Adrienne Rich wants to make History

"Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History"

This is a quote that has circled the globe and become cliche among posters and bumper stickers. But I find it also works well with what Adrienne Rich has to say about the women she knows and her message in her writings. Here she mentions the modest means by which she was raised: "my sister, mother, and I--were constantly urged to speak quietly in public, to dress without ostentation, to repress all vividness or spontaneity" (p. 231). They were taught at an early age that women should be kept quiet and behave well. This is exactly the type of thing Adrienne Rich has a problem with, women need to be more expressive of themselves, assertive and become active, equal members of society. Otherwise their potential to contribute, to "make history" is lost and submitted in the male-dominated world. whatever passions, hobbies, skills and ideas any woman has deserves to be displayed and recognized. I think today women obviously have felt freer and more independent, but there is always room to continue. it's like the gap between paychecks for men and women and why men make so much more. They say because women aren't assertive enough as one excuse. Well, apparently "well behaved", quiet women never get a pay raise either. You have to speak up for what you want...to make history...to express yourself and become a free individual.

Iago as a Demon

I know I just mentioned this theory in class but I have to write it down...

I really think the reason that Shakespeare did not kill Iago because he is trying to portray Iago as some heinous devil figure or demon of some sort. Just not human. All of Shakespeare's plays are very human in foundation. They deal with human themes and conflicts involving the human mind and tendency. His tragedies all end with killings and some sort of closure, however brutal. Also, the fantasy characters in his plays are always around and never die. Macbeth is a good example. The three witches in Macbeth cause so much pain and turmoil in the kingdom, and Macbeth even dies. But the witches just disappear, they suffer no consequences for their actions. I think Iago could be some sort of male version of the witches. The text tells the audience that he will be tortured and killed, but that revenge does not happen on stage and we never know for sure.

Furthermore, Iago has no motivation for his manipulation of Othello and other characters within the plot. He does it out of pure malice. He doesn't seem to have any emotion at all for that matter and cares about nothing except his plan. He seems to come into the play with the intention of messing with Othello and leaves the play without any regrets or visible consequences. Acting as a catalyst all the while.

I envision him as a character with no ending or beginning, sort of just a continual beam of evil minded emotion. The other characters have specific start and stop points in comparison. Othello and Desdemona, for example, are clearly grounded in their setting. They have not always been married or been in love. They have other obligations and things to tend to and their streak ends when each dies. It's very straightforward, a very human time line. Iago seems to have no other agenda other than causing mayhem. Sure, he has his wife, Emelia, but he eventually kills her and even she recognized his non trustworthy ways. I can point out quotes too for hard evidence, but I think this is enough for one post. Anyway, Iago is a purely evil character.

Here's a Question: Why Not Trust the Wife?

I wonder sometimes why Othello even bothers with Iago. Of course Iago is manipulative and sleeving etc, and Othello did "overhear" Cassio talking about an affair, but wouldn't he believe his own wife over some young advisor? He doesn't even believe Iago's wife, Emilia (who has doubts about Iago's intentions too). Othello had a happy marriage before Iago, so I don't get why he immediately dismisses everything his own, close, lover has to say to him about her loyalty. Even the woman closest to his wife and Iago, what should be the missing link in this mystery, is bitterly dismissed as a liar. Why? These people don't seem any less trustworthy than anyone else in the play, maybe even more so in some situations.

Perhaps this is an example on the lives of women in Shakespeare's day. In terms of testimony, modernly, men and women are about equal. We both have the power to lie and tell the truth at an equal rate and frequency, etc. But maybe then, the women's opinion was not valued as much as a man's. I would not know for sure because I have not studied extensively over the time period. But that is my theory. Societal issues always seem to get in the way. Just think about Othello's appearance, much different than the rest of the cast, and therefore a problem. This is an issue with society, built on past down prejudices and standards. The wife's role can be just another standard, supporting of her husband, but untrustworthy in terms of faithfulness. It's such a shame.

Othello Pulls a 180

I just cannot get over such a profound tonal shift Othello has gone through in the past couple acts. He was such a pleasing character in the opening acts, trusting, loving to his wife, etc. Now it is frustrating for the audience (as with most Shakespeare ironies...)to find him constantly skeptical of Desdemona (his ever faithful wife) and trusting of the all evil Igor. Especially when Othello asks Desdemona for the handkerchief that he gave to her and she acts all confused and everything. Well, she should be confused. She hasn't done anything. If anything Othello should question Igor. but alas. it's entertainment and never works out the way it should.

Gardening

Probably my favorite part about reading Shakespeare, if it is so required, is the rich metaphors he uses and how they so clearly outline the theme for the audience. The one metaphor I noticed in this case is a passage by Iago on pg 28. Iago in this scene is trying to instill reason in Roderigo that he should not give up hope for wooing Desdemona.

Iago argues, "Virtue? A fig! 'Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners; so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce...why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills..." (lines 319-326 I.3)

Here Shakespeare is comparing our bodies as something to cultivate with our mentality or our will. I think Shakespeare also means we can control our own mental stability with our will too. His line labeling our will as the gardeners clears up this point. The gardeners have the power over the garden, what goes in, how much water it receives, how it's harvested etc etc. The metaphor can be applied many different ways. It also reminded me of the cliche "mind over matter" where our bodies are the matter (gardens) and our minds are the will (gardeners). It's important that Shakespeare throws in these metaphors because they separate themselves from the text with the unusual wording and thus causes the audience to pay extra attention. The theme of willpower runs strongly throughout the text so obviously we would need to tune into this advice Iago is giving.

Class Today.

Hmm...I really enjoyed class today with our guest speaker, Andrew Hamm. I liked what he had to say about the way to read Shakespeare. I have found that in a book I despise Shakespeare simply because I cannot understand it. I find that once I watch the play or the movie, however, it all becomes clear. I actually do have an appreciation for Shakespeare, but it takes awhile to uncover. It's nice to know that someone, a Shakespeare enthusiast of all people, feels the same way. For some reason my high school teachers thought it was always a quick read and expected us to understand everything with hardly any discussion. It was annoying to say the least because everyone knew the books required more work and thought.

Anyway, I will try my best to understand the rest of Othello with outside reading, but I cannot promise anything. Hopefully in class discussions will help.

Techie Issues

So, I realize this project is supposed to be simple and everything, but I am really having trouble recording my voice. I don't know, maybe I am doing it wrong. But I still have to work on this because right now I don't have anything recorded story wise. The good thing though is that the rest of my stuff is pretty much done with the pictures and transitions. But I'll have to seek help or figure this out tomorrow. I still like the process, I have just reached sort of an annoying technical wall.