English 536

            After taking an entire semester of a class on William Shakespeare, I will not lie I am glad to be done. I went into the class with an optimistic attitude about wanting to not only learn more about the works of William Shakespeare but to learn how to enjoy his work as well. Now that the class has come to an end, I feel relieved to say that I can totally understand why writers are so influenced and get so ecstatic about his work. I admit during the beginning of the course I enjoyed the plays of Titus Andronicus and Richard III. I don’t know if it is because of my dark sense of humor or my need for bloodshed, thanks to years of violent video games but I found the tragedies of Shakespeare way more entertaining.

I like the fact that within these tragedies there were no squeaky, clean good guys or no bad to the bone, bad guys. I like the construction of characters such as Aaron and Richard III, who were simply products of their environment. These characters were not bad for the sense of being bad but they were villains for a reason. I also enjoyed the relationship between the characters such as Romeo and Juliet, along with Benedict and Beatrice. While I found the relationship of Romeo and Juliet as one of the most romantic stories ever written about the love shared between a man and a woman, I found the relationship between Benedict and Beatrice completely humorous.

            I admit that I no longer find the work of William Shakespeare pretentious because I now have a better understanding of him as a playwright and also I have a better understanding of his works. I do consider Shakespeare as one of the greatest writers and some of his work as the best that has ever been written.  I still don’t experience the same excitement as other writers experience about his work. I admire the beautiful words and the language as I have always but I am still waiting for the day when I read one of his plays or piece of poetry and I just get chills. No matter how I feel about Shakespeare personally, my feelings about English 536 will forever be bittersweet because I would have never considered myself a fan of Shakespeare before the class but now that it is over I consider myself a great admirer of his work.

The Tempest

            In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, I found it hard to just read the text of the play because I had hard time imagining each scene being played out in my head. I found myself wanting the scenes to be played out with actors and special effects because the play has so much action, which is created with magic. Magic is also something that I think I would rather witness on a stage or in a film instead of reading about it in just plain text. I think having to read the play first then watching certain scenes after I had read it, took away from my experience of the play.

I think watching the scenes after I had read the play took away from my experience because once you have read it, you have already imagine the scene constructed inside your head. I found myself let down a little because the scenes I watched were not like I imagined. Like in Act III, Scene III, when King Alonso and his party are tired from searching and they are visited by these strange shapes bringing in a banquet of food. This is one of those particular scenes that I think you just can’t read about and truly get the full effect of the play. I think with a scene like this one you have to see it because a simple description doesn’t do it justice. I wanted to see the strange shapes that are talked about in this scene. I wanted to see a banquet of food being laid out for these weary men. I wanted to witness the food and drink being made to vanish right in front of these men. I didn’t just want to see it in my head.

 Also the characters in the play that are not considered human such as Ariel and Caliban, I think I wanted to see created with the use of special effects and costumes on screen or on a stage. Just reading about these characters I think did not do them justice as well. It could be my lack of imagination or the fact that countless movies go overboard on spending with the budget for special effects and costumes but I just really wanted to see what could have been done with these characters outside of the text. Overall, I like the fact that this played used magic. I think that is what most attracted me to the play.

Roderigo

            If there is one character in Shakespeare’s Othello that I felt sorry for, it was the character Roderigo. Through the entire play Roderigo appeared as no more than a pawn in Iago’s game. Iago used Roderigo’s affection for Desdemona to manipulate him. I thought it was so sad that this poor guy wanted to win the heart of Desdemona so bad that he would turn to a guy like Iago, who clearly used people for his own gain throughout the entire play. Roderigo appeared as sort of a pathetic, lovesick guy who couldn’t pursue Desdemona for himself but hired someone else to do it for him. It kind of shined a light onto Roderigo character’s because I feel sorry for him but at the same time I am thinking is he the type of character that is made up to believe that everything can be bought with his money. I feel sorry for Roderigo but also I questioned his character a lot because I asked myself a lot while reading the play, “Does he really think he can just buy Desdemona affection?”

            I am at odds about the character of Roderigo because I don’t know if he is just naïve or just not all that bright because of Iago’s manipulation of him. He appeared to believe whatever Iago told him. Even when he tried to end his pursuit of Desdemona, Iago persuaded him to keep trying to win over Desdemona. He appeared to be foolish because of this in the play because he doesn’t really question Iago intentions. He continued his pursuit of Desdemona but without questioning, “Is Iago simply helping because of the money?” At least by the end of the play, Roderigo appeared to have a little doubt about Iago’s intention because he had written letters explaining the truth about Iago’s plot. It revealed that Roderigo wasn’t as naïve or dimwitted as I might have thought because he was smart enough to write down everything that had gone on with Iago. I often wonder that maybe Roderigo’s feelings for Desdemona were genuinely strong to the point where he didn’t want to give up pursuit of her because he did after all risked his life getting into fights and was willing to murder in his pursuit of her. It made me think that Roderigo was just this poor guy who got caught up in an evil plot by Iago because of his love for Desdemona.

Desdemona

In Shakespeare’s play, Othello, the Moor of Venice the character of Desdemona, the wife of Othello appeared to me as one of the most naïve characters within the play. She appears somewhat brave in the beginning of the play because she has secretly married Othello without her father, Brabantio’s knowledge. She also appears brave when she makes an attempt to stand up to her father after he accuses Othello of using magic to woo her. Desdemona stands up to her father in Act I, Scene III, when she states, “And so much duty as my mother showed/ To you, preferring you before her father,/ So much I challenge that I may profess/ Due to the Moor my lord.” I considered Desdemona to be very brave in this scene because her father pretty much considers her his property. He states in Act I, Scene III, “She is abused, stol’n from me, and corrupted/ By spells and medicines brought of mountebanks.” It is clear he considers her property because he thinks of Othello as stealing her away from him by secretly marrying her. I think it took guts for a young woman during her times to stand up to her father about who she decided to marry but also Desdemona appears very naïve in her marriage to Othello because in Act III, Scene IV, Desdemona has a hard time catching onto what Othello is trying discuss with her.

In Act III, Scene IV, Othello question Desdemona about the handkerchief he gave to her as a present. Desdemona lies to Othello saying that it isn’t lost when he asks her for it and she quickly changes the subject to Cassio. Othello tries to tell her the importance of the handkerchief and how it use to belong to his mother but she doesn’t want to admit that it is lost so she keeps bringing up Cassio’s case. Throughout their entire discussion Desdemona doesn’t sense that Othello appears to be growing jealous and that he is requesting to see the handkerchief for other reasons. The more Desdemona appears to bring up Cassio, the more Othello appears to be demanding to see the handkerchief but Desdemona just doesn’t seem to catch on to the reason for her husband’s behavior.  Emilia tries to bring it to her attention. She states, “Is not this man jealous?” Desdemona who still doesn’t get it states, “I ne’er saw this before./ Sure there’s some wonder in this handkerchief!/ I am most unhappy in the loss of it.” Desdemona just doesn’t seem to understand Othello’s purpose for wanting to see the handkerchief. Later in the scene, when she tells Cassio what happened when she tried to discuss his case with Othello she thinks that he is upset because something dealing with the state either from Venice or Cyprus. Emilia points out, “Pray heaven it be/ State matters, as you think, and no conception/ Nor no jealous toy concerning you.” Emilia appears to think differently unlike Desdemona she understand that Othello could possibly be jealous and that could be the reason why he is upset. Desdemona appears to be naïve because she doesn’t understand that her husband could be jealous and that is the reason why he is upset.

 

 

 

Twelfth Night

In Act I, Scene V in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, there is a conversation between Olivia and Feste, the clown. Olivia does not find Feste funny so she is pretty much saying, “Take the fool away” but Feste  wants to prove to her that he is a fool and that he can be funny. Olivia asked Feste to give her proof that he is funny. Feste asked Olivia, “Why mourn’st thou?” She tells him that she mourns for the death of her brother. Feste said to her, “I think his soul is in hell, Madonna.” Olivia responded that she know his soul is in heaven.  Feste tells her that she is the one that is the fool because why should she mourn for her brother’s soul if he is heaven so he said that she is the one that is the fool and should be taken away, not him.

I find this particular scene between Olivia and Feste, the clown funny because in this scene Olivia seemed to be kind of annoyed with Feste and she didn’t really find him funny.  Feste said to her and Malvolio when they enter the scene that, “Those wits that think they have thee do very oft prove fools.” Olivia responded to him as if go away but Feste does prove his point when he asked her why does she mourn for her brother’s soul if she knows he is in heaven. I think that it is kind of a good point he made because it’s understandable that people mourn the loss of a love one but should we really be mourning if we actually believe that they have indeed gone to heaven, where as Christian we believe it is a better place with no pain or suffering.  

I think Feste did kind of poke fun at Olivia in this scene a bit because he acknowledges the fact she doesn’t think he is funny so he wants to prove to her that he can be funny and in return he makes her out to look like a fool and he tells her “the lady bade take away the fool; therefore, I say again, take her away.” I think that is kind of who Feste’s character is in the play, his job is to be a clown and make people laugh but he is instead kind of this sarcastic smart alec. He doesn’t really make jokes in a conventional way but in a wise-cracking way like with Olivia. I think Feste stated it best when he said, “Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.”

Dogberry, the Constable and the Watchmen

            In Act 3, Scene 3, in Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado about Nothing, the character Dogberry, the Constable is introduced along with the watchmen. The watchmen served the city of Messina in the play as kind of a police force with Dogberry acting as if he is kind of the chief of police. In this scene Dogberry is trying to select one of the men that are a part of the watch to be in charge of the other watchmen and to keep guard that night. One of the men suggested to Dogberry that he should choose one of the two men, who can read and write. Dogberry takes the man suggestion and chooses one of the men, who can read and write but he stated, “Well, for your favor, sir, why, give God thanks, and make no boast of it; and for your writing and reading, let that appear when there is no need of such vanity. You are thought here to be the most senseless and fit man for the constable of the watch; therefore bear you the lantern.” Dogberry considers it vain the fact that the man can read and write because it is apparent there are only two men, who are a part of the watchmen, who can read and write. If there are only two men, who can read and write then it is revealed that the most of the men in the watchmen are not the smartest men because they can’t read and write. The play kind of paints the image of the watchmen in a bad light because they are not the smartest group of men but they are in charge of keeping the peace and order in Messina.

            There is more revealed about the watchmen when Dogberry is advising them on their duties in Act 3, Scene 3. He advised that they are to order any men to stop in the name of the prince that are “vagrom men.” One of the watchmen asked Dogberry what if the man doesn’t stop in the name of the prince then Dogberry advised him to do nothing to the man because if he doesn’t stop in the prince’s name then he is not one of the subjects of the prince’s and the watchmen are to deal with only the prince’s subjects. Dogberry also advised the watchmen to go to the “ale-houses, and bid those that are drunk get them to bed,” and if they do not go he advised the watchmen to leave them alone until they are sober. Dogberry as the head of the watchmen is not giving the other men very good advice. He basically advised them to do nothing. The watchmen in the play appeared as unintelligent group of men, who just so happen to hear the conversation between Borachio and Conrade, where Borachio revealed his plans of how he deceived Claudio and Don Pedro.

Oliver & Orlando

            In Act I, Scene I, Oliver, the eldest son of Sir Rowland de Boys is having a conversation with Charles, the wrestler from the from Duke Frederick’s court. Charles has basically come to warn Oliver to try to convince Orlando not to wrestle him because he will get hurt. Charles warns Oliver out of love for him but Oliver isn’t concerned about Orlando’s well-being. Oliver basically drags his brother name through the dirt. He stated, “It is the stubbornest young fellow of France, full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man’s good parts, a secret and villainous contriver against me his natural brother.”      

 I think maybe Oliver said such bad things about Orlando because he feels threaten by his younger brother.  Oliver in the beginning of the play comes off as selfish because he has denied Orlando of a proper upbringing. Orlando stated, “You have trained me like a pleasant, obscuring and hiding from me all gentlemanlike qualities.”  After Oliver threatens Orlando, Orlando overpowers him grabbing him by the throat and confronts him about the way he has been treated. Oliver maybe fears that just like Duke Frederick, the younger brother of Duke Senior banished his brother then maybe one day Orlando will overpower him and take control of their father’s fortune. Oliver tried to convince Charles that he should do what he must with Orlando during the wrestling match because he is not a good guy.

 Oliver basically lies about Orlando because it is truly Orlando who has been wrong because Oliver has not provided him with the things that he was instructed to provide in their father’s will. Oliver has this unexplained hatred for Orlando and he makes it clear that he wants to see him hurt. He stated, “I hope I shall see an end of him, for my soul—yet I know not why—hates nothing more than he. Oliver appeared to be jealous of Orlando which is probably the reason he has denied Orlando of what was promised to him by their father. Oliver explained in Act I, Scene II, “he’s gentle, never schooled and yet learned, full of noble device, of all sorts enchantingly beloved, and indeed so much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprized.” 

In this scene Oliver reveals some of his own insecurities about himself in comparison to his brother, Orlando. He acknowledged that Orlando even though he has denied him of a proper upbringing, has turned out to be a pretty well-rounded guy.  Orlando is still smart though he hasn’t been to school; he is noble, and loved by people who Oliver described as despising him. Oliver saw the chance to get rid of Orlando with the wrestling match against Charles and he took advantage of it. He convinced Charles it was Orlando, who is against him and Charles stated, “I’ll give him his payment.” Oliver is convinced his problems are over with Orlando after the wrestling match. He stated, “But it shall not be so long; this wrestler shall clear all.”