Dark Humor and Satirical Comedy in "Divine Term Paper

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Dark Humor and Satirical Comedy in "Divine Comedy" by Dante and "King Lear" by William Shakespeare

One of the most important functions that literature play in human society is that it does not only expresses and individual's (particularly the author's) thoughts about and interpretation of life, but it also reflects the state of society that the author lives in. Indeed, the function of literature as a reflection of the human society is illustrated in the works of Dante Alighieri and William Shakespeare, renowned authors of "Divine Comedy" and "King Lear," respectively.

In these literary works, a notable characteristic is the authors' ability to weave in the aspect of dark humor, aptly using satirical comedy in order to criticize the rulers and leaders of their societies during their time. Dante Alighieri wrote the "Divine Comedy" during the Italian Renaissance period from 12th-13th centuries. During this period, art as a form of criticism and protest about the ills, inefficiencies, and anomalies in the society and government are rampant. Dante's work served as revelation to the people to witness the anomalies going on in their society. Shakespeare, similarly, utilizes literature to mirror corruption and usurpation in the English political institutions. In "King Lear," Shakespeare uses character profiles that fit the description of the antagonists and protagonists in political conflicts that are happening in Shakespeare's society.

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The theme of satirical comedy as a form of criticism and protest against the inefficiencies of government and society, as well as the ills of man, are discussed in the works of Dante and Shakespeare in the cited literary works of each.

In Dante's "Divine Comedy," the author focuses on the lives of his fellowmen inside his society and the government. Satirical comedy is used to criticize elements in the society that bring forth inefficiencies in people's lives. Of particular interest is the first part of Dante's work, the section "Inferno" chronicles the "sins" of humankind, and the appropriate punishment that these people will get when they are in Hell, or "inferno."

In Inferno/Hell, Dante is accompanied by Virgil as they go through the inner circles, called bolgia, where different offenders of the sins of humankind are suffering and are being punished for their sins. There are nine bolgias inside, where the first circle is the limbo, described as a place where people experience "gentle sadness." Inside the bolgias are people suffering from the sins of humankind: lust, gluttony, the avaricious and prodigal, sullen, heretics, violent people against the tyrants, gods, or goods, fraudulent people in love, flatterers, simonists, diviners, barrators, hypocrites, thieves, fraudulent counselors, sowers of scandals and schism, falsifiers, rebels, and traitors against kin, homeland, guests,….....

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