Essay on King Lear/Inferno - 1246 Words

Paper Assignment #2 (Inferno / King Lear) Both Shakespeare’s King Lear and Dante’s Inferno explore the reasons for and results of human suffering. Both works postulate that human suffering comes as a result of choices that are made. That statement is not only applicable to the characters in each of the works, but also to the readers. The Inferno and King Lear speak universal truths about the human condition: that suffering is inevitable and unavoidable. While both King Lear and the Inferno concentrate on the admonitions and lamentations of human suffering, there is one key difference between the works: the Inferno has an aspect of hope that is not present in King Lear. The unavoidable aspect of human suffering is depicted brilliantly†¦show more content†¦Both Lear and Capaneus show excessive pride and stubbornness throughout their respective works, and fail to see their own faults. They were forewarned about their punishments, yet they continued down the path t hat would bring them the most suffering. Even though suffering is an inevitable part of living and there is no path in life that does not include some sort of suffering, these two men chose the ones that would bring them the most pain. The Inferno is a tale of cautionary advice. In each circle, Dante the pilgrim speaks to one of the shades that reside there and the readers learn how and why the damned have become the damned. As Dante learns from the mistakes of the damned, so do the readers. And as Dante feels the impacts of human suffering, so do the readers. Virgil constantly encourages Dante the pilgrim to learn why the shades are in Hell and what were their transgressions while on Earth. This work’s purpose is to educate the reader. The work’s assertions on the nature of human suffering are mostly admonition, with each shade teaching Dante the pilgrim and by extension the reader not to make the same mistakes. Dante views his journey through hell as a learning exper ience and that is why he made it out alive. King Lear shows an extreme of human suffering. While there is some foreshadowing to the tragic end of the play andShow MoreRelatedHuman Suffering in Inferno and King Lear Essay example1555 Words   |  7 PagesBoth Shakespeare’s King Lear and Dante’s Inferno explore the reasons for, and results of, human suffering. Each work postulates that human suffering comes as a result of choices that are made: A statement that is not only applicable to the characters in each of the works, but also to the readers. The Inferno and King Lear speak universal truths about the human condition: that suffering is inevitable and unavoidable. While both King Lear and the Inferno concentrate on admonitions and lamentationsRead MoreThe Epic Of Inferno And William Shakespeare s Play King Lear1347 Words   |  6 Pages Dante Alighieri’s epic poem Inferno and William Shakespeare’s play King Lear are works that examine human suffering. They delve into the very depths of the good and bad of mankind through the lives of various characters. Two characters in particular, Dante the Pilgrim from Inferno and Edmund from King Lear suffer from the corruption of their societies, but in time, they each come to realize their own hand in their sufferings. The characters begin their stories with desires to end their pain,Read MoreComparing Dante s Inferno And Shakespeare s Play King Lear1606 Words   |  7 PagesDante’s Inferno and Shakespeare’s play King Lear have many similar motifs within them that allude to human suffering. One such motif is as long as you can find the words to describe how bad a situation is, things can get worse. We see this concept in Dante’s Inferno when Dante the Pilgrim is traveling deeper into the depths of hell and he exclaims, â€Å"If I had words grating and crude enough that really could describe this horrid hole†¦I could squeeze out the juice of my memories to the last drop. ButRead MoreKing Lear By William Shakespeare1612 Words   |  7 Pagesoverarching theme that surrounds King Lear by William Shakespeare is justice to nearly all. The play opens in a royal â€Å"court,† but this court is unjust with wicked people such as King Lear, Goneril, Regan, Duke of Gloucester, Edmund, and numerous others. The justice does not come in this literal court, but the figurative court of nature. Stunningly reprimanded by two of his three daughters, along with the natural tempest that causes him to be enveloped by insanity King Lear is punished. Goneril and ReganRead MoreDante s Inferno And Shakespeare s King Essay1550 Words   |  7 Pagesourselves and others in an attempt to deny the necessary evils within humanity. By not confronting the truths surrounding the worst in us, however, we become ignorant of a vital and possibly beneficial aspect of human nature. Both Dante’s Inferno and Shakespeare’s King Lear seek to bring attention t o human suffering, illustrating our griefs and sorrows as consequences of our own agency. This pain that we inflict upon ourselves, however, can be handled in different ways that further define human suffering;Read MoreExamples Of Punishments In Dantes Inferno1187 Words   |  5 PagesDantes Inferno explores the nature of human suffering through a precautionary light. As Dante and Virgil move through the Inferno, Dante sees what has become of people who overindulged in things such as, lust, gluttony, violence, and bribery. Few of the punishments described in the Inferno have a direct correlation to the sin that the souls committed while they were living. Rather, they are a representation of what happens when we commit those crimes against ourselves and others. We create hellsRead MoreUsing Violence for Entertainment Purposes813 Words   |  3 Pagesyears, so why it is only in the past few years that scenes of violent acts are said to hold an influence on people? There is even viol ence in the Bible; violence has been depicted in paintings, and in literature: Macbeth is a freaking serial killer, King Lear has his eyes gouged out, I repeat gouged out! How isn’t that violent? How is that different from a head being stomped? What makes that act of violence acceptable? Why are these violent scenes not mentioned as an influence? Why is it that society