Read these two Primary Source readings:
• Olaudah Equiano Excerpt
• _Thomas Phillips Excerpt
After reading the primary sources, pick a topic related to Europeans and Africans in the Transatlantic Slave Trade that you would like to analyze in your essay. Potential topic:
• The relationship and negotiations between European and African traders.
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
Essay: The Relationship and Negotiations Between European and African Traders in the Transatlantic Slave Trade
The Transatlantic Slave Trade stands as a harrowing chapter in human history, characterized by the brutal exploitation and commodification of African lives. Central to this trade were the complex relationships and negotiations that took place between European and African traders, shaping the dynamics of power, commerce, and cultural exchange during this period. Through examining primary sources such as the accounts of Olaudah Equiano and Thomas Phillips, we can gain insights into the intricacies of the relationship between European and African traders in the context of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Olaudah Equiano, an African man who was enslaved and later became an abolitionist, provides a firsthand account of the interactions between European and African traders in the slave trade. In his narrative, Equiano highlights the role of African intermediaries and brokers who facilitated transactions between European slave traders and African communities. These intermediaries played a crucial role in navigating cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers, acting as key figures in the negotiation of slave deals and trade agreements.
On the other hand, Thomas Phillips, a European slave trader, offers a perspective on the relationship between European and African traders from the vantage point of those perpetuating the trade. Phillips’ account sheds light on the power dynamics at play in these interactions, emphasizing the unequal distribution of power and resources between European traders and their African counterparts. Despite this power differential, Phillips acknowledges the agency and autonomy exhibited by African traders in negotiating terms and conditions of trade.
The relationship and negotiations between European and African traders in the Transatlantic Slave Trade were shaped by a complex interplay of economic interests, cultural differences, and power dynamics. While European traders held significant advantages in terms of military technology, capital, and political influence, African traders leveraged their knowledge of local markets, networks, and customs to assert agency in trade negotiations. This dynamic resulted in a complex web of alliances, rivalries, and conflicts that defined the commercial relationships between Europeans and Africans during this period.
The interactions between European and African traders also involved cultural exchanges and adaptations that transformed both societies. The introduction of European goods, technologies, and practices into African communities reshaped local economies and social structures, while African cultural influences left lasting imprints on European societies. These exchanges, while often marked by exploitation and violence, also laid the groundwork for future patterns of globalization, trade, and cultural diffusion that continue to shape our interconnected world today.
In conclusion, the relationship and negotiations between European and African traders in the Transatlantic Slave Trade were characterized by a complex interplay of power, agency, and adaptation. Through examining primary sources such as the narratives of Equiano and Phillips, we can gain a deeper understanding of the nuances of these interactions and their lasting impact on both African and European societies. By acknowledging the complexities of these relationships, we can strive towards a more nuanced understanding of the historical forces that have shaped our interconnected world.
