The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams - Tom's rudeness

"I'll rise-but I won't shine." (Scene 4)
Throughout the play, I feel like Tom is a very rude teenager. Yes, I can sympathize with his difficult position in life and his challenging circumstances. I can also empathize with his frustration with his mother, especially since he doesn't have a father figure to go to for a break. This situation is not one that anybody would like to be in, especially since he is stuck in a dead-end job. Nevertheless, I don't find how he treats his mother and sister as appropriate. His mother has gone to great lengths to be a support during his life, and he has turned to a form of entertainment contrary to all of her moral beliefs. He rudely yells at her and eventually walks out on the family. I do not agree with the disrespect he has shown his family. Curiously, as the narrator, he seems to have a much clearer mind. I don't know what has changed, maybe he became successful after leaving his family. On the contrary, I would expect some remorse for the way he treated them and abandoned them. I wish there was more information as to how the characters' lives finished.

The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams - Q1

"The annunciation is celebrated with music." (Scene 5)
The story is told from the perspective of Tom's memory. This memory is inherently nonrealistic because of the nature of memories. All memories are a result of both fact and opinion; therefore, the play must be taken as nonrealistic. Additionally, we cannot see memories, which adds to the nonrealism of the play. This play is nonrealistic in many regards, including the way quoted above. It is nonrealistic through its use of Tom speaking directly to the audience, the setup of the house onstage, the background music, the dreamy quality since it's a dream, and quick passage of time. The aim of using such nonrealistic methods is to bring about the truth. No, it didn't happen exactly as it happens on stage, but the truths that are evident as a result of the nonrealistic representation are what really matters. He is trying to give the audience a taste of his life in the challenging setting of the play.

The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams - Q2

"All right, I will! The more you shout about my selfishness to me the quicker I'll go, and I won't go to the movies!" (Scene 7)
In his narration, Tom uses much calmer tones and a much more objective viewpoint. He uses a tone of that like an outside observer. He seems to be much more in control of his thoughts, words, and actions. Inside the action of the play, however, he is subject to rash sayings and quick remarks fully charged with emotion. The reason behind this is that during the action, he is acting how it most likely occurred; however, now he is acting in a position in which the events are in the past. If Tom were to talk like he did for the narration throughout the entire play, it would deceive people into sympathizing more with Tom than the other characters. The story would be much more biased and unbelievable coming from his perception of himself. The play would lose credibility. We would have trouble understanding why Tom left if this language was used throughout the play.

"As You Like It" - Oh how I like it

"And you, brides and bridegrooms all, with measure heap'd in joy, to the measures fall." (V.iv.78)
Oh, the sarcasm in the title. I, being a human being who does not enjoy drama, did not find this play very entertaining. I do not think of my dream weddings in my spare time. Granted, I have no spare time. But if I did, I'm sure a wedding would not be on my thoughts. Thankfully, some of the ironic situations kept me awake. I enjoy discussing conflict in academia, but when it comes to relationships, no matter how funny the situation, I do not find personal pleasure. I think Shakespeare wrote this one for the ladies and for the penny knaves. The humor is simple and something simple people could understand in his time. Fast forward a couple hundred years and place it into a classroom context and the humor is lost on more intelligent beings like us who have a different set of vocabulary.

"As You Like It" - Irony

"Sweet youth, I pray you, chide a year together: I had rather hear you chide than this man woo." (III.v.52)
This play gets its comedic value through dramatic irony. The reader knows much more regarding the character's situations than the rest of the characters do. Rosalind is a major point of this irony. She is dressed up as a man, and the reader knows that she is a woman. On the other hand, certain characters - specifically Phebe - do not know this. We get much entertainment out of Phebe's love for Rosalind and Rosalind's efforts to convince Phebe that she shouldn't trust her. However, Phebe just doesn't understand what's wrong with Rosalind. While this play wasn't very funny, the dramatic situations as such keep the reading continuing reading to find the end result of the dramatic mess.

"As You Like It" - Theme

"Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy." (II.vii.32)
One of the major themes in this play is the beneficial effect of nature. Much of the play takes place in the Forest of Arden, and it has a healing effect about it - most of the time. In the quote listed above, Duke Senior mentions how everyone in the forest is happily living together. Later in the story, Duke Frederick is converted! Such events are a direct result of the theme of a healing nature. This theme, however, has its bumps along the way. In Act IV scene ii, we learn that Orland was attacked by wild animals in the Forest. Why Shakespeare chose to include this eludes me. He attacks his own theme of healing nature. Nevertheless, the theme is prevalent and pushes the plot throughout the play.

Jimmy Henke, Period 3, February 12, 2012, Reflective Essay

Jimmy Henke, Period 3, February 12, 2012, Reflective Essay

            One of the themes from Othello is manipulations of characters leading to the downfall of the manipulator. This theme wasn't only present during the time of Shakespeare; but rather, it is a timeless theme. In Othello, Iago manipulates the characters to do his bidding. He is successful and goes undetected for most of the plot; however, near the end, he is caught by the other major characters and is taken to prison for life. (Perrine) All aspects of this theme are evident throughout all times and backgrounds. Two parallels to Iago are William Pickering and Adolf Hitler.

             William Pickering is a modern character in a book written in 2001. He is the director of the National Reconnaissance Office during the story, and to the reader, he seems clearly to be an aid to the protagonist. However, the reader discovers that in reality, Pickering is manipulating multiple characters to his will. As the director of the NRO, he is in charge of the military activity in regards to space. The new presidential candidate is threatening to end NASA, so Pickering devises a plot to take him down. He plants a meteorite with alleged extraterrestrial life into the arctic circle. He leads NASA to discover it and the President is exuberant with the discovery because it saves his chance for reelection. Pickering continues his manipulation undetected by placing a Delta team in charge to kill off anybody who discovers the secret. Rachel Sexton discovers that it was faked and barely escapes the Delta force team. In doing so, Pickering is killed by a mishap on his helicopter during the attack. He is drowned at sea. (Brown) That is the third and final major portion of the theme. Pickering cunningly deceives characters, is caught, and finally is punished for his manipulation.

            In history, Adolf Hitler is a prime example of this theme. He came into power in Germany and few people saw his potential as a world manipulator. He even took over areas for Germany by force without anyone taking action. France and Great Britain began to see what he was doing after he conquered the Sudetenland, but they did not see his manipulation all the way through. Hitler convinced them that he was not going to conquer any more land. This proved a lie as he invaded Poland next. Finally, the Allies began to fight him realizing how he had manipulated them. Eventually, Hitler and his army were encircled and destroyed. Hitler committed suicide when he saw that there was no hope remaining. He successfully deceived the world for a while, but then Great Britain and France noticed his lies. He lost the war and died, completely the third aspect of the theme. (Adolf Hitler Biography)

            Iago, William Pickering, and Adolf Hitler are three of the greatest masterminds to face the planet. All three manipulated people to bring about their own power and success. What differentiates them is where and when they did their manipulating. Iago is a fictional character in Othello who manipulates characters in the story; he is caught and is thrown into jail for life. William Pickering is a fictional character from the novel Deception Point by Dan Brown. He manipulates many characters including the President until he is caught by a couple characters and dies at sea. Adolf Hitler was a dictator in Germany during the 1930's and 1940's who took over many countries. He eventually was trapped and committed suicide. However different the situations are, the theme is still evident. The main character manipulates others for his own benefit. Eventually, other people notice, and he is caught and loses all of his power he had gained. This theme can apply to any time period in any setting.

Just a laugh to relieve from all the terrible manipulation.

Never Take Friendship Personal

The song Never Take Friendship Personal by Anberlin reflects the attitude that Iago takes toward friendship in Othello. In this song, the speaker says that "your life has no purpose." He is like Iago speaking to some of the other characters in the play. He could be speaking to Othello and trying to convince him to commit the terrible act of murder, or he may be speaking to Roderigo and telling him that he needs to have a purpose in life. That purpose would be to win over Desdemona. The song could also be taken as Iago's address to everyone in the final scene. He could be telling them to "never take friendship personal." He is saying that he didn't do his actions out of friendship, nor did he do them out of personal hatred - though that's what he did. He is continually deceiving the characters in the story.

Iago getting in Othello's head.

The band Anberlin.

"Othello" - Shakespeare - The True Desdemona

"Beshre me if I would do such a wrong for the whole world." (IV.iii.74-75) Throughout the story we here all of the potential wrong that Desdemona might have committed. First, she abandons her father to marry a man he does not approve of. Then she supposedly cheats on Othello. All of Iago's plan centers around exposing Cassio's and Desdemona' dirty deeds. We spend much of the work hearing Iago and Othello slamming Desdemona, calling her a whore and a strumpet. In all of this, we, as readers, seem to lose sight of who Desdemona really is. We hear so much of Iago that we begin to believe in his story. But it is in this closing scene of Act IV that we recall the wonderful person Desdemona really is. She tells Emilia that she wouldn't cheat on her husband if it were to save the world. She is full of integrity and nobility. She stays patient with Othello despite all that he puts her through - even when he strangled her! She denies that he did it, for his sake. Desdemona is a very patient and respectful woman - the role model in this story of greed and lust.

"Othello" - Shakespeare - Dramatic Suspense (Q4)

"She give it to Cassio! No, alas, I found it, And I did give 't my husband." (V.ii.229-230) Much of the story's suspense is developed through dramatic irony. The audience can see the entire picture, while the characters only know bits and pieces. For example, Othello was convinced that Desdemona had given Cassio his handkerchief. When the topic comes up around Emilia, who was the one who found the handkerchief, the reader stiffens as they feel like they are Iago. We know that and awkward and truth-revealing event is about to occur. Another example is when Desdemona and Othello begin talking. We know that Othello is planning to kill her, yet she doesn't. We are waiting in suspense to see what her reaction will be and if Othello will follow through with his plot. The effect of this dramatic contrast is profound and keeps the reader inaudibly screaming at the various characters as they traverse the storyline.

"Othello" by Shakespeare - Themes (Q5)

"She's like a liar gone to burning Hell. 'Twas I that killed her." (V.ii.128-129) Much of this play revolves around the theme of trust. Some of it is demonstrated through characters who should be trusted while other aspects of trust are shwon through Iago - those who should not be trusted. This theme is present throughout the play constantly bringing the question, "Should I trust him/her?" to the characters. However, it does not detract from the drama in the play; in fact, it adds to it. It does not become so didactic that it takes away the pleasure in the story. Shakespeare does a very good job of puting the theme underneath the plot so it is clearly evident, yet not overbearing. Without the theme, much of the plot would be lost, but it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. It has a feeling of necessity rather than teaching. Yet, through this method, Shakespeare most perfectly teaches his readers to be careful with whom they trust.