Masculinity Interview
Briefly summarize major findings of your interview and share with your classmates. Be sure to keep your interviewee’s identity private. When responding to others compare what you found in your research and interview to others’ gathered data.
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
Interview Summary: Exploring Masculinity
In my interview on the topic of masculinity, I had the opportunity to speak with a middle-aged man who preferred to remain anonymous. The purpose of the interview was to gain insight into his experiences and perspectives on masculinity. Here are the major findings from the interview:
Traditional Gender Roles: The interviewee expressed that he grew up in a society where traditional gender roles were heavily emphasized. He was taught that men should be strong, independent, and avoid showing vulnerability. These societal expectations influenced his perception of masculinity.
Emotional Expression: The interviewee shared that he struggled with expressing his emotions openly due to societal pressures. He mentioned that he often felt the need to suppress his feelings and put on a brave face, which resulted in a sense of emotional detachment. However, he acknowledged the importance of breaking free from these constraints and allowing himself to be more emotionally expressive.
Impact of Media: The interviewee discussed how media, particularly movies and advertisements, contribute to defining masculinity. He mentioned that media often portrays men as physically strong, dominant, and successful. He acknowledged that such representations can create unrealistic expectations and contribute to feelings of inadequacy.
Changing Perspectives: The interviewee expressed that his perspectives on masculinity have evolved over time. He highlighted the importance of embracing vulnerability, empathy, and emotional intelligence. He emphasized the need for society to redefine masculinity to allow men to embrace a wider range of emotions and behaviors without judgment.
Comparing my interview findings with others’ gathered data, it is evident that there are common themes. Many individuals, like my interviewee, struggle with the societal expectations placed on masculinity. The pressure to conform to traditional gender roles and the reluctance to express emotions openly are recurring themes. Additionally, media influence on shaping perceptions of masculinityis widely recognized.
Overall, my interview highlighted the need for society to challenge traditional notions of masculinity and create a more inclusive understanding of what it means to be a man. It is essential to foster environments that encourage emotional expression, empathy, and personal growth for individuals of all genders.
