Othello - Movie Clip Comments

Before we started Othello, we had to read a little about reading a play and understanding the differences between whole one writes a play and when one writes a story. Today in class, there was a major point that was brought to my attention when we watched a movie clip. I was very confused with the scene in the beginning of Act IV, but when I watched the movie clip I understood it. I then went back and looked at the actual writing of the play and I realized how closely i needed to pay attention when reading because these plays were not ultimately wrote to be read, they were wrote to be acted out. I didn't realize how the conversation between Cassio and Iago could've worked out with Othello watching so closely. I knew that at some point Bianca's name had to be brought up. When I watched the movie I realized how Iago changed his volume and tone with Cassio when actually saying the names of Desdemona and Bianca and it all made sense from there. So many aspects can happen at one time with an audience watching a play, but when reading a play, the reader has to dissect every part in order to fully understand the text and the situation.

Othello - Suspense

4. In this story, a great amount of suspense is created by the plot. By the end of Act IV, the audience is on the edge of their seat wondering how the story is going to end up with just one more act left. Shakespeare creates this suspense by giving one character the ability to harm so many lives. Iago has intertwined the lives of the main characters and has created a huge ball of fury by the end of Act IV. Also, but this time, the audience realizes that the story has to be a tragedy. The also know that with tragedy comes death and nobody has died yet. They are so eager to know who is going to die and how it is all going to play out in the end. This suspense is created because it is completely dramatic. Besides Iago, only the audience realizes what is truly going on. The audience knows that the ball of fury is about to burst, but the characters in the play besides Iago are either in utter confusion or anger. There seems to be proof for their anger, but little do the characters know that the whole situation is a complete lie by the deceitful Iago.

Othello - Characters

3. I believe that the protagonist in this story is Othello and the antagonist is Iago. This is because Othello is characterized as the main character, hero, and leader. Iago on the other hand is the antagonist because he is opposed to Othello and works against him and almost everyone else in the play. Two people I see as foil characters is Iago and Cassio. First, I see them as foils in the way they treat women. Cassio respects women while Iago could care less about how women are treated. Also, even though Cassio is made out to be a drunkard, I believe that there is enough evidence to show how good of a man he is. Iago is deceiving and the complete opposite of a reliable man. I believe that the minor characters in the story are there to help Iago out with his plan. He uses every single one of them to put together a puzzle of poison.I do believe the minor characters such as the Duke, Montano, and Lodovico are like the glue that holds all the main events of the story together.

Othello

Personally, I wasn't extremely excited when I heard that we had to read something by Shakespeare. I have read a couple of his other works and I have just always been slightly intimidated by the way he writes. It is challenging for me to understand. After starting Othello, I think that I became less frightened. I am not sure why, but I think that I can understand his writing a little better now. I can't comprehend every little piece, but I believe that I can grasp the gist of the story. One thing that I did pick up on was the difference between the two Iago's. When is is trying to impress someone or be formal with them, Shakespeare made him speak poettically. Otherwise, when Iago is talking to Roderigo informally, Iago speaks in prose. This just further emphasizes how Iago is being two completely different people.

Othello

5. This play presents the themes of Jealousy, Pre-Judgement, Hatred, Racial issues, and Gender roles. I believe that these themes have a great dramatic effect on the experience. The conflicts in the play are wrapped around all of these issues. In Act I of the play, the issue of Othello's and Desdemona's marriage touches on almost all of these themes. Brabantio, Desdemona's father, prejudges Othello because of his race and claims his daughter as his own property because she "isn't" married. Well, he doesn't believe so. Then once he begins to believe it, he says. "It is too true an evil. Gone she is. And what’s to come of my despisèd time, Is naught but bitterness. Now, Roderigo,Where didst thou see her?—Oh, unhappy girl!—With the Moor, say’st thou?—Who would be a father?— ( I.i.158-162 )." Brabantio doesn't even want to claim her as a daughter anymore. This was definitely a harsh time. At the time of the play, people might have percieved race and gender this way, but now, the world today sees these issues from a different view. Lastly, I do not find this play to be didactic at all. I would lean more to the view that is has an insufficientpresentation of important concerns.

Othello

2. The play Othello would be classified as a tragedy. I only know this because it is what I have heard from peers because I haven't read all 5 acts yet. After the Act I, I knew that it wasn't a comedy or farce because it wasn't light-hearted and humorous to any extent. Lastly, I put a line through melodrama because the plot wasn't extremely dramatic and over the top. Plus, the author is Shakespeare, so I assumed it would probably be a tragedy anyways. In the beginning of the story, Iago's 2-faced qualities gave me the hint that this story is destine to turn out to be tragic. I believe that Iago being a villain proves one of the aspects of a tragedy. First, Iago speaks of taking advantage of Othello to Roderigo,"O sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him (I.i.41-42)." Then at the end of Act I, Iago tells Roderigo to sell all of his belongings and the speaks to himself, "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse (I.iii. 364)." Personally, I don't believe that it is really important for an audience to be aware of the classification of the play. I think that half way through the first act, it should be quite evident that it is a play of jealousy, hatred, and pre-judgement. Only tragedies come from these types of plots.