The Final Discussion

I know that I've gained a deeper appreciation for Shakespeare this semester. All the lessons that I've learned from it can't have been learned another way. Whether it combating jealousy or analyzing the change of heart a fool can cause, I've learned valuable life lessons from what I've read. I've talked with my high school friends about it and pumped them up for reading more Shakespeare in class because in high school it certainly isn't the most interesting thing. I definitely think of Shakespeare more critically than I did at the beginning of the semester. Words are the motive of understanding a character's true intentions and loyalties, as seen with Iago and Othello. Also, I feel out music video raised interest in the various issues that Shakespeare discussed besides love.

There was a discussion during the Engaging Shakespeare night about how Shakespeare phrases things in such a way that they are universal truths and can connect with anyone. I now really do believe that. I've recommended so many people to the class, and every one of them seemed genuinely interested after I've talked about these truths and what we did with the music video.

I'm very glad that I took this class. It's been an awesome semester, and I've fallen truly in love with Shakespeare. I hope that as I get older, I can help people to understand it and appreciate it better than they would have. Sometimes all you need is a little push.

Othello 1995 Act V

ACT V


scene i and ii


Note that this is the last posting about Othello that I will do. Othello definitely should have drowned Iago as he almost did earlier in the movie. That would have prevented all of this from happening. You know Iago doesn't feel guilt, and you know that he'll never disclose his reason why. It's crazy that Emilia didn't find anything suspicious in Iago wanting that handkerchief that badly. It's crazy that Othello didn't just talk to the people he had problems with.

Problems, big or small, can almost always be solved when you talk directly to the person you are having a conflict with. Jealousy, I feel, can only be solved this way. This place is a great reminder of the dangers of not taking such actions when the offenses are small, and instead waiting until they rage inside of you and cannot be quenched.

Awesome Iago symbolism scene:

As Iago is running from the men that are trying to apprehend him after he's been exposed as the liar and evil man he is, he bursts into the room where Roderigo is supposedly laying dead.

Roderigo's eye's flicker open and see Iago, then he rolls over and points to him accusingly. As Iago backs away in fear, the next door opens and the men take hold of him.

I love the image that the dead speak against him. Even Lodovico, in the final lines of the play, says this.

"O Spartan dog,
More fell than anguish, hunger, or the sea!
Look on the tragic loading of this bed;
This is thy work: the object poisons sight;
Let it be hid."

Othello 1995 Act IV

ACT IV


scenes i-iii

The breaks between scenes go so fast here, that they are neatly sown together. Iago's black magic of jealousy is on full swing and is let loose with very little of his persuasion. Othello does not even question Iago's judgement anymore. Roderigo, however, when finally he realized that Iago has wronged him the whole time, Iago tricks him again with false hopes of Desdemona.

A questions for you guys to answer:

If you were jealous, would you be so angry as to kill someone? What if it was your wife or husband?

Do you think Desdemona should have stood up for herself more?

Awesome Iago symbolism scene:

After convincing Othello that he truly has been wronged, he places the same two chess pieces of the black king and the white queen on the side of a well, them swipes them off into the water, showing that he's finished with them and they're beyond any hope of escaping their fates.

Othello 1995 Act III

ACT III


scene iii


The first two scenes were skipped, as the version is focusing mainly on the relationship between Iago and Othello. You can see Othello's real trust for Iago, when blows up in his face just as Iago said it would.

Iago knows the true nature of jealousy, mostly because he was bit by it himself. "The green-eyed monster" roots itself in your mind, and with so much 'proof' that Iago produces, sprouts there into a horrible death-plant. Sometimes the image of evil in your mind casts that shadow upon everything you see, making you unable see see it another way. Suspicion breeds suspicion. It's nearly inescapable unless you "do away at once with love or jealousy."

Awesome Iago symbolism scene:


As Emilia states,

"'Tis not a year or two shows us a man:
They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;
To eat us hungerly, and when they are full,
They belch us."

It shoots to a scene of Iago closing the door on their conversation after just having witnessed Desdemona and Othello's argument. This, of course, shows how now that Emilia has served his purpose, he no longer has use for her, since he believes that Othello has cuckolded him.

Othello 1995 Act II

ACT II


scene i

Once again, this scene entirely skips the beginning exchanges between various characters and plunges straight into Iago's plot and Othello's arrival. Because this is a feature-length film, I can see why they focused on the big players. To the plot, Iago's scenes and words are the most important, and removes all doubt of Desdemona and Cassio having any blame on them. They are all innocent, and only work in certain ways because Iago prods them or cast certain lights on them.

I can see how persuasive Iago is when put into a movie context. While reading the book, I was struck by how dumb everybody who talks to him is. I though, surely they wouldn't trust him that much, surely they would see through him, surely they would have more trust in each other! But, their distrust does not only come from Iago's words, but from the actions or appearance of actions that were Iago's insistence. Even in Shakespeare, action speak louder than words. Seeing this played out is a great reminder to avoid the appearance of questionable acts just as much as the actual ones. This doesn't even have to be in a religious context, it could be something as simple as seen in this play.

scene iii


Well, scene two was entirely skipped.

Iago, villainous and snakey as he is, he is my favorite villain in not only Shakespeare, but literature. He doesn't suggest large actions, but instead small ones. He gives an idea, and the people he talks to runs with them.

After Othello break up Cassio and Montano's fight, Iago's words are priceless.

"Touch me not so near:
I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
Than it should do offence to Michael Cassio;
Yet, I persuade myself, to speak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him."

Othello's responds clearly shows how much faith that he holds in Iago, despite it being misplaced.

"I know, Iago,
Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Cassio."

And finally, the awesome Iago symbolism scene of this act: 


As he's churning over the events in his mind, he further plots his next move against Desdemona for revenge upon Othello's supposed crime.

"So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all."

As he's saying this, he picks up a stick from the fire, and rubs ash over his hands, which show how far gone he is in his plot, and that he has nothing inside of him except revenge and hatred. How's that for symbolism?

Othello 1995 Act I

ACT I


scene i and scene ii

While it's very easy to follow in the film, it's not true to the lines. They crammed both scenes into 9 minutes and cut out everything that wasn't conducive to the plot, such as much of the discussion about whys and wherefores, as well as set up. Although it removes much character relationship development from Iago and Roderigo, you still get a sense for their relationship (at least outwardly) by the actors' portrayals of the character.

Iago, as he's yelling to Brabantio, makes sure he is not seen so that he is not blamed later. While reading the text, I never realized this. I assumed Brabantio saw both of them, and wondered why when the both of them were fighting on Othello's side during the confrontation Brabantio didn't point them out. I feel that this more accurately depicts Iago's character by showing how he is, rather than listening to him talk.

scene iii


Skipping the scene about the sailor's plight to the senators, it focuses directly on Brabantio's argument. Once their affairs are solved, it goes quickly from the next thing to the next. All text, even if it's valuable for character building, is only used when it furthers the plot. Like I said earlier, the actors make up for this by showing, not telling what they're about. This is made easier with movie magic, and would certainly be harder to pull off in this way on a low-budget stage like in Shakespeare's time.

Iago's character becomes very clear, even twenty minutes into the movie. He easily cheers up and manipulates Roderigo, then plots Othello and Cassio's demise. I particularly enjoyed seeing how swift and effortless this change is when played by Branagh. He is very much a warm, supportive friend in public, and a snake behind closed doors.

Awesome Iago symbolism scene:

An image I found awesome was when he sets on a chessboard a black king and a white queen, then places a white knight between them. Doing this, and cutting out the lines where Iago explicitly states his intentions, his plans are more artfully shown, which makes his character seem all the more devious and cunning.

Othello 1955 Pre-Viewing Talk

Today I'm going to attempt what a fellow classmate did before, which is writing blog posts while watching  movie version of a play. I've chosen one which I have read before, Othello. The version I picked, the 1995 Kenneth Branagh version, was referred to me by a friend who watched it while reading Othello in her high school's AP Literature class.

Instead of posting every scene, I will post every act and subdivide the post between scenes. Of course, in movies there are not certain splits between acts as there would be in a live production, but I'm sure it'll be fine.

I should have five more posts up by the end of the movie!

If everyone is ready, then now I'll begin!