1. Does the auteur’s life (social class, politics, education, professional training) contribute to the thematic preoccupations of his/her art?
2. Does the auteur tend to collaborate with the same people, including actors (or types), from film to film?
3. Are interviews, biographies, or autobiographical info available?
4. Does the auteur consistently explore the same themes or work in the same genre? Does he/she favor certain shots or other filmic/aural techniques?
5. What is the personal stamp exhibited in all the auteur’s films?
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 the Auteur Theory: Unveiling the Personal Stamp in the Auteur’s Films
Thesis Statement: The auteur’s life, including social class, politics, education, and professional training, significantly contributes to the thematic preoccupations of their art, as evidenced by their consistent exploration of specific themes and utilization of distinct filmic techniques, often collaborating with the same individuals and leaving a personal stamp on their films.
The auteur theory posits that a film director’s work reflects their unique artistic vision and personal creative expression, shaped by various aspects of their life and experiences. When examining an auteur’s body of work, several key aspects shed light on the personal stamp exhibited in their films.
Firstly, the auteur’s life, encompassing social class, politics, education, and professional training, undeniably influences the thematic preoccupations of their art. For instance, their upbringing and socio-political environment can inform the portrayal of societal issues and personal struggles in their films. Additionally, their educational background and professional training may shape their approach to storytelling and filmmaking techniques.
Moreover, auteurs often tend to collaborate with the same individuals, including actors and crew members, from film to film. This consistent collaboration fosters a sense of artistic synergy and allows the auteur to convey their thematic preoccupations through familiar faces and shared creative vision, thereby leaving a distinctive mark on their work.
Furthermore, interviews, biographies, and autobiographical information about the auteur provide valuable insights into their personal and artistic journey, offering a deeper understanding of the motivations behind their thematic explorations and creative choices.
In terms of thematic consistency, auteurs often demonstrate a tendency to explore recurring themes or work within a specific genre that aligns with their artistic sensibilities. Additionally, they may favor certain shots or filmic/aural techniques that become synonymous with their style, thus imprinting a personal stamp on their films.
Ultimately, the personal stamp exhibited in all the auteur’s films lies in the consistent exploration of specific themes that resonate with their life experiences and worldview. This thematic coherence, coupled with distinctive filmic techniques and collaborative partnerships, contributes to the auteur’s unique artistic identity and leaves an indelible mark on their cinematic oeuvre.
