1. Is Tartuffe in fact anti-religious, or does it only attack corruptions of religion?

I do not think that Tartuffe was anti-religious by any means, but only does the job it was intended for, being for satirical component of what was actually going on at that time. It attacks what was such a serious issue at that time because no one questioned it .They just did what was told during that new religious movement, hoping they could buy their way in to heaven.

His physical appearance is that of a religious one so people say, “Oh, he must be telling the truth,” then he he tells people, “Oh, I have the key to heaven…but I require money,” and people throw riches at him. If no one questions this new form of looking at worship and religion than he is just another person taking advantage of people’s ignorance.

The people gave him money dollar after dollar and some of the doubters even said, ” Don’t do it” but no one listened. Once Tartruffe was found about his lust for Orgon’s wife instead of his daughter all of his secrets came out of the closet. I actually know quite a bit of churches that I question what goes on when they seek out tithes and offerings. I actually pass a large church every day, questioning their motives. Surely, a bigger church cannot get me into heaven quicker…so what goes on here? I think this is just what Tartruffe was trying to point out in his play.

2. In what respects is Hugo’s Satan a heroic figure? How does Hugo’s account differ from Dante’s?

Let me just say, these two are two completely different depictions of Satan, however I think they exist in a time line. Also, I think that Satan could exist as a heroic figure by Hugo because he was someone who tested boundaries and let’s face it, if he wants to be the ultimate bad guy, then let him take the place of it. As far as I am concerned, if he wants to take that place in Hell, no one else has to…so good riddance.

Anyhow, Hugo’s Satan is just like you and I, a person, who has the choices on an everyday basis for his actions just as we do. To choose good or to choose bad, kind of like the little red devil and the angel on your shoulder type thing. I earlier stated that the two depictions of the characters were like a timeline, with Hugo’s coming first showing how Satan grew to be that monster with wings stuck in   ice in the last circle of Hell that Dante depicted. Satan made some bad choices, like a rebel and he went against God and chose not to repent so therefore he was sent to Hell where he would become Dante’s Satan. Now, Satan chose not to repent and even led to us thinking he was not one little bit sorry for his actions. But knowing he was once just as human as us, how long could he remain his true self down in the underworld under those conditions? Leading him to become Dante’s Satan.

3. Discuss and compare the images in any two poems assigned for this week.

I am choosing to compare the poems by Giacomo Leopardi, “To Silvia” and ” The Village Saturday”. I am choosing to compare the ideas rather than what actually happens in the poem. I feel like Leopardi’s work happens when he is trying to live vicariously thorough other people. Almost like, he feels his own youth has slept away. He wishes to be young again and in all of his poems there’s this almost sullen feeling being given off. In “The Village Saturday” Leopardi talks about a young women bringing home flowers so that they may be put in her french braids and on the chest of her dress to make her look pretty. Then he talks about an older woman watching the actions, remembering when she was young like her and loved to dance. The poem ends with a playful boy…also young. In “To Silvia” he mentions “youth” excessively as well as asking, “Is this the human’s fate”. Leopardi seems to come into his writing person when he imagines himself young again or the things that remind him of when he was a young boy.

Which I can see this being something everyone can relate to. Because even at the age I am…I still love doing things even with my own son, that reminds me of when I was a child. It is almost like a keepsake and it can make a person both happy and sad and that I believe is where his ideas from a lot of his poetry came from.