Feng Shui Research

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art/science that focuses on how to balance the energies and to ensure good health and good fortune to the users. It was developed 3000 years ago and is based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature. "Feng" means wind and "shui" means water, and in Chinese culture wind and water are associated with good health and good luck. Feng Shui can be started by cleaning out the clutter in your home, having good air and light quality, and defining the Ba-Gua. The Ba-gua is the energy map of your house (each part relates to a specific aspect of your life). Always be mindful of the state of yourself and your home. Feng shui can be used to relieve stress and make for a much healthier life.

Character Analysis: Emilia

(So I don't actually remember what we were supposed to do for this blog post, but from reading other blogs, I'm assuming just a character analysis??? Oh well, I'll give it a whirl...)
Emilia is kind of an uncertain character. She typically seems to be a little oblivious of her surroundings and is really not out to hurt anyone, even though she takes the handkerchief and gives it to Iago. She and Desdemona are portrayed as very close friends, and she is pretty much just trying to find her place in life. She is accepting of men and the way they are and she tries to get Desdemona to accept that as well. In the end of the play, she is almost a small hero, and finally is able to convince Othello that Desdemona was not cheating on him, and even though it is too late to change what he has done, I think that was an important element in her character. She realizes that Iago is evil and has tricked just about every character in the book and the fact that she is murdered by him is painful, but it also shows how caring and loving she was when she requests to be put next to Desdemona. Although she didn't play a very large part in the play, I think her presence was often underrated and she had a kind of honesty and love about her that really effected the mood of the play.

Othello-- 3 Techniques

One technique that Shakespeare uses a lot in Othello is foreshadowing. He is constantly dropping little hints that big events will happen in the future. I think he does this to add suspense and to keep us thinking about possibilities from the plot. There is also false foreshadowing sometimes, which is also kind of fun in text because it leads us in the wrong direction and suddenly pulls us into a creative twist. 

Another technique that Shakespeare includes in Othello is the style of his dialogue structure. He often gives one character a big long monologue with another character giving little snippets of input. I think Shakespeare uses these because he doesn't have a narrator to tell the audience what is happening, so he uses the characters as a way of describing what is going on in the play, since we don't have as many backup visuals as a movie or a narrator, like in a novel. 

A third technique that Shakespeare often uses in Othello is symbolism. Shakespeare uses the handkerchief as a symbol of jealousy and control. It shows up quite frequently and it becomes a very strong image that is woven throughout many of the characters of the play. For example, Iago is able to use it to convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating, Bianca is able to use it to accuse Cassio of cheating, and Othello uses it to accuse Desdemona of cheating. It gives us a sense that one object can be very powerful and jealousy is something that spreads like wildfire and can affect quite a large group of people.

Othello -- Act 4, Scene One Key Passage

"Othello: I will chop her into messes. Cuckold me? [...] Get me some poison, Iago, this night. I'll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again. This night, Iago. "

I chose this passage because I think this is the real turning point where Othello decides to believe Iago and take action from his anger. This is kind of an exploding point for Othello and it is definitely foreshadowing some very rash decisions. At this passage, Othello has decided to take Iago's side (even without hardcore evidence) and has made a final direction in his thoughts: Desdemona has been unfaithful and will be punished. It disappoints me that he is thinking like this, because other than Iago's stories and Cassio having the handkerchief, he really has no other evidence that she has been cheating. I don't like the fact that Iago is able to manipulate everything around so that it looks like they are having an affair, although it is very intriguing that every single part of his plan has worked out perfectly to his advantage and he is able to predict all of the character's reactions and replies. 

Katie-Jo Dacey said...

I also noticed that Iago is very good at manipulating and twisting things/people around. It amazes me that he does this so easily and that everything is working out in his favor.

Othello Journal #3

I was really surprised at the way Iago was talking to Desdemona and Emilia. He was so rude and blunt and disrespectful about all of it, I couldn't believe that he just went on and on and no one stopped him. I'm kind of interested in Cassio and Emilia and I wonder what roles these two new characters will play in the rest of the story. Cassio seems a little bit confusing mostly because of his way of interacting with people. Was holding hands and kissing really just "the custom" or was he actually being flirtatious with the girls? There definitely felt like something was going on between him and Desdemona and I wonder how this will escalate with Iago, Roderigo, and Othello.

Othello Journal #2 --- Cyprus

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean that was 80% Greek and 20% Turkish. In the 16th century, many of the island's crops were ruined by American competition in the Mediterranean, where the busy waters became neglected, passing by Cyprus completely. During this time period, there were many tax-revolts which united the Greeks and Turks against the government.


My comments on other people's blogs:
Katie-Jo Dacey said...

That's terrible!! I wonder how common epilepsy was among people back then, I feel bad for them; they can't even control it and they're accused of being possessed by Satan...

Katie-Jo Dacey said...

I think it's interesting how generic and widespread the term "Moor" was. It is used to describe a lot of different ethnic groups.

Katie-Jo Dacey said...

Hmm.. I read something that said that the Cyprus and the Greeks joined forces many times against the government, not that they were fighting against each other. Weird...

Othello Journal #1

So I think the main point of Act One, Scene One was to inform us that Othello and Brabantio's daughter have eloped. In the beginning of the scene, Iago and Roderigo are talking about Iago's job and how he isn't being promoted and someone else less experienced than him is getting the position that he should've gotten. And then, they continue to go to Brabantio's house and wake him up, telling him that his daughter has run away to get married. 

It took me a really long time to understand what I was reading. I pretty much just had to read it over and over again. And over and over and over it again some more. And it's really disrupting to have to use the explanatory notes, but I guess they helped.