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.”