Dante's Divne Comedy

1. Dante's The Divine Comedy was one of the most interesting and relevant reading assignment to me throughout this term. It is one I can most relate to in terms of its underlying message of man's struggle to be virtuous and the consequences of lust/temptation. The Divine Comedy provides its reader with a spiritual map and moral compass. Although the context of this particular poem is directly linked to an individual's spiritual well being, it can easily be applied to an endless number of everyday struggles in which our quest to virtuous in all we do is constantly challenged by the desire (lust/temptation) to take short cuts.

2. The two possible themes for each of these literary works are as follows. The Tragedy of Othello; Love and Jealousy. In this composition, Othello's love for Desdemona was undermined and transformed into murderous Jealousy by Iago's deceit. Don Quixote; Fantasy and Reality. In this composition, Alonso Quejana an aging gentleman so infatuated with books on chivalry loses his sight of fantasy versus reality when he decides to live out the virtues of a Knight-errant. Paradise Lost: Choice and Consequence. Freedom of will is associated with freedom of choice, yet freedom implies responsibility. The Divine Comedy: Education and Salvation. In this composition, the pilgrim (reader) is taken on a journey through hell, purgatory and eventually to paradise in a quest for salvation along the way discovering lust's pervasiveness. The Canterbury Tales: Christianity and Deception. In this composition, the acceptable norms of Christianity were evolving and how faith was incorporated into the characters lifestyle. Many of the storied in the tale deal with deception. Characters in this tale are at times forced to employ deception.

3. The underlying theme of Dante's Divine Comedy with respect to social thought is as relevant today as it was when it was written. Dante drew on his knowledge and experience to brilliantly intertwine philosophy, Christian theology and doctrine, cosmology and mathematics into this renowned composition that is relatable across the social continuum. The Divine Comedy charts ones journey through hell, purgatory and paradise in his quest for salvation.

4. I did not particularly like any of the literary works we read from China's Middle Period. None of them seem to neither spark nor hold my interest. Although considered renowned literary classics, in my opinion, I did not think their content was as good as those written by their English counterparts. Their content was plain and mundane and did not cause me to search for an underlying message that is so prominent in literary works produced by English authors.

5. The study of world literature is a critically important part of one's intellectual growth. Exposure to renowned literary authors and their works provides a looking glass into cultures of the past and to draw from their experiences and knowledge. Classic literature dating back to Homer is the foundation of our written language and a historic record of great civilizations (Ancient Greek and Roman) which have since disappeared. Classic world literature and their authors continue to inspire