Reflect upon your personal feelings and thoughts about how human trafficking may be more prevalent than you originally thought.
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: Unveiling the Harsh Reality: The Prevalence of Human Trafficking
Introduction: Human trafficking, a grave violation of human rights, is an abhorrent crime that exploits the vulnerable and deprives individuals of their freedom and dignity. While it is an issue that has gained attention in recent years, the true extent of its prevalence remains alarming. As I delved deeper into the topic, my personal feelings and thoughts about human trafficking evolved, revealing a disturbing reality that is more pervasive than I initially imagined.
Thesis Statement: The prevalence of human trafficking is far more widespread than commonly believed, affecting millions of people worldwide due to various factors such as poverty, globalization, and gender inequality.
Body:
The magnitude of human trafficking:
Human trafficking is a global problem that affects every continent and involves millions of victims.
The International Labor Organization estimates that there are approximately 25 million victims of human trafficking worldwide.
This staggering number encompasses various forms of trafficking, including sex trafficking, forced labor, child exploitation, and organ trafficking.
Factors contributing to the prevalence:
Poverty and economic vulnerability: Poverty-stricken regions provide fertile ground for traffickers to exploit individuals seeking better opportunities.
Globalization and migration: The interconnectedness of our world has facilitated the movement of people across borders, increasing the risk of trafficking.
Gender inequality and discrimination: Women and girls are disproportionately affected by trafficking due to societal norms, limited economic opportunities, and lack of education.
Hidden nature of human trafficking:
Human trafficking operates in the shadows, making it difficult to detect and combat effectively.
Victims are often coerced, threatened, or deceived into silence, fearing reprisals or legal consequences.
Traffickers exploit gaps in law enforcement, corruption, and lack of awareness to continue their illicit activities undetected.
Regional variations and industries involved:
Human trafficking takes different forms depending on the region and the industries prevalent there.
In Southeast Asia, for example, the fishing industry is notorious for exploiting forced labor on fishing vessels.
In Eastern Europe, women and girls are frequently trafficked for sexual exploitation.
The importance of raising awareness and taking action:
It is crucial to increase public awareness about the prevalence of human trafficking to foster a collective commitment to combat this heinous crime.
Governments must strengthen legislation, enhance law enforcement efforts, and provide support for victims.
Communities should be educated to recognize signs of trafficking and report suspicious activities.
Conclusion: My personal journey of understanding the prevalence of human trafficking has shed light on the harsh reality faced by millions worldwide. Poverty, globalization, gender inequality, and the hidden nature of this crime contribute to its wide-reaching effects. Raising awareness and taking collective action are essential steps towards eradicating human trafficking and ensuring a safer and more just world for all. Only through our combined efforts can we bring an end to this grave violation of human rights.
