I'm Just A Little Bit Caught In The Middle: Laura Can't Win

"Mother, when you're disappointed you get that awful suffering look on your face, like the picture of Jesus's mother in the museum!" Laura Pg. 1242
None of these characters have a particularly easy life. Their mother is forced to sell magazines and give up her old, happier life. Tom is forced to work at a job he hates all day long to support his family. But both of them could clean up their lives if they wanted. They both have dreams and aspirations to hold on to. However Laura is stuck at home because she is too scared and ashamed of who she is. Her whole life she's looked at herself as crippled and abnormal. She has no confidence in herself and can't even handle being in a typing business class. She wants so much to please her mother and help her brother, but no one really cares what Laura wants. When her glass animals break no one seems to even care even though she's clearly distraught. Laura just wants to be quiet and invisible. She is most content doing her own thing,  but her mother refuses to allow that. Sure she only wants the best for her, but Laura just wants to be left alone. Her own family talks about her like she's a wounded, helpless animal. No one sees Laura as a kind misunderstood young woman, which is what she truly is. She's always given up what she wants to please her mother, but I wish she would have really been allowed to live her life the way she wanted without that guilt in the back of her mind.

Misdirected: Not much room for interpretation

As Tom enters listlessly for his coffee, she turns her back to him and stands rigidly facing the window on the gloomy gray vault of the areaway. In light on her face with its aged but childish feature is cruelly sharp, satirical as a Daumier print. Pg. 1250
Unlike Shakespeare there is no questioning what Mr. Williams wanted the characters to be doing. Or what the sets should be like, the lighting, the fabric of the chairs, etc... He leaves absolutely no room for interpretation because he wanted the characters to perform the play exactly the way he wrote it. The only annoying thing is there seems to be more stage directions than there is actual dialogue. Sure I know where all the sets are placed, but what are the characters trying to express? In plays it's more about the dialogue because you don't really know what characters are thinking unless they speak it. It's rather difficult to get into this play because the story line seems to be severely lacking depth. It really just seems like a play of a typical American family. The play is very realistic, but I can't imagine people wanted to pay money to see a play about stuff they experience every day. I'd much rather watch a play about the exciting elements of life or better yet, things that never happen in real life. Reading a play about a nagging mother is like preaching to the choir. The only thing the play does succeed in is painting a very vivid picture of what's happening. Though I think the play would be half as short is there were no stage directions.

Mother Knows Best: Round Character of Amanda

"Try and you will SUCCEED! Why, you - you're just full of natural endowments! Both of my children - they're  unusual children! Don't you think I know it? I'm so - proud! Happy and - feel I've - so much to be thankful for but- Promise me one thing, son!" Amanda pg. 1251
When reading this I can't help but have mixed emotions about Amanda's character. A part of her reminds me of my own mother. Her constant nagging is downright annoying at times and sometimes I can't believe the things she says to her children. However, reading this play makes it more apparent that she really has good intentions. Amanda spends most of her time living in her old glory days. Now she has to spend her time calling people up and pestering them about magazine subscriptions. She longs to be that pretty, successful woman she used to be, but now she is trying to live through her daughter. She is trying to make her daughter a popular outgoing woman when all laura wants is to be invisible and happy. Though it seems like Amanda is being selfish, in reality she truly believes that is what will make Laura happy. Is it kind of annoying at times? absolutely. But does she have good intentions? sure enough.

Orlando: The Perfect Boyfriend and Heartthrob

"The worst fault you have is to be in love." - Jaques 
"'Tis a fault I will not change for your best virtue. I am weary of you."- Orlando III.ii.

I've got to say, of all the stories we've read Orlando has certainly been the most impressive male character. Sure Iago was brilliantly devilish and Othello was a brave strong guy, but Orlando is the perfect love interest. He wins a wrestling match against all odds, probably to impress Rosalind. Then they fall in love at first sight, and he can't get her off his mind. To distract himself he writes all these sweet love notes to her. Then because that is not enough, he begins to post them on the trees all over the forrest, proclaiming his love for her. He proceeds to tell anyone who will listen how much he loves her. What girl wouldn't want a guy like this? Charming, valiant, probably very attractive... He has all the makings of a perfect love interest. Now in most stories this would be the point where I would say but... However there is no but for this guy. They fall in love, he loves her the whole way through the play, then they get married. There wasn't even a conflict. This sort of bothered me because, frankly in real life couples have to face conflict. Although I've never been in a relationship with a perfect guy, so I guess if he's really that great then he could avoid little relationship squabbles. Overall he gets a perfect ten rating on the cute boyfriend scale. Rosalind however tricks him into wooing her the way she wants, by being disguised as a man. This means their whole relationship is based on a lie, and that can only lead to disaster. That's just me being cynical though. Overall this play was basically one big "and they all lived happily ever after" story. It was a sort of nice change of pace from everyone dying, but I do like stories with a little more conflict or plot.

Themes of the play or just deep conversation topics?

"Such a one is a natural philosopher. Wast ever in court, shepherd?" Touchstone III.ii
 (PS I'm listening to a very pretty song called Leo by Ludovico Einaudi)

Though this play didn't have suspenseful death sequences or melancholy soliloquies, it did confuse me more than the others. The themes in plays like Othello are very apparent, and the emotions and ideas being portrayed are easy to see. However, in this play I wasn't really sure what the message was. At first I was thinking true love conquers all, but honestly I felt like the characters fell in love within a matter of lines. I'd say that's moving a little too fast. Also I didn't really see a point to the play. The only in depth topics breeched in the whole thing, came from two characters randomly having a discussion in the forrest. Some talk about true love. Others talk about the advantages and disadvantages of living in the city versus living in the forrest. I guess these themes are somewhat apparent in the character's actions, but I just don't get it enough to consider them prominent. Did the mighty Shakespeare just get lazy and decided to write his thoughts in dialogue instead of action? Or is there a purpose in just having the characters discuss it? Maybe it was just to add to the fairly carefree nature of the characters. Though you'd think being banished and living in the forrest would be horrible, they actually all don't seem to mind that much. So I guess he could be saying that if people were to step back from their busy city lives and just live in exile they would find much more love, peace, and happiness. I think this might actually be nice; I mean taking my friends into the woods and doing whatever we please doesn't sound half bad. So maybe this is what Shakespeare was trying to convey all along and the other conversations were just side topics.

I'm A Real Boy! Oh wait.... The Irony of Cross Dressing

"I pray you, do not fall in love with me,

For I am falser than vows made in wine." - Rosalind III.v.

So there are several things in this play that could be considered strange; but no part is as strange as the cross dressing of Rosalind. At first she just pretends to be a man to keep her safe from robbers in the woods. But then as she continues this act she finds some value in being a man. Conveniently she runs into her heartthrob who she had previously met in the court, and she discovers, alas! He is in love with her too. The only thing is is that Orlando believes she is a he. So she as a he talks to Orlando and sees a valuable opportunity here. It is every girl's dream to tell her man what to do, without him thinking "she's controlling" or whatever guys think. And now here is the strangest, most perfect chance to do just that! So she as he tells him how to woo her, and what to say and do and all that jazz. It's also ironic that she pretends to be herself when she's being a man. Try not to get too confused. But the irony doesn't stop there! No, to all those girls out there thinking cross dressing is a fool proof genius plan, there are a few minor setbacks. Such as having another girl fall in love with your boy self. Unfortunately Phoebe falls in love with Rosalind's male alter ego and now she must convince Phoebe that her love is not true. Talk about an awkward situation. Though I don't really believe the play is all that funny, I do think that there is definitely some humor in some accidental lesbian action. But maybe that's just me....

Reflective Essay: Blog Edition!

Shakespeare portrays these basic human emotions in a way that all different kinds of people can relate to no matter where they are from or what time period they live in. A great example of this is Othello. One of the main themes of the play is jealousy and how it can tear apart even the strongest of relationships. When planted just right, the seed of jealousy can cause the most levelheaded, calculated people to act in barbaric, unbecoming ways. This theme is equally prevalent in two different sources from different time periods. The first is the play “The Phantom of the Opera”. The second is the movie “Moulin Rouge”. Even though the two were created almost one hundred years apart they both reflect the same theme of jealousy and just how destructive it can be, which Shakespeare created perfectly in Othello.

            The play “The Phantom of the Opera” actually has several origins. The first is the original French legend of the strange occurrences that took place in a theater thought to be haunted by a phantom that wreaked havoc throughout the building (Scott, Andy). To read the full legend click on the link here --> Phantom Legend. Then in 1911 a man by the name of Gaston Leroux published a book called Le Fantôme de l’Opéra. (Haining, Peter). This book was based on both the legend and his own discoveries upon visiting the famous opera house in Paris. His book was adapted into the now famous play and several movie renditions that have become an instant Broadway classic. The tale’s story of a disfigured, misunderstood man who falls in love with a chorus girl is certainly intriguing. He has been planning their relationship for months, even years, and now it seems she might finally begin to fall in love with him too. However, her childhood friend reappears, and she quickly begins to fall for him. The Phantom is hurt beyond belief when he comes to realize she was in love with his music, not him. He becomes insanely jealous of her love for Raoul, and begins to act out, trying to fight for her. Up until this point he has always been careful to hide himself and has always been in control of the theater and the people within it. However, his jealousy causes him to be careless and in the end he loses everything he had worked so hard to achieve. This parallels Othello quite well. Othello, like the Phantom had always been in control of everything and everyone. He was very calculated and reasonable. However, when he becomes jealous of Desdemona’s relationship with Cassio he goes insane, and ends up killing the woman he once loved so dearly (1361-462.). Both Othello and the Phantom had the chance to rekindle their love with the women they adored, but their jealousy blinded them of the facts, which ended up being their downfalls.

            Perhaps a somewhat more modern example of jealousy destroying a relationship is in the movie “Moulin Rouge” which was released in 2001 (IMDb). Ironically the movie is set in the time period of the early 1900s as well but it has a very modern twist, using songs from Nirvana to Madonna (IMDb). The entire cast list and song list can be found here --> Moulin Rouge. Besides being one of the most entertaining love stories with some of the best modern musical medleys, it also offers another great parallel to Othello and it’s theme of destructive jealousy. In this movie, The Duke falls hard for the beautiful courtesan Satine. Satine was more than willing to fake being in love with the Duke because she wanted him to make her a star. Then on the night she is supposed to be seducing him, she ends up accidentally falling for Christian, who she believes is the duke but is really nothing more than a poor writer. They fall in love though, and soon she is caught in a sticky situation. The Duke now believes she is in love with him and is now willing to create a new theater for the Moulin Rouge and back a very large production in which she is the star. The only catch is Satine must exclusively belong to the Duke. Normally the Duke is a quiet well-tempered man, but he reveals a side of himself that is insane with jealousy. The lovers try to hide their forbidden love, but when the Duke catches on he becomes outraged. He hurts Satine, threatens her, and even tries to kill her and Christian too. Though he didn’t really have a great chance of winning her back from the charming, alarmingly attractive writer, he ruined any chance he had by being so jealous. He went from being a calm and collected gentleman, to being a savage out for revenge through death. This is very similar to Othello who in fact did kill Desdemona to avenge his jealousy and her betrayal (1361-462.). 

The monologue given in the video above describes the themes of these plays and movie perfectly.

This link sends you to a lyrics page that has the dialogue for it ---> Le Tango De Roxanne Lyrics

            Shakespeare plays are considered some of the most timeless pieces of literature ever written. Everyone has heard of his work and most people have read or seen at least one of his plays. Other than the dialogue being kind of hard to understand, his works are well respected and liked by all. Just what makes Shakespeare’s plays so iconic and well accepted? After all today’s culture certainly doesn’t talk that way and there aren’t dukes and lords anymore. No, what really capture the attention of his audiences are the themes of his stories. Almost every person can relate to the basic themes or feelings of the characters. This ability has made his works into legendary standards that have become timeless and emulated by all different forms of art and entertainment. Whether it’s in a play from the 1900’s or a modern 21^st century movie musical, his themes are prevalent in all kinds of works throughout time, making his writing truly timeless.

                                                                 

Rumor Has It!

Aside from Adele being one of the greatest singers of our generation, her song "Rumor Has It" fits the motive driving all of the conflict in this play. A rumor of infidelity prompts Iago to seek revenge on Othello. Ironically Iago uses the rumor that Cassio is cheating with Desdemona against Othello to fulfill his evil plans. Bianca is angered when she hears a rumor that Cassio is cheating on her as well. The first chorus of the song perfectly describes how Othello is being manipulated to believe that Desdemona is cheating. It's almost as if Iago is telling this rumor to Othello in the song.

 Translation of the Chorus

"Bless your soul, you've got your head in the clouds,"- You're blinded by your love for Desdemona
"She made a fool out of you," - She's made you look stupid by cheating on you
"And, boy, she's bringing you down," - She will be what ruins you
"She made your heart melt," - She made you fall in love with her
"But you're cold to the core," - Now you're angered by her and you want revenge
"Now rumour has it she ain't got your love anymore" - Pretty self explanatory

Other parts of the song fit different scenarios from the play. In the bridge of the song there is a line that alludes to Adele fabricating these rumors to hurt her ex lover and his new girl. This mirrors Iago's plan to get back at Othello by doing the same thing. You can read more of the lyrics that fit different scenarios from the play by clicking on this link ----> Rumor Has It Lyrics 
Basically this is an awesome song that fits a major element of the play perfectly. To drive my point home I will now post a picture of Adele with her grammys proving she got the last laugh (much like Iago did).  :)

Final Verdict On Othello

"A guiltless death I die." Desdemona IV.ii.136
I've got to say that after finishing Othello I feel underwhelmed. I was expecting this huge finish with some epic battle between Othello and Iago. Instead Othello stabs him once, but he doesn't even die. Then Othello just kills himself. Also Desdemona takes way too long to die. It's long and drawn out, and just when you think she died, she comes back with another couple lines. Cassio potentially loses a limb. The idiot sidekick Roderigo finally gets killed off by his own friend. The only interesting part is that Emilia finally grows a pair and tells off Othello for treating Desdemona like crap. Too little, to late though, to have any real effect. The play just lacks a rhythm that would normally create suspense. The little squabble between Cassio, Iago, and Roderigo happens so fast that it seems like it's over before it even began. However, Desdemona's conversation with Othello that eventually ends in her death seems to drag on and on. The rest of the play was ok, but in my mind the rest of the play was supposed to be building up to this awesome dramatic event. Instead it was very anticlimactic and sort of a blur. This could be because the play mainly relies on stage directions or the acting side of it instead of dialogue. But the dialogue alone leaves much to be desired.

And then everyone died. The End.

"I kissed you before I killed you. Now, killing myself, I’m dying while I kiss you again." Othello V.ii.375
So I'm sort of confused. I know Desdemona, Roderigo, Emilia, and Othello are all dead. Cassio is seriously injured and Iago was stabbed too but is still alive. Huh. So where do they go from there? Cassio will most likely take over but I can't imagine he'd be too great in battle with only one leg. Everyone FINALLY figured out Iago is a lying scumbag, but he's not dead yet. So do they kill him later or let him rot in a jail cell? I guess it doesn't really matter though because he succeeded in what he was trying to do. I would definitely consider this story to be a tragedy, but what was the point? Most stories or plays have some kind of message but the only thing that happened in this play is that everyone is either dead or unhappy. Is this supposed to mean that even when people deceit you, you'll just end up dead. Maybe that's the point of a tragedy. Maybe the point is everyone has a tragic flaw that we will never really be able to overcome. I have to theories of what Othello's tragic flaw is. I believe it's either he loves Desdemona too much and he is therefore overprotective. Or is it his jealousy? In the beginning of the story he insists he's not a jealous man, but the rest of the story makes it kind of hard to believe that. So which one is it? Or is it both? I'm not really sure. All I do know is that this was one depressing story.

Othello Act IV: Chalk full of symbolism and miscommunication!

"What noise is this?—Not dead? Not yet quite dead?

I that am cruel am yet merciful,

I would not have thee linger in thy pain.

So, so." Othello IV.ii.100

In Act IV there is quite a lot of deceit and confusion going around. For one Desdemona can't seem to figure out why her husband who just three acts ago thought she was an angel now thinks she is a lying whore. Then there's Cassio who is wondering why he is suddenly so hated by Othello. Othello is the most confused of all even though he supposedly has the most knowledge of what's going on. He is torn between a hatred for his wife who he believes is cheating on him, and yet still gets angry when he thinks Cassio is speaking ill of her. To me, this indicates that more than anything Othello is hurt by the idea that his love is ruined. Yes, of course he is angry, but if he was really so angry he would have just slashed Cassio and Desdemona's throats when he first heard of their affairs. Instead he is constantly searching for proof of their scandal, even though Iago is providing plenty of it. I believe this is because he desperately does not want to believe this is true. His epileptic episode is a symbol of the war in his mind fighting between whether or not he is more angry or heart broken. Finally there is Iago who has somehow manipulated all the characters throughout the whole play. He has managed to keep his hands clean while ruining everyone's lives. What's most impressive though is that no one has suspected him. Well except for Roderigo but he's too stupid to do anything about it. All his accusations are simply a foreshadow to a bigger reveal of Iago's horrible deeds. The saddest part is if all these characters had just talked to each other about what was going on, they could have found out that this whole situation is a lie created by Iago, and then they could have killed him and all problems would be solved. Instead they hide in cellars listening to parts of conversations and walk around baffled by what's happened. If any of the characters had enough common sense to just talk to one another they would not be in this mess in the first place!