In at least 500 words, consider how the poets Countee Cullen and Natasha Trethewey have addressed anti-Black violence and racial injustice by considering the relationship between Cullen’s “Incident” (1925) and Trethewey’s “Incident” (2007). Make sure to take into account how the different forms of these poems shape their meaning; to quote lines from both poems as evidence; and to consider the titles of these poems as well as the fact that they were published 82 years apart.
How does literature provide us with opportunities to reflect on our own values and principles that guide our lives, often by discovering alternative ways of looking at the world? How does literature open doorways onto the perspectives of other peoples, times, and cultures and help us imagine diverse ways of being human?
For instructions on how to quote poetry, see here.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/quotation_marks/quotation_marks_with_fiction.html
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: Exploring Anti-Black Violence and Racial Injustice in Countee Cullen’s “Incident” (1925) and Natasha Trethewey’s “Incident” (2007)
Introduction: Literature has long served as a powerful medium for reflecting on societal issues and challenging prevailing norms. Countee Cullen’s poem “Incident” (1925) and Natasha Trethewey’s poem “Incident” (2007) both address anti-Black violence and racial injustice, albeit in different historical contexts. By examining the relationship between these poems, their forms, and their titles, we can gain insight into how literature allows us to reflect on our values, explore alternative perspectives, and imagine diverse ways of being human.
Body:
Historical Context:
Cullen’s “Incident” was published during the height of the Harlem Renaissance, a period marked by the celebration of African American culture and artistic expression.
Trethewey’s “Incident” was published in the 21st century, an era grappling with ongoing racial tensions and a renewed focus on social justice movements like Black Lives Matter.
The 82-year gap between the publication of these poems highlights the persistent nature of anti-Black violence and the need for continued dialogue and reflection.
Form and Meaning:
Cullen’s poem is structured as a single stanza with ten lines, employing a regular rhyme scheme (aabbccddbb). This compact structure emphasizes the abruptness of the incident and the lasting impact it had on the speaker.
Trethewey’s poem is composed of five quatrains, each with an irregular rhyme scheme. This form allows for a more nuanced exploration of the incident, giving voice to both the speaker’s personal experience and its broader implications.
The Power of Titles:
Both poems share the same title, “Incident,” which immediately signals a connection between them. This choice underscores the pervasive nature of racial violence throughout history.
The repetition of the title across time highlights the cyclical nature of racial injustice and serves as a reminder that progress is still needed.
Lines as Evidence:
Countee Cullen’s “Incident” opens with the lines: “Once riding in old Baltimore, / Heart-filled, head-filled with glee.” These lines convey a sense of innocence and joy before abruptly shifting to the encounter with racism that forever alters the speaker’s perspective.
Natasha Trethewey’s “Incident” begins with: “We tell the story every year— / How we peered from the windows, shades drawn.” These lines evoke a collective memory shared by multiple voices, emphasizing how incidents of racial violence impact entire communities.
Conclusion: Through their respective poems, Countee Cullen and Natasha Trethewey shed light on anti-Black violence and racial injustice. The different historical contexts, forms, and titles of “Incident” demonstrate how literature provides opportunities for reflection, challenges our values, and encourages us to imagine diverse ways of being human. By engaging with these poems, readers are compelled to confront the enduring nature of racial discrimination and consider their own roles in promoting equality and social change.
