Characters

So, I was just thinking about the characters in Othello and why I either really like them or dislike them. Who are your favourite and least favourite characters so far, and why?

Feel free to also talk about characters in Shakespeare's other works, if you want.

My favourite character in Othello is probably Roderigo, closely followed by Iago. Roderigo intrigues me because of his naivety. I want to know more about him and why he's so in love with Desdemona. Is he normally so weak and trusting, or is he just desperate? Do the other characters see Roderigo as weak?

My least favourite character is probably Othello, just because he's kind of... boring. I guess we'll see more sides of him later in the play, but so far all he seems to do is say "I love you" to Desdemona and do military stuff.

Shakepeare

So we've all presumeably read Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and now Othello. Some of you have probably read other works. So which of Shakepeare's works is your favorite? Your least favorite? The one that strikes you the closest to your core? Please answer and provide reasons why.

Othello

So, in Othello, we are always dicussing and reading about Iago, Roderigo, Othello, and other male characters in the book. I was wondering what people in the class thought of the females in the book?( Desedmona, Emilia, and Bianca.) What control or power do they have in the book?

p. 86 Question 4

Iago obviously doesn't care at all about Roderigo. He does, though,seem to care about Roderigo's money. Do you think Iago really wants only Roderigo's wealth, or does he have some other motive? Discuss this situation with other bloggers and try to decide what is really going on here.

Question 7 p.61

In his soliloquy, Iago seems to confess everything to the audience bt letting them in on his secret. Why does he do this- to gain sympathy? To show how how clever or superior he is? To suggest that his method is the best on for survival? or that such behaviour is a source of "fun"? To best everyone else because he is the only person using "reason" to succeed? Because he is truly, and justifiably, a bitter person? Because he is misunderstood? Profile this vile creature for us if you dare.

Question 4 p. 60

The session with the Duke raises the question, "What takes precedence, individual rights or the needs of the state?" You know what Mailer would say.

Shakespeare's Audiences

What do you know so far about Shakespeare's audiences? Are you familiar with the Globe Theatre? How much do you know about the Elizabethan era? Feel free to pump some info out to the class as we'll be discussing these important/invigorating topics tomorrow. Blog on.