Women were frequent subjects in prehistoric sculpture. Do you find the argument that fertility objects such as the Woman of Willendorf (1.14) and the Woman from Brassempouy (1.13) were created by women convincing? Why or why not? In your opinion, what accounts for the abstract design of these fertility objects? Please select one specific example to discuss in your first post.
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: The Creation of Fertility Objects: Examining the Role of Women and the Abstract Design
Introduction: The presence of female figures in prehistoric sculptures, such as the Woman of Willendorf and the Woman from Brassempouy, raises questions about their creators and the purpose behind their abstract designs. This essay will evaluate the argument that these fertility objects were created by women and explore potential reasons for their abstract design. Additionally, it will focus on discussing one specific example to provide a more in-depth analysis.
I. The Argument of Female Creation:
Evidence of Female Creation:
Some researchers argue that prehistoric fertility objects were likely created by women due to their intimate knowledge of the female form and reproductive experiences.
The emphasis on exaggerated female features, such as breasts, hips, and vulva, suggests a female perspective in their creation.
Ritualistic and Symbolic Roles:
Women’s integral role in fertility and childbirth may have motivated them to craft these objects as part of rituals or symbolic representations.
Women may have sought to honor and invoke fertility goddesses or invoke their own reproductive powers through these sculptures.
II. Abstract Design of Fertility Objects:
Symbolic Representation:
The abstract designs of fertility objects may represent a focus on essential aspects of fertility rather than realistic depictions.
Abstract features could serve as symbolic representations of fertility, emphasizing essential characteristics without specific individual details.
Spiritual Significance:
The abstract design of fertility objects may reflect a spiritual or symbolic meaning beyond physical appearance.
By distilling the essence of fertility into abstract forms, these objects could have been believed to possess greater spiritual power or invoke supernatural forces.
Specific Example: The Woman of Willendorf:
The Woman of Willendorf is a small limestone sculpture discovered in Austria.
It depicts a voluptuous female figure with exaggerated breasts, stomach, and pubic area.
The sculpture’s abstract design focuses on essential aspects of fertility rather than realistic details.
Evaluation of the Argument: The argument that fertility objects like the Woman of Willendorf were created by women is convincing to some extent. While there is no definitive evidence, the emphasis on female features and the intimate knowledge women may have had regarding fertility lend credibility to this hypothesis. However, the absence of direct evidence makes it challenging to draw firm conclusions about the gender identity of the artists.
Reasons for Abstract Design: The abstract design of fertility objects can be attributed to several factors:
Symbolic Representation: The abstract design allows for a focus on essential fertility characteristics without individual details, conveying a broader symbolic representation. 2
