An analysis of a TV or film disabled character using the characters historical context

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Write an analysis of a TV or film disabled character using the characters historical context, particularly how it relates to the history of disability.

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Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are sy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell w, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, tfore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

That’s a fascinating request! Let’s delve into an analysis of Tyrion Lannister from the Game of Thrones series (based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels) through the lens of disability history.

Tyrion, a dwarf born into the powerful House Lannister, navigates a world that consistently marginalizes and often outright despises him due to his physical difference. Examining his portrayal reveals some interesting parallels and departures from historical realities of disability.  

Historical Context of Disability:

Historically, individuals with disabilities have faced a spectrum of experiences, often characterized by:

That’s a fascinating request! Let’s delve into an analysis of Tyrion Lannister from the Game of Thrones series (based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels) through the lens of disability history.

Tyrion, a dwarf born into the powerful House Lannister, navigates a world that consistently marginalizes and often outright despises him due to his physical difference. Examining his portrayal reveals some interesting parallels and departures from historical realities of disability.  

Historical Context of Disability:

Historically, individuals with disabilities have faced a spectrum of experiences, often characterized by:

  • Social Stigma and Prejudice: Across many cultures and time periods, disability has been viewed as a curse, a punishment from the gods, or a sign of moral failing. This often led to social exclusion, ridicule, and fear.  
  • Limited Opportunities: Access to education, employment, and social participation was severely restricted for disabled individuals. They were often relegated to the fringes of society or confined to their homes.  
  • Lack of Understanding and Medicalization: Before the development of modern medicine and disability studies, explanations for physical and cognitive differences were often rooted in superstition or religious beliefs. As medical understanding evolved, disability was increasingly medicalized, focusing on “curing” or “fixing” individuals rather than accommodating their differences.
  • Vulnerability and Exploitation: Due to their marginalized status, disabled individuals were often vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation.  

Tyrion Lannister and Historical Parallels:

Tyrion’s experiences resonate with several aspects of this historical context:

  • Extreme Social Stigma: From his birth, Tyrion is met with revulsion and disappointment by his own family, particularly his father Tywin and sister Cersei. He is constantly referred to with derogatory terms like “imp” and “halfman,” highlighting the deep-seated prejudice against his dwarfism in Westerosi society. This mirrors the historical reality of dehumanizing language and social ostracization faced by disabled individuals.
  • Limited Expectations and Mockery: Others consistently underestimate Tyrion’s intelligence and capabilities due to his physical stature. He is often the target of cruel jokes and public humiliation, reflecting the historical tendency to infantilize or ridicule disabled people.  
  • Internalized Ableism: While Tyrion is remarkably resilient, he also internalizes some of the societal disdain he faces. His wit and cynicism can be seen, in part, as defense mechanisms against constant rejection. This mirrors the psychological impact of systemic ableism on individuals.
  • Vulnerability to Exploitation: Despite his wealth and status, Tyrion is often manipulated and used by others due to their perception of him as weak or easily controlled. This echoes the historical vulnerability of disabled individuals to exploitation.

Departures and Nuances:

However, Tyrion’s portrayal also offers some important nuances and departures from purely historical representations:

  • Intellectual Prowess and Agency: Unlike many historical portrayals that might depict a disabled character as purely tragic or helpless, Tyrion is exceptionally intelligent, articulate, and politically astute. He uses his wit and strategic thinking to navigate the treacherous world of Westeros and often wields significant power. This challenges the stereotype of disabled individuals as intellectually inferior or passive.  
  • Challenging Stereotypes: While he experiences significant prejudice, Tyrion actively pushes back against societal expectations. He demands respect (though often unsuccessfully), uses his disability to his advantage at times (playing the fool to gather information), and ultimately carves out a significant role for himself in the political landscape.  
  • Complex Character Development: Tyrion is not defined solely by his disability. He is a multifaceted character with strengths, weaknesses, ambitions, and moral complexities. His dwarfism is a significant aspect of his identity and shapes his experiences, but it doesn’t reduce him to a one-dimensional “disabled character.”

Conclusion:

Tyrion Lannister’s portrayal provides a compelling lens through which to examine the history of disability. While his experiences of social stigma, prejudice, and limited expectations sadly echo historical realities, his intelligence, agency, and complex characterization offer a more nuanced and empowering representation. He highlights the enduring challenges faced by disabled individuals while simultaneously demonstrating their potential for intellect, resilience, and influence. His story, though set in a fantasy world, serves as a potent reminder of the societal barriers that have historically existed and continue to persist for people with disabilities, while also offering a vision of a character who, against all odds, strives for and sometimes achieves recognition and respect

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