Existential Motifs in Medieval Poetry: Insights on Therapeutic Practice from Dante's Divine Comedy - Essay Example

Research proposal The books Dante’s inferno and No exit as was put forth by Jean Sartre articulate the concept of existentialism in the broadest sense. This is to say that they bring to the front the constructions and the creations of the human mind. For instance, human beings would easily believe that there is a place called hell where their sins would be punished. This would be influenced by the fact that the human society has already trained the human beings that there is a place called hell where subsequent punishment would be done. For the purpose of this paper, I will focus on the aspect of existentialism relative to notion of the novels “Inferno” and “No exit” as put forth by the above mentioned writers. This is to imply that the things human beings do towards their fellow men can be compared to hell. Subsequently, there may be a fictitious place that is referred to as hell- where the human mind and soul may visit and be punished eternally. Outline Abstract and summary of the project- Brief introduction on the background of the project: This paper aims to draw the functional relationship that exists between the novels the Inferno and No exit which were written by Dante and Sartre respectively. Objective of the research project- Point out the reasons for engaging in the project: The primary and basic aim of the paper is to expound on the concept of existentialism as postulated and put forth by the above mentioned writers. This is to say that, the paper will compare, contrast and juxtapose the arguments addressing the theme of existentialism. Review of literature- Critique the existing body of knowledge that touches on existentialism especially Inferno and No exit. This is to highlight what other writers have said as far as existentialism is concerned. Body of project- Linkages of the concepts of the- main arguments and logic Comparative relationship between the novels No exit and Inferno as they have articulated the concept of existentialism Conclusion- Summarize the main points of the body and the project Work cited sections- References from where I obtained the information Existentialism The term existentialism in the basic and most common sense refers to the philosophical stance and aspect where a person, agent or an individual has the ability and free will to decide his or her own destiny. This is to say that a human being is laden with the power to decide for him or herself the path and line that his or her life would take and follow. This comes against the background and wake of the fact that the world itself is irrational with no deity or any supernatural power that the human are supposed to sojourn to. This is to say that existentialists repudiate and disapprove the presence of any belief system or pattern to which human being ought to align their beliefs to. This is to say that there are no supernatural or metaphysical beings. As a matter of fact and principle, existentialists believe that the value systems such as deities are remotely academic and theoretical in nature. It is as if the non-existentialists believe in abstract concepts and notions because of their inability to face the human reality and actions. Thus, in principle, the existentialists assert that the human beings ought to attach meaning and value to what is tangibly meaningful and sensible to them rather than believe in metaphysical orders and beings. This paper will thus articulate and analyze the existentialist concept and notion in details. A deep focus and attention would be outlined on the theoretical aspects and principles as presented in the works Dantes Inferno and Sartres No exit. To begin with, the story of Dante’s inferno posits a thematic base and outline which alludes to the fact that there is a deity: God who administers justices. This stems from the fact that there is reward and remedy for all the people who live on earth. For those who sin and go against the rules set by God, then there is a place of inferno or burning fire that would consume them. There is an imaginative correlation and creation of the fact that sin is punishable by being thrown in hell. Juxtaposing this line of thought with the theme of existentialism, it is a contradiction. This is so because hell has never been seen by any one, neither has God. Thus, the belief that sin or sinner would be condemned in hell defies the principles and notions of existentialism. In retrospect, there is the feeling that God created Hell so as to punish sin. For instance there is the argument and postulation that the people who levy and charge interest on loans would be condemned beneath a rain of fire, while the bisexuals and the homosexuals at large would be forced to walk on hot sand. In retrospect, these thoughts are skewed towards forcing and making human beings to act in a certain or particular way. Here the notion of free will, choice and the ability to determine the destiny of a person by him or herself does not hold. It is so because God as the Almighty creator already put down in place the patterns of behavior that are irreducible or acceptable. For instance, there are moral codes of conduct that a person is supposed to adhere to. This is a contradiction relative to existentialism because the perceived and intended moral principles may not necessary rhyme with the choice and freedoms that a human person may wish to pursue. It is important to note and record that this theme seems to highlight the fact that God rewards the human actions or sins accordingly in the order or magnitude of the sins. Thus, there is a metaphysical and infinite sense of perfect justice that would be meted out against people who sin-or go against the moral code of behaviors as set out by the creator-God. Subsequently, in several ways, the story of Dante Inferno seems to arrange in order of magnitude (ascending order) that there are different rings and cycles of punishment that would be meted to people. For example a person who takes a bribe, would be condemned to the eight cycle of hell, with completely different punitive circumstances from another sinner say in circle six-who is a murderer. As a matter of finality and principle, this argument seem to assert that evil or sin is sin because it contravenes and opposes the very nature of the will of God, which was basically stipulates care and love of a human being towards another person. Comparatively, existentialism does not specify how human beings ought to relate with another, and instead assigns the free will and power of choice on the individuals. That is, a human person ought to act and do as he or she deems rational and fit without referring to any abstract, academic and theoretical rules and guideline from anyplace or anybody. On the other hand, the story by Jean-Paul Sartre also presents a different school of thought comparative to the notion of existentialism and Dante’s Inferno. It begins on the base that there are three condemned person who are taken to hell by a Valet. From the face value, they expected to be punished and tortured for the things they did or the sins they did commit. Garcin, Inez and Estelle are not willing to confess about their sins or the crimes that they did commit. This is so because there is a sense of fear and pacification in them since they do not know what to expect or the kind of punishment that would befall them for their mistakes and sins (Corrie, 11). Inez however is the of the view that all of them did not end up in the same room by chance or coincidence, rather, their lifestyles and behaviors must have led them to the same room. Garcin is of the opinion that they do not try to make the lives of one another miserable in that room and instead each person concentrate on his or her own businesses. At this point, Estelle requests for a mirror, which symbolically refers to the benchmarks against which to gauge morality and behaviors. This happens because the purported moral requirements and behavioral patterns of human being are not guided by some metaphysical requirement or deity but by the human being themselves. They then decide to confess to one another and gauge what to expect of one another. Garcini goes first and he confesses that he mistreated and cheated on his wife, Estelle cheated on her husband. Inez on the other hand confirms that he cheated with his cousin’s wife. As the time progresses, Inez is angered by the advances the Estelle makes towards Garcini to which he gives in. At the very tail end, Garcini comes to the realization that hell is a indeed other people. This is to stress the fact that the hypothetical hell of sustained suffering could just be a construction of the human mind and nothing else (Coser, 7). This is to imply that the graveness of the things that human beings can do against one another is indeed stressful and tormenting. In order to express the aspect of existentialism, from the novel no exit, the character Inez tries to justify her present existence as meaningful and accessible especially given the fact that she had the choice to either concentrate on the past or focus on the future. This happens when she is in hell, but apparently she was not bothered by the prospects of what would befall her, rather she chooses to base her essence and existence on the present-notwithstanding it was hell. Comparatively, the novel “Inferno” also strives to bring to the fore the connection between the metaphysical with the way humans live their lives on earth. For instance, when Dante made his through hell gates, there was the scary inscription and writings “abandon all hope, you who enter here.” This shows that there was a correlations between metaphysical or supernatural beings and the very existence of the human life. In comparative terms, this argument and notion stipulates that a human being ought to be guided by what is rational and real before acting or relating with one another. For instance, the three souls which were condemned to hell operated on the premise of what they could see and feel as tangible at different points in times. For example, in hell, they awaited a series of suffering and pain because their minds were trained to believe so. However, they could not feel the presence of hell in the physical nature as they expected. On the contrary, the things that the human beings do to one another was horrible and hurtful enough to be compared to hell. A practical case and instance is the continued cheatings on spouses and mistreatment that the human beings, at least the condemned souls did to their spouses. This story postulates the aspect of existentialism because it stresses the fact that there is no outside or metaphysical system of beliefs and beings that have the power to determine the destiny of a person in life or the afterlife. Even in death or hell, it upon the human person to decide the manner and line of actions that one would pursue. For instance, in the novel No exit, Garcini affirms that “hell is other people.” Work Cited Corrie, Sarah. "Existential Motifs in Medieval Poetry: Insights on Therapeutic Practice from Dantes Divine Comedy." Journal of Poetry Therapy 13.1 (1999): 3-16. Coser, Lewis A. "The Study comparative literatures." (1991): 1-9 Read More