I’m going to talk about this on the blog not because I’m too embarrassed to do so in class (I sometimes have an unbearable lack of shame) but because people always give me weird stares when I bring stuff like this up.
Ever since we talked about Emilia’s revenge speech (IV.iii.95-115) in class, I have been thinking about how Shakespeare deals with female ardor, passion, lust or what have you for a little bit. I must confess I do not really have much to say on the matter but I think it’s worth some investigation.
Emilia strongly points out how women have the same feelings as men when it comes to cheating: “Let husbands know/Their wives have a sense like them. They see, and/smell,/And have their palates for sweet and sour,/As husbands have” (IV.iii.104-108), but does something more when she continues to say: “And have we not affections,/Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?” (IV.iii.112-113). I think these lines are pretty interesting, as it seems to cast men as the weaker sex here, not with affections and sport necessarily, but ‘frailty.’ Few men would be ready to admit, even today, that they have any sort of weakness, though lust and…er, ‘fun’ certainly leave men open to frailty. Traditionally speaking, women were even called the “fairer” or “weaker” sex, yet here we have a woman deeply criticizing males for their general weakness, rather than simple censure at sexual exploits.
It’s even more interesting how Shakespeare deals with females and sex (as in actual intercourse) in this play. Biblically speaking, women are temptresses and whores and the like (keep in mind I have not been to church in years), which casts them in a pretty bad light sex-wise. This sort of notion ties into the profane vocabulary one finds in Othello – whore, strumpet, hussife, etc. – where sex is viewed animalistic-ly; recall Iago’s “old black ram tupping your white ewe” (I.i.97-98), “covered with a Barbary horse” (I.i.125), “making the beast with two backs” (I.i130-131).Perhaps there was this idea that women would feel too much pleasure from the act and were kept from it… I cannot know these things for sure. But in Othello, particularly with Desdemona, we see the love involved in sex and subsequent monogamy; she would never actually speak of sex because that’s just how she is, but in the very same scene were Emilia warns men against revenge, she wants Emilia to be gone because Othello asked – she is excited not by the possibility of sex for just sex, but because Othello seemed to be in a good mood and she might get to show her love sexually with him specifically.
Even Emilia in all in cynicism says something romantic and love-fuelled in its own way; when asked if she would cheat on Iago: “Who would not make her husband a cuckold to make/him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for ‘t” (IV.iii.85-87). It seems as though Emilia is not so vengeful as her concluding words leave her to be, but, with these words, make her seems as though she would only cheat to express her love (in getting her man a better position).
In my opinion, Othello is not one of Shakespeare's best works but it is not one of his worst either. I found the ending scene to be a little too fast-paced for my liking, such as how Desdemona is killed by Othello, Emilia is killed by Iago, and Othello kills himself in quick succession. However, it does portray the theme of justice in this manner so I think that the ending was appropriate. The lasting lesson Othello has left me with is the idea that involving yourself in the affairs of others will only bring disaster in the end. I think Shakespeare believes that some things in life are meant to be kept private, however, he in no way allows the idea of marital "abuse" to enter this circle. I believe that once Desdemona's "abuse" by Othello was divulged, it was just for Othello to die (along with all those involved in "abusing" Desdemona) One final comment: in my opinion, Desdemona and Emilia represent the different ways woman handle abuse in marriages.For example, Desdemona seeks to obey her husband and love/trust him no matter what, and even in the end she blames HERSELF for her own murder. Emilia, on the other hand, develops a hatred for her husband (Iago), however, she (like Desdemona) still wishes to please him in some form (I.e. the handkerchief). As such, I believe Othello is one of the first works in history to go into the psychology, perhaps inadvertently, of spousal abuse.
Besides it being rushed, do you also think that the justice thing is corny (as a reason you don't like it)?
I think it's great personally, because the characters are so developed. Even if you don't like the characters, they have a sort of "definitive" personality. I like that, but I'm just mad about character development.
I like what you say about dealing with the psychology of spousal abuse; never really thought of it that way. Do you think there is anything else between Emilia and Desdemona? (I was toying with this idea about their homoeroticism, to parallel Othello's and Iago's... What do you think? Sorry if I seem like a sex fiend.)
And thanks for making a post! That makes me happy!
Okay, since no one else is posting, I guess I'll just post all three of my ideas from last week. Partly because I hate doing work and it not being used and partly because I like to troll people who are last-minute or just don't do their work. Sorry, but that's how the cookie tends to crumble. Don't worry, though, they aren't as long as the first post.
Post 2: The Importance of Reputation
We see a lot that deals with reputation in Othello, particularly when it comes to the failings of reputation, how it does not clearly or fully represent someone. This is obvious in terms of Iago, who has the reputation of being honest and trustworthy. We also see how new reputations distort who a person really is, as with Cassio and Desdemona (who develop bad reputations).
It is through Iago that one can infer (especially after learning about Shakespeare’s real life) how the Bard might have felt about society’s strong dependence on a person’s reputation as a way to determine his worth. In this matter, Iago acts as a mouth-piece of sorts. Shakespeare shows how depending too much on reputation makes one gullible and open for failure.
In Act II, scene iii, after Iago got Cassio drunk and the fight happens, Cassio says, “Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!” (281-284). To which our Iago does reply, “... Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving. You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser” (286-289). Here, the word reputation is repeated over and over again, as if to draw considerable attention to it. Not only that, but Iago is criticizing a fundamental part of society, today and in Shakespeare’s time. With these lines, we can force Iago into an outcast role, voluntary or not.
Shakespeare was deeply acquainted with the results of good and bad reputation, with a fall from grace occurring in between. He went from school to work, etc. etc. So, with these lines here, through Iago Shakespeare is urging his audience to look beyond one’s reputation, but rather at the person themselves to see the truth. Indeed this seems to me to be the whole theme of the play, this idea of reputation.
Post 3: (At the End of the Play) Iago and Othello Seem to Switch Personalities
Throughout the whole of the play, Iago and Othello develop these near-definitive personalities. Iago has repeatedly told others how Othello is controlled by trust: “The Moor is of a free and open nature/That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,/And will as tenderly be led by th’ nose/As asses are” (I.iii.42-45) as well as emotion: “These Moors are changeable in their wills” (I.iii.389-390). And after falling subject to Iago’s lies, this certainly becomes true – with Desdemona, Othello will show his anger but then switch (as in just before he decides to kill her) to some semblance of calm. Very “changeable.” Yet in Act V, when Emilia comes in right before Desdemona dies, Othello tries on for size some of Iago’s traits, he turns to deception, playing dumb, and acting cool/composed – well, tries and fails: “Why, how should she be murdered?... You heard her say herself, it was not I…She’s like a liar gone to burning hello!/’Twas I that killed her” (V.ii.154-160). Obviously, he was not made out for it.
Iago, on the other hand, changes from his usual put-together, working well under pressure/questioning self to somewhat of an Othello; he loses his temper while being undone, as anyone would, but still – it’s Iago, one would normally expect something unexpected. “Zounds, hold your peace!...Villainous whore!” (V.ii.irrelevant). He does quickly recover from this brief give into emotion, saying austere things like, “Demand me nothing. What you know, you know./From this time forth I never will speak a word” (V.ii.355-366). So being dramatic or pulled too much by impulse feelings, he’s not made out for an Othello either; after all, “Where I the Moor, I would not be Iago” (I.i.63).
Besides just being interesting, there are other important things to note about this role reversal. Not only does it show that someone as naïve and trusting as Othello can learn and use Iago’s ploys and tactics, but it kind of speaks to some part of human nature. Personalities and mannerisms are not absolute; there is always a time where your preconceptions of a person no longer matter, everyone has a breaking point. We might also see here a subconscious desire for Iago and Othello to want to be more like each other in life. But I don’t even want to pursue that thought right now.
I've been thinking about the hero of this play. I don't think it has one.
I'd say it has a protagonist, but not a hero. And the protagonist I'd say it has isn't Othello, but Iago. Iago seems like a classic villain protagonist: he's clearly the bad guy of the story, but he gets all the soliloquies, we have the most insight into his mind by way of being able to follow his plots, and it even seems to make more sense to describe the play's conflict on his terms. The story is about the downfall of Othello, of course, but it doesn't follow Othello nearly as much as it does Iago - Iago is one of the first characters we meet, whereas we don't see Othello until the second scene.
So Iago is clearly the viewpoint character. But I wouldn't call him a hero, as he doesn't do anything particularly heroic. Othello is the logical next choice, but he doesn't do anything all that heroic either; his main role in the play is to get tricked into killing his wife by Iago. Ultimately, I think this is a story without a hero. It's a story about a guy who gets tricked into killing his wife by another, worse guy. It's pretty cynical, actually: it's not a story about good and evil, but about evil and evil's victims, which is more common in reality.
I agree with Joey. When you think about how every story generally has a hero, Othello does not have a hero; but it does have a lot of villains. I feel like everyone in Othello tends to have a dark side to them, the only innocent one would be Desdemona, who gets blamed on doing something she never did and is made to be looked upon as the bad guy. Looking at all other characters, they are either plotting against one another, manipulating, stealing, and even being just mean to people who seem to care for them. Iago is the most obvious villain with whom checks off to all of the above when it comes to the wrong doing department, he has done everything that I have listed above to just about all characters in Othello. I feel like his main reason for doing this would be that he feels insecure of himself and jealous of Othello.
Othello is just as guilty as Iago though when it comes to being a villain. He plots against his own wife tokill her because she supposedly cheated on him. Who does that?!? Well apperantly he does. The normal way to solve that problem would to be to confront them about it and then divorce them. You do not need to go to extremes and murder them, especialy if you are in love with them. I personally would have never been able to do what Othello did. Although, he was manipulated into doing it. Iago did plant the seed in his head, but it still dodes not make it right! He must have felt so terrible when he found out the truth from Emilia.
Speaking of Emilia, she also is somewhat of a villain due to her stealing the hankercheif for Iago. She also could have told Desdemona, who she had claimed to be her friend in the play, about what was going on. She could have saved her life! She is equally at fault with her death, making her a villain as well. I do give her props for fessing up the truth to Othello and the others, but it was too lat e at that point. Desdemona was already dead and there was nothing she could do about it.
There were a few things I noticed while reading Othello, and one of them relates to what Joey was saying. Othello is a lot like Macbeth, there really isn't a specific hero in the play. Many people would have considered Macbeth and Othello "trajic heros", but I'm still not too sure if I believe this, mostly because the meaning behind the title is undefined. Throughout the play there were many themes that were interpreted, one of them being the conflict between an occupation and an intimate lifestyle. For many marraiges, there is a lot of tensions between couples due to the stress of work. In a way this is dead on for Othello. If it wasn't for Othello's work, Iago would have never tried to sabotage Othello and Desdemona's marraige and they would have died of old age or war or something. Due to his line of work, Othello is viewed by many as a powerful, respected warrior who is very good at what he does. However, Othello has many insecurities due to his race and the age difference between him and his wife. Knowing his weakness, Iago cleverly takes advantage of Othello's insecurity and uses it against him. Iago is able to see the rift between Othello's occupation and personal life, and attack it to the point where Othello turns on his own heart.
What I was able to take from reading Othello was a common theme of Appearance vs. Reality. In William Shakespeare's "Othello", there is an ongoing conflict between what characters seem to be initially and who they actually turn out to be at the play's end.Especially relevant to the issue of Iago's character; for although he is called "honest" by almost everyone in the play, he is treacherous, deceitful, and manipulative. Throughout the play Othello always refers to Iago as “honest Iago” when in reality he was the sneakiest character in the book. I found this interesting and showed how someone can user the trust they gained in order to manipulate and make people do what they want without getting caught or in trouble for doing it. Othello is another prime example that supports the topic “appearance vs. reality". To all his peers, he is known as 'the noble moor', he is someone who is known as the calm, smart and is not only respected but respects others. But if you read further into the play, your point of view about him will drastically change, and the once near perfect Othello has many drastic flaws to his personality that lead to the tragic events at the end of the play. Othello appears to his audience as a strong and confident character. He shows that he has confidence and appears not scared. In Act I Scene II, he asks Brabantio "What if I do obey?” in order to show that he lacks no confidence and has no fear. But in realty like we all know he is a self-conscious guy who will break as first thought of his reputation or marriage breaking apart. He is not a man of confidence but a man who cannot take one bad word be against him. This shows how what the readers see at first may not be always true.
Another example of Othello pretending to be something that he really is not is when he pretends to be someone who can talk about his feelings and will always speak to person he has a problem with. Othello first appearance to his audience is that he speaks his mind; he's honest. He is not afraid to say how he feels and what he chooses to say, he makes sure that his words are the words of truth. In Act I Scene II, he describes himself as "my parts, my title, and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly". When really he is someone who cannot even ask his own wife if she is cheating on him, or speak to the man he believes is doing this. This of course all leads to him being pushed over the line and killing Desdemona.
This theme is shown throughout the play in many other characters as well. It also applies to Desdemona, as Othello believes that she is deceitful and impure, although she is really blameless and innocent. She could not be more innocent but is looked at like the “whore” of the town. Another example is how Cassio appears to be a traitor and to have had an affair with Othello’s wife but in fact his words were turned into lies and were slandered. This play shows or brings forth the message of everything might not be as it seems. You might think you know someone or something and then the next second you killed your wife for no reason. After reading Othello I found this to be one of the major ideas that Shakespeare was trying to get across to his readers.
Partially in response to Gabi’s post and my own personal thoughts, I decided to draw attention to the symbols and influences that Desdemona and Emilia play in Othello and the way Shakespeare derived the characters. As Gabi said, the two women represent the different ways women respond to abuse: Desdemona obeys whereas Emilia rebels. I know that within the Searching For Shakespeare movie, Anne Hathaway (hope that’s spelt correctly) is mentioned briefly, mainly around the time of their marriage. I was starting to wonder if maybe Shakespeare derived Desdemona and Emilia from his thoughts on Anne. If at times, the couple suffered due to their distance and lack of communication. If at times, Shakespeare felt disrespected by his wife, she would be portrayed by Emilia but when she would succumb to his requests that would give him thoughts of Desdemona’s character. The two women could resemble a split personality of Anne and his relationship with her.
Because Joey took what I was going to write about almost word for word, I'm going to talk about the vilification of Othello in the play. Iago manipulates Othello into thinking Desdemona is cheating on him, but this is just a spark for Othello's reaction (we see this scenario again in Shakespeare with Lady Macbeth pushing Macbeth into the murders, but then he takes off without much help on a killing spree). Iago was evil to put the thought of infidelity into Othello's head, but his reaction and course of action of dealing with the news is pretty bad. (Ok, this is the point in which my incoherent babble turns into personal opinion, so if you agree with secret interrogation, avoiding the issue, and good ol' misogyny, please don't fight me on this). When Othello starts to suspect Desdemona’s infidelity, instead of addressing the issue head-on and confronting her about it, he jumps straight into “my wife is a dirty strumpet” mode and relies upon the speculation of his friend instead of facts from his wife that he never asks about. The manner in which he treats Desdemona after Iago’s input is a 180 degree turn from the pair of lovebirds we see in Venice, and is pretty misogynistic. In the company of other people (and I can’t imagine how they are alone) he calls her things like whore, strumpet, and even hits her in front of Venetian nobles. He also goes out by himself and interrogates Emilia on his wife’s activities. Iago didn’t push him to do this; he did it on his own free will. This also plays into the whole avoiding the issue head-on thing that he has been doing. Oh, but you know what? Iago does kill Desdemona in the end, so i guess he was the only evil one. Oh wait, OTHELLO IS THE ONE THAT STRANGLES DESDEMONA TO DEATH IN HIS OWN BED. Instead of acting like an adult and going straight to the person he has a problem with, he beats around the bush (I mean literally, he spies on people in bushes, it’s pretty weird) and goes to everyone else besides Desdemona and Cassio for help and information. Love, Patrick James Genesius Dugan
I agree with Joey, that this play has many villains, but does not ultimately have a hero. However, I do believe that Othello plays the important role of a tragic hero. This is someone who is initially well-respected, high in society, and seen as a hero, but becomes responsible for their own downfall. Othello is admired by almost everyone in the play. Through a character flaw and external complications, such as Iago, working against him, Othello begins to suffer his dramatic fall. Othello loses all respect from others as he becomes more paranoid and untrusting of Desdemona. He becomes more gullible and manipulated by Iago. Othello eventually finds himself killing Desdemona. After he discovers that Desdemona was not lying about cheating on him, he admits he murdered her for the wrong reasons and kills himself. This classifies Othello as a tragic hero, responsible for his collapse in society, but able to admit his wrongdoings. Another one of Shakespeare's tragic heroes is Macbeth, who in a completely different manner, experiences similar problems in society. I think that Shakespeare includes this role in many of his plays due to his experience as a child watching the "tragic downfall" of his own father.
I do believe there is a hero within this play. However, It's not Othello, I believe the real hero within this play is Emilia. I mean without her the ending could have been drastically different. Iago would have cunningly used his words to go against Othello, if Othello were to say that he murdered his wife because of Iago. yes, Emilia did steal the handkerchief, however, she only did that out of love for her husband. She meant no harm, plus, Iago snatches it from her and tells her to leave. At the end of the play Emilia tells what her husband did, all his lies are revealed. Iago kills her which proves her words. She dies for the truth and for her friend Desdemona. To me that is a hero, and that's why I believe the true hero of this play is Emilia.
well, i always think it is a good idea to read and consider everyone's thoughts when writing my responses.
i agree with what most people have to say, that it is hard to find a hero in this play. in my opinion i would say there is not a true "hero" but there is certainly good and bad people. othello for example is a good person, he did his job and tried to do it being fair and just. like any person in any age he got jealous, and had a good right to be. he thought his love was cheating on him, what would you expect any ordinary man to do? its hard to remember that these actors are more like us than we really notice. they dealt with all the same problems that us kids go through and feel. most people can relate to the feeling of having a loved on be dishonest and its not a good feeling. (something i have went through. so i sympathize for othello. yes he did kill Desdemona, but i get it, it wasn't a murder, he just thought that to be what had to be done. i would have to guess that if he could do it all over again he would not kill, just more or less talk it out.
like othello, a good person there are many many "bad" people. for example iago. his plan all along it to break up Desdemona and Othello. he should just not be a home wrecker. like throughout all history there is always that one person who wants to break up perfectly happy people. that what can get me more upset than anything. iago should have just left his friend alone, yet in the end instead of getting Desdemona for himself she ended up getting killed. i would blame her death on iago, because without him she wouldnt have died.
this play is just tragic, men killing for no reason and people wrecking homes, not a good mix.
I have a few ideas for Othello and writing an analytical essay on the play rather than my nonfiction work. I enjoyed Othello and found many of the characters to play a significant role in the developing plot and the issues presented throughout the play. I also liked the comment you said in another class about Shakespeare's writing was meant to be his "plays" and not his "works", which also made me feel that most authors and writers in general intend their writing to be enjoyed and thought about rather than over analyzed. However, in writing an analytical essay, there must be some form of analysis, so my main idea will branch off as follows.
I'd like to write a paper on the strength of love and hate in relationships and what it does to a story of that kind. All of Shakespeares plays that I have read play with the power and comparison of love and hate. In Macbeth the love Macbeth had for his king was easily destroyed when he heard of something greater to him than that, power. He also fell into the trap of his wife, through both love and pressure which also led him to kill the king. The tragic result of the power of lust over love ends in their deaths.
Romeo and Juliet is a clear example of Shakespeare's play with love and hate, his message being that love conquors all, even the common sense and capability of the mind. Romeo and Juliet fall in love even though their families lived through generations of hatred for eachother. Romeo and Juliet go through lengths to be together even after just a few days of their acquaintance. However, the result ends in their stupidity in suicide for the thought of loss for one another.
Finally my essay of Othello leads opposite true than the message given off from Romeo and Juliet. The similarity in the message is that the stupidity of a person is a factor played into the idea of love versus hate. Othello and Desdemona's love seemed strong and unstoppable, even with the disapproval of Desdemona's father. Othello had a strong head and gave good judgement in the beginning of the play until Iago, a jealous "mastermind" (who would not be considered as such present day) is able to mold Othello into an angry, unethical man full of hate that results in tragic actions. Othello allows his hate to overthrow his love almost right away and allows himself to murder others for the sake of mere satisfaction that Desdemona will not be able to be unfaithful again. The disarray of morals and the idea of hate over casting love does not finsih well with Othello or any other character in the play who is either now deceased or has to suffer the loss of a friend. Although stupidity plays a significant role in Othello's actions, it will not be included as intense as this blog post.
Hope you like my ideas!! Thanks for reading Danielle D.
Although the plot of Othello was, to me, typical and expected because we read Hecatommithi beforehand, there were several interesting points brought up in class today about how it is one of the few plays in which Shakespeare deviates from his traditional tragedy that we are all familiar with. As Myranda said, there is the common theme of reputation which has remained to be an important aspect of Shakespeare's plays that he apparently wants his audience to think about. In Romeo & Juliet it is the clashing reputations of the Capulets and Montagues; in Macbeth, gaining reputation to obtain power; in Othello, the importance of rank to all the male characters. However, Othello is unique because unlike the two other tragedies we have read at Rogers it doesn't have an obvious tragic hero or a clear conflict resolution that usually goes along with the death of that hero. I hold the same opinion as Joey that none of the characters fulfill the requirements of a tragic hero. But I really liked the idea of "crazyjj"-guessing Julio? -, and have to agree that if I had to choose one, it would be Emilia. She is different in that her role as a hero is ultimately providing the truth, which may or may not have been intentional of Shakespeare to switch things up a bit. In regards to the cliffhanger ending of Othello, I personally enjoyed it because it leaves the reader unsatisfied and wondering whether or not Iago will receive justice. It is another change in style that I thought actually improved the play, since it does not have that happy ending we see in Romeo & Juliet with the two families agreeing to end their feud and Malcolm taking his rightful spot on the throne in Macbeth.
I would also have to agree with the others and say that there was no true hero in Othello; however, there were many villains. Iago, being very jealous and manipulative, can be seen as a villain because he continuously sets people up against each other by creating rumors and lies out of spite, jealousy, and hatred. However, Iago can be looked at as a "hero", not a hero as we see in a positive manner, but in a sinnical manner. It is true that Iago does not portray the natural heroic traits; nobility, honor, prestige, bravery, and things like that, but in a way he portrays them in a more negative way. Therefore, in a satanic way Iago can be looked at as a hero in Othello with a great sense of intelligence, manipulative skills, strength in trust, and other things like that. So, this is what I would like to analyze in my Othello paper; the satanic heroism that Iago portrays throughout the play.
I personally appreciate Emilia because of her selflessness and commitment to Desdemona in the play. Although, she is the one who gave the handkerchief to Iago, it was only to save her marriage. This may seem like a selfish act, but she had no idea what Iago was planning. When she saw that Desdemona and Othello's marriage was crumbling, she started to think about her own marriage and how abusive Iago was to her, yet she still loved him. He begged her to steal the handkerchief for him, so when she got the chance to save her marriage she took it even though her plan backfired on her and she was unwillingly pulled into Iago's web of evil. Again, as selfish as this may seem, her one desperate act to save her marriage is nothing compared to her lifetime of kind and selfless acts.
I also to a point agree with Olivia on that Emilia did have some wrong choices but over all was a good person and did not want the play to end up the way it did. She was just in love with her husband like most married women are and want to please him especially now since he has shown violence and agression with her. I strongly believe that if Emilia knew exactly what Iago was up to then she would not have done what she did since she truely does respect and have a friendship with Desdemona. This also brings up the topic of sexism in this book. None of the women know the actual plans of Iago and Roderigo. The men choose not to tell any women even if it is thier own wife because they feel as if they cannot trust the women. It seems that in this play the men stick together and the women stick together in their own tiny circles.
When I was thinking about what to say when writing about Othello, two main ideas come to my head. First I think of how its interesting that the entire play is basically based around a "he said, she said" type of argument and how looking back on it there was no mediator or voice of reason throughout the entire play. Now I think this is really interesting because in the last two Shakespeare plays we have read there has always been a just character that saw the difference between madness and what was right. In Macbeth, Macduff was the one that saw the madness in Macbeth and was able to fight for what was good and just. The same could be said about Romeo and Juliet. They saw the wrongness in the fighting between the two households and they were able to go against it and do what they knew is right. In othello, however, this justice is not seen in any character. Everyone seems to be involved in the rumors and lies and hate that no one really stands out as a heroic character.
The second idea that I had was the connection between power and women in both Macbeth and Othello. It is starnge to me because the women in both of these plays have a tremedous amount of power over the men and the play in general, yet they are seen as powerless characters. For example, Desdemona was loved and desired by the two biggest characters in Othello and was the cause of most of the conflict, yet she is still desrepected and looked down upon amoungst all of the male characters in the play. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth also has a tremedous amount of power and is able to persuade Macbeth very easily. It could even be said that she is a more massculine character than Macbeth. However, because she is a women she is still degraded and is seen by everyone around her as only a women.
Love and Sex in Othello
ReplyDeleteI’m going to talk about this on the blog not because I’m too embarrassed to do so in class (I sometimes have an unbearable lack of shame) but because people always give me weird stares when I bring stuff like this up.
Ever since we talked about Emilia’s revenge speech (IV.iii.95-115) in class, I have been thinking about how Shakespeare deals with female ardor, passion, lust or what have you for a little bit. I must confess I do not really have much to say on the matter but I think it’s worth some investigation.
Emilia strongly points out how women have the same feelings as men when it comes to cheating: “Let husbands know/Their wives have a sense like them. They see, and/smell,/And have their palates for sweet and sour,/As husbands have” (IV.iii.104-108), but does something more when she continues to say: “And have we not affections,/Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?” (IV.iii.112-113). I think these lines are pretty interesting, as it seems to cast men as the weaker sex here, not with affections and sport necessarily, but ‘frailty.’ Few men would be ready to admit, even today, that they have any sort of weakness, though lust and…er, ‘fun’ certainly leave men open to frailty. Traditionally speaking, women were even called the “fairer” or “weaker” sex, yet here we have a woman deeply criticizing males for their general weakness, rather than simple censure at sexual exploits.
It’s even more interesting how Shakespeare deals with females and sex (as in actual intercourse) in this play. Biblically speaking, women are temptresses and whores and the like (keep in mind I have not been to church in years), which casts them in a pretty bad light sex-wise. This sort of notion ties into the profane vocabulary one finds in Othello – whore, strumpet, hussife, etc. – where sex is viewed animalistic-ly; recall Iago’s “old black ram tupping your white ewe” (I.i.97-98), “covered with a Barbary horse” (I.i.125), “making the beast with two backs” (I.i130-131).Perhaps there was this idea that women would feel too much pleasure from the act and were kept from it… I cannot know these things for sure. But in Othello, particularly with Desdemona, we see the love involved in sex and subsequent monogamy; she would never actually speak of sex because that’s just how she is, but in the very same scene were Emilia warns men against revenge, she wants Emilia to be gone because Othello asked – she is excited not by the possibility of sex for just sex, but because Othello seemed to be in a good mood and she might get to show her love sexually with him specifically.
Even Emilia in all in cynicism says something romantic and love-fuelled in its own way; when asked if she would cheat on Iago: “Who would not make her husband a cuckold to make/him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for ‘t” (IV.iii.85-87). It seems as though Emilia is not so vengeful as her concluding words leave her to be, but, with these words, make her seems as though she would only cheat to express her love (in getting her man a better position).
In my opinion, Othello is not one of Shakespeare's best works but it is not one of his worst either. I found the ending scene to be a little too fast-paced for my liking, such as how Desdemona is killed by Othello, Emilia is killed by Iago, and Othello kills himself in quick succession. However, it does portray the theme of justice in this manner so I think that the ending was appropriate. The lasting lesson Othello has left me with is the idea that involving yourself in the affairs of others will only bring disaster in the end. I think Shakespeare believes that some things in life are meant to be kept private, however, he in no way allows the idea of marital "abuse" to enter this circle. I believe that once Desdemona's "abuse" by Othello was divulged, it was just for Othello to die (along with all those involved in "abusing" Desdemona) One final comment: in my opinion, Desdemona and Emilia represent the different ways woman handle abuse in marriages.For example, Desdemona seeks to obey her husband and love/trust him no matter what, and even in the end she blames HERSELF for her own murder. Emilia, on the other hand, develops a hatred for her husband (Iago), however, she (like Desdemona) still wishes to please him in some form (I.e. the handkerchief). As such, I believe Othello is one of the first works in history to go into the psychology, perhaps inadvertently, of spousal abuse.
ReplyDeleteBesides it being rushed, do you also think that the justice thing is corny (as a reason you don't like it)?
DeleteI think it's great personally, because the characters are so developed. Even if you don't like the characters, they have a sort of "definitive" personality. I like that, but I'm just mad about character development.
I like what you say about dealing with the psychology of spousal abuse; never really thought of it that way. Do you think there is anything else between Emilia and Desdemona? (I was toying with this idea about their homoeroticism, to parallel Othello's and Iago's... What do you think? Sorry if I seem like a sex fiend.)
And thanks for making a post! That makes me happy!
Okay, since no one else is posting, I guess I'll just post all three of my ideas from last week. Partly because I hate doing work and it not being used and partly because I like to troll people who are last-minute or just don't do their work. Sorry, but that's how the cookie tends to crumble. Don't worry, though, they aren't as long as the first post.
ReplyDeletePost 2: The Importance of Reputation
We see a lot that deals with reputation in Othello, particularly when it comes to the failings of reputation, how it does not clearly or fully represent someone. This is obvious in terms of Iago, who has the reputation of being honest and trustworthy. We also see how new reputations distort who a person really is, as with Cassio and Desdemona (who develop bad reputations).
It is through Iago that one can infer (especially after learning about Shakespeare’s real life) how the Bard might have felt about society’s strong dependence on a person’s reputation as a way to determine his worth. In this matter, Iago acts as a mouth-piece of sorts. Shakespeare shows how depending too much on reputation makes one gullible and open for failure.
In Act II, scene iii, after Iago got Cassio drunk and the fight happens, Cassio says, “Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!” (281-284). To which our Iago does reply, “... Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving. You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser” (286-289). Here, the word reputation is repeated over and over again, as if to draw considerable attention to it. Not only that, but Iago is criticizing a fundamental part of society, today and in Shakespeare’s time. With these lines, we can force Iago into an outcast role, voluntary or not.
Shakespeare was deeply acquainted with the results of good and bad reputation, with a fall from grace occurring in between. He went from school to work, etc. etc. So, with these lines here, through Iago Shakespeare is urging his audience to look beyond one’s reputation, but rather at the person themselves to see the truth. Indeed this seems to me to be the whole theme of the play, this idea of reputation.
Post 3: (At the End of the Play) Iago and Othello Seem to Switch Personalities
ReplyDeleteThroughout the whole of the play, Iago and Othello develop these near-definitive personalities. Iago has repeatedly told others how Othello is controlled by trust: “The Moor is of a free and open nature/That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,/And will as tenderly be led by th’ nose/As asses are” (I.iii.42-45) as well as emotion: “These Moors are changeable in their wills” (I.iii.389-390). And after falling subject to Iago’s lies, this certainly becomes true – with Desdemona, Othello will show his anger but then switch (as in just before he decides to kill her) to some semblance of calm. Very “changeable.” Yet in Act V, when Emilia comes in right before Desdemona dies, Othello tries on for size some of Iago’s traits, he turns to deception, playing dumb, and acting cool/composed – well, tries and fails: “Why, how should she be murdered?... You heard her say herself, it was not I…She’s like a liar gone to burning hello!/’Twas I that killed her” (V.ii.154-160). Obviously, he was not made out for it.
Iago, on the other hand, changes from his usual put-together, working well under pressure/questioning self to somewhat of an Othello; he loses his temper while being undone, as anyone would, but still – it’s Iago, one would normally expect something unexpected. “Zounds, hold your peace!...Villainous whore!” (V.ii.irrelevant). He does quickly recover from this brief give into emotion, saying austere things like, “Demand me nothing. What you know, you know./From this time forth I never will speak a word” (V.ii.355-366). So being dramatic or pulled too much by impulse feelings, he’s not made out for an Othello either; after all, “Where I the Moor, I would not be Iago” (I.i.63).
Besides just being interesting, there are other important things to note about this role reversal. Not only does it show that someone as naïve and trusting as Othello can learn and use Iago’s ploys and tactics, but it kind of speaks to some part of human nature. Personalities and mannerisms are not absolute; there is always a time where your preconceptions of a person no longer matter, everyone has a breaking point. We might also see here a subconscious desire for Iago and Othello to want to be more like each other in life. But I don’t even want to pursue that thought right now.
I just realized that I said "burning hello". LOL.
DeleteI've been thinking about the hero of this play. I don't think it has one.
ReplyDeleteI'd say it has a protagonist, but not a hero. And the protagonist I'd say it has isn't Othello, but Iago. Iago seems like a classic villain protagonist: he's clearly the bad guy of the story, but he gets all the soliloquies, we have the most insight into his mind by way of being able to follow his plots, and it even seems to make more sense to describe the play's conflict on his terms. The story is about the downfall of Othello, of course, but it doesn't follow Othello nearly as much as it does Iago - Iago is one of the first characters we meet, whereas we don't see Othello until the second scene.
So Iago is clearly the viewpoint character. But I wouldn't call him a hero, as he doesn't do anything particularly heroic. Othello is the logical next choice, but he doesn't do anything all that heroic either; his main role in the play is to get tricked into killing his wife by Iago. Ultimately, I think this is a story without a hero. It's a story about a guy who gets tricked into killing his wife by another, worse guy. It's pretty cynical, actually: it's not a story about good and evil, but about evil and evil's victims, which is more common in reality.
This is almost exactly what i was going to write. Thanks a lot bro.
DeleteI agree with Joey. When you think about how every story generally has a hero, Othello does not have a hero; but it does have a lot of villains. I feel like everyone in Othello tends to have a dark side to them, the only innocent one would be Desdemona, who gets blamed on doing something she never did and is made to be looked upon as the bad guy. Looking at all other characters, they are either plotting against one another, manipulating, stealing, and even being just mean to people who seem to care for them. Iago is the most obvious villain with whom checks off to all of the above when it comes to the wrong doing department, he has done everything that I have listed above to just about all characters in Othello. I feel like his main reason for doing this would be that he feels insecure of himself and jealous of Othello.
ReplyDeleteOthello is just as guilty as Iago though when it comes to being a villain. He plots against his own wife tokill her because she supposedly cheated on him. Who does that?!? Well apperantly he does. The normal way to solve that problem would to be to confront them about it and then divorce them. You do not need to go to extremes and murder them, especialy if you are in love with them. I personally would have never been able to do what Othello did. Although, he was manipulated into doing it. Iago did plant the seed in his head, but it still dodes not make it right! He must have felt so terrible when he found out the truth from Emilia.
Speaking of Emilia, she also is somewhat of a villain due to her stealing the hankercheif for Iago. She also could have told Desdemona, who she had claimed to be her friend in the play, about what was going on. She could have saved her life! She is equally at fault with her death, making her a villain as well. I do give her props for fessing up the truth to Othello and the others, but it was too lat e at that point. Desdemona was already dead and there was nothing she could do about it.
There were a few things I noticed while reading Othello, and one of them relates to what Joey was saying. Othello is a lot like Macbeth, there really isn't a specific hero in the play. Many people would have considered Macbeth and Othello "trajic heros", but I'm still not too sure if I believe this, mostly because the meaning behind the title is undefined.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the play there were many themes that were interpreted, one of them being the conflict between an occupation and an intimate lifestyle. For many marraiges, there is a lot of tensions between couples due to the stress of work. In a way this is dead on for Othello. If it wasn't for Othello's work, Iago would have never tried to sabotage Othello and Desdemona's marraige and they would have died of old age or war or something.
Due to his line of work, Othello is viewed by many as a powerful, respected warrior who is very good at what he does. However, Othello has many insecurities due to his race and the age difference between him and his wife. Knowing his weakness, Iago cleverly takes advantage of Othello's insecurity and uses it against him. Iago is able to see the rift between Othello's occupation and personal life, and attack it to the point where Othello turns on his own heart.
What I was able to take from reading Othello was a common theme of Appearance vs. Reality. In William Shakespeare's "Othello", there is an ongoing conflict between what characters seem to be initially and who they actually turn out to be at the play's end.Especially relevant to the issue of Iago's character; for although he is called "honest" by almost everyone in the play, he is treacherous, deceitful, and manipulative. Throughout the play Othello always refers to Iago as “honest Iago” when in reality he was the sneakiest character in the book. I found this interesting and showed how someone can user the trust they gained in order to manipulate and make people do what they want without getting caught or in trouble for doing it.
ReplyDeleteOthello is another prime example that supports the topic “appearance vs. reality". To all his peers, he is known as 'the noble moor', he is someone who is known as the calm, smart and is not only respected but respects others. But if you read further into the play, your point of view about him will drastically change, and the once near perfect Othello has many drastic flaws to his personality that lead to the tragic events at the end of the play.
Othello appears to his audience as a strong and confident character. He shows that he has confidence and appears not scared. In Act I Scene II, he asks Brabantio "What if I do obey?” in order to show that he lacks no confidence and has no fear. But in realty like we all know he is a self-conscious guy who will break as first thought of his reputation or marriage breaking apart. He is not a man of confidence but a man who cannot take one bad word be against him. This shows how what the readers see at first may not be always true.
Another example of Othello pretending to be something that he really is not is when he pretends to be someone who can talk about his feelings and will always speak to person he has a problem with. Othello first appearance to his audience is that he speaks his mind; he's honest. He is not afraid to say how he feels and what he chooses to say, he makes sure that his words are the words of truth. In Act I Scene II, he describes himself as "my parts, my title, and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly". When really he is someone who cannot even ask his own wife if she is cheating on him, or speak to the man he believes is doing this. This of course all leads to him being pushed over the line and killing Desdemona.
This theme is shown throughout the play in many other characters as well. It also applies to Desdemona, as Othello believes that she is deceitful and impure, although she is really blameless and innocent. She could not be more innocent but is looked at like the “whore” of the town. Another example is how Cassio appears to be a traitor and to have had an affair with Othello’s wife but in fact his words were turned into lies and were slandered. This play shows or brings forth the message of everything might not be as it seems. You might think you know someone or something and then the next second you killed your wife for no reason. After reading Othello I found this to be one of the major ideas that Shakespeare was trying to get across to his readers.
Partially in response to Gabi’s post and my own personal thoughts, I decided to draw attention to the symbols and influences that Desdemona and Emilia play in Othello and the way Shakespeare derived the characters. As Gabi said, the two women represent the different ways women respond to abuse: Desdemona obeys whereas Emilia rebels. I know that within the Searching For Shakespeare movie, Anne Hathaway (hope that’s spelt correctly) is mentioned briefly, mainly around the time of their marriage. I was starting to wonder if maybe Shakespeare derived Desdemona and Emilia from his thoughts on Anne. If at times, the couple suffered due to their distance and lack of communication. If at times, Shakespeare felt disrespected by his wife, she would be portrayed by Emilia but when she would succumb to his requests that would give him thoughts of Desdemona’s character. The two women could resemble a split personality of Anne and his relationship with her.
ReplyDeleteBecause Joey took what I was going to write about almost word for word, I'm going to talk about the vilification of Othello in the play. Iago manipulates Othello into thinking Desdemona is cheating on him, but this is just a spark for Othello's reaction (we see this scenario again in Shakespeare with Lady Macbeth pushing Macbeth into the murders, but then he takes off without much help on a killing spree). Iago was evil to put the thought of infidelity into Othello's head, but his reaction and course of action of dealing with the news is pretty bad. (Ok, this is the point in which my incoherent babble turns into personal opinion, so if you agree with secret interrogation, avoiding the issue, and good ol' misogyny, please don't fight me on this). When Othello starts to suspect Desdemona’s infidelity, instead of addressing the issue head-on and confronting her about it, he jumps straight into “my wife is a dirty strumpet” mode and relies upon the speculation of his friend instead of facts from his wife that he never asks about. The manner in which he treats Desdemona after Iago’s input is a 180 degree turn from the pair of lovebirds we see in Venice, and is pretty misogynistic. In the company of other people (and I can’t imagine how they are alone) he calls her things like whore, strumpet, and even hits her in front of Venetian nobles. He also goes out by himself and interrogates Emilia on his wife’s activities. Iago didn’t push him to do this; he did it on his own free will. This also plays into the whole avoiding the issue head-on thing that he has been doing. Oh, but you know what? Iago does kill Desdemona in the end, so i guess he was the only evil one. Oh wait, OTHELLO IS THE ONE THAT STRANGLES DESDEMONA TO DEATH IN HIS OWN BED. Instead of acting like an adult and going straight to the person he has a problem with, he beats around the bush (I mean literally, he spies on people in bushes, it’s pretty weird) and goes to everyone else besides Desdemona and Cassio for help and information.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Patrick James Genesius Dugan
I agree with Joey, that this play has many villains, but does not ultimately have a hero. However, I do believe that Othello plays the important role of a tragic hero. This is someone who is initially well-respected, high in society, and seen as a hero, but becomes responsible for their own downfall. Othello is admired by almost everyone in the play. Through a character flaw and external complications, such as Iago, working against him, Othello begins to suffer his dramatic fall. Othello loses all respect from others as he becomes more paranoid and untrusting of Desdemona. He becomes more gullible and manipulated by Iago. Othello eventually finds himself killing Desdemona. After he discovers that Desdemona was not lying about cheating on him, he admits he murdered her for the wrong reasons and kills himself. This classifies Othello as a tragic hero, responsible for his collapse in society, but able to admit his wrongdoings.
ReplyDeleteAnother one of Shakespeare's tragic heroes is Macbeth, who in a completely different manner, experiences similar problems in society. I think that Shakespeare includes this role in many of his plays due to his experience as a child watching the "tragic downfall" of his own father.
I do believe there is a hero within this play. However, It's not Othello, I believe the real hero within this play is Emilia. I mean without her the ending could have been drastically different. Iago would have cunningly used his words to go against Othello, if Othello were to say that he murdered his wife because of Iago. yes, Emilia did steal the handkerchief, however, she only did that out of love for her husband. She meant no harm, plus, Iago snatches it from her and tells her to leave. At the end of the play Emilia tells what her husband did, all his lies are revealed. Iago kills her which proves her words. She dies for the truth and for her friend Desdemona. To me that is a hero, and that's why I believe the true hero of this play is Emilia.
ReplyDeletewell, i always think it is a good idea to read and consider everyone's thoughts when writing my responses.
ReplyDeletei agree with what most people have to say, that it is hard to find a hero in this play. in my opinion i would say there is not a true "hero" but there is certainly good and bad people. othello for example is a good person, he did his job and tried to do it being fair and just. like any person in any age he got jealous, and had a good right to be. he thought his love was cheating on him, what would you expect any ordinary man to do? its hard to remember that these actors are more like us than we really notice. they dealt with all the same problems that us kids go through and feel. most people can relate to the feeling of having a loved on be dishonest and its not a good feeling. (something i have went through. so i sympathize for othello. yes he did kill Desdemona, but i get it, it wasn't a murder, he just thought that to be what had to be done. i would have to guess that if he could do it all over again he would not kill, just more or less talk it out.
like othello, a good person there are many many "bad" people. for example iago. his plan all along it to break up Desdemona and Othello. he should just not be a home wrecker. like throughout all history there is always that one person who wants to break up perfectly happy people. that what can get me more upset than anything. iago should have just left his friend alone, yet in the end instead of getting Desdemona for himself she ended up getting killed. i would blame her death on iago, because without him she wouldnt have died.
this play is just tragic, men killing for no reason and people wrecking homes, not a good mix.
I have a few ideas for Othello and writing an analytical essay on the play rather than my nonfiction work. I enjoyed Othello and found many of the characters to play a significant role in the developing plot and the issues presented throughout the play. I also liked the comment you said in another class about Shakespeare's writing was meant to be his "plays" and not his "works", which also made me feel that most authors and writers in general intend their writing to be enjoyed and thought about rather than over analyzed. However, in writing an analytical essay, there must be some form of analysis, so my main idea will branch off as follows.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to write a paper on the strength of love and hate in relationships and what it does to a story of that kind. All of Shakespeares plays that I have read play with the power and comparison of love and hate. In Macbeth the love Macbeth had for his king was easily destroyed when he heard of something greater to him than that, power. He also fell into the trap of his wife, through both love and pressure which also led him to kill the king. The tragic result of the power of lust over love ends in their deaths.
Romeo and Juliet is a clear example of Shakespeare's play with love and hate, his message being that love conquors all, even the common sense and capability of the mind. Romeo and Juliet fall in love even though their families lived through generations of hatred for eachother. Romeo and Juliet go through lengths to be together even after just a few days of their acquaintance. However, the result ends in their stupidity in suicide for the thought of loss for one another.
Finally my essay of Othello leads opposite true than the message given off from Romeo and Juliet. The similarity in the message is that the stupidity of a person is a factor played into the idea of love versus hate. Othello and Desdemona's love seemed strong and unstoppable, even with the disapproval of Desdemona's father. Othello had a strong head and gave good judgement in the beginning of the play until Iago, a jealous "mastermind" (who would not be considered as such present day) is able to mold Othello into an angry, unethical man full of hate that results in tragic actions. Othello allows his hate to overthrow his love almost right away and allows himself to murder others for the sake of mere satisfaction that Desdemona will not be able to be unfaithful again. The disarray of morals and the idea of hate over casting love does not finsih well with Othello or any other character in the play who is either now deceased or has to suffer the loss of a friend. Although stupidity plays a significant role in Othello's actions, it will not be included as intense as this blog post.
Hope you like my ideas!! Thanks for reading
Danielle D.
Although the plot of Othello was, to me, typical and expected because we read Hecatommithi beforehand, there were several interesting points brought up in class today about how it is one of the few plays in which Shakespeare deviates from his traditional tragedy that we are all familiar with. As Myranda said, there is the common theme of reputation which has remained to be an important aspect of Shakespeare's plays that he apparently wants his audience to think about. In Romeo & Juliet it is the clashing reputations of the Capulets and Montagues; in Macbeth, gaining reputation to obtain power; in Othello, the importance of rank to all the male characters. However, Othello is unique because unlike the two other tragedies we have read at Rogers it doesn't have an obvious tragic hero or a clear conflict resolution that usually goes along with the death of that hero. I hold the same opinion as Joey that none of the characters fulfill the requirements of a tragic hero. But I really liked the idea of "crazyjj"-guessing Julio? -, and have to agree that if I had to choose one, it would be Emilia. She is different in that her role as a hero is ultimately providing the truth, which may or may not have been intentional of Shakespeare to switch things up a bit. In regards to the cliffhanger ending of Othello, I personally enjoyed it because it leaves the reader unsatisfied and wondering whether or not Iago will receive justice. It is another change in style that I thought actually improved the play, since it does not have that happy ending we see in Romeo & Juliet with the two families agreeing to end their feud and Malcolm taking his rightful spot on the throne in Macbeth.
ReplyDeleteI would also have to agree with the others and say that there was no true hero in Othello; however, there were many villains. Iago, being very jealous and manipulative, can be seen as a villain because he continuously sets people up against each other by creating rumors and lies out of spite, jealousy, and hatred. However, Iago can be looked at as a "hero", not a hero as we see in a positive manner, but in a sinnical manner. It is true that Iago does not portray the natural heroic traits; nobility, honor, prestige, bravery, and things like that, but in a way he portrays them in a more negative way. Therefore, in a satanic way Iago can be looked at as a hero in Othello with a great sense of intelligence, manipulative skills, strength in trust, and other things like that. So, this is what I would like to analyze in my Othello paper; the satanic heroism that Iago portrays throughout the play.
ReplyDeleteI personally appreciate Emilia because of her selflessness and commitment to Desdemona in the play. Although, she is the one who gave the handkerchief to Iago, it was only to save her marriage. This may seem like a selfish act, but she had no idea what Iago was planning. When she saw that Desdemona and Othello's marriage was crumbling, she started to think about her own marriage and how abusive Iago was to her, yet she still loved him. He begged her to steal the handkerchief for him, so when she got the chance to save her marriage she took it even though her plan backfired on her and she was unwillingly pulled into Iago's web of evil. Again, as selfish as this may seem, her one desperate act to save her marriage is nothing compared to her lifetime of kind and selfless acts.
ReplyDeleteI also to a point agree with Olivia on that Emilia did have some wrong choices but over all was a good person and did not want the play to end up the way it did. She was just in love with her husband like most married women are and want to please him especially now since he has shown violence and agression with her. I strongly believe that if Emilia knew exactly what Iago was up to then she would not have done what she did since she truely does respect and have a friendship with Desdemona. This also brings up the topic of sexism in this book. None of the women know the actual plans of Iago and Roderigo. The men choose not to tell any women even if it is thier own wife because they feel as if they cannot trust the women. It seems that in this play the men stick together and the women stick together in their own tiny circles.
ReplyDeleteIdeas in Othello
ReplyDeleteWhen I was thinking about what to say when writing about Othello, two main ideas come to my head. First I think of how its interesting that the entire play is basically based around a "he said, she said" type of argument and how looking back on it there was no mediator or voice of reason throughout the entire play. Now I think this is really interesting because in the last two Shakespeare plays we have read there has always been a just character that saw the difference between madness and what was right. In Macbeth, Macduff was the one that saw the madness in Macbeth and was able to fight for what was good and just. The same could be said about Romeo and Juliet. They saw the wrongness in the fighting between the two households and they were able to go against it and do what they knew is right. In othello, however, this justice is not seen in any character. Everyone seems to be involved in the rumors and lies and hate that no one really stands out as a heroic character.
The second idea that I had was the connection between power and women in both Macbeth and Othello. It is starnge to me because the women in both of these plays have a tremedous amount of power over the men and the play in general, yet they are seen as powerless characters. For example, Desdemona was loved and desired by the two biggest characters in Othello and was the cause of most of the conflict, yet she is still desrepected and looked down upon amoungst all of the male characters in the play. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth also has a tremedous amount of power and is able to persuade Macbeth very easily. It could even be said that she is a more massculine character than Macbeth. However, because she is a women she is still degraded and is seen by everyone around her as only a women.
Katie Ryan