Inferno as a Manifestation of the Pain of Dante Alighieri Essay

Inferno as a Manifestation of the Pain of Dante Alighieri Dante's "Inferno" was a great epic poem of the early Renaissance. It was known for its astute commentary on political and religious levels, both deeply woven into the work through allegory. "Inferno," written in 1314 by Dante Alighieri, was the first canticle of the "Divine Comedy." Dante called it a comedy both because of its happy ending and its style, "which lies between that of the tragedy and that of the elegy."(Vossler, 665) Although most respected writers of the time wrote in Latin, Dante wrote the "Divine Comedy" in the vernacular Italian language so that the common man could read it. The fact that this masterpiece was written in the vernacular helped elevate Italian as the written language of their new age. From the misery and corruption surrounding him in his beloved Florence, he wrote the comedy because he wished to show the path to goodness, the salvation of the human soul "guided by both reason and divine grace."(Vossler, 665) Dante intended the work to be read on three levels: literal, allegorical, and moral. The work was structurally written in eleven syllable lines grouped in threes to make interlocking tercets. The rhyme scheme that he created f!or this is called "terza rima"(Vossler, 664), which forms the words in the pattern aba-bcb-cdc-ded and so on. These are grouped into conceptual units of 150 lines each, called cantos. The entire "Divine Comedy" has one hundred cantos, consisting of one introductory canto and three "principal divisions"(Vossler, 664) or canticles of thirty-three cantos each. In the spring of 1265 Dante was born to a modest noble Florentine family called Alighieri. Even though they were nobles, the family had lost its riches and high social stature through the generations. His mother died when he was young and his father is not often mentioned. He received a careful education, although little of it is known precisely. His family's modest social standing did not prevent him from pursuing his studies. Dante probably studied rhetoric with the scholar Brunetto Latini, from whom he says that he learned "how a man becomes eternal"(Inferno XV line 85). As a young man, Dante largely taught himself how to write verse, but he also studied with the great troubadours of Florence, writing to them and circulating his own love lyrics. In 1295 he began an active ... ... lines 52-53). The most treacherous crime Dante accuses Boniface of comes out of the mouth of another damned soul. Directly saying the pope had sinned was not a wise thing to do, one could be called a heretic and be killed. This poor spirit, Guido, was a soldier whose duty was to militarily advise Boniface when he broke into war with the Colonna family in 1297. Guido was very ill towards Boniface, saying, "But for the High Priest - may he rot in Hell!"(Inferno XXVII line 70). He says about Boniface that "he, the Prince of modern Pharisees,/ Having a war to wage by Lateran -/ Not against Jews, nor Muslim enemies,/ Every foe he had was a Christian,"(Inferno XXVII lines 85-88). Guido charges the pope with waging war not against Jews or Muslims, but other Christians. "Inferno" was a manifestation of the frustration and pain Dante must have felt from the political and religious events of his day that exiled him from the city he so loved. Although Dante's journey took him through the depths of hell and expressed Christian beliefs about the afterlife, his thoughts were secular as he condemned one religious leader after another to the depths of the hell they had created for him.

Night by Elie Wiesel Essay

The relationship between Eliezer and his father in the memoir Night by Elie Wiesel is interesting because of the way the relationship strengthens and weakens over the course of the book. The relationship is also interesting because of the way Eliezer allows others (inmates, Kapos, etc. ) to affect the way he feels towards his father. In Night, the relationship between Eliezer and his father is, at first, not strong. This is shown when Eliezer rebels against his fathers wishes of not studying Kabbalah and seeks guidance for this subject from the town hobo, Moishe the Beadle: â€Å"And Moishe the Beadle, the poorest of the poor of Sighet, spoke to me for hours on end about the Kabbalah’s revelations and its mysteries. † (Section 1, Paragraph 5, Page 5). Eliezer’s father is a highly respected and very intelligent man and his opinion on public and private matters is often sought after in their community, Eliezer however, describes his father as â€Å"a rather unsentimental man† and â€Å"more involved with the welfare of others than with that of his own kin. (Section 1, Paragraph2, Page 4). This makes the relationship between Eliezer and his father interesting because even though their relationship is weak, his father still play a big part in telling Eliezer what he can and cannot do and the role of his life in the family – â€Å"my place was in the house of study, or so they said† (Section 1, Paragraph 3, Page 4) During their time together in Auschwitz, Eliezer and his father begin to grow closer. Eliezer demonstrates this when asked if he would like to be placed into a good Kommando and he replies with: â€Å"of course. But on one condition: I want to stay with my father. † (Section 4, Page 48, Paragraph 2). This may be because any strength and support they have left could only be found in each other: â€Å"My father’s presence was the only thing that stopped me [from allowing myself to die] †¦ I had no right to let myself die. What would he do without me? I was his sole support† (Section 6, Page 87, Paragraph 1) This makes the relationship more intriguing because it almost seems like Eliezer and his father are only continuing to live so the other has the strength to live too. By the time Eliezer and his father reach Gleiwitz, Eliezer’s father is dying and becoming increasingly weaker. Eliezer is now constantly looking after his father and giving him most of his rations, though is seems, Eliezer is doing this grudgingly: â€Å"I gave him what was left of my soup. But my heart was heavy. † (Section 9, Page 107, Paragraph 3). This is most likely due to the influence of other inmates and what the Blockalteste told him about Auschwitz being a place where it is every man for himself: â€Å"Listen to me, kid. Don’t forget you are in a concentration camp. In this place, it is every man for himself, and you cannot think about others †¦ In this place, there is no such thing as father, brother †¦ You cannot help him anymore. † (Section 9, Page 110, Paragraph 3). This makes their relationship interesting because Eliezer, though he loves his father dearly, is now stuck between the choice of continuing to nurse his father, or to let him die. A hard choice for anyone to make. A strong theme that comes through in Night that readers can see from Eliezer and his father’s relationship is the importance of strong father-son/family bonds. Three times Eliezer discusses moments that destroyed a bond between father and son. He states that these moments were brought upon them by the conditions of which the prisoners were forced to live in and to endure, these moments when a son sacrificed his father to save himself – the pipel abusing his father, the boy killing his father for a mere crust of bread, and the horrible motives of Rabbi Eliahou’s son. All of this is interesting in contrast to Eliezer and his father’s bond because their relationship demonstrates love and solidarity: â€Å"We’ll take turns. I’ll watch over you and you’ll watch over me. † (Section 8, Page 88, Paragraph 3). Their relationship shows us that love is a strong force of survival, much stronger than man’s instinct for self-preservation. In conclusion, the relationship between Eliezer and his father is interesting because of the way the relationship is shaped over the course of the book by different events. Their relationship strengthens in Auschwitz, is weakened momentarily by the actions of other inmates in Buchenwald, but comes through strong in the end because of their love for each other.

What Makes A Friendship - 1363 Words

If flattery is disguised and mistaken as virtue, and flattery is not virtuous because it is insincere. Than sincerity must be a determining factor of what is just. Aristotle claims in Nicomachean Ethics, that flattery is a vice. He claims that Friendship however, is a virtuous act. The act of friendship cannot take place without a mutual feeling of goodwill between both parties. Goodwill is required in each of the three types of friendship. Its application is necessary in order to turn an acquaintance into a friend. Once befriended, goodwill is required to a lesser extent in order to keep the friendship aflame. In relationships of pleasure and utility, goodwill is still required but in a smaller capacity. However, in a relationship of goodness, goodwill is appealing and absolutely necessary in order for its existence. Aristotle gives a much looser definition of a friend than I do. I contest that a friendship of utility should not be considered as such. Although a friendship of utility consists of mutual respect and a small amount of goodwill, the driving forces are egoistic in nature. The participants in these relationships look only at the benefit to oneself and their intentions are not pure. A friendship of pleasure is stronger than one of utility and consists of more goodwill. It is for this reason that I consider it valid as opposed to a friendship of utility. Although it is still egoistic in nature, it differs from a relationship of utility because it requires genuineShow MoreRelatedWhat Makes A Good Friendship?1533 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferences, a wide variety of perspectives merge on the fact that adolescent friendships are good for development. Research studies have shown a low status of younger adolescents being at risk for having a lot of negative outcomes, but there have been little found on the focused qualities of â€Å"youths relations with peers†. Our youths that reported that having a close relationship with someone creates higher self-esteem, it makes them create better relationships with their parents, and can even increaseRead More Friendship Essay: What Makes A Good Friend?965 Words   |  4 Pagesthey look out for you no matter what! If th ey hear girls talking about you, they are the friends that stop them. Friends look out for you even when you are arguing. A friend understands that you may not always get along but you should always try and be there for them and look out for them. Although this can be difficult at times, it proves how kind and loving you are. Another part of being kind is listening to one and another. Sometimes we dont care about what are friends have to say, but listeningRead MoreCicero: on Friendship Analysis Essay1045 Words   |  5 PagesB. Thomas First-Year Symposium 12 November, 2012 Cicero Aristotle once said, â€Å"Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.† There are many things that go into the process of friendship. Some people deal with friendship one way while others deal with it in another way. Cicero had a lot to say about the different aspects of friendship in his time, but how would he view modern friendship? Some friendships Cicero may not be proud of; like the common relationships that are forced on in a classroomRead MoreAristotle on Friendship1069 Words   |  4 Pagesof friendships that exist in the Greek word philia (a broader definition of friendship than one might think), which are based off usefulness, pleasure, or goodness, the three reasons for liking something: friendships of utility, friendships of pleasure and complete friendships. In the beginning, Aristotle says that friendship is a virtue or at least involves virtue. It is necessary to life, since no one would choose to live without friends even if he had all other material goods. Friendships serveRead MoreFriendship Is A Strange Concept1732 Words   |  7 PagesFriendship is a strange concept. You meet someone and eventually, after talking to them and being around them more you feel more comfortable calling them a friend opposed to an acquaintance. However, not just anyone can be a friend and there are different types of friendships. According to Aristotle there are three different types of friendships and only one of them is the real deal. The Epicureans would view friendship as being something very important in life. To me, friendship is both of theseRead MoreRelationship Between Friendship And Friendship985 Words   |  4 Pages We hear the word â€Å"friendship† being tossed around daily, between family, friends, social media, etc. People just say the word without thinking what it really refers to, but does everyone really understand what the word â€Å"friendship† means? People believe that the word â€Å"friendship† is just used to describe a friend or a bigger group of friends, but in reality it actually means a lot more. I believe that it is important to know what the word â€Å"friendship† really means. Not everyone is going to haveRead MoreTaking a Look at Nicomachean Ethics957 Words   |  4 Pagesabout the three different kinds of friendship that (Utility, Pleasure, and Goodness) that Aristotle claims exist. I will also discuss later in my paper why Aristotle believes that Goodness is the best type of friendship over Utility or Pleasure. In addition to that I will also talk about the similarities and differences that these three friendships share between one another. And lastly I will argue why I personally agree with Aristotle and his feelings on how friendship and virtue go hand in hand andRead More Nicomachean Ethics: Friendship, Virtue and Happiness Essay examples933 Words   |  4 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the writings of Aristotle, seen in  N icomachean Ethics, it is evident that Aristotle believes that friendship is necessary for a virtuous and therefore happy life. I believe that this is accurate due to the similar conditions necessary for a complete friendship and a happy life. It is also evident that friendship is useful in achieving a happy life because friendship can make performing virtuous actions easier. His interpretation can be misunderstood and mistakes in practice can be madeRead MoreAristotle s Nicomachean Ethics : Friendship1744 Words   |  7 PagesThe concept of friendship and what makes a friendship may seem simple depending on what people look for in friendships. Some people may have friendships that are solely based on pleasure or it is because it is useful to them in their time of need or a friendship that gives the person both pleasure and usefulness. A person may have these types of friendships with different people. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, brings up what the best kind of friendship is. A long-lasting friendship is the best kindRead MoreThe Purpose Of Friendship1304 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Baker Intro to Philosophy 13 April 2015 The Purpose of Friendship We all have friends that we enjoy spending time with, but we do not seem to think heavily as to why we have these friends. These relationships are not necessary to survival; all that is needed for our physical body to survive is food and water, yet people want to create long-lasting friendships with people they cherish. In his work, Lysis, Plato says that that friendship is the least of natural loves, ones which we do not need