How does the number three shape the structure of The Divine Comedy?

The number three is fundamental to the structure of Dante’s The Divine Comedy, reflecting its divine symbolism throughout the work.12

The poem’s architecture is shaped by the number three in the following ways:

• Sections: The work is divided into three major canticles: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.12
• Cantos: The poem consists of 100 cantos in total. Each of the three canticles contains 33 cantos, with one additional introductory canto located in the Inferno.12
• Verse Form: Dante utilized terza rima, a complex rhyme scheme consisting of stanzas of three lines, known as tercets.13

This pervasive use of the number three underscores the poem's theological and structural depth, serving as a recurring motif that permeates every part of the narrative.12