Journal Entry Week 14 (R.c.14)
4/29
In the book Inferno by Dante Alighieri, according to Canto XXVI, the use of fraud mentioned by Ulysses (Odysseus) brought the trojan horse to the Romans. However, this is against Odysseus belief of Xenia and hospitality. This is a case of fraud. He cheated by having a bunch of trojan warriors being inside of a huge horse, and give a gift to the Romans. This is deviance led to obstruct abnormality in the Odyssey. The Odyssey talks about the story of Odysseus’s’ journey and it is similar to the time when Odysseus broke his hospitality and Xenia when he and his crew enters the Cyclops’s cove. Another scenario of fraud is in Canto XIX, we have encountered with St. Nicholas the II. His punishment was the use of simony when he promised to have people buying or selling pardons and ecclesial privileges. He claims that it is all just “miscalculations”, but this is dealing with the religious law and it cannot be forgiven.
5/1
After reading and finishing the Inferno, I came to the realization that there is a journey is going ahead. It made me want to read more and I can get a better insight into what is going to happen next. Will Dante go to Heaven? What happened to his parents? What will happen to the city of Pisa in Italy? There are so many questions that I really wanted to know especially in Canto XXXIII Ugolino had a prophetic dream of evil and the life afterward of Pisa and was talking about an ambush waiting for the Ghibelline. Like will this go to happen in the purgatory? This Canto also breaks the most basic fundamental values amongst humans the analogy of cannibalism and factionalism. When we encountered a man named, and it is Ugolino. It was a shock once I have read it myself. He is a monstrous cannibal known to eat his young children. His eternal meal was Archbishop Ruggieri, who was a traitor from his country. This Canto was very horrific if I say and Dante’s choice of words made it seem daunting and is what we can see as an image.
Journal Week 15 (R.c.15)
5/6
From finishing the Inferno is to be a classic work of poetry and religious tolerance in the 13th to the 14th century. It has to be phenomenal to the beautiful words and the choice of vocabulary. I love the sense of poetry and it is melodic. The imagery is horror and graphic and contains different symbolism to the darkness of the forest to the deep rings of hell. One thing that stood out to me is the role of women and how it is portrayed. There are not many women that are portrayed in this book. This is the lifestyle of which Dante grew up in the 14th century Ghibelline. There is a connection with the Bible to The Iliad. I made different connections with these text to Dante’s work as a remarkable source of the time of Christianity being the strict religion at its peak in history. But in modern day, these sins will not lead to being punished, nor will they be sent to the prisons or to death. These sins that are mentioned in the Inferno can be related today and the majority of the people could understand that. Lust: can be a sin, but many humans have different sexual desires and preference. Gluttony: people are not being judged by their weight. Envy: people can be jealous and want to get something until they earn it. Pride: People who accomplish and cherish themselves however they want and whenever they want. Sloth: Procrastination, laziness and even deprive of natural resources like food and shelter. Wrath: people can get angry for the most minimalistic thing that happens to them, sometimes people call them “out of control”. Lastly, Greed: The most materialistic people that you see till this day the singers, celebrities, and politicians. All of these “sins” are seen every day in the Twenty-First century.
5/8
Throughout the book Sundiata, I have noticed the use of magic being something that not just the government of Mali encountered but having strict rules and conduct. The witches in the epic, do not have a problem with Sundiata, but they want to expose Sundiata as being a cruel person and unkind to other civilians before they can rationalize to kill him. One of the quotes is from the book in the chapter of the Buffalo Woman, “The child will be the seventh star, the seventh conqueror of the earth. He will be more mighty than Alexander.” This resembles the future upholdings of a ruler or a psychic (the prediction making)/sorcerer. This is a theme of fate and destiny which later on in the book will become one of the major themes of this epic. While Sundiata is the epic hero of this story, he is undoubtedly a noble ruler, the use of magic is something that is not tangible to him, therefore, is nonexistent in his perspective. There is a buffer between the shamanistic life (use of magic) to a monotheistic approach (Islam)
Journal Week 16 (R.c.16)
5/15
I can say that Sundiata was like the Mansa Musa during that time. In the fate of Niani Suomaro destroyed the entire city. Suomaro is interested in various fetishes, cruel punishments and degrading toward other people. Sundiata is generous and was a nobleman during the time of Mali. Sundiata had no interest in the use of magic. He is believed to be as a Muslim convert, he had let his citizens practice of the religion that they are pleased from the previous and previous generations. Sundiata took control of Mali and help the gold and salt trade. Sundiata helped the agriculture system. Sundiata also introduced a new type of crop called cotton. Sundiata established the city of Niani and made it as a capital. He also conquered the Empire of Ghana to establish in control of power. Suomaro and Sundiata may be similar to the cities and countries that they lived in, but their actions speak in the country of Mali.
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