Fascination and repulsion from Otherness in Song of Kali and The City of Joy
In this chapter, I examine similarities and differences between The City of Joy by Dominique Lapierre (1985) and Song of Kali by Dan Simmons (1985) with regard to the themes of the Western journalistic observer of the Oriental Other, and the fascination-repulsion that inspires the Occidental spatial imaginary of Calcutta. By comparing and contrasting these two popular novels, both describing white men's journey into the space of the Other, the chapter seeks to achieve a two-fold objective: (a) to provide insight into the authors with respect to alterity (otherness), and (b) to examine the discursive practices of these novels in terms of contrasting spatial metaphors of Calcutta as "The City of Dreadful Night" or "The City of Joy." The chapter further argues that these spatial metaphors are redolent of what Peter Stallybrass and Allon White (1986) refer to as the "phobic enchantment" (p. 124) of the Occidental social imaginary for the poverty, squalor and the horror of the Third World.
Dante\'s Divine Comedy, Canto 12
¶ … Inferno, Canto 12" by Alighieri Dante. Specifically, it will contain an analysis of the simile and meaning of Canto 12. This work will focus on his use of the epic simile, especially as it relates and illuminates…
Nature of Justice -- Secular or Divine?
The comparison of Antigone and Dante's Inferno is interesting as they are really quite different in style, tone, context, and story type. Both stories address the choices made by mankind, and the allegiances that people form which impact their actions. Dante is in charge of the telling in his story, but Antigone must suffer through the interpretations, telling, and retelling of her story and that of her opponent by the Chorus. Antigone is compelled to express her rationale for insisting that her brother be given a proper burial to honor him, and she believes for a time—though she remains fatalistic throughout the play—that Creon can be made to understand why her position is honorable and correct from a social and religious perspective. Dante, too, in his narration, give voice to his philosophy and seeks to elevate mankind, to encourage and implore, if necessary, them to do the right thing and act in accordance with their heritage as civil, righteous people.