Historical developments during the 1950s or early 1960s

by | Nov 5, 2024 | Essays

 

Identify two historical developments during the 1950s or early 1960s that you see as shaping women’s 20th century women’s history greatly. How did those developments shape women’s experiences? How do Mexican-American women’s experiences play into discussions of 1950s middle class domesticity?

 

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.


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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.

Two key developments during the 1950s and early 1960s significantly shaped women’s experiences in the 20th century:

1. The Rise of Domesticity as an Ideal:

  • Reinforcement of Traditional Gender Roles: The 1950s saw a resurgence of the ideal of domesticity, where women were expected to prioritize their roles as wives and mothers. This ideal was reinforced by media, advertising, and government policies that encouraged women to return to the home after World War II.
  • Limited Career Opportunities: This emphasis on domesticity often limited women’s career opportunities, confining them to the domestic sphere. Women were

Two key developments during the 1950s and early 1960s significantly shaped women’s experiences in the 20th century:

1. The Rise of Domesticity as an Ideal:

  • Reinforcement of Traditional Gender Roles: The 1950s saw a resurgence of the ideal of domesticity, where women were expected to prioritize their roles as wives and mothers. This ideal was reinforced by media, advertising, and government policies that encouraged women to return to the home after World War II.
  • Limited Career Opportunities: This emphasis on domesticity often limited women’s career opportunities, confining them to the domestic sphere. Women were
  • discouraged from pursuing higher education and professional careers, hindering their economic independence and social status.

2. The Development of Birth Control:

  • Increased Reproductive Control: The development and widespread availability of birth control pills in the early 1960s revolutionized women’s lives. It gave women greater control over their reproductive choices, allowing them to plan families, pursue education and careers, and participate more fully in public life.
  • Challenging Traditional Norms: Birth control challenged traditional gender roles and societal expectations. It empowered women to make informed decisions about their bodies and their futures, leading to increased autonomy and independence.

Mexican-American Women and 1950s Domesticity

Mexican-American women’s experiences with 1950s domesticity were complex and multifaceted. While they were expected to conform to the ideal of the domestic homemaker, their experiences often diverged from the white middle-class norm. Many Mexican-American women continued to work outside the home, particularly in low-paying jobs in agriculture or domestic service, to supplement their family’s income. This economic necessity often conflicted with the idealized image of the stay-at-home mother.

Furthermore, Mexican-American women often faced discrimination and prejudice, both within and outside their communities. They were often excluded from educational and employment opportunities, which limited their ability to achieve economic independence. Despite these challenges, many Mexican-American women found ways to resist and subvert the dominant cultural norms. They often relied on strong family ties and community networks to support one another and navigate the challenges of their lives.

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