Ïda Scott? This is Amanda Wingfield! We missed you at the D.A.R. last Monday! I said to myself: She's probably suffering with that sinus condition! How is the sinus condition?" (iii, 1245).
Holy cow, Amanda is getting annoying. The irony is dripping all over the pages of this scene. Amanda is trying SO hard to get a man for her daughter. She is simply going to extremes. Honestly, it is kind of insulting from Laura's perspective. Amanda is basically saying that Laura cannot find a man on her own that Amanda has to find a gentleman FOR her daughter. Why does Amanda obsess over this? If Laura is meant to find the guy she is meant to be with, God will make it happen. Also, Amanda did not even hold onto the husband that she had. He left her. Why, then, must she work so hard to find someone for her daughter? Shouldn't she be against the men in her life or something? That's not how I would be, but I'm just saying. Why does Amanda care so much? It's just getting ridiculous. Obviously, Laura is not going to find a guy when it is forced upon her. She is going to find a guy naturally and out of the blue. This is who Laura is. This is a reflection of her personality. I can only hope that all works well for her. Also, Scene 3 contains a phrase that alludes back to the title. Tom breaks Laura's "glass menagerie." I feel sympathy towards Laura. Her mom is being over-the-top with this whole gentleman caller business, she's crippled, and her brother just broke her glass menagerie. Poor Laura.....
Monday, February 27, 2012
Scene 2: The Glass Menagerie
"Her hands shook so that she couldn't hit the right keys." (ii, 1241).
This scene gives a little more into the characterization of Laura. For instance, the quote above emphasizes Laura's physical disabilities and anxiety about life. We also find out that Laura once had pleurosis. Also, I found Laura's situation very ironic. For example, on page 1244, Laura does not believe in herself. She does not believe that she can score a man. Laura says, Ï'm- crippled!" Amanda responds to Laura saying, "Nonsense! Laura, I've told you never, never to use that word. Why you're not crippled, you just have a little defect- hardly noticeable, even! When people have some slight disadvantage like that, they cultivate other things to make up for it - develop charm - and vivacity- and - charm! That's all you have to do!" (ii, 1244). Laura's mother is using euphemisms to minimize Laura's defect. She calms down her daughter and makes Laura feel as if her defect makes her special. I also found the final line of Scene 2 ironic. For instance, Amanda says, One thing your father had plenty of: was charm!" (ii, 1244). If Laura's father had charm, then why did he leave? Maybe Amanda was mesmerized by his charm and was mistaken for the person he really was.... Hopefully, Laura will do the same thing to win a man, but in a different way. Maybe Laura will win a man over with her charm and have others look past her disabilities.
This scene gives a little more into the characterization of Laura. For instance, the quote above emphasizes Laura's physical disabilities and anxiety about life. We also find out that Laura once had pleurosis. Also, I found Laura's situation very ironic. For example, on page 1244, Laura does not believe in herself. She does not believe that she can score a man. Laura says, Ï'm- crippled!" Amanda responds to Laura saying, "Nonsense! Laura, I've told you never, never to use that word. Why you're not crippled, you just have a little defect- hardly noticeable, even! When people have some slight disadvantage like that, they cultivate other things to make up for it - develop charm - and vivacity- and - charm! That's all you have to do!" (ii, 1244). Laura's mother is using euphemisms to minimize Laura's defect. She calms down her daughter and makes Laura feel as if her defect makes her special. I also found the final line of Scene 2 ironic. For instance, Amanda says, One thing your father had plenty of: was charm!" (ii, 1244). If Laura's father had charm, then why did he leave? Maybe Amanda was mesmerized by his charm and was mistaken for the person he really was.... Hopefully, Laura will do the same thing to win a man, but in a different way. Maybe Laura will win a man over with her charm and have others look past her disabilities.
Scene 1: The Glass Menagerie
"He is the long delayed but always expected something that we live for." (i., 1235)
This quote represents a foreshadowing of some sort. Tom is foreshadowing a gentleman. Perhaps the gentleman is going to start courting Tom's sister, Laura. This scene is kind of setting the tone and setting for the rest of the play. The first page is all about how to interpret the feelings of the characters. For instance, Tennessee Williams scribes, "Memory (for this play) is seated predominantly in the heart." Obviously, this play is told in the form of a flashback. The narrator is informing the reader what is to come. Also, there was an allusion in this scene. On page 1239, Williams was scribing about how a man had a "Midas touch." Here, Williams is scribing another part of literature from another place that the reader can relate to. Finally, this scene incorporated expectations of women. For instance, in this time period, "It wasn't enough for a girl to be possessed of a pretty face and a graceful figure... She also needed to have nimble wit and a tongue to meet all occasions." I do not know if Laura will be able to get a man due to the fact that she is handicapped. However, perhaps her wit and personality will help her find a man to marry.
This quote represents a foreshadowing of some sort. Tom is foreshadowing a gentleman. Perhaps the gentleman is going to start courting Tom's sister, Laura. This scene is kind of setting the tone and setting for the rest of the play. The first page is all about how to interpret the feelings of the characters. For instance, Tennessee Williams scribes, "Memory (for this play) is seated predominantly in the heart." Obviously, this play is told in the form of a flashback. The narrator is informing the reader what is to come. Also, there was an allusion in this scene. On page 1239, Williams was scribing about how a man had a "Midas touch." Here, Williams is scribing another part of literature from another place that the reader can relate to. Finally, this scene incorporated expectations of women. For instance, in this time period, "It wasn't enough for a girl to be possessed of a pretty face and a graceful figure... She also needed to have nimble wit and a tongue to meet all occasions." I do not know if Laura will be able to get a man due to the fact that she is handicapped. However, perhaps her wit and personality will help her find a man to marry.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Dramatic Irony: As You Like It
Rosalind: "Then there is no true lover in the forest; else sighing every minute and groaning every hour would detect the lazy foot of Time as well as a clock." (III. ii. 43).
I find this entire part of the play ironic. In Shakespeare's time, female parts were portrayed by men. So, when As You Like it was performed, Rosalind's part is kind of confusing. A man would play Rosalind in the play. However, during the period of Rosalind's disguise in this play, a man would be portraying a woman who was portraying a man. This is just so comical to me! Part of the dramatic irony is that Rosalind does not just come out and profess her love for Orlando. She kind of whips him into shape to find out if he really is the one for her. As a hopeless romantic, I found this part adorable. It also reminded me of She's the Man. I know this play is based off of The Twelfth Night, but there are so many similarities between Amanda Bynes' movie and this play. For instance, Rosalind is in love with Orlando, but she is afraid to tell him. So, she disguises herself as a man to see if his love is true. Phebe falls in love with Rosalind, but Rosalind is actually in love with Orlando. It's simply a complicated love triangle, but I like this play. Why? I like it because it's a happy ending. Yes, I was a bit surprised by this. The only Shakespeare plays that I have read have been about tragedy. I hate reading things where everyone dies in the end. It makes me sad. However, it was nice to know that Shakespeare is capable of writing romantic comedies. I know that a lot of my peers did not like this play, but I was touched by the cheesiness of it. I'm so glad that everyone ended up happy! =)
I find this entire part of the play ironic. In Shakespeare's time, female parts were portrayed by men. So, when As You Like it was performed, Rosalind's part is kind of confusing. A man would play Rosalind in the play. However, during the period of Rosalind's disguise in this play, a man would be portraying a woman who was portraying a man. This is just so comical to me! Part of the dramatic irony is that Rosalind does not just come out and profess her love for Orlando. She kind of whips him into shape to find out if he really is the one for her. As a hopeless romantic, I found this part adorable. It also reminded me of She's the Man. I know this play is based off of The Twelfth Night, but there are so many similarities between Amanda Bynes' movie and this play. For instance, Rosalind is in love with Orlando, but she is afraid to tell him. So, she disguises herself as a man to see if his love is true. Phebe falls in love with Rosalind, but Rosalind is actually in love with Orlando. It's simply a complicated love triangle, but I like this play. Why? I like it because it's a happy ending. Yes, I was a bit surprised by this. The only Shakespeare plays that I have read have been about tragedy. I hate reading things where everyone dies in the end. It makes me sad. However, it was nice to know that Shakespeare is capable of writing romantic comedies. I know that a lot of my peers did not like this play, but I was touched by the cheesiness of it. I'm so glad that everyone ended up happy! =)
Theme of the Forest in As You Like It
"Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day men of great worth resorted to this forest, address'd a mighty power; which were on foot, in his own conduct, purposely to take his brother here and put him to the sword: and to the skirt of thie wild wood he came." (V. iv. 77).
The forest plays an important part into this play. For most people, the forest gave a sense of excitement. The forest is where Orlando professes his love for Rosalind. The forest is where Rosalind learns of Orlando's great love for her when she is in her disguise. The forest was also the place where Duke Senior was exiled. However, I love the irony with it. Duke Frederick exiled Duke Senior to the forest. The forest, on the other hand, is also the place where Duke Frederick found his conversion. The forest does wonders for pretty much everyone in this play, except for Touchstone. He is a character who did not really change much throughout the course of the play. The forest did not really phase him either. The forest was also not an enlightening place for Jaques either. I was hoping that Jaques would have open eyes to love at the end of the novel, but alas. Even the forest could not work its magic on Jaques. Maybe it is just Jaques, though. He was kind of bitter throughout the entire course of the play. Jaques even has a negative encounter in the forest when he sees the dead deer. The forest was truly a place of conversion for most characters but not for all.
The forest plays an important part into this play. For most people, the forest gave a sense of excitement. The forest is where Orlando professes his love for Rosalind. The forest is where Rosalind learns of Orlando's great love for her when she is in her disguise. The forest was also the place where Duke Senior was exiled. However, I love the irony with it. Duke Frederick exiled Duke Senior to the forest. The forest, on the other hand, is also the place where Duke Frederick found his conversion. The forest does wonders for pretty much everyone in this play, except for Touchstone. He is a character who did not really change much throughout the course of the play. The forest did not really phase him either. The forest was also not an enlightening place for Jaques either. I was hoping that Jaques would have open eyes to love at the end of the novel, but alas. Even the forest could not work its magic on Jaques. Maybe it is just Jaques, though. He was kind of bitter throughout the entire course of the play. Jaques even has a negative encounter in the forest when he sees the dead deer. The forest was truly a place of conversion for most characters but not for all.
Foil Characters: As You Like It
"My father charged you in his will to give me good education: you have trained me like a peasant, obscuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities."(I. i. 3).
This act is filled with contrasting characters. I think that we talked about this at the beginning of the year, where characters incorporated in a story are foil characters. Here, basically all of the characters have an opposite character. For instance, Oliver and Orlando are brothers, but they are complete opposites. Oliver is older, but he is simply evil. He does not share any of his wisdom with Orlando because Oliver is selfish. The Dukes are also opposites; however, their story is a little different. Oliver was the older brother in the Oliver / Orlando foil character pair. Here, Duke Senior is older, but he has been overthrown by his YOUNGER brother. I just find this situation worse. It's one thing if an older sibling is harsh to a younger sibling, but come on. I don't even know what I would do if my younger siblings treated me the way Duke Frederick treats Duke Senior.... Anyways, other foil characters include Jaques (truly pronounced Jay-Queez. I finally believe you now, Mr. Costello! hahaha) and Touchstone. Jaques kind of takes things a little too seriously, for he was crying over the dead deer in the forest (II. i. 19). Touchstone is always being a jokester. Jaques doesn't believe in falling in love. He makes fun of Orlando for writing on the trees to express his love for Rosalind. However, Touchstone ends up getting married in the end. All of these foil characters contributed to the plot of As You Like It to add more dimension to the play.
This act is filled with contrasting characters. I think that we talked about this at the beginning of the year, where characters incorporated in a story are foil characters. Here, basically all of the characters have an opposite character. For instance, Oliver and Orlando are brothers, but they are complete opposites. Oliver is older, but he is simply evil. He does not share any of his wisdom with Orlando because Oliver is selfish. The Dukes are also opposites; however, their story is a little different. Oliver was the older brother in the Oliver / Orlando foil character pair. Here, Duke Senior is older, but he has been overthrown by his YOUNGER brother. I just find this situation worse. It's one thing if an older sibling is harsh to a younger sibling, but come on. I don't even know what I would do if my younger siblings treated me the way Duke Frederick treats Duke Senior.... Anyways, other foil characters include Jaques (truly pronounced Jay-Queez. I finally believe you now, Mr. Costello! hahaha) and Touchstone. Jaques kind of takes things a little too seriously, for he was crying over the dead deer in the forest (II. i. 19). Touchstone is always being a jokester. Jaques doesn't believe in falling in love. He makes fun of Orlando for writing on the trees to express his love for Rosalind. However, Touchstone ends up getting married in the end. All of these foil characters contributed to the plot of As You Like It to add more dimension to the play.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Othello: Prejudice Theme is Still Relevant Today
Many authors write novels, plays, and stories in the hopes of gaining the attention of one specific audience. Many pieces are dated and are only relevant in a specific time period. However, the works of William Shakespeare rise above this stereotype. Othello and other works by William Shakespeare are timeless and universal of their era. The play Othello incorporates many common themes expressed in society today. One common theme demonstrated in this play is prejudice. For instance, Othello begins the story as a kind-hearted man. He works diligently to be treated as an equal, but some people simply dislike him because he is a Moor. Many people deal with acts of prejudice every day. Arthur “Boo” Radley dealt with prejudice in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Martin Luther King Junior also struggled against this common hardship in society. Othello, Arthur, and Martin may all seem different from an outsider’s point of view, but the three men have more in common than one would think.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Arthur “Boo” Radley is bogged down by the prejudices of society. Many people think that he is a dangerous man simply because he looks frightening. Rumors around the town spread that “inside the house lived a malevolent phantom” (Lee, 8). Here, Radley is not even classified as a human; he is classified as a phantom. People automatically thought that Radley was evil because he stayed inside of his house all day. This is similar to Othello. Many people disliked Othello simply because he was a Moor. Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, was furious when he found out that his daughter married a Moor. Brabantio did not even take the time to get to know Othello, but he simply disliked him for his background. (Perrine, I.ii.62-81). This is why Othello and Radley are similar, for both men are disliked before people even get to know them. Iago does not like Othello either simply because of his race. At the end of the novel, Iago still does not even have a reason for explaining his motives. This prejudice is completely unjust. Both men are treated unfairly simply because they are different from others.
Martin Luther King, Jr. also dealt with issues of prejudice of his time. He referenced it in his famous speech, “I Have A Dream.” Dr. King was upset that he has previously been judged by the color of his skin, but his dream was to have the nation rise above this prejudice. He said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” (King). Here is a link to his speech: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm Above is a video of Martin Luther King Junior giving his speech, "I Have a Dream." Othello is kind of the same way. He is aware that his race sets him apart, but this causes him to work harder. Even though Othello is a Moor, he still set aside what people said in order to gain a high position in the military. Othello was constantly tormented for his race, but he still was named “valiant Othello” (Perrine, I.iii.48) by the Duke. Throughout all of his torment, Othello chose to focus on his hard work and his wife Desdemona instead of focusing on prejudice. Similarly, Martin Luther disregards the prejudice and says, “I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain” (Tames). Both Othello and Martin Luther King worked diligently to try allow others to view themselves as equals. Even though Othello was written during the time of William Shakespeare, the themes still apply today. Both Arthur “Boo” Radley and Martin Luther King, Jr were bogged down by a similar prejudice that Othello suffered. However, all three men were able to show others that there was more to each of them than meets the eye. All three were good and righteous men (Othello was in the beginning, at least). They broke the stereotypes of their societies to prove that looks do not determine a person’s character. They each did what was right and just for their communities in order to make the world a better place. Othello truly is a universal and timeless work, and the themes of this play will continue to be used until the end of time.
Works Cited
"American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have a Dream." American Rhetoric: The Power of Oratory in the United States. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. <http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm>.
"In Search of Shakespeare . "Othello" | PBS." Image. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/works/work161.html>.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. Print.
"Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement." The Seattle Times. Image. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. <PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. .>.
"Martin Luther King - I Have A Dream Speech - August 28, 1963 - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs>.
Perrine, Laurence. “Othello.” Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. Fort Worth. Harcourt College. 2002. 1361-1462. Print.
Tames, George. "Martin Luther King Junior." Editorial. The New York Times [New York City]. Web.
"What's Wrong with To Kill a Mockingbird." Jezebel: Image. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. <http://jezebel.com/5572047/re+evaluating-to-kill-a-mockingbird>.
Monday, February 6, 2012
"Jessie's Girl": Rick Springfield parallels with Roderigo
I was trying to think of a good comparison for Othello, and I almost did another song about Jesus and how he was betrayed by Judas. However, I just did a blog about that. I wanted to do something different. I also have only really hit on Desdemona, Emilia, Othello, and Iago. It was time to talk about someone different. Then, it hit me. The song "Jesse's Girl" by Rick Springfield ties into this story perfectly. Roderigo wants Desdemona. At the beginning of the story, the audience is informed that Roderigo previously asked Brabantio if he (Roderigo) could marry Desdemona. Roderigo is simply confused as to why Desdemona would marry a Moor when she could have him! These lyrics completely correspond with this:
Jessie is a friend,
yeah, I know he's been
a good friend of mine
But lately something's changed
that ain't hard to define
Jessie's got himself a girl
and I want to make her mine
This would basically be Roderigo speaking of Othello. "Jesse's girl" in this instance would be Desdemona. However, as the song went on, I started thinking that it was Othello speaking of Cassio and Desdemona. For example, the song goes:
And she's watching him with those eyes
And she's lovin' him with that body,
I just know it
Yeah 'n' he's holding her
in his arms late,
late at night.
This is basically Othello speaking of Desdemona and Cassio. He assumes that the two of them are having sexual relations, and it is driving him nuts. This song is all about jealousy about how one man wants someone else's girl. This, essentially, is one of the root causes of the tragedy of Othello. Iago knows what he wants, and the only way to get inside of Othello's head is convince him that something is going on between Cassio and Desdemona. Jealousy drives the world nuts, but we always want what we do not have.
Here are the links to this song / lyrics. Again, I thoroughly enjoyed this story because of how relatable and applicable it is to life in general.
http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/boogienightsvol2/jessiesgirl.htm
Jessie is a friend,
yeah, I know he's been
a good friend of mine
But lately something's changed
that ain't hard to define
Jessie's got himself a girl
and I want to make her mine
This would basically be Roderigo speaking of Othello. "Jesse's girl" in this instance would be Desdemona. However, as the song went on, I started thinking that it was Othello speaking of Cassio and Desdemona. For example, the song goes:
And she's watching him with those eyes
And she's lovin' him with that body,
I just know it
Yeah 'n' he's holding her
in his arms late,
late at night.
This is basically Othello speaking of Desdemona and Cassio. He assumes that the two of them are having sexual relations, and it is driving him nuts. This song is all about jealousy about how one man wants someone else's girl. This, essentially, is one of the root causes of the tragedy of Othello. Iago knows what he wants, and the only way to get inside of Othello's head is convince him that something is going on between Cassio and Desdemona. Jealousy drives the world nuts, but we always want what we do not have.
Here are the links to this song / lyrics. Again, I thoroughly enjoyed this story because of how relatable and applicable it is to life in general.
http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/boogienightsvol2/jessiesgirl.htm
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Act V Blog for Othello
"Nobody, I myself. Farewell. Commend me to my kind lord. Oh, farewell!" (V.ii.122-123)
What an intriguing story! Wow. Shakespeare truly amazed me with this work. Like previous blogs I have created, I want to relate the similarities of this story to my faith. I found it very ironic that Othello kissed his wife before he killed her. Othello was corrupted by Iago, and then Othello killed his innocent wife. Similarly, Judas was corrupted by the devil, and then he killed the most innocent of all, Jesus. Othello proved to us he truly was a good man in the first half of the play. He was good and pure. As the story went on, Iago started to get inside of his head. Similarly, Judas was a good disciple of Jesus. As his story went on, he became more and more corrupted by the devil. The rest is history. Also, I was incredibly surprised that Emilia was a dynamic character in this story. At first, I thought that she would be the devil's advocate. I thought that she supported her husband's work and stood behind him because she was his wife. However, not only was Iago, Roderigo, and Cassio deceived by Iago, but Emilia was as well. She helped Iago with the master plan and did not even know it! Finally, I found it ironic that Roderigo's pockets got him into this mess. He had the handkerchief in his pocket. Later, the letter is in his pocket and he reveals the doom. I am thoroughly surprised with the ending of this story, but it all makes sense with the symbolism of jealousy and honesty. Iago is alive because he stood his ground and could be clever enough to work over people. However, he is imprisoned and rightfully so. His imprisonment represents how he did people wrong. Othello lost his sense of self, so this is symbolic of his tragic death. Othello's suicide is symbolic because he did himself wrong. Cassio remains alive because he is the only one who remained honest and never did wrong or harm to anyone. Overall, a wonderful story, and I feel more in touch with the inner mindworks of William Shakespeare. Bravo!
What an intriguing story! Wow. Shakespeare truly amazed me with this work. Like previous blogs I have created, I want to relate the similarities of this story to my faith. I found it very ironic that Othello kissed his wife before he killed her. Othello was corrupted by Iago, and then Othello killed his innocent wife. Similarly, Judas was corrupted by the devil, and then he killed the most innocent of all, Jesus. Othello proved to us he truly was a good man in the first half of the play. He was good and pure. As the story went on, Iago started to get inside of his head. Similarly, Judas was a good disciple of Jesus. As his story went on, he became more and more corrupted by the devil. The rest is history. Also, I was incredibly surprised that Emilia was a dynamic character in this story. At first, I thought that she would be the devil's advocate. I thought that she supported her husband's work and stood behind him because she was his wife. However, not only was Iago, Roderigo, and Cassio deceived by Iago, but Emilia was as well. She helped Iago with the master plan and did not even know it! Finally, I found it ironic that Roderigo's pockets got him into this mess. He had the handkerchief in his pocket. Later, the letter is in his pocket and he reveals the doom. I am thoroughly surprised with the ending of this story, but it all makes sense with the symbolism of jealousy and honesty. Iago is alive because he stood his ground and could be clever enough to work over people. However, he is imprisoned and rightfully so. His imprisonment represents how he did people wrong. Othello lost his sense of self, so this is symbolic of his tragic death. Othello's suicide is symbolic because he did himself wrong. Cassio remains alive because he is the only one who remained honest and never did wrong or harm to anyone. Overall, a wonderful story, and I feel more in touch with the inner mindworks of William Shakespeare. Bravo!
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