This assignment explores questions about fundamental aspects of human culture and guides you to evaluate the larger human need to express.
Prompt
Consider the items below. Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
1. Identify a creator
Identify a creator from the twentieth or twenty-first century who you think made an important contribution to art and culture in the form of cultural works that impacted society.
2. Describe one of the cultural works
one of the cultural works they created and the medium. Mediums can include dance, literature, sculpture, visual arts, architecture, music, performance, and so forth.
3. What questions about human culture
questions about human culture does this work prompt?
4. What big questions
big questions do you think influenced the cultural work you selected? Consider addressing how this connects with the larger human need to express.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Impact of Frida Kahlo on Art and Culture
Introduction
Throughout history, there have been numerous creators who have made significant contributions to art and culture. One such creator from the twentieth century who had a profound impact on society through her cultural works is Frida Kahlo. Kahlo, a Mexican artist, used her art as a medium to express her struggles, emotions, and identity. Her paintings, in particular, provide a window into the complexities of human culture and provoke thought-provoking questions about various aspects of our society.
Frida Kahlo’s Cultural Work
One of Frida Kahlo’s most renowned cultural works is her self-portraits. Kahlo’s self-portraits were mainly created using oil on canvas, with each painting reflecting her personal experiences, physical pain, and emotional turmoil. Through these self-portraits, Kahlo explored themes such as identity, gender, sexuality, and the role of women in society.
Questions about Human Culture
Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits prompt several essential questions about human culture. Some of these questions include:
- How does one’s personal experiences shape their identity?
- How does gender influence an individual’s perception of themselves and their place in society?
- What is the role of art in expressing and understanding emotions?
- How does art serve as a medium for challenging societal norms and expectations?
- How does physical pain and suffering impact an individual’s artistic expression?
Big Questions Influencing Frida Kahlo’s Cultural Work
Frida Kahlo’s cultural work was undoubtedly influenced by several significant questions that connect with the larger human need to express. Some of these big questions include:
- The Human Experience: Kahlo’s art was deeply rooted in her personal experiences, including her physical pain and emotional struggles. By exploring and expressing these experiences through her art, she tapped into a universal human need for self-expression and understanding.
- Gender and Identity: As a woman living in a patriarchal society, Kahlo faced unique challenges and societal expectations. Her art allowed her to challenge traditional gender roles and express her individuality, contributing to the larger discourse on gender and identity.
- Breaking Societal Norms: Kahlo’s unapologetic depiction of her own body and her exploration of taboo subjects challenged societal norms and expectations. Through her art, she pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable, inspiring others to do the same.
- Art as a Vehicle for Social Commentary: Kahlo’s self-portraits were not merely artistic expressions; they were also powerful statements about social and political issues. Her art provided a platform for addressing topics such as inequality, discrimination, and human rights.
In conclusion, Frida Kahlo, through her self-portraits, made a significant contribution to art and culture in the twentieth century. Her works prompt questions about human culture, such as the impact of personal experiences on identity, the role of gender in society, and the power of art as a medium for self-expression and challenging societal norms. The big questions that influenced Kahlo’s cultural work connect with the larger human need to express, understand, and challenge the world around us. Frida Kahlo’s artistic legacy continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, inspiring future generations to use art as a means of cultural expression and social commentary.
