Saturday, October 4, 2008
World lit. Dante essays coming up!
Sophomores! What will you write your essays about? I'm asking you to write a personal response to the Inferno. What issue from the reading or class discussion has stuck with you, caused you to think, wonder, get riled up, personally involved? Respond here with a brief comment about what your essay will be about and why.
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10 comments:
I plan on writing my essay about gluttony and "The American Diet," as we discussed in class today. I find it to be something I'm really interested in!
Hope that was a long enough comment.
~Fern
I am going to write my essay on the purpose of hell. Why there is a hell and why I think hell is mentioned by this book and pretty much everyone. I would like to know myself if hell is there to scare people or just made up. I also want to know when the whole story about hell came to be.
⇒Dillon George
I am going to write my essay on the way Dante has structured his image of hell. It is obvious that Dante has very different opinions of what are considered as sins. The main ones that I have a problem with are the Gluttons, the Heretics, Sodomites, and Usurers. In modern day society, they are all completely acceptable and widely practiced. Maybe that is because we have lost our sense of morals, or maybe it is because Dante was a little bit harsh with his accusations.
I am planning to write my essay on The Opportunists in The Grand Vestibule of Hell. I can relate to the opportunists in the sense that at times, i find my self sort of in the middle, not choosing a side. I may not necessarily be doing anything wrong or sinful in a situation, but i am often not doing anything good or helpful in the situation either. It has been convicting me of too often being "luke warm" in things or decisions, and it is something i am going to work at.
In my essay I plan on bringing up the issue of Dante's biases regarding the placement of certain figures in Hell. I don't think it's fair how he placed Julius Caesar in Limbo, while he put Alexander the Great in with the Violent. He prefers the Romans and Trojans to the Greeks. In his life, Dante was a Guelph and hated Ghibellines and his political views are apparent in his writing. There are a few other similar examples of his bias or prejudice in the book that I can use in my essay. I also hope to write about how biases and prejudices affect today's society as well. I probably will need to research some of the historical figures that Dante mentions and look more in depth into the politics of Italy and the Romans vs. Greeks.
I will focus my essay on Circle 1: Limbo. I believe that it is unfair for those who were either before Christ or unbaptized to be put in hell. I will discuss the issue of virtuous people being put into Hell. I plan on putting both sides of the story in my essay. Saying that even though some of the virtuous pagans are saved, it is not fair for the others. There were great poets and philosophers of that time in Hell. They accomplished great things and were good people so why aren't they in Heaven? This is an issue that is important to me because, as someone who does not have a specific religion, it is interesting to learn that according to Dante anyone who is not Christian will go to Hell. That being a good person doesn't do any good.
-Carissa
In my essay, I plan on bringing up the issue of usurers by comparing Dante's views with the views of people today regarding the financial industry, particularly in the U.S. I want to talk about this issue because Dante thinks that “giving money for money” is not producing anything. For example, banks loan money to people and charge interest to make a profit, without actually creating anything meaningful. To Dante, not only is this not productive, but it is also a sin (he puts these people in Circle 7!) Today, because the banking industry is an important and vital part of our country, one might ask, “Why would this be a sin?”
I am going to write my essay on how the religious aspects of the book differ from my own personal beliefs. I will express my beliefs about the after life and the problems of religion being fear based. I question the whole fear based analysis of Dante. In addition, I’m wondering why religion is not based on positivism, why religion leads to so much conflict, why organized religion seems to say there is only one way to obtain a relationship with god when there are lots of religions, and why every other religion is wrong except “your” religion. This is very controversial… If Muhammad came back and saw what Islamic fundamentalists are doing in his name, would he not be embarrassed by people blowing themselves up to kill innocent people in his name. If Christ came back, would he not be embarrassed by what has been done in his name such as wars and the torturing of non-Christians. It is my humble opinion that both Muhammad and Christ, both incredible prophets, would be embarrassed by what mankind has done with their words and intentions. Therefore, I believe that religion should be based on peace, love, treating others like we would want them to treat us, and being open minded to many ways to find peace and harmony and spiritualism.
In Dante's Inferno, Dante depicts hell as he sees fit. When reading the book, it is evident that the various levels of hell reflect Dante's personal ideals and morals. since the catholic church was in powing, it isnt suprising that Dante was influenced by it. However, the values of today have changed. There are several examples sins in the inferno that are commonly accepted in modern culture. I plan to show how society and ideals changed and what dante would think of the we live life. what would be the Inferno of today?
I foresee that my essay will be written one of two subjects. It could be on the subject of the Law of Hell. The Divine Retribution that reflects the sinner's crime. Why are some of the punishments what they are, and what could they be if someone other than Dante was escorted through Hell and decided to write a book. There are so many other ways that Hell could be interpreted, and why somethings in his book make since but other's don't. Also, the part of which sins would someone go to Hell for, which in The Inferno, seem to be random or to serve the purpose of the writing. The other option would be to wirte on the placement of the crimes. Why are some of the crimes worse than others. I disagree that hypocrites or alchemists or usurers should be placed so harshly. Why aren't the blasphemers against God much lower? I mean, God DID make Hell. Dante is certainly an interesting character.
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