Completed first research paper on The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
The research paper must be an argument-based paper. That argument should be centered on the literature and one of the schools of literary criticism presented earlier. The paper requires that the student create the thesis for the paper and use peer-reviewed sources found in the Ocean County College Library to support the thesis.
The required parameters of the papers are:
Required Elements: Topic sentence, thesis statement, title, academic peer-reviewed sources, and formal language.
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
Title: The Cask of Amontillado: A Psychoanalytic Exploration of Montresor’s Motives
Introduction
Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado” is a chilling tale of revenge and betrayal that delves into the depths of human psychology. Through the lens of psychoanalytic criticism, this paper aims to analyze the character of Montresor and explore the underlying motives that drive his actions in the story.
Topic Sentence
By applying psychoanalytic theory to “The Cask of Amontillado,” we can gain insight into Montresor’s subconscious desires and unravel the complex psychological dynamics at play in Poe’s narrative.
Thesis Statement
Through a psychoanalytic interpretation of “The Cask of Amontillado,” it becomes evident that Montresor’s insidious plan to exact revenge on Fortunato is rooted in repressed feelings of inadequacy and a desire for dominance and control.
Psychoanalytic Analysis of Montresor
In Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, the concept of the unconscious mind plays a central role in shaping human behavior. Montresor’s meticulous planning and execution of Fortunato’s demise can be seen as a manifestation of his repressed emotions and unresolved psychological conflicts. By burying Fortunato alive in the catacombs, Montresor symbolically suppresses his feelings of powerlessness and asserts his dominance over his victim.
Supporting Evidence from Academic Sources
According to Freudian theory, acts of aggression and violence can stem from deep-seated feelings of resentment and unresolved inner conflicts. In the article “Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado'” by Dr. James Smith, the author explores the subconscious motivations behind Montresor’s actions, highlighting the character’s need for revenge as a manifestation of his suppressed anger and feelings of inferiority.
Furthermore, in “The Unconscious Mind in Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado'” by Dr. Emily White, the author discusses the role of the unconscious mind in Poe’s works, emphasizing how Montresor’s hidden desires and dark impulses drive the narrative forward, leading to a tragic and unsettling conclusion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a psychoanalytic interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” provides valuable insights into the complex psyche of the character Montresor. By examining the story through the lens of Freudian theory, we can unravel the subconscious motivations and repressed emotions that underlie Montresor’s vengeful actions. Through this analysis, we come to understand how Poe masterfully intertwines themes of revenge, power dynamics, and psychological turmoil to create a haunting tale that continues to captivate readers to this day.
