling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-windling/) > [“Limbo. It’s not Heaven, and it’s not Hell. It’s the in-between.’ (Edward speaking about reading the Divine Comedy. Luke: ‘This was, I realised, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/limbo-it-s-not-heaven-and-it-s-not-hell-it-s-the-in-between-edward/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Browse all 42 Divine comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine-comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Midway upon the journey of our life", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dante Alighieri" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Divine comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66c/dante-alighieri-590_divine-comedy_midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life-1468_1468082.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66c/dante-alighieri-590_divine-comedy_midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life-1468_1468082.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66c/dante-alighieri-590_divine-comedy_midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life-1468_1468082.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Midway upon the journey of our life” — Dante Alighieri", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dante Alighieri", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Midway upon the journey of our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/midway-upon-the-journey-of-our-life/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```