The End

                Throughout this semester I have learned a lot in my Shakespeare class. At the beginning of the semester we were asked to keep a blog, writing one per week. This will be the final one and I have to say it is bitter sweet. At the beginning of this course I had not read much of Shakespeare, but now I can honestly say that I enjoy reading his plays. Though out the semester I have gotten insight on the plays from my classmates and professor that I would never have thought of myself. I believe this may be one of the reasons I enjoyed the class so much. Every class we got to talk and discuss the play together, which really helped to understand the material. If I had to chose which plays I liked the best I would have to go with the tragedies. I am not sure exactly why they seemed to be my favorite, but one aspect I loved was how dirty and manipulating the characters can be. One of the most resent tragedies we discussed, which prove what type of character I am talking about, is Othello.  In Othello you could really see the types of characters that Shakespeare uses in his plays. The character Iago is the perfect demonstration of how his tragedy characters are manipulating. I am not sure if you can find another character and manipulating as Iago. Another aspect I really enjoyed about the tragedies were how bizarre they were. For example in Titus Andronicus, the ending is crazy. Everyone really dies, besides in Shakespeare’s tragedies, where would you ever see this? It is wonderful to read!

                In general, it is not only the tragedies that I have come to like, honestly I have come to like all his plays. For some of the comedies I did not like parts of them because I could not see the humor that others did, but I think if I went and saw a production I would appreciate them more. Although sometimes it took the class discussions to help me understand some aspects that I did not quite understand when I first read it, by the end of the class discussion I usually understood it a lot more. This is why I really enjoyed how our classes were ran. Although sometimes I wished we got to spend more time on some of the plays I still liked that we got to cover so many of Shakespeare’s plays. I am happy the semester is over, but I can honestly say I enjoyed the class.

The Honest Gonzalo

                For this week’s Shakespeare blog I will be discussing The Tempest. The act which I would like to talk about is Act II.i. The character which intrigues me the most in the scene is Gonzalo. Out of all the characters in this scene he is the only one who stays open minded about the situation they are in. Constantly through this scene Gonzalo is attempting to tell the Lords to make the best out of their situation or they will make it worse. An example of this would be when Gonzalo states, “that our garments, being, as they were, drenched in the sea, hold notwithstanding their freshness and glosses, being rather new-dyed than stained with salt water.” I believe this is one line in this scene that truly expresses how Gonzalo is trying his best to make the best out of their situation. While the Lords are blaming others and each other for Ferdinand’s death Gonzalo is saying let’s all calm down and take in the situation we have been placed in and go from there. While Sebastian continues to blame his brother for Ferdinand’s death Gonzalo uses lines like above to change the conversation. He is saying the salt water has not stained their clothes, but yet gave them a glossy new look and that they are as fresh as they were when they first put them on. One reason I really like Gonzalo in this scene is because he seems to speak up against Sebastian. When Sebastian is talking about the lady Gonzalo states, “my lord Sebastian, the truth you speak doth lack some gentleness and time to speak it in: you rub the sore, when you should bring the plaster.” This line makes me really like Gonzalo’s character because it shows that he is not afraid to speak up for what he thinks is right. Sebastian is causing a situation to become worse and Gonzalo speaks up to say with no disrespect but I think you are making a the situation worse that it already is. By speaking up, Gonzalo transitions the hostile moment to a moment where he talks about how he would run the island if he were king. In general, I chose this scene for my blog this week because I believe Gonzalo is an interesting character who should not be looked over. He is a character of control and really helps the hostile situation in this scene. These speeches which Gonzalo gives about the island really helped me paint an image of what it may look like. I liked how Gonzalos character is an honest character.

Shakespeare's Tragedies and These Shining LIghts

                For extra credit we were asked to compare a play that was being performed at our school, These Shining Lights, to something we have discussed in our Shakespeare class. For me I considered These Shining Lights to be a tragedy that reminded me a lot of Shakespeare’s tragedies.  This semester we have discussed Titus Andronicus, Romeo and Juliet, and Othello, all three which are considered Shakespearean tragedies. While watching These Shining Lights, bits and pieces of the play reminded me of these Shakespeare tragedies we had discussed in class. To begin with, each of these plays had an enlightening moment before all chaos erupted. For example, in Romeo and Juliet we see the happy marriage night Romeo and Juliet spend together, and in Othello at the beginning we see Othello and Desdemona declare and defend their love for each other to her father. Much like these two plays the beginning of These Shining Lights all the way up until the intermission was pretty happy. We saw woman beginning to get more rights, and the lead character Katherine enjoying her job and making three really good friends. After intermission this all goes downhill. We learn that all the woman were poisoned by radium and there is nothing they can do about it, which leads to Katherine’s death. This resemblance of the tragic ending I was talking about before is what I considered to link Shakespeare’s tragedies to These Shining Lights, but there is one main difference between the two. Unlike the woman in Shakespeare’s tragedies Katherine fights back. She is not dying for a man such as Juliet and Desdemona does, instead she fights the company trying to help the other woman who were affected by the radium, and were not brave enough to defend them. I really enjoyed Katherine’s character because of this. Although she was dying the tragic death that much of Shakespeare’s female characters had done, she was not just a character who was a back shadow to a man. Instead she was an inspirational character, a character who the audience knew meant much more to the play than just a backdrop to a man, or a character who took her life for a man. She fought for woman’s rights which distinguished her from Shakespeare’s female roles. These plays do relate to each other in the way that they both have very tragic endings. Although we do not see the other women’s deaths in These Shining Lights it is somewhat predicted.   In conclusion, I would say the comparison between the Shakespeare and These Shining Lights would be the tragic ending, but in contrast it is Katherine who is the stronger female which sticks out.

The Manipulative Iago

                For this week’s blog it is Iago that has caught by attention in Act V scene i. In this scene Iago betrays Roderigos trust, and it is this betrayal and manipulation that I find interesting. In this scene we see once again how Iago is causing trouble for everyone, but for me this scene makes me really dislike Iago. Roderigo trusts in Iago and in the end Iago does not care enough about him to even spare his life; once he gets what he wants from Roderigo (Cassio stabbed) he kills him. Iago begins this act by setting up Roderigo saying, “Here, stand behind this bulk; straight will he come: wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home: quick; fear nothing; I’ll be at thy elbow”(V.i). As the reader of the play we know that he is just setting up Roderigo, and although Roderigo is willing to commit the crime it is still hard to read and not feel a little bad for him. After Iago tells Roderigo what to do he informs us the audience of his plans in his soliloquy saying, “ I have rubb’d this young quat almost to the sense / now, whetere he kill Cassio, or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, every way makes my gain”(V.i). This soliloquy but Iago right before the action takes place shows the audience what I meant earlier and that is that although Iago has been stealing from Roderigo the entire time, it is this set up that really shows how little Iago cares about Roderigo or anyone else. The fact that Iago not only leaves Roderigo to take the blame for Cassio, but he stabs both Cassio and Roderigo and then departs; returning only to make himself look caring. This scene in the play is one of great importance to me because it showed me that my thoughts about Iago this time have been correct. Not only does it confirm for me that he is manipulative, but it showed me that he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. For me, the fact that this scene shows how little Iago cares about others and how he will stop at nothing, helps me prepare for the upcoming events prepared by Iago. This scene added suspense to the play for me because after all the commotion that happened all I could think was what will happen next.              

Development of Othello

For this weeks blog, the scene I would like to Act one scene three. In this scene the duke of Venice is talking about how the Turks are about to invade. You would think this would be a very serious matter right? Since it is them being invaded, but no once Brabantio comes into the scene this “very important” war matter gets covered up by the fact that Brabantio believes his daughter has been corrupted by magic.  Brabantio says, “She is abused, stol’n from me, and corrupted by spells and medicines bought of moutbanks; for natur so preposterously to err, being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense, sans witchcraft could not”(I.iii.). I find it interesting that in this play Shakespeare makes the love affair between Othello and Desdemona more important than the Turks attacking. The Duke of Venice completely puts aside the fact that his country is being attacked to deal with a matter of something of not great importance at all. On the other hand though, although Shakespeare interrupts the scene of the Duke of Venice speaking about the Turks at the same time Shakespeare is developing Othellos character for the audience. After being accused we learn how Othello and Desdemona fell in love, and while doing so we learn, through how Othello speaks of Desdemona, how genuine of a character he is. While defending himself Othello says, “If you do find me foul in her report, the trust, the office I do hold of you, not only take away, but let your sentence even fall upon my life”(I.iii). This on sentence by Othello shows how noble he is not only to Desdemona, but also to the Duke of Venice. Othello is willing to put his office he holds on the line just to prove his loyalty to Desdemona. The last reason this scene is important is because it tells the readers the story of Othello, the story which he tells Brabantio and ends up making Desdemona fall for him. We see a side of Othello that makes the reader feel for him emotionally. He says “of moving accidents by flood and field of hair-breath scapes I’ the imminent deadly breach, of being taken by the insolent foe and sold to slavery, of my redemption thence and portance in my travels’ history”(I.iii)  This line by Othello really helps the reader emotionally develop Othello in their head, and helps to really understand his character by understanding his past. In conclusion, although this may only be the third scene in the first act, I believe it is a very important act for character building of Orthello.

As You Like It

In Shakespeare’s As You Like It, I find the character Orlando to be very different than the rest. Unlike some other characters we have read about this semester he is very gullible, or at least acts as if he is. As all the readers know Rosalind dresses as a man to disguise herself as a man, but this is one thing Orlando and all the other characters did not know. One thing that really made me question Orlando as a character is that when Rosalind, while in her disguise, tricked him into courting her as she was dressed as a man. Although Orlando is an attractive young man who, under his brother’s neglectful care, has languished without a gentleman’s education or training I find Orlando to be somewhat of a feminine character because he does agree to court a man and pretend it is Rosalind. This role Orlando plays helps to show the reader of the play the gender roles. Even though  is expressed as being manly in some scenes, such as when he fights the wrestler or saves his brother from the lion, but the moment he agrees to court Ganymede seems to take away some of his credit as a man. Not many men would agree to “meet up” with another man to pretend to court them. I believe that it is not completely unreasonable to believe that Orlando may have begun to have feeling for Ganymede also. This point seems to be emphasized in the epilogue spoken by the newly married Rosalind, where the boy actor playing the role calls attention to the fact that he is not a woman, as if to remind us (maybe) that the happy union of Orlando and Rosalind in which we take such delight has explored other possibilities than heterosexuality. And, of course, if the actor playing Rosalind has made some erotic connections with the audience, then his final revelation in the Epilogue will force the audience member to confront some of his own feelings about gender attachments. The fact that Rosalind cross dresses and Orlando pretends to court her as Ganymede shows how Orlando seems more feminine. While  Rosalind passes herself off easily enough as a man and, in the process, acquires a certain freedom to move around, give advice, and associate as an equal among other men, this freedom gives her the power to initiate the courtship, Orlando falls for it and even seems to begin to like Ganymede. These reasons cause me to believe that Orlando seems to be feminine.

Romeos Infatuation with Rosaline

When we think of Romeo and Juliet we think of one of  it as one of the best love stories ever told. When Romeo first see’s Juliet he falls in love with her, but before that night he believed his one true love was Rosaline. Does Romeos infatuation with Rosaline weaken the creditability of the love he feels for Juliet? Most people probably believe it does not because after Juliet’s character is introduced we do not hear much more of Rosaline, but I believe that his infatuation with Rosaline does affect his creditability. If the play Romeo and Juliet took place in today’s time people would see him as a man who expresses his love just to get the woman. It is not likely that someone who is truly in love with someone can fall into a deeper love with someone else just by seeing them one time. I find it interesting that the only reason Romeo was at the Capulet party was because he had heard Rosaline was there. The fact that Romeo was at the Capulet party for Rosaline gives me reason to doubt his creditability. He obviously really cared for this character if he went as far as sneaking into his families worst enemies party just to see her. If his love for her is this strong at the beginning of the play how does it just disappear when he see’s Juliet. Some people suggest that he forgot Rosaline so easily because she did not love him back. This may be true because most people do get over someone else if they learn they have no chance, but the  fact that the entire play happens in four days amazes me that he can feel that deeply for two women and it not affect their relationships. In general, I do not believe that Romeos infatuation with Rosaline completely weakens his creditability but I do believe it has an effect. It gives of sort of an impression that he just falls in love easily because he is young and not fully matured. Maybe it is that Romeo only had a crush on Rosaline, and true his love was only for Juliet but the fact that Rosaline is in the play does give us reason to believe that Shakespeare may have added this character to give this question to the audience. I do believe that his love for Juliet was very true, but I think that readers should always remember the fact that he believe he loved Rosaline first.

Love at First Sight Romeo and Juliet

As quoted by Maggie Stiefvater, "the world needs more love at first sight." Romeo is the classic example of love at first sight, and possibly the best known example for love at first sight. In the play Romeo and Juliet love at first sight is a main theme that takes place This was a common phenomenon that Shakespeare used in his works. . Many people in today's society look at the play Romeo and Juliet as their inspirational love story. Lines such as, "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!/ For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night"(I.v.59-60), are the lines that modern day people crave for. The lines that women wish were said to them today. Honestly though, does love at first sight exist? Romeo and Juliet's entire relationship happens over a period of four days, in today's society most do not even begin a relationship within four days. I believe that most girls of today's society read Romeo and Juliet and are actually jealous of their relationship. Most people look towards Juliet's character who Shakespeare seemed to have paid exceptional attention to. Juliet is considered to be the central point of interest and focus of the whole tragedy. What is interesting is that if you take away the dying part at the end any girl would want to be Juliet. She not only has one, but two men who want to marry her. Not only that, but she is intelligent and beautiful and does find love at first sight. For the first time Romeo meets Juliet in Capulet's house at the fair. In the noisy environment of the carnival  among many tables and dancing couples, Romeo sees Juliet and they both fall in love at first sight. What makes readers love this scene of love at first sight even more is the fact that it was written in a sonnet, which most people know are usually written about great love.Romeo and Juliet remains to be one of the greatest love stories because it appeals to many of the romantic sensibilities. Readers love the extremity of it. Our basic ideas of romance are upheld by the deaths. In many ways many people wish that they loved so strongly that they would literally die for it. It isn't happening in real life and most people would actually shy away from doing it, so Romeo and Juliet's extreme actions and passion, and sad consequences appeal to a part of us that we like to believe in, but don't really want to live out. In conclusion, love at first sight doesn't happen very often anymore, so plays like this help keep the hope alive for those who do believe.

Richard III and his Manipulation

In Act I, scene II we see how Richard manipulates Lady Anne into marrying him. This scene truly shows how evil and manipulation Richard really is. This scene is interesting because Shakespeare further developes Richareds character as this smart and hateful man. Shakespeare surprises his audience when he has Lady Anne, the widow of king Henr VI’s son Edward, fall for the man she hates most. Before Richard comes into the scene Anne blames him for both Henry VI and Edwards deathe, adne ven prays that any child Richard might have be deformed and sick, and that he should make any woman as miserable as Anne herself. this being one of the reasons that it is surprising that she becomes the women she is praying that curse on. We see in earlier scenes Richards manipulation, such those as Charences death, but this scene really develops the theme of Richard as a character. He uses gentle words to romantically court Lady Anne such as, “your beauty was the cause of that effect- you beauty, that did haunt me in my sleep to undertake the death of all the world, so I might live on hour in your sweet bosom”(I.II.29). Although she continues to curse him as the murderer of her husband and father-in-law. Richard uses the smooth technique of saying that Anne ought to forgive him of his crime out of Christian charity, and even going as far as lying and denying that he killed her loved ones. Even as Richard lies to Lady Anne’s face he continues to persuade her to marry him. Shakespeare gives Richards character words in this scene which show how manipulating he is. Even though Richard is evil, Shakespeare makes him charismatic and fascinating. His actions to Lady Anne makes not only Lady Anne sympathize with him, but also the audience. His brilliant wordplay allows him to seduce Lady Anne enen though she has knowledge of how cruel he is.

Titus Adronicus

        In Titus Adronicus one aspect of the play that really catches my attention is how the characters interact with their children. Titus Adronicus, Tamora, and Aaron are all three different characters; characters with different characteristics but the one common trait between each of them is that the care for their offspring. Although we see how they care about their own children it is very obvious that they do not care about taking action on other characters children. The first interaction between a character and their offspring comes in act one, scene one when we see how Tamora gives a plea to Titus asking him not to sacrifice her eldest son. In her speech to Titus she says,  “Stay Roman brethren!- Gracious conqueror; Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, a mother’s tears in passion for her son. And  if thy sons were ever dear to thee, O think my son to be as dear to me… but must my sons be slaughtered in the streets for valiant doings in their country’s cause?” (15). In this scene it is shown that Tamora cares deeply about her son, but cannot do anything to save him. In this same act we see how the characters in this play does not care about others offspring, or how they would feel about losing their child. After Titus orders Tamoras son to be sacrificed he says to her, “Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me. These are their brethren whom your Goths beheld alive and dead, and for their brethren slain religiously they ask a sacrifice. To this you son is marked, and ide he must, T’appease their groaning shadows are gone” (15). This speech shows that although Titus suffers the loss of his own sons he does not care about taking away someone elses.

        The next character that demonstrates how the characters in this play interact with their child is Aaron. Although Aaron is this cruel person who does not care what he does to others or who he kills, when his baby comes into the picture we see a different side to him. Instead of the cruel insensitive guy, we get a character who care about his son and does not mind sacracficing his own life as long as his son will be okay. We see Aarons plea in act five, scene one. Aaron asks Lucius to swear to him that his child shall survive. Aaron pleas to Lucius swearing on the God that Lucius believes in that he shall survive. To keep his son alive Aaron gives all the details of his crimes. Aaron reveals the parenthood of the child, the rapists of Lavinia, the murderers of Bassianus, his own trickery to get Titus's hand; finally, he takes credit for every act, saying, "And what not done, that thou hast cause to rue, / Wherein I has no stroke of mischief in it?" (171).

            In conclusion, we see how it does not matter the rank of the character, the evil of the character, or moral rights of the characters; in the end they all have one aspect in common. Each character would do anything they could to protect their children, but they would not think twice about hurting someone else’s child. I found this interesting because it had a great deal to do with the play, and the scenes that happened. All these characters no matter how heartless they may be all compare in the one way that they try to save their children if not anything else.