Othelloooooo

Yeah, I just didn't know what I wanted to title this, so that looked appropriate.

So I must say that overall, I enjoyed Othello...but that doesn't come as too much of a surprise to me because I like most of Shakespeare's works that I have read. This one in particular is very different though because of the evil character. It is not told in the evil character's point of view, but it definitely is more objectively limited to Iago. Iago's plans are often spelled out for the most part in his asides and he is the focal point of the story since he is making the story flow. Without Iago, as annoying and cruel as he is, Othello would not even be a story. Well, I suppose it could be a story but it would be kind of boring since Othello and Desdemona are basically the "perfect couple" who "ran away together because they were so in love" type thing, but Iago definitely spiced things up a bit. It kind of ticks me off though just because Iago should have gotten what's coming to him. Cassio pretty much can do what ever he wants with Iago but that is all open for interpretation after the story ends. Overall, Othello has a huge lesson about jealousy and how it can be provoked if the facts aren't checked and the right people are not listened to. If Othello could have listened to his wife and figured out what was going on, he may not have made the rash decision to kill her and then himself. If he would have seen through Iago's deceit then he may not have ended up dead by the end of the story. Othello is a pretty good story and I'm glad we read it :]

Othello- Dramatic Suspense

10:08 PM Posted by Emily Looney 0 comments
Number 4: How is dramatic suspense created?

Dramatic suspense is created in multiple ways in this play. Iago is a huge proponent of the dramatics because he soliloquys and asides always tell the reader what he is plotting to do next and how he plans on ruining someone else's life. He does not always tell the entire plan of what he is going to do, but he says things like "remove Cassio" (IV. ii.179-220) and the like which provides suspense for the audience and the reader because they do not know how it will turn out. There is much dramatic suspense when the audience or the reader realizes that the story is a tragedy but no one has died yet. Also, the bad guy has not gotten anything that has been coming to him yet. All of Iago's plans have been working perfectly for him and nothing has gone wrong until Desdemona is killed in Act V and Emilia realizes that her husband is even more of a criminal than she thought. The audience has much more information than the characters do mainly because of Iago's asides. Without the inside information about Iago, audiences would be confused because he is such a good actor that he can put on a straight face and lie to anyone to make them believe him. The audience knows that Desdemona never cheated on Othello and Othello never slept with Emilia. The audience also knows that Othello is a good man who does not turn bad until he is provoked by evil. The same applies for Cassio when he is pressured to get drunk and get in a fight with Roderigo. Since the audience has so much information, the audience is able to predict more things that are going to happen but they just cannot figure out exactly when or how these tragedies occur.

Othello- tragedy

9:54 PM Posted by Emily Looney 0 comments
Question 2: Othello is a tragedy.

The way this story even started out with Iago plotting against a bunch of random people who we had barely been introduced to proved that the play was not going to be a comedy and end happily. Iago is too cruel and impassive to simply let go of something and let the people he is jealous of live a happy life. In the end, basically all of the main characters and supporting characters die: Othello, Desdemona, Emilia, Roderigo. Of course though the worst guy (Iago) doesn't die in the play. Cassio is commanded to do what he pleases with Iago since he is the governor. I imagine that Iago will not live too much longer, but maybe Cassio wants to keep him alive and in jail. You never know how Iago will smooth talk his way out of things.

It is very important to know that this story is a tragedy while it is being read because no one dies until the very last act. Then it's like an explosion of death and killing. This story could very well end up being a comedy until the last act, but it would not be fulfilling to an audience to all the sudden see Iago turn and become a good guy who admits his wrongs and everyone lives happily ever after. Plus, Iago's just not that kind of a guy. He's a plotting, conniving, jealous, and angry man who is not about to change himself in any way. He is the antagonist while also the flat character because he does not change in any major way over the course of the play unless him becoming more evil counts as a change. If this play was anything else but a dramatic tragedy, it would not be appealing to an audience or to a reader.

Emilia's Character

Emilia is a very interesting character to me. While she is obviously not a very important character, she still aids her husband Iago often whether or not she realizes it. She is very close with Desdemona as is portrayed but she is not upset when she gives her husband Desdemona's handkerchief that he will use against her. She is a very weak character altogether because she cannot express her opinions without being shot down or belittled by her husband. She obviously does not have a good realationship with Iago because I'm not really sure if anyone can. This is most obvious when Desdemona and Emilia are talking and Iago tells them about all the different woman and how they use their tricks to get what they want. He also says to Cassio that his wife gives him so much lip he wishes she would shut up every once in awhile (II.i.100-103). He has very little respect for women and it is even worse that he is married and treats his wife like that. Emilia does not help the situation in that she doesn't speak much so she doesn't defend herself or anyone else. It doesn't say if Iago ever asks her if she slept with Othello but she has never inquired as to why he is acting odd lately or trying to take down Othello. Emilia so far is a very flat character who is more of an accomplice to Iago than a wife.

Themes of Othello

4:32 PM Posted by Emily Looney 0 comments
"Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss" (III.iii.165-170)
These words spoken by Iago to Othello are both ironic and true because jealousy can tear a person apart and Iago can attest to that. It is a very ironic statement coming from Iago because the only reason why he is messing with Othello and Cassio is because of his uncontrollable jealousy. Jealousy, along with maniacal planning, and light and dark, are a few of the many themes of Othello
Iago never stops planning. At the end of nearly every act he is planning through his soliloquy what he is going to do next. He planned to plant the handkerchief in Cassio's room so that Desdemona and Cassio looked guilty (III.iii.322-325), and he managed to plan many other things like Cassio's fight that made Othello suspect him in the first place. Now Othello's life is being torn apart because everyone who he respects and trusts he can no longer keep his faith in them.
The theme of light and dark occurs often especially sinace Othello is a black man and everyone else seems to be white. There are multiple racial slurs that are backhandedly cruel to Othello and some are just how they speak. When Iago is speaking to Desdemona and Emilia, they reference ugly people as "black" and how they will find someone that is "white" (II.i.141-142).
The most important theme of all though is jealousy. There wouldn't be a story without Iago's planning but his jealousy is what takes its toll on him and the other characters.

Othello- protagonist/antagonist

4:21 PM Posted by Emily Looney 1 comments
Othello is definitely the protagonist in the play named after him. He is the hero type who has everything going for him-- the woman, the job, the fancy lifestyle. Unfortunately he has the fatal flaw of jealousy and he begins to distrust people because of word of mouth. On the other hand, Iago is the antagonist who is trying to bring down Othello and his wife because he believes Othello once slept with his wife Emilia and he is upset because Othello chose Cassio as his lieutenant instead of Iago who has more experience (I.i.35-37). Iago is the bad guy, the person that no one likes because he goes to great lengths to make life terrible and screwed up for Othello even though there is no proof that he ever slept with Emilia. Iago also suffers from the same jealousy problem as Othello. When it comes to foil characters, Iago and Cassio foil one another. Iago's planning and deceit show how terrible of a man he is and that he would do anything to get his way. Cassio on the other hand is simple a victim in this story. He is pressured to drink by Iago even though he claims he is not a drinker and then he ends up getting in a fight with Roderigo (II.iii.129-134). Then Iago tells Montano that "drink rocks his cradle" and he gets like this every night in order to get to sleep even thought this is a complete lie (II.iii.110-113). Finally, the minor characters move this story along because they are the messengers or accomplices of Iago even if they do not realize it. They do his will and his bidding because they believe him to be an honest man, but he is actually so deceiving that they do not notice his treachery.