For
Wednesday: Shakespeare, Othello, Act 3
Answer TWO
of the following...
Q1: Iago
claims throughout that he actually believes the slander he spreads, and that he
only gives people ‘good’ advice, even if it ultimately serves his purpose. How
does Iago use the truth—or his version of the truth—to sway Othello against his
wife and Cassio? (note: some people have argued that it’s not a lie if you
believe it yourself!)
Q2: Related
to the above question, what information do you feel ultimately ‘turns’ Othello
from trusting husband to jealous cuckold? He tells Iago at one point, “No,
Iago/I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;/And on the proof there is no
more but this:/Away at once with love or jealousy!” (59). Since he never sees
proof, what makes him choose jealousy over love?
Q3: Some
African-American actors have refused to play Othello, seeing him ultimately as
a racist stereotype of a black man, full of wild moods and sensuous appetites.
We see this change in his character in Act 3, when the noble, poetic Othello
becomes increasingly brooding and vicious. How do you think a 21st century
audience should read Othello here? Is Shakespeare ultimately confirming the
stereotype (as if to say that all Moors eventually turn into monsters), or is
Othello simply a universal husband/lover here?
Q4: What
kind of woman is Emilia, and who’s side do you feel she’s ultimately on:
Desdemona/Othello’s, or her husband’s? How much does she actually understand of
the plot? You might also consider her lines to Desdemona: “[Men] are all but
stomachs, and we all but food;/They eat us hungerly, and when they are
full/They belch us” (72).
(Kinda upset, because I had to rewrite this after the wifi decided to stop working, and wouldn't let me submit my answers.)
ReplyDeleteQ3: I think readers that don't close read would be outraged by this. Racism is something that still even happens today, and when someone were to read this, they'd definitely see the stereotypical "angered" and "outraged characteristic" of a black man. If readers, that assumed Shakespeare was being racist, would close read, they would see that he wasn't. Any man that finds out, or has reason to believe, that his wife is cheating, reacts the same way. He is angry, belligerent, and he wants to uncover the truth right then and there. Othello's reaction is like any normal reaction, to me.
Q4: I think Emilia is innocently guilty. In reality, she only wants to please her husband. I agree that they have a really weird relationship, but she never asks, or is even worried about, Iago's intentions. She steals the handkerchief and, although asks for it back, gives in to Iago's wishes, and when Desdemona asks about where it must be, Emilia claims to not even know. And as far as Iago's plans, if I were in her shoes, I would be tenacious and nosy. But I guess things were different then.
Q3- I think that the reader should keep several things in mind when analyzing Othello. The reader needs to remember that Moors were looked down upon during this period of time. However, as we have previously discussed, Othello is not your typical Moor; he has risen to a position of authority in the military, and thus has a special place among society. The reader also needs to realize that this entire play hinges on the fact that Othello is not the standard lower class Moor. It is understandable that Othello's misconception about his wife and Cassio would make him upset, as it would with most men. Personally, I feel that it is necessary for Othello to become murderously angry, otherwise the play would not have a crux/climax. This is a classic example of the "causation/correlation" debate. Would the character Othello act the same way if he wasn't a Moor?
ReplyDeleteQ4- Emilia is an interesting character, despite her relatively minor role in the play. She obviously dislikes her husband as we discussed in the previous class, yet she seems obligated to assist him in his endeavor. (to an extent) I feel like Emilia wants to be a fairly neutral character. Emilia seems like she is fed up with men and their jealousy and objectivist attitude. In her quote on page 72, she is basically stating that men use women as a means to an end, whether it be carnal or not. After the men have reached their goal, they have no use for the woman any longer. This statement sounds like something that the Wife of Bath would say.
QA4: Emilia is a dirty woman that is a mischief maker. She is not on Desdemona's side. It's clear when she hands her clearly beloved handkerchief to Iago without just reason for his longing for it. Even still, she bickers with him as if she does not love him. I'm inclined at this point in the play to assume she is a toy, believes she is a toy, and is nothing more than a trouble maker with her quiet observation and her weaving hands.
ReplyDeleteQA2: Othello is intrigued by Iago's facade of reluctance to speak his evil, and perhaps misguided says Iago, thoughts. Iago keeps avoiding questions and insisting he mustn't say anything that isn't true, just a strong suspicion. Othello (seemingly) has to pry Iago to speak his honest mind. This roundabout already has the seed planted. Once Iago mentions what he thinks Desdemona has and is currently doing with Cassio, that is enough for Othello - he chooses jealousy over love without proof because of his die hard trust for his "honest" brother in arms who is acting as a caring, loyal and loving friend.
3. The persona Othello puts on in Act 3 is one that would be pretty familiar to a 21st century audience. For me, when reading portions such as the one on pages 67-69 when Othello talks to Iago of taking a revenge on Desdamona and Cassio by means of death, it was hard not to envision Othello with a wife-beater and about to hop in his Lincoln to perform a drive-by on Cassio, shouting beautiful, poetic insults all the while. Most men today would take the news of supposed adultery angrily, but not to the point of wanting to kill someone. Otherwise, we would see a lot more Adulterous Lives Matter marches on television. Maybe Othello is supposed to be taking on the black man stereotype, and maybe Shakespeare was racist enough to actually portray him that way; though, I haven’t asked him.
ReplyDelete4. Emilia is a wife who submits to the will of her dastardly husband without, as it seems, much remorse. This is probably because she isn’t entirely sure of the plot. If she knew her friend, Desdamona, was doomed to an unruly fate by the hands of her husband’s scheme, she likely would provide a little more resistance than she already does when Iago convinces her to give him Desdamonas handkerchief on page 63. On this same page, you can see the mutual disdain Emilia and Othello feel for one another, and Emilia likely holds a disdain for most men of war like her husband which we can see on page 72 in her line quoted in the above question. I especially like this line as it provides a clear image of women being merely necessary to men and not particularly desired.
Q1. Iago uses Cassio's sudden departure from a private conversation with Desdemona when Othello arrives as proof that something must be going on between Desdemona and Cassio. He even goes on to say that it is strange if that was Cassio, because Cassio wouldn't "steal away so guilty-like; \ seeing [Othello] coming" (54). Iago also uses the missing handkerchief as proof because it is true that it is missing and that he has seen it. It just not true that he saw the handkerchief in Cassio's lodgings. This is also another tatic that professional liars use, and that is to hide your lies with some truths. Except Iago takes it one step further and hides it in Cassio's lodgings.
ReplyDeleteQ2. I think that Othello is already faintly suspicious when he sees Cassio suddenly depart ashamed from talking to Desdemona when he sees Othello. But what I feel really drives Iago's stake into Othello's heart is when he asks Desdemona to show him her handkerchief and she is unable to do so, and then proceeds to keep bringing up Cassio. He takes this lack of evidence as evidence because he can SEE that she doesn't have it. As Iago said in Act 1, "The Moor is of free and open nature, / that thinks men honest that seem to be so, / and will as tenderly be led by th' nose / as asses are..." (26). Othello is a man who values himself as being an honest and trustworthy guy, but fails to realize that not everyone who seems honest is honest because he is. So, he naively believes everything Iago tells him because Iago seems honest. And that Naive trust in honesty is what ultimately makes him become a jealous husband.
Question 3: I believe Shakespeare in not confirming any stereo type. If Shakespeare was to take this story and make Othello any other race (Caucasian, Asian, Native American, etc.) there would still be the same concept of the jealous husband/lover. Universally people become envious in certain situations, and universally no lover would appreciate see their partner unrightfully with another. Once again, Shakespeare could have used any race that he saw fit and there would still be claims of racial stereotyping happening from some people. Unfortunately, that is just how society seems to be now days.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 4: I believe Emilia is on Iago’s side, but not in the way she is rooting for the downfall of Othello. There are no ill or malice motives. I believe she truly does care for Desdemona and her love for Othello. However, Iago, no matter how much they seem to hate one another, is still her husband, and that holds some loyalty. It is like battered wife syndrome. Iago is so abusive towards her but at the end of the day she still loves him. That is why she continually returns to him just to be thrown back up. I also think that is why she gave Iago the handkerchief. While she knew it was very important to Desdemona, she also knew her husband needed it; therefore, it was given to her husband.
2. I think as previously addressed in lecture today, the real turn occurs when Iago reminds Othello about what happened with his wife and her father at the beginning. Iago talks of Desdemona loving her father, but knowing that her devotion now lies to her husband. He reminds Othello that if she loved her father more than Othello, she could easily do the same to Othello with Cassio. On page 59, lines 203-206, Iago says, “I know our country disposition well:/In Venice they do let God see the pranks/They dare not show their husbands; their best conscience /Is not to leave’t undone, but [keep’t] unknown.” Iago also slides in the idea that all women of Venice act in this matter, maybe to reveal his own inner conflict with his wife’s “possible” actions.
ReplyDelete3. Othello should be read as an individual that loves his wife and is jealous at the possibly of her having an affair; an affair in which was with one of his most trusted officials that helped him court his lady. This isn’t a matter of race, rather a reflection of the human heart. Any human, of whatever ethnicity, gender, or social economic status has the ability to get jealous if they allow themselves to get upset over something; this could also be seen as the problem known as sin. I think the reason individuals refuse to play him is because of the possible interpretations that people have of a racial viewpoint. Being in the timeframe that Shakespeare was, I don’t think he could have spoken outright against these social issues; the result of this I believe is him simply hinting to these matters, letting the audience decide how to see the characters.
Q #2
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned before in class, I think that it was the fact the Iago would not let up with saying that he fears what he said has gotten to Othello. Othello keep saying "No it hasn't. I'm not jealous." and Iago says "I fear it has, I fear it has." So Othello might be a little frustrated with Iago's remarks so that might hook him into thinking well maybe this has moved me. Maybe she is doing what Iago says, for Othello then says "No, not much moved;" Then there is the fact the Iago sneakily mentions that Desdemona left her father for Othello and how that could change since it did with her Father.
Q #4
This is my least favorite question just because there is so much you write for this one! Personally I think that Emilia is in favor of herself. I know that doesn't answer your question, but let me explain. I do not think she is in favor of her husband. She follows him and does what he says for the most part, but she hates the way he has spoken to her and treated her over the years. Thus her comment remains relevant about how men chew us up then spit us out. I also don't think she is in favor of Desdemona/Othello, at this point at least and I won't spoil the ending! I think that she sees the sweetness and purity of Desdemona. Desdemon sees in black and white. Either you love or you don't. There is no in between. She is in love with Othello and is still newly married. She is not used to the problems of marriage, like Emilia is. Although Othello is not evil like Iago. So Emilia probably sees herself as a woman who knows more and who has seen more of life and the problems.