Othello Quote Log: 5.2

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

21 November 2010

“I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss” (5. 2. 420-421).

            Othello has realized his error in mistaking Desdemona as unfaithful. Iago spilled the beans once he could no longer handle the pressure. The downfall for honest Iago was the one thing that he said could lead to it. Everyone was in the same room at the same time. The tragedy of Othello ended well for nobody. Desdemona and Emilia are both murdered by their husbands, Othello commits suicide, Cassio loses everything, and Iago is left to be tortured. The end of Othello starts a debate of good versus evil. The clearly evil Iago appeared honest throughout the play which worked for him until Act 5. Desdemona appears vicious yet is truly honest and good. The tragic ending to this play asks the questions of Shakespeare’s motives. It appears that all that matters is how you appear to be like, your character, and not how you actually are as evidenced by the characters.

Othello Quote Log: 4.3 - 5.1

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

18 November 2010

“”Tis he! O brave Iago, honest and just, that hast such noble sense of thy friend’s wrong!” (5. 1. 34-35).

            Othello believes that Cassio has just murdered Iago, which prompts him to find Desdemona to finish the plan. In Othello’s mind, Iago is being a terrific friend by murdering Cassio. After Rodergio fails at taking care of Cassio, he gets stabbed himself. This is the first time that Iago must get his hands dirty. The reason that he must get his hands dirty is that he is starting to feel the pressure. He is so deep into this plan that it is too late to back out. Even though he already has fulfilled all his motives he must continue to finish. If he does not then Othello will kill him as he told Iago when he held him underwater. Once roderigo goes down, Iago stabs Cassio himself. He instantly covers up by blaming everything on Bianca.

Othello Quote Log: Act 4, Scene 2

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

18 November 2010

“O, no. He goes into Mauritania and takes away with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be lingered by some accident – wherein none can be so determinate as the removing of Cassio” (4. 2. 257-260).

            The gullible Roderigo is still not satisfied with his pursuit of Desdemona. Iago tells him that the best way to land Desdemona is to make sure that she does not leave for Mauritania with Othello. He says that the best way to delay them is by murdering Cassio. Iago’s motive for telling Roderigo this is simple: he promised Othello that he would take care of killing Cassio and by having Roderigo do the dirty work he is keeping his hands clean. Iago clearly has everything working in his favor still, as demonstrated by the fact that Desdemona approached the honest Iago for help when Othello scolds her. 

Othello Quote Log: Act 4, Scene 1

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

15 November 2010

“Is this the noble Moor, whom our full senate call all in all sufficient?” (4. 1. 297-298).

Lodovico is shocked by the change in Othello. Othello, a dynamic character, no longer possesses the great confidence he held at the beginning of the play. When Othello strikes Desdemona it perfectly contrasts the Othello from Act 1 whose perfect soul would manifest him rightly. After Iago further convinces Othello of Desdemona’s cheating by setting up a conversation between Cassio and her, Othello begins to change even more. He has become completely obsessed with jealousy, letting it interfere with his work and marriage. Othello leaves us by striking his wife in a public place. The end does not look bright for our protagonist.

Othello Quote Log: Act 3, Scene 4

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

14 November 2010

“I ne’er saw this before. Sure, there’s some wonder in this handkerchief! I am most unhappy in the loss of it” (3. 4. 117-119).

            Emilia asks Desdemona if Othello is jealous and Desdemona responds by saying that Othello has never seemed jealous and that she is curious what the fuss about the handkerchief is over. This is an example of dramatic irony because Othello and Desdemona have a misunderstanding that the readers know the solution to. Othello now thinks that Desdemona is definitely sleeping with Cassio while really Desdemona is just concerned over why Othello is acting up. Cassio approaches Desdemona at the wrong time which further angers Othello. It is unclear why Othello does not need more proof of them sleeping together and why he is so upset without even talking to Desdemona. Othello has lost all the confidence that he possessed earlier in the play and is at the peak of his jealousy.  

Othello Quote Log: Act 3, Scene 3

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

11 November 2010

“No, she let it drop by negligence, and to th’ advantage I, being here, took ‘t up. Look, here ‘tis” (3. 3. 356-358).

Emilia picks up the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona. The handkerchief symbolizes Othello and Desdemona’s love because he gave it to her when they first got married. Iago has been nagging Emilia to steal it from Desdemona so he can use it to frame Cassio. Emilia instantly comes across as a villainous character, just like Iago. Althought it appears as if Emilia and Desdemona are friends, here Emilia is hurting Desdemona. She does not know the extreme extent to which she is hurting her but one can only wonder why she is assisting Iago. Iago uses the handkerchief as the final piece of the puzzle, framing Cassio which sends Othello over the edge.

Othello Quote Log: Act 2, Scene 3

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

04 November 2010

“Confess yourself freely to her. Importune her help to put you in your place again. She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested” (2. 3. 337-341).

Iago’s plan is getting crueler and crueler every page. What he is currently working on is getting Cassio to sleep with Desdemona. He wants to look good to everyone so he is trying to act nice to Cassio. Cassio had just been stripped of his lieutenancy by Othello and Iago advises him on how to get it back. He tells him to talk to Desdemona because she is so kind and may be willing to help. What Iago knows is that Cassio is a ladies’ man and since he has already dropped a seed about how beautiful Desdemona is, Iago is hoping that a little something more occurs between the two. That would get revenge on both Othello and Cassio because Cassio will no longer be the lieutenant and Othello’s wife will have betrayed him.

1984 Character Analysis

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

14 October 2010

Julia: The Tease Rebel

Julia is a rebellious girl who desires to rebel against The Party by having sex but refuses to go any farther than that, spending most of her life trying to avoid being caught.

            Julia uses her young, attractive body to have sex with many men from the Outer Party. When she knows that somebody is not pleased with The Party she sets out to get to know them and tells Winston that she has done that “scores of times” (Orwell 125). This differs from Winston’s ideology in that Julia is satisfied with her tiny rebellions while Winston wants to take The Party down. Winston wishes that Julia would be more interested in overthrowing The Party but she makes it clear that she is content with her form of rebellion: “She flung herself into his arms, kissed him almost violently, and a moment later pusher her way through the saplings and disappeared into the wood with very little noise” (Orwell 128). Once Julia is satisfied with her rebellion she moves on, continuing to enjoy her day to day life.

            Julia is like a flirt, one who leads another to believe that they are interested in the same thing. A flirt will tease a member of the opposite sex into making them believe they are interested. Julia teases Winston by rebelling a little bit but refusing to go all the way to try and overthrow The Party. Like a flirt would do, this drives Winston mad.

            A modern day counterpart of Julia is Lindsay Lohan. Both have strong sex drives and both of their main goals are to get in trouble and then to avoid being caught. When they get in too far, like Julia with Winston and Lohan with drugs, is when they get caught.

Works Cited

Orwell, George. 1984. New York, NY: Signet Classic, 1977.

Othello Quote Log: Act 2, Scene 2 and 3 Through 171

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

02 November 2010

“Well, happiness to their sheets! Come lieutenant, I have a stoup of wine; and here without are a brace of Cyprus gallants that would fain have a measure to the health of black Othello” (2. 3. 30-33).

            Here Iago is trying to convince Cassio to have a drink with him. Iago is a villainous character and does not actually wish to share a drink with the man who took the position he wanted. Earlier Iago was talking to Cassio about how beautiful Desdemona is, trying to plant a seed that he should go for her without actually saying that he should. Iago is so set on getting what he wants that he does not seem to care about those around him. He is completely content with ruining Cassio’s life. Once Cassio is drunk Iago sets up brawls with both him and Roderigo and him and Montano. Although there is speculation that Othello may have slept with Iago’s wife, Iago’s only hatred towards Cassio is that he got the lieutenancy that Iago desired. Iago may cost Cassio his lieutenancy by this villainous act.