CCTWQ EXTRA CREDIT

Jardine

1) For those people it appeared normal as part of the Elizabethan experience; however, she brings to light the confusions this could have caused by having female roles played by young boys. She brings to light the consequences of such acting. The mayor didn’t approve of male actors taking on female roles, and how it goes against Christian standards and the natural “chemistry” between males and females. So Lisa brings to attention how gender attraction is confused as a result of young males performing as females.

2) I would have a hard time having sympathy for her, or even seeing her interaction with Othello. It would appear unnatural and would be hard for me to focus on the play and not the fact that she is a man.

Johnson

1)     Like Johnson explains, Shakespeare’s characters can relate to all people because they are the product of real feelings and behaviors, brought forth by the human condition. As a twenty-first century reader I agree, due mainly to the fact that the characters of Shakespearian plays still strike a chord with the human behaviors of the present day.

Adamson

1)     Desdemona might be regarded as a helpless victim when we see the fit Emilia throws as the knowledge of her murder.  She as well as many others tell Othello that she is a just and true wife and that she would never do anything to hurt or ruin his reputation.

2)     Desdemona though may seem to be innocent as virtuous, really does aid in her own destruction.  She, who was called honest and true, went against her father's wishes and marries the Moor behind his back.  She constantly petitioned Othello to restore Cassio to his rank against her husbands orders. What woman who loves her father and husband and is honest and true would go against their will and choices.

3)     The Desdemona Othello relationship is unique and both characters exhibit characteristics that contribute to their sorrowful situation.  Othello who is terrible insecure, and has built who he is on the war stories and obedience to the senate. Desdemona who wants her reputation to be seen as a "perfect" wife.  But unfortunately they both care more about their reputations than each other. Though they may really love each other, it is in their human nature to defend their reputation before giving into one another. Othello allows his jealousy as a result of his insecurities blind him against the truth, while Desdemona who wants to have a hand things petitioned Cassio's case to Othello regardless of Othello's decision. As the two stick their ground the result is a no win situation, and is unfortunately the result of the Desdemona Othello relationship.

Bevington

              1)     In a way he sees past his rage and anger and can now see the lies that were fed to him by Iago.  He recognizes that what he was terrible wrong and that he had killed Desdemona on the precept of lies.  I agree with Bevington's assessment of Othello, because just as Desdemona was a victim so was Othello. Because of Desdemona's actions Othello realizes that she was true to him, but the destruction of his personal view is already come and gone. He views himself as a "turk" the lowest of low to the Venetian culture.  He see's his human nature and what it can do, this is self-knowledge of which Bevington refers to.
2)     It was Othello's jealous that shaped the major events of the play because they were the event as the result of acting on instinct instead of reason. They were often the most dramatic or suspenseful.  These were the events that showed the human nature and its destructive power in full force.
3)      It could really go either way, but I'm going to say heroic struggle, as a result of the conversation Iago and Othello have regarding Cassio's visit with Desdemona in act 3 scene 3. Even at the tempting of Iago, in the end Othello stands against his plots, unfortunately however he gives later, but Iago refers to him a man that it trusting and see things for what they are. Though Iago uses these characteristics against him, it is to be said of Othello that he sought further investigation rather than instantly giving in to the twisted truths of Iago.

Kincaid

       1)    His comparisons in a sense suggest tragedy as a high and comedy as a low, that tragedy is complex and requires a lot of attention, were as comedy requires little attention and is in a way "all over the place". I especially like his comparison of tragedy to algebra and comedy to recess.  In relation to Aristotle's comments on tragedy, we can see that it requires specific details and attention to were the character is coming from and were the character is going.  It requires it pulls the attention and instills emotion into the viewer.
2)    Both distinct moments of humor in Othello, referring to the clowns were at points of distress, times when the plot was about to match up with the conniving Iago's plan.  These moments according to Kincaid set up for the serious dialogue about to take place. In a way provide a break between a series of serious events.
3)     I agree with argument, that comedy does not sidetrack from the tragic plot or from the meaning.  Like Kincaid says it does not stand in opposition to the tragedy. It allows the tragic plot to continue forward and provide relief from the attention required by the main plot.