This is my thesis statement

Rather than jealousy, Iago, as displayed mainly in Act 1, is driven by a sense of entitlement which Shakespeare uses to teach the ultimate lesson on the unforeseeable effect of this kind of thought on a man.

I. Iago's entitlement

a. whats the difference between entitlement and jealousy?

b. quotes from the text

II. Effect on the other characters in the play

a. effects while alive

b. why it causes deaths

III. Conclusion

a. why shakespeare thought it was a good theme for his play

b. the importance of entitlement during the period it was written.


Here are some of the direct quotes from the text that I found helpful in coming to my opinion on Iago.


1) " I know my price, I am worth no worse a place. ( Iago insists here that he is entitled to the lieutenancy)
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes, (the "he" here refers to Othello and since he has now angered Iago by not choosing him, Iago expresses his feelings by saying how ridiculous it is that Othello would not chose him because he even had people high in authority suggesting him.)
Evades them with a bombast circumstance, (here he is refering to how Othello responded to the officials suggesting Iago for Lieutenant. Apparently his speech was "stuffed" with worries over war and wordy speeches.)
Horribly stuffed with epithets of war,
(and in conclusion)
Nonsuits my mediators, For "Certes," says he,
"I have already chose my officer,"
And what was he?
Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
A fellow almost damned in a fair wife..." (I, I, 12-22)


2) "Why, there's no remedy. 'Tis the curse of service. (here Iago is responding to Rodgrigo's suggestion that it would be preferable to be O's hangman rather than his "ancient" or flagbarer )
Preferment goes by letter and affection,
And not by old gradation, where each second
Stood heir to th' first. Now, sir, be judge yourself
Whether I in any just term am affained
To love the Moor." (because of this 'oversight' on O's behalf, Iago feels he no longer has any loyalty required of him, so he is now free to enact his revenge) (I, I, 37-42)


3) " I follow him to serve my turn upon him. (Iago begins to plan his revenge motivated by the belief that that he has been denied his just desserts.)
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters
Cannot truly followed. You shall mark
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave
That, doting on his own obsequious bondage, (obviously viewed as stupid and not normal)
Wears out his time, much like his master's ass. For naught but provender and when he's old,
cashiered,
Whip me such honest knaves! Others there are
Who, trimmed in forms and visages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,
Do well thrive by them now; and when they have lined
their coats,
Do themselves homage. These fellows have some
soul... (here is where Iago shows his true morals. Being false and backhanded while lining ones' own pockets is MUCH preferable than serving a place that one has been appointed to the best of his ability and being promoted later. To Iago Othello's ignorance of his abilities is unforgivable and irreversible. Because of his "entitlement" obsession there is no room for this "flag barer" stage in his career.)
I do profess myself." (I, I, 46-61)

4) "Farewell, for I must leave you.
It seems not meet nor wholesome to my place
to be producted, as if I stay I shall,
Against the Moor" (Iago's first deceptive move towards the Moor. He leaves directly upon stirring up D's father so he will not be implicated yet. He definitely already has a bigger plan than just ruining the Moor's marriage.) (I. I, 161-164)


5)"Though in the trade of war I have slain men,
Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience (Iago has fun saying things to Othello to make him think the opposite of what he is planning. Because he feels so wronged by O he has no conscious and feels anything he does to O is justified. Here I is planning O's demise as he tells him that he wouldn't dream of murder because it is the very most basic moral. )
To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity
Sometimes to do me service: nine or ten times
I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs. "

6)You, Roderigo! come, sir, I am for you. (here he makes a show in front off all his superior officer's solidifying his apparent comradary with R, in R's mind.)

7)Thou art sure of me:--go, make money:--I have told
thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I
hate the Moor: my cause is hearted; thine hath no (because R feels in love with Desdamona and has known her much longer than O, I enforces his idea of entitlement as just as just a reason for R to be vindictive towards O as I feels)
less reason. Let us be conjunctive in our revenge
against him: if thou canst cuckold him, thou dost
thyself a pleasure, me a sport. There are many
events in the womb of time which will be delivered.

8)Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:
For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane,
If I would time expend with such a snipe.
But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor:
And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets
He has done my office: I know not if't be true;
But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,
Will do as if for surety. He holds me well; (here he states a common rumor that he does not really believe but decides to use as an excuse for everyone around him. He knows no one will think his entitlement is a good enough reason, but he feels that in the end they will understand.)
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio's a proper man: let me see now:
To get his place and to plume up my will
In double knavery--How, how? Let's see:--
After some time, to abuse Othello's ear
That he is too familiar with his wife.
He hath a person and a smooth dispose
To be suspected, framed to make women false.
The Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,
And will as tenderly be led by the nose
As asses are.
I have't. It is engender'd. Hell and night
Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light.

This is an excellent reference for making a comparison between the film "O" and the play "Othello". The author, David Orland, points to many interesting differences between the play and the movie. He goes much farther than the obvious differences (language, setting, characters' names, ect.) and delves into the basic issues brought up by both. The play focused much more on racism than the movie appeared to. The movie focused on jealousy and status rather than who was black or white. Such as in the coach's speech about Odin being more than a player and more like a son. The original play itself seemed intent from the very opening act on having an oppressive racial theme. Before we even have a chance to build an idea of each characters' personality we are bombarded with the "moore" who is animal-like and uncivilized. Orland poses this and many other insightful arguments about the faithfulness of the movie to the play.


I watched the movie with Christine and we were both intrigued by the use of birds in the film. From what we could both remember from our reading there hadn't been a bird theme in the original play. I have taken a look at Christine's blog and she has some great reference sites for the thought process that the director had when he decided to include birds. Apparently I'm not as observant as I would like because animal imagery seems to be a major theme in "Othello" the play. I found this site that had some wonderful information on the use of animal imagery, especially in Iago's dialog. You have to scroll down a bit to get to the direct quotes from the text, but the writing is very interesting. Apparently this is a type of journal from a performance at a school. The things discussed while rehearsal is in progress are posted and elaborated on in this little blog. Really interesting.

In general I have to say I like the play much better than the movie. In my opinion the play has more depth and passion and intrigue than the film. While "o" does have a touching dying dialog for Odin, nothing can rival the emotional realm Shakespeare's Othello and his political, prideful suicide.

Sparta and Utopia

I was sitting in history bright and early Friday morning (and not exactly "bushy tailed" because I have the flu...) trying to take notes. History has never been an interest of mine, but the professor is Dr Reigel and he is really funny and animated so he makes it a lot more thought provoking for me than I'm used to. He was describing Spartan society and I perked up. This sounds a lot like Utopia, I thought. All the citizens wear the same clothes, eat in a large group, worship the same basic way, equality is stressed as very important, and only a few select are chosen for a higher calling in the social order. All citizens were also trained in warfare. Of course there were differences from Utopia as well. Such as the tradition of exposing "unfit" babies and although the husband, after he married a wife which was chosen for him, did not move in with her, their housing was preplanned and group oriented like the Utopians'. Agriculture was also stressed as the only work acceptable for any Spartan. Separate "colonies" were sent out in the surrounding land and produced all the food for the city. Slaves were all captured enemies. Doesn't that sound familiar?

There were differences though. Sparta was a very fond of war and conquering. The slaves were treated very poorly. Dr Reigal did not mention much about the women and children, but I do not think that they were treated as fairly as Utopian women and children were. I wish I could have link to this information but it is very scattered in all of the sites I have found. Most of the information I am mentioning here is from my lecture on Friday. Here is one basic link but it references more of the warfare aspect of Sparta rather than just everyday customs. http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GREECE/SPARTA.HTM

An interesting Introductory website on More

http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/moressay.htm
I found this link to have some interesting information on Sir More. The section entitled "The Life of Sir Thomas More" was a good overview of the basics, but didn't include a reference to Utopia, which I thought was kind of strange. Also included under the heading "Essays and Articles" were many interesting insights into the world during More's lifetime. One in particular struck me because it included Chaucer and More in the same title: http://www.geocities.com/yskretz/morechaucer.html
But, as you can see, this is a .com site so I wanted to investigate this correlation a little bit further. I found the same article from a more reputable website. Its a little be difficult to read (and it doesn't help that I'm battling the flu), but the article seems to be saying that Chaucer was a role model for More. More eventually even being praised on the same level as Chaucer, as being influential over English writing and one of the greatest writers of all time.

I have to go to class now, but I will be back and write more in a few hours :-)

The Wife of Bath Thesis statement and the Supporting Research

During discussion in our last class period I began wondering about the seemingly contradictory words of The Wife of Bath. Was she really searching for love and just lost? Was she a sex addict? Was either one of those even a main point? What does the story have to do with the subsequent Tale? I say the Wife of Bath loved pursuit of passion itself more than those with whom she shared it.

She portrays herself as very intentional in her choice of husbands, choosing them based upon physical characteristics.

1. “With ech of hem, so well was him on live./ Blessed be God that I have wedded five./[of whiche I picked out the beste/ Bothe of nether puts and of hir cheste…] (lines 43-45)

During her marriages to the first three the WOB instantly loses interest after she posses their land and wealth.

2) “and, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor./ They had me yiven hir lond and hir tresoor/ Me neded not do lenger diligence/ To winne hir love or doon hem reverence./ they loved me so well, by God above, That I ne tolde no deynett of hir love.” (lines 203-08)

She portrays herself as very intentional in her choice of husbands, choosing them based upon physical characteristics. Even Janekin, whom she appears to have shared love with, is first appraised through her tear ridden eyes of his appearance at her former husband’s funeral, “…me thought he hadde a paire of legges and of feet so clene and faire/That all mine herte I yaf unto his hoold” (lines 597-98).

“low, here the wise king, daun Salomon,/I trowe he hadde wives many oon!/ As wolde God it were leveful unto me to be refressed half so oft as he.” Lines 35-38

“With ech oh hem so well was him on live/ Blessed be God that I have wedded five/ [ Of whiche I have picked out the beste/ Bothe of hir nether purs and hir cheste.” Lines 43-45

“Diverse scoles maken parfit clerkes/ And diverse practik and many sundry werkes / Maketh the werkman parfyt sikerly/ Of fyve husbands scoleiyng am I/ ] Welcome the sixte, whan that evere he shall!” Lines 46a-45f

“And in swich wise folwe him and his fore./ He spak to hem that wol live parfitly,/ And lordinges by your leve, that am not I!/ I wol bistowe the flour of all mine age/ In th’actes and in fruit of marriage.” Lines 110-114

“They loved me so well, by God above/ That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love” Lines 207-208

“But sith I hadde hem hoolly in mine hond,/ And sith they hadde yiven me all hir lond,/ What shoulde I take kepe hem for to plese/ But it were for my profit and mine ese?” Lines 211-214

“ To her, and to another worthy wif,/ And to my nece, which that I loved weel,/ I wolde han toold his conseil every deel./ And so I dide ful often, God it woot” Line 536-549

“Yet was I nevere withouten purveyance,/ Of marriage, n’of othere thinges eek” Lines 570-571

“My dame taughte me that soutiltee-/ And eek I seyde I mette of hime all night,…/But as I folwed ay my dames loore,/ As weel of this as of othere thinges moore.]” Lines 576,77 & 583-584

“As help me God, whan that I saugh him go/ After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire” Lines 596,97

“Of legges and of feet so clene and faire/ That all mine herte I yaf unto his hold” Lines 698-99

“And I was fourty, if I shall seye sooth,/ But yet I hadde alwey a coltes tooth.” Lines 601-02

“[ For certes, I am Venerien/ In feelinge, and mine herte is Marcien./ Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesse,/ And mars yaf me my sturdy hardinesse.]” Lines 609-612