Othello Quote Log: Act 5 Scene 2

"Twill out, 'twill out.  I peace? / No, I will speak as liberal as the north. / Let heaven and men and devils, let them all, / All, all cry shame against me, yet I'll speak" (5.2.260-263).

Emilia is sarcastically amused by her husband's remarks.  Iago tells her to keep her mouth shut.  Emilia rants that  anyone other than her husband can keep her bottled up about the truth.  Emilia has had enough keeping secrets from the world.  Continuing Iago's cynical plans has taken a toll to Emilia.  A reoccurring theme of loyalty in a relationship has changed when Emilia goes against her husband's wishes.  During this time century, women were defined to fulfill their traditional roles of obedience in their spheres of domesticity.  Emilia decides to defy those exceptions, showing her true loyalty towards Desdemona, rather than her husband.

Othello Quote Log: Act 4 Scene 3

"But for the whole world - <'Uds pity!> Who / would not make her husband a cuckold to make / him a monarch?  I should venture purgatory for 't" (4.3.85-87).

Emilia and Desdemona dispute their conflicting beliefs upon the faithfulness of women.  Emilia does not understand why Desdemona would not take an opportunity to help her husband achieve glory by cheating on him.  Emilia and Desdemona are complete foils of one another.  Emilia displays characteristics similar to her husband, being deceitful and unmoral.  Desdemona stay true to the sentimental value of faith and honesty.  Emilia subtly hints that she would do anything to get her husband power, which she has by helping Iago with his cynical plan.  Emilia is also faithful to Desdemona, and Desdemona expresses pure characteristics that maybe rubbing off on Emilia.  Their conversation might allow Emilia see the unethical ways of her husband.

Othello Quote Log: Act 4 Scene 2

"Unkindness may / do much, / And his unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love" (4.2.187-190).

Desdemona exploits her emotions to Emilia and Iago.  Othello's verbal abuse seems to affect Desdemona emotionally and physically.  Although Othello is unkind to her, Desdemona stays true to the love with her husband.  This is the peak in Desdemona's loyalty and affection towards Othello.  Even though she is baffled by her husband's behavior, she disregards the meaning of his comments.  Rather, she holds on to their love to aid her through their rough patch.  Desdemona may not know the reason why Othello is mad at her, but the situation does not matter to her.  Desdemona and Emilia are both loyal to their husbands, but the contrast in their intentions.  Desdemona defends her marriage over Othello's incomprehensible jealousy, while Emilia obeys her husband, no matter if his intentions are cynical.

Othello Quote Log: Act 4 Scene 1

"This is some minx's token, and I must / take out the work!  There, give it your hobby-horse. / Wheresoever you had it, I''ll take out on work on 't" (4.1.172-174).

Bianca rampages to her love, Cassio, about her disdain towards the handkerchief.  Clearly, her tone is anger.  Negating all the negative comments, Bianca scolds Cassio for interfering with the love of another couple because she notices that the handkerchief has sentimental value to another pair of lovers.  Bianca demonstrates characteristics of loyalty in a relationship when she rejects copying the patterns of the handkerchief, showing her resentment towards sabotaging others' relationships.  These characteristics contrast Iago's characteristics, yet Othello sides with Iago's beliefs.  Othello is clouded by his anger, causing him to be blinded by the true and the clues showing that Cassio and his wife are innocent.

Othello Quote Log: Act 3 Scene 4

"'Tis not a year or two shows us a man. / They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; / They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, / They belch us" (3.4.120-123).

Emilia enlightens Desdemona about the nature of men.  Metaphorically, she articulates how all men are the same.  It is just a matter of time to see their true colors.  Emilia tries to explain Othello's jealousy towards Desdemona.  Emilia suggests how men use females and then move on.  Emilia's repetitious usage of the noun they infers the antecedent of men, more specifically Othello and Emilia's husband, Iago.  Emilia suggests that not only men, but specifically Iago falls into this description.  This foreshadows Iago's malevolence since his own wife can already detect it.

Othello Quote Log: Act 3 Scene 3

"I'll watch him tame and talk him out of patience / His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift / I'll intermingle everything he does / with Cassio's suit.  Therefore be merry, Cassio" (3.3.25-29).

In the beginning of the scene, Desdemona tries to reassure Cassio that he has nothing to worry about.  Saying she will tame and pester Othello with everything he does reassures Cassio.  She has power over her husband because she is the "captain of captains", demonstrated in her task of returning Cassio's position.  Desdemona is easy to sway, especially since Cassio comes to her with pity.  Looking from previous sections of the play, Desdemona is sympathetic to anyone.  Her act of sympathy will be the key to unlocking the tragedy of Othello.

Othello Quote Log: Act 2 Scene 3

"This / broken joint between you and her husband entreat / her to splinter, and, my fortunes against any lay / worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow / stronger than it was before" (2.3.341-345).

After Othello's disappointment towards Cassio, the manipulative Iago begins to plant his seed of destruction.  Implementing his plan, Iago persuades Cassio to talk to Desdemona.  Talking to Desdemona would create a stronger bond between Cassio and Othello.  Iago explains Desdemona's wondrous characteristics.  Being a lady's man, Cassio listens to Iago and decides to talk to her.  Losing his reputation with Othello, Cassio needs to redeem it.  Iago's plan seems to augment.  He has ruined Cassio's title.  He creates an idea of how Cassio can redeem himself.  Overall, Iago is toying with everyone, creating fallacies and being two-faced.

Character Description

Richard Pho

Mr. George

World Literature Honors

14 October 2010

Conforming from Loneness

            Although Winston embodies the last humane individual in Oceania, Big Brother manages to excavate through his stubbornness and opposition towards the Party, causing Winston to assimilate into the dystopia he never believed in.

            Throughout the book, Winston subtly rebels against the Party.  He consistently writes in his diary about his hatred towards Big Brother: “Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two makes four” (249).  The Party’s main goal is power and prosecution, keeping the proles ignorant to stay in control.  In Winston’s life, he does not accept their beliefs, knowing the hope of leaving this dystopia would fade away.  Winston does not account the factor of torture; the Party utilizes it to segregate Winston from human qualities, such as emotions: “Tear her face off […] Not to me! Julia!” (286). Emotions keep one human; the fact that the Party prevents the proles from exhibiting any emotion keeps the Party superior.  Subjected to torture, Winston falls into the Party’s trap, giving up his loyalty to Julia.  He has done what the Party wanted, betrayal, showing his assimilation to the Party.

Winston resembles a missionary. He logs his beliefs and hatred towards the Party in his diary. He has always believed in the opposition of the Party like how missionaries solely pertain to a certain religion. When Winston preaches his opposition to Julia, she has no care for it. Her indifference to the problem mirrors the Party's disagreement with Winston. Just like missionaries, they are decidcated to their beliefs, even if some people do not agree with them.

Just like in the movie, Shutter Island, Big Brother controls everyone. In Shutter Island, Teddy Daniels is sent to this island to solve a mystery, not knowing that he is never going to leave. He is eventually conditioned to be crazy, becoming a new patient of the island. The lighthouse, where people's brains are tweaked to make them crazy resembles room 101, and how people's fears cause them to assimilate. 

Othello Quote Log: Act 2 Scene 3

"And 'tis great pity that the noble Moor /  Should hazard such a place as his own second / With one of an engraffed infirmity. / It were an honest action to say so / To the Moor" (2.3.144-148).

Montano has a new outlook on Cassio after Iago's description.  Montano feels bad for Othello because Othello picked a second in command that might not have been a good choice.  The hazard is depicting Cassio's "drinking problem" or what Montano believes.  Iago has planted the idea that Cassio is a bad second in command because he appeared drunk in front of them.  The reality is that Cassio did drink a lot, but he retained himself in the end.  Iago is manipulating the situation to get back at Cassio for stealing the promotion Iago desires.  Everything Iago says seems to intensify his plan for revenge.