Chinese relationships between Men and Women

In Chinese relationships, women are suppose to follow the men. The men are in charge and run the family, while the women serve the family. Men and women are seen as yin and yang. Yin is the women who is soft, yielding, passive and tranquil while the men, yang are hard, active, assertive, and dominating. Yin can not gain the upper hand over yang or else the cosmic and social levels become unbalanced.

The prospect of yin and yang has already be briefly brought to our attention. In "The Moon Lady" Ying Ying sees the play about The Moon Lady and at the end of the play The Moon Lady says,"For woman is yin, she cried sadly, the darkness within, where untempered passions lie. And man is yang, bright truth lighting our minds" (82). In this quote the women are seen as the darkness in the world and the cause of problems while men are seen as the good and the light of the world.

Character Anlysis

In 5.2 I play two characters, Lodovico and Gratiano. These are both small characters but in this scene they are important. Lodovico and Gratiano are to nobles from Cyprus, when everyone is in Desdemona and Othello's bedroom they announce that Cassio is in charge and that he gets to decide what Iago's punishment should be. An important thing that Lodovico does, is he shows everyone the letter Iago wrote and the letter Roderigo wrote explaining everything that happened. Both of these men want Cassio to be in charge and they want Iago to be tortured till he tells them what happened and both would be happy if he died.

3 Techniques

1. Foreshadowing: "If I do die before thee, prithee shroud me in one of these same sheets" (207). In Desdemona's speaking she mentions dying in her bed which relates back to when Iago and Othello were talking about killing her in her bed, which foreshadows a possible death for her.

2. Motif-cheating: The reason for men cheating is because of their wives and how they don't satisfy them, and the wives reason for cheating is because the men make them or drive them to cheating. None of them think that it is their own fault that they cheat on each other.

3. Syntax: The way Shakespeare decides to break up his lines is very interesting. He uses line breaks to separate thoughts in one sentence instead of a comma and sometimes he uses both. He usually uses long complicated sentences with a lot of commas but he also uses a few short sentences as well.

4.1-Key Passage

"Now will I question Cassio of Bianca, A huswife that by selling her desires buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature that dotes on Cassio-as 'tis the strumpet's plague to beguile many and be beguiled by one. He, when he hears of her, cannot restrain from the excess of laughter. Here he comes" (171).
I thought this passage was key because it shows us Iago's plan and how he is going to twist things causing Othello to get more jealous and to use Cassio to get what he wants. Iago uses Othello's weakness and Cassio's weakness against them. Iago is able to find every one's weakness with out a problem and use it to hurt them without even a second thought about what he is doing. It amazes me at how evil he can be yet pretend to be so nice and still be believable.

Comment:
That is intresting. Iago almost acted as if it wasn't a big deal when Othello went in to a fit, I wonder if it happens often.

Othello Casting

Othello:
Quotes: "Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them. Good signor, you shall more command with years than with your weapons" (23). "She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them" (39).
Who: Will Smith
Why: I chose Will Smith because he can play a brave man and also a man who could be madly in love with someone and become crazed with jealous and rage.

Desdemona:
Quotes: "She gave me for my pain a world of sighs" (39). "Of years, of country, credit, everything, to fall in love with what she feared to look on!" (35).
Who: Melissa Joan Hart
Why: Melissa can play a person you is sweet and kind but also someone who is passionate and loving.

Iago:
Quotes: "I have told thee often, and I retell thee again and again, I hate the Moor. My cause is hearted; thine hath no less reason. Let us conjunctive in our revenge against him" (53). "...but partly led to diet my revenge for that I do suspect the lusty Moor..." (77).
Who: Scar in the Lion King as a man.
Why: I think Scar would make an excellent Iago because he is very deceiving and manipulative, his character would fit Iago perfectly.

Emilia:
Quotes: "I am glad I have found this napkin. This was her first remembrance from the Moor" (133). "And give't Iago. What he will do with it heavens knows, not I; I nothing but to please his fantasy" (133).
Who: Anna Hathaway
Why: I chose Anna because she is really good at playing a sweet innocent girl who is naive, but wants to please others.

Comment:
Nicholas Cage is one of my favorite actors and if he was black he would make a great Othello so I agree with you on that one.

Othello 2

In the exchange between Iago and Rodrigo, Iago has convinced himself that Desdemona loves Cassio and Cassio loves Desdemona. He tries to convince Rodrigo of this but Rodrigo hesitates and doesn't really believe him. I think it is really interesting how after a small exchange between Desdemona and Cassio, Iago immediately assumes they love each other and completely convinces himself of this. To me I see that Iago is so desperate to get back at Othello that he is willing to pick out the smallest possible flaw that Othello could have. It kind of amazes me that he is do desperate.

Research

The Turks were the people from the Ottoman Empire known as present day Turkey. The Empire spanned across three continents contorling most or Southeastern Europe, Weastern Asia and North Africa. During this time Suleiman the Magnificent who ruled for six centuries.

Comment 1: That's interesting I thought they used the word Moor like they do for Turks, decribing where they came from.

Comment 2: That's cool I didn't know that's where the first opera house was.

Comment 3: I can totally see the superstions coming into play with Othello. It will be interesting to find out what happens.

Comment 4: That'a awful that all of their crops were ruined, now I feeel bad for all the people who lived on Cyprus