In of 300-500 words analyze Manet’sThe Luncheon on the Grass https://www.manet.org/luncheon-on-the-grass.jsp. (25.10) What was its initial reception? Why was it criticized? How could this work be interpreted as making a social statement and a condemnation of the bourgeoisie?
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
Analyzing Manet’s The Luncheon on the Grass
Edouard Manet’s The Luncheon on the Grass is a groundbreaking painting that sparked controversy and critical debate when it was first exhibited in 1863. The unconventional composition and subject matter challenged the norms of the time and provoked strong reactions from viewers.
Initial Reception and Criticisms:
The painting was initially met with shock and disapproval due to its depiction of a nude woman casually seated next to two fully dressed men in a pastoral setting. The contrast between the nude woman and the clothed men, along with the direct gaze of the female figure, unsettled audiences accustomed to traditional representations of women in art. Critics found the painting scandalous and vulgar, questioning Manet’s artistic intentions and moral values.
Social Statement and Condemnation of the Bourgeoisie:
The Luncheon on the Grass can be interpreted as a bold social statement and a critique of bourgeois society. By placing a nude woman in a contemporary setting surrounded by clothed men, Manet disrupts traditional gender roles and challenges societal norms. The nude woman’s confident demeanor and direct gaze challenge the viewer’s gaze, asserting her agency and autonomy.
The juxtaposition of the nude woman with the bourgeois men suggests a commentary on class distinctions and power dynamics. The nonchalant attitude of the men towards the woman’s nudity reflects the objectification and commodification of women in a patriarchal society. Manet’s choice to portray the scene in a modern, everyday setting further emphasizes the disconnect between social conventions and individual agency.
Through The Luncheon on the Grass, Manet confronts the hypocrisy and moral decadence of the bourgeoisie, exposing their shallow values and double standards. The painting invites viewers to question societal norms, gender roles, and power structures, challenging them to reconsider their assumptions and biases.
