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This test consists of 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Write an essay about the time-line of The Inferno, which clearly spans three days and presumably begins on Good Friday, the anniversary Christ's death and descent to Hell. What do you think is Dante Alighieri's goal in coordinating his own harrowing of Hell with that of Jesus? What other references to Christ's descent to Hell are mentioned in the text? What occurs when Dante emerges from the pit, and how does this mirror Christ's emergence from his tomb?
Essay Topic 2
Write an essay on the portrayal of humanity as a whole, as delineated by the events of The Inferno. Given that nearly everyone in the text is a sinner, what does Alighieri indicate is the root of iniquity in life? What specific sources of sin does he point out over the course of the journey? As Dante and Virgil exit Hell, Virgil discusses mankind's inclinations regarding Satan. What are these inclinations? How does this passage counter the view of humanity painted by the cantos that came before?
Essay Topic 3
The subject of The Inferno is clearly a dire one, but the poem is not without its humorous components. Write an essay discussing the use of humor in Alighieri's work. What characters and situations in the poem provide comedy in the face of damnation? What is the nature of this humor? Is it morbid? Slapstick? Wordplay? What is the tonal function of these comedic passages? How do they relate to the more somber portions?
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This section contains 247 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) |
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