Shakespeare's Grand Handkerchief

In Act 3 Scene 4, Shakespeare attempts to explain the context of the play through the symbolic use of a spotted handkerchief designed with red strawberries. This first suggestion is seen through Othello’s from line 53 – 65, where he states that the handkerchief is symbolic of their love and it is the true magic that ‘subdues’ Othello. The fact that Desdemona has lost such an item, could be implying that the love and connection between the two, is also lost.
Shakespeare has also choosen very carefully to include strawberries on the designs of the handkerchief. In Greek times, strawberries where seen as a symbol for purity and love, due to its vibrant colors and refined taste, Shakespeare’s use of this idea portray Othello’s corrupted belief, of how the handkerchief represent not only Desdemona’s purity but also the love for her. Hence the lost of this simply item,did not imply a lost of an insignificant item but the lost of Desdemona’s innocence and love.
Another interpretation of Shakespeare’s handkerchief, is of Iago’s shallow crude ideas of love. His reference and imagery of love shown in Act 1 Scene 3 line 315 – 329. He refers to love as a scion or graft, a plant that can be grow from the stolen stems of another. This is exactly how strawberries are grown.
Shakespeare further plays with this idea when Emilia steals Desdemona’s handkerchief ,hence stealing her love, in order to satisfy her longing for love, planting that graft in Iago. This imagery of Emilia cutting a scion from Desdemona’s heart and giving it to Iago, elevates Emilia’s simple crime of stealing a mere handkerchief.
The last imagery that Shakespeare choose to use with the handkerchief is the reality of the handkerchief itself. The purpose of the item is to relieve simple irritations and annoyances. It is almost insignificant. Evenso, when such an item is not present to relieve small annoyances, these insignificant issues, grows.

Act 3 Scene 4 - Desdemona's handkerchief.

In this scene, Shakespeare highlights the significance of Desdemona's lost handkerchief to the audience, as we can clearly see that this is what the whole play hinges on. The handkerchief was given to Othello's mother by an Egyptian, and lines 52-63 in the scene enable us to see the charm around it. The handkerchief seemed to enable Othello's mother to "subdue [his] father entirely to her love", revealing the spell and power that it had. The fact that it was given to his mother by an Egyptian highlights the exotic background that Othello comes from as well as subtly reminding the audience of Iago's accusation that Othello had charmed Desdemona.

The hankerchief, being white, also represented Desdemona's purity and chastity. Thus losing it would mean that she has lost her purity in Othello's eyes and if she has given it to someone else then this would mean that she has given herself away.

Othello states clearly that the hankerchief was of great importance to him, and implies that their whole relationship hinges upon whether it has been "lost" or not. He retells the story of how "if [his mother] lost it or made a gift of it, [his] father's eye should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt after new fancies." (line 54). This also foreshadows the loathing that he will feel towards Desdemona, seeing as the audience clearly knows that she no longer has the hankerchief.

Othello is seen to have convinced himself that Desdemona has lost her virtue and honesty with the handkerchief, and this scene reveals the beginning of the events that lead to him killing her in their wedding bed.

Act 3 Scene 4

The significance of Act 3 Scene 4 in the context of the whole play Othello

Act 3 Scene 4 occurs after Act 3 Scene 3, the longest and most significant scene in the play where Othello is shown to fall directly into Iago’s cunning trap and is so quickly influenced that he begins to doubt the loyal Cassio and his beloved Desdemona.

In Act 3 Scene 4, Othello approaches Desdemona, seeking evidence, and is pulled into a heated argument where he becomes even more angered due to Desdemona’s persistence for Cassio’s sake. This is significant as it reveals their deteriorating marital relationship as a result of Iago’s manipulation. Othello does not directly ask her about Cassio and misconstrues her words, showing that his character is quick to jump to conclusions, for example when Desdemona cries ‘I’faith, you are to blame.’ (line 93), Othello swears and exits, perhaps indicating that he thinks she is saying that he is to blame for her being with Cassio. Furthermore, he also assumes that she is with Cassio because she continues to talk about him. This deterioration carves the path leading to the destruction of both Desdemona and Othello later on in the play.

Another significant element of this scene is the symbolism of the handkerchief that Desdemona has supposedly ‘lost’. The handkerchief could represent three different things, firstly Othello’s exotic heritage, secondly the love shared between Othello and Desdemona and finally Desdemona’s chastity in Othello’s eyes. By ‘losing’ the handkerchief, the love has diminished between them and Desdemona is no longer pure in Othello’s eyes. However, the audience knows that it has not been lost, but taken away. The audience realises that everything is slowly and flawlessly falling into place, and Shakespeare confirms this when Iago is brought in and he says ‘Is my lord angry?’ (line 126), indicating that this is exactly what Iago wanted to happen.

The relationship between Emilia and Iago is also revealed. Emilia tells Desdemona that she does not know where the handkerchief was, when in fact she gave it to her husband. This shows a certain degree of loyalty to her husband. Additionally, it appears that she may know more than we think, when in line 149 she says to Desdemona, ‘Pray heaven it be state matters, as you think, and no conception nor no jealous toy concerning you.’

Act 3 Scene 4 reveals to the audience the loss of control in the relationship between Desdemona and Othello, as well as how this aids Iago with his ultimate plan. It is as if the characters are now digging their own graves by pulling themselves closer and closer into Iago’s trap.

The Significance of Act 3, Scene 4 In The Context Of The Whole Play

Act 3 Scene 4 is significant in the context of the whole play because it contains the turning point of Desdemona and Othello's relationship and also highlights Desdemona's tragic flaw of being too naive.

From the moment it is introduced into the plot, the handkerchief given to Desdemona by Othello becomes the play's most important symbol. Act 3, Scene 4 assumes the bizarre shape of a perverted trial. From the moment Othello enters, he plays the role of a prosecutor, demanding that Desdemona produce the handkerchief and accusing her of being a whore. Shakespeare's integration of the significance of the handkerchief only in this scene helps to contribute to the dramatic ironies in the play, as Othello did not tell Desdemona the meaning of the handkerchief when he gave it to her in the first place, but only in such a circumstance that he believes she has lost it. Instead of defending herself against her husband's accusations, Desdemona's response by advocating Cassio’s case. The result is a shouting match, wherein husband and wife completely fail to communicate, Othello repeatedly screaming “The handkerchief!” while Desdemona enumerates Cassio’s noble qualities, all of which Othello takes as testimony against her. Shakespeare's chosen diction "zounds" as Othello's final word before his exit highlights Iago's absolute influence upon Othello, as Iago is the only character in the play who uses this strong swearing word. In addition, the fact that he swears directly to his wife and then exits conveys the poor state of their relationship.

Throughout the play, Desdemona is presented by Shakespeare as a naive character who has a pure heart, Act 3 Scene 4 exemplifies this characteristic of hers as being a major tragic flaw. In this scene, she tells the clown to deliver a message to Cassio without hesitating if the content of message would be twisted. Then, when Othello accuses her of infidelity, she does not pick up the clues in his lines and indeed, goes on to plead for Cassio. Later on in the scene, when she talks to Iago - she eventually persists him to find out what "hath puddled his clear spirit" as she believes it is concerning state affairs, not aware of the fact that Iago could further inject poison in Othello's ears of her unfaithfulness. In Shakespeare's construction of Desdemona's statement towards Iago, "men's nature wrangle with inferior things", he has emphasized the dramatic irony as we, the audience, know that Othello is wrestling an inferior thing, his own emotions; yet, Desdemona only believes Othello's "great ones" are to do with the states and does not realise that his emotion for her is an "inferior thing".

By the end of this scene, the plot unfolds without any further assistance from Iago, although he is still involved in manipulating it in some way. He has thus far been so careful to inform the audience of his every plan that it seems like he must have anticipated every turn in the road. As with the characters onstage, Iago’s power with the audience lies in his ability to make them believe he knows more than he does.

Cassio and Iago.

In Othello, Shakespeare crafts Cassio and Iago to be two contrasting characters, and this is evident from the way that they speak to and about women in the play. Iago does not treat his own wife nicely as seen from Act 2 Scene 1 thus Shakespeare may have wanted to show us that Iago had no respect for any woman, not even his wife.

Iago sees women in a physical way, and makes sexual references towards them when speaking about women and Desdemona in the play. He says "thou shalt enjoy her" (on line 310 page 26) to Roderigo, referring to him merely using her to please him and then that is all she is worth. He refers to "housewives in your bed" and how he would "drown [himself] for the love of a guniea-hen" which shows that he seems to be thinking in primitive and rude ways about women.
Iago also refers to his scheme with references to the "womb", "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." (line 360 page 27). Not only does he refer to "wombs" but also cuckolding, disrespecting the women's choice as if they want to be cuckolded or not.

Cassio on the other hand refers to women, and Desdemona in particular (to Iago's delight), as "The riches of the ship" (line 82 page 33). She is likened to treasure and as soon as she enters he says "Hail to thee, lady!", clearly elevating her status even more. The first thing we hear Cassio say about Desdemona is that Othello is lucky to have her. He admires the two of them, and clearly sees Desdemona as something "divine" rather than a mere object belonging to Othello who he admires.

The way in which Iago and Cassio refer to women enables the audience to see their upbringing at the time and Shakespeare enables us to also understand what it was like for women at the time. It seemed as though the men were a lot more dominant, and although people of education and higher status like Cassio elevated their status, Iago shows us that women were under the rule of men and less trusted.

An effect that this has on the audience, especially the female audience at the time, is that it may make them dislike Iago even more to highlight his bad personality. It may have shocked some women to hear him refer to them in that way, thus enabling them to like Cassio, who is a clear gentelman, a lot more than him. Shakespeare may have done this to highlight the tragedy of the play, seeing as it is the character who is evil and not liked that triumphs over and poisons all the others.

Iago and Cassio

Shakespeare develops the character of Cassio in this scene by using extravagant language, showing him to be a gallant gentleman via the way he treats women with great respect even if they are on a same or lower class. On the other hand, Iago is crafted as a man who criticizes his wife incessantly (100-1 when she lets Cassio kisses her) and makes ugly comments about women in general. Shakespeare explicitly describes Iago’s view of women through lines 108-11, in which he believes that women are play-minded creatures who appear to be all nice and quite when out in public, are just silent images, or just “pictures out of doors” but when all they do at home is whining and talking like “bells” and “wild-cats”. By having Cassio serves as a foil to Iago in terms of relationship between men and women, I think Shakespeare has built a background of the society in which the play is set in, enabling the audience to gain a better knowledge of the characteristics of the expected role of women and men – how men are able to treat women, it is their choice and that women, at the time, are considered to have high status and are respected by others. More importantly, this contrasting portrayal of men-women relationship helps to raise dramatic tension as we gain an understanding of Desdemona being an independent girl who could directly speak to men – thus maybe she will have the power to stop Othello’s blindness in being tricked into the Iago’s scheme.

Iago’s and Cassio’s contrasting view toward women

Posted by Brian

Cassio regards women as figures of perfection1. When Desdemonda enters the ship, he acts as a humble man introducing a great goddess, shown through his use of language. By continuously mentioning the ideas of “hailing” 2 and “heaven” 2 he elevates her to divine beauty. He compares her to a flourish white swam3, which gives an imagery of purity and splendor. One of the most defining characteristics that Shakespeare gives Cassio is his incredible humbleness towards women. And eventhough he is second in command, he uses proper courtesy of asking a for a lady’s hand from Iago 4 . Shakespeare’s decision to include Cassio’s humble courtesy towards the women, in contrast with Iago’s, could have been done to show how it is one of Cassio’s weakness and how Iago uses this to his advantage.

On the other hand, Iago attitude toward’s Desdemona and Emilia shows that he has no respect or value for women. Iago’s character is naturally dishonest, he creates a mask which he hides behind when he talks to Othello. Yet in this scene, you can see Iago’s clearly criticizing Desdemona and Emilia without hesitation, this shows how little little respect he has towards women. Iago goes as far as mentioning that women are of no use other than in bed5.

Unlike Cassio, rather than praising his own wife, he chooses to criticize her. He depicts her as “bothersome” 9, and “noisy” through the use of imagery, such as “Bells in your parlor” 6 and “wild-cats in your kitchen”6.The comparison he used on his wife, clearly shows that he no concern or care for her. Shakespeare might have added this aspect to show that Iago’s character has been foul and vile long before Othello’s decision to not promote him. The fact that Iago cannot be courteous to his wife in front of others shows how stubborn he truly is.

His descriptions of dark brunettes and fair ladies, further emphasizes his inconsideration of female emotions and his ignorant ideas that women are objects for men, with only the use of child bearing8 and for interactions7.

The main function that this scene creates, is to emphasize Iago’s inconsideration of people, to introduce how sensitive and courteous Cassio’s character is, As such that it could potentially be manipulated by the stubborn Iago. This contrast not only creates tension between these characters but also potentially heighten’s the audience’s hate for Iago now that they have learned he views women as a nuissance.


1: “That paragons description and wild fame”

2: “Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,"

3: “One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens”

4: “Let it not gall your patience, good Iago That I extend my manners; 'tis my breeding That gives me this bold show of courtesy.”


6: “Bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens”

5: “You rise to play and go to bed to work”

7: “If she be black, and thereto have a wit, She'll find a white that shall her blackness hit.”

8: “She never yet was foolish that was fair; For even her folly help'd her to an heir.”

9: “I find it still, when I have list to sleep …She puts her tongue a little in her heart, And chides with thinking.”

Cassio and Iago's Treatment of Women

Cassio speaks to women with great respect, using flowery language and almost exaggerated compliments to describe Desdemona and to greet Emilia. He describes Desdemona as ‘divine’ and calls her the ‘riches of Cyprus’, likening her to an angel and a treasure. This conveys Cassio’s admiration for her, showing that he believes that she is special and of a high status. Shakespeare made Cassio say these lines to give the dramatic effect of making the audience feel slightly worried that Iago’s plan to claim that Desdemona and Cassio have a relationship may work, because they seem so close. Even though the audience can see that Cassio’s behaviour stems merely from his sense of courtesy, they can also see that Othello, having spent less time learning the customs in society at the time, may believe that Cassio’s friendly banter is flirtatious instead. He greets Emilia with a kiss, explaining to Iago that ‘tis [his] breeding that gives [him] this bold show of courtesy’. This shows that audience that he was brought up to treat women with care and respect, so even though he does not know Emilia, he treats her as if she is special to him. As Cassio has a ‘person and a smooth dispose’, he must be a man with knowledge of the rules in society, showing that his behaviour towards women makes him more respectable and well liked.
Iago, on the other hand, is shown through his speech to believe that women are annoying and fickle, and have the duty of providing an heir to the family. He does not speak with the same respect as Cassio, but instead ridicules his wife, even if only lightly, by saying ‘you are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchens...’ This comment shows that he thinks women put on different facades in different places, depending on who is around to see them, making them deceitful. It also implies that though Emilia seems quiet outside, she annoys Iago in the house, being too loud, as is suggested by the metaphors of ‘bells’ and ‘wild-cats’. Iago sees women as child-givers, shown by the phrase ‘she never yet was foolish that was fair, for even her folly help’d her to an heir’. The phrase implies that as long as a woman can bear a child, it does not matter how foolish she is. Shakespeare uses Iago’s behaviour towards women to show the audience that he is a complete opposite to Cassio, who almost puts the women above him, and though it was expected for women to be submissive and stick to their duties, when Iago shows that these are his views, the audience is less likely to agree with them, simply because of his dislikeable character.

Act II, Scene I

Cassio throughout this scene exerts himself to be the ideal and perfect courteous gentlemen. In this scene, his appreciation for feminine beauty is highlighted as he speaks with much enthusiasm about Desdemona’s beauty (more than what most men would speak of when talking about another man’s wife). His romantic character is developed through his description of Desdemona. In lines 62 to 64, he portrays Desdemona as a woman that “paragons description and wild fame”, “excels the quirks of blazoning pens” and is an “essential vesture of creation”. The use of extravagant courtly diction depicts Desdemona’s beauty to be overwhelming; as if it is beyond the ability of humans and their words to describe her thus suggesting that her beauty is divine. This idea is further reinforced when Cassio boldly claims that jagged rocks and sandbanks “as having sense of beauty do omit/ their moral natures, letting go safely by/ the divine Desdemona” (lines 71 – 73). This implies that Desdemona’s beauty is so overpowering that her ship manage to escape the dangers of the storm, rocks and sands because of it.

Being the gentlemen that Cassio is, upon the arrival of Desdemona on his ship he alerts the men on board the ship that “the riches of the ship is come on shore!” (line 83) and insists that the men of Cyprus greet her by “[letting] her have [their] knees” (line 84). This depicts Desdemona as something precious, like treasure and is the fact that the men are kneeling before her is akin to welcoming a goddess or an angel, which is a slightly excessive gesture as they are in the middle of a storm, where everything is wet and muddy. He also extends his welcome to Emilia, Iago’s wife by giving her a kiss to which he explains that “’tis [his] breeding/ that gives [him] this bold show of courtesy” (lines 98/99). This suggests that he was brought up in a well-mannered environment. This in turn emphasizes how charming Cassio is and at this point, the audience feels a little bit worried as they can see clearly how Cassio would fit perfectly into Iago’s evil scheme. This additionally serves as a foreshadow of the manifestation of Iago’s plan as it unfolds throughout the course of the play.

Iago’s disdain for women can be seen in this scene through the pessimistic way in which he speaks about them. This is apparent when he compares women in the quote to insignificant objects;

“you are pictures out of doors, bells
In your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchen, saints in
Your injuries, devils being offended, players in your
housewifery, and housewives in your beds.” (lines 108 – 111)

“Pictures out of doors” suggests that they only pretend to be well-behaved when they are out in public but reveal their true nature at home. “Bells in you parlours” suggests that they are as noisy and annoying as the sound of bells while “saints in your injuries, devils being offended” implies that they are religious in their dedication for revenge but are devil-like when someone faults them. “Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds” indicates that they only pretend to be housewives and that they use sexual favours to get what they want, which is further emphasized when he says that women “rise to play and go to bed to work”. What he meant by saying this is that women only really earn their living in bed. Therefore, through the horrible things that Iago says, it is not at all surprising that Iago thinks of women as low and inferior as he compares them to animals and devils.

Furthermore, Iago also describes his idea of a perfect woman in this scene.

‘She that was ever fair, and never proud,
Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud;
Never lack'd gold, and yet went never gay;
Fled from her wish, and yet said "Now I may";
She that being anger'd, her revenge being nigh,
Bade her wrong stay, and her displeasure fly;
She that in wisdom never was so frail
To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;
She that could think and ne'er disclose her mind,
See suitors following and not look behind;
She was a wight, if ever such wight were – ‘ (lines 145 – 155)

Iago’s response highlights the point that a woman should be fair, but not overly stuck up; who was well-spoken but knows when to hold back (knows what her limit is); who had gold but did not overdress just because she had the money; who had self-control; who could control her desire to seek revenge for slights; who had enough sense to distinguish head from tail; who could think without expressing her every thought and who could avoid being distracted by others’ reactions.

He then pauses significantly before concluding his speech with “to suckle fools and chronicle small beer” (line 157) with the intention of winding Desdemona up. The last sentence of his speech suggests that a woman, even if she is perfect is good for nothing more than nursing babies and to keep household accounts of insignificant items such as beer.

The contrast in how different male characters portray female characters highlights the fact that men are dominant and hold more power in a relationship as they can easily promote or demote a woman’s status in the society, especially if they are of a high position in the army (for example, Cassio). This in turn emphasizes the inferiority of women and their position in the social hierarchy during the Elizabethan era.

Iago vs. Cassio

Act 2 Scene 1

In this scene, while waiting for the arrival of Othello in Cyprus, Iago and Cassio speak to and of women in contrasting manners. Cassio clearly shows more respect and consideration for women in society, while Iago, on the other hand, exhibits a lack of respect and appreciation, especially towards the woman he married, Emilia.

When Cassio speaks of Desdemona, Othello's wife, he describes her with the utmost respect without lapsing into insincerity;

Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd a maid

That paragons description and wild fame;

One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens

And in th'essential vesture of creation

Does tire the ingener.

Cassio says that Desdemona is so much more than what people describe her as, and that her beauty transcends imagination. By speaking of her in this way, Cassio instantly elevates her status through his inflated compliments, and this is highlighted when Cassio calls to his men 'You men of Cyprus, let her have your knees'. Cassio respects and admires Desdemona, even though she is just a friend and he is not romantically involved with her, indicating that Cassio is respectful towards women in general. He continues to compliment her throughout the scene, calling her 'the divine Desdemona' and 'the riches of the ship', comparing her to something so very rare and valuable.

Cassio also shows respect for Emilia, Iago's wife, when he greets her politely and chivalrously with a kiss. Cassio says 'tis my breeding that gives me this bold show of courtesy', suggesting that Cassio has been brought up in an environment where he was taught to respect women.

Iago, on the other hand, exhibits a very different and negative attitude towards women, to the point where he criticises and disparages his own wife. After Cassio kisses Emilia, Iago says;

Sir, would she give you so much of her lips

As of her tongue she oft bestows on me

You would have enough.

Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors, bells

in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchen, saints in

your injuries, devils being offended, players in your

housewifery, and housewives in your beds.

Iago implies that women talk excessively, definitely more than they should, and of useless matters. He says that women are well behaved in public but in the home they are troublesome. In addition to this, Iago makes the vulgar statement, 'You rise to play and go to bed to work', indicating that he thinks women are good for nothing but sex.

In contrast to Cassio, who elevates the status of women, Iago greatly lowers their status, referring to them as objects and animals - pictures, bells, wild-cats, as if they are selfish creatures, and a burden to their husbands.

These contrasting ways in which women are spoken to and spoken of affects our understanding of male/female relationships in the sense that there are two different types of male/female relationships; empowered and constrained. The way that Cassio speaks to women in society is very respectful and courteous. He gives them a voice, an identity and status. However this is only outside of the home. We do not know how Cassio would treat a mistress or a wife. Iago and Emilia's relationship is constrained. Their relationship is an excellent example of power in gender roles in society, with Iago being the powerful masculine persona in the relationship, and Emilia being the weaker feminine persona. The idea that women are inferior to men is exemplified in their relationship, as Emilia is clearly of a lower status to Iago, and Iago constantly verbally abusing her.

Because of the opposing attitudes towards women, Cassio becomes the perfect scapegoat for Iago's plan. His respect for women, in particular Desdemona, makes him the perfect suspect as Iago intends to lure Othello into thinking Desdemona is having an affair with Desdemona, therefore bringing the both of them down. This could foreshadow a terrible ending later on in the play as the more we learn about Cassio and his charming characteristics, the more we realise that Iago's plan could be executed flawlessly. Iago's cruel manners towards his wife also indicates how heartless he is, emphasising his malicious characteristics.

IOP exams prepare now

Reminder:

IOPs will happen starting the first Monday back from the holidays. Make sure you have a clear topic based on a focused aspect of the text you are presenting. Look closely at the rubric again and make sure that you are aiming for 6/7 criteria. Make sure you have no more than 5 palm cards when presenting and that you are practicing aloud at home. You will be given times. You will need to make sure you present at these times as it is a formal IB exam.

Good luck with your preparation. Email me with any queries, questions : )

Othello - Ewan Macgregor as Iago and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Othello

A critically acclaimed production of Othello starring Ewan Macgregor as Iago and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Othello. Please bring in a USB - memory stick to have this copied. It is an excellent version word for word.
A link to the Donmar Warehouse where it was performed with some videos of the actors, director, designers discussing the play.



# An Othello of the first rank'
Guardian
# 'This is a terrific Othello'
Independent
# 4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars 'hottest theatre ticket in town'
The Times
# 'An extraordinarily fresh and new-minted production'
Independent
# 'It is a most powerful, memorable performance.'
Daily Express
# 4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars 'Ejiofor puts himself into the front rank of modern Othellos.'
Guardian
# [Kelly Reilly as Desdemona] 'I shall long remember her vulnerability: when struck by Othello, she registers a shocked disbelief and she is incredibly touching in the "willow" scene.'
Guardian
# 'the production finds two actors (Chiwetel and Ewan) who can go against the grain of current notions of how these roles should be played and who can furnish us with new insights into the hero's downfall.'
Independent
# 'Michael Grandage is directing with his usual flair, care and respect for the text.'
The Times
# 'First-rate support from Tom Hiddleston's posh, rank-pulling Cassio and Michelle Fairley's fierce and indignant Emilia'
Independent
# [Ewan McGregor] 'He’s vigorous, hard, mean and he does hate, really hate. Hate enough to give us Shakespeare’s play as it poignantly, painfully should be.'
The Times
# 4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars 'Extraordinary theatrical charge'
Sunday Express
# 4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars 'Kelly Reilly's sensual, soft and exquisitely delicate Desdemona'
Mail on Sunday
# 4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars 'Ejiofor and McGregor... it's a mouthwatering combination that doesn't disappoint'
Sunday Telegraph
# 'An Othello for our times... magnificant'
Observer

Allegory as defined by the dictionary

Please note carefully that an allegorical story is not intended to be taken as literal as in the case of Patrick Suskind's allegorical novel Perfume:

Here is the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of an allegory:

allegory
Main Entry:
al·le·go·ry
Pronunciation:
\ˈa-lə-ˌgȯr-ē\
Function:
noun
Inflected Form(s):
plural al·le·go·ries
Etymology:
Middle English allegorie, from Latin allegoria, from Greek allēgoria, from allēgorein to speak figuratively, from allos other + -ēgorein to speak publicly, from agora assembly — more at else, agora
Date:
14th century

1: the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence ; also : an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression2: a symbolic representation : emblem 2

Please note the phrases "symbolic fictional figures and actions"..."speak figuratively" and "generalisations about human existence"

Talking to a Writer

About him and his past:

• Questions bout did it happening to him
• His 1st book was 1st person making it as if it happened 2 him
• But its through the character that truth comes out (Truth in Fiction)
• Writing is hard, but is loved
• Isolated
• Its hard to answer and accept questions but it helps express what he feels
• Some unexpected conclusions from people
• Writes bout what he wants
• He relates back to his character in real life situations
• Makes friends with characters and lives with him
• Reading parts of the book- reminds him there is an audience and about his characters
• Titles pop out of no where
• Is careful to what he watches and reads but will read non-fiction

His Draft:

• Looses train of thought and misses corrections
• Reads next day usually
• Adds strength, sense, and more thought
• Likes cleishay "double edged saw"
• Everything goes through many drafts
• Things must show not tell
• Big fan of "dot dot dot" and ellipses

Why does he write? How long?

1. Always new from early age from young writing
2. Always awarded
3. Can express anything (feelings bout things to everyone)
4. Enjoys finding and loosing himself

A good novel?

5. Needs to find the reader/ appeal to them
6. No matter what it needs strong real characters
7. Setting is not that important (no named places)
8. Building a new place is what makes something built

Inspiration?

9. Influence is like a quick glance at something
10. Needs absorption and generation
11. All he needs is experience and senses

Morals?

12. Does not like telling people what to think
13. But does have conclusions as outcome
14. Needs to come from characters

Writes block?

15. Comes and goes a lot
16. Could occur for a reason may not know what to write
17. Stops him from writing blab, helps him search
18. Expects one day ideas to fall

Difficulties expressing thoughts?

19. Yes, every time
20. Can be frustrating and will face the problem
21. But is why he writes
22. All about re-drafting
23. His ideas must come from himself and cannot ask someone
    For his help

Success from?

24. Not necessarily from publishing
25. Reactions even on small scale
26. Getting ideas out
27. From self standards, from ideas properly being expressed
28. Can criticizes himself

Thoughts about Ariel Dorfman's afterword

I felt that the rhetorical questions posed by Dorfman in his afterword really resonated with many things that are going on and have gone on in the world. Though his questions stemmed from a Chilean point of view, they certainly are universal.

"How to heal a country that has been traumatised by repression if the fear to speak out is still omnipresent everywhere?"

This is a question that in my opinion is at the very core of Death and the Maiden. On the one hand, we have Gerardo who seems quite willing to let the past lie and ruffle the least amount of feathers, despite his position on the truth Commissions. On the other hand we have Paulina, who is willing to take matters into her own hands and find justice herself - to go to the extreme and kill a man in order to find justice.

One could say that Gerardo is a representation of the masses just after the fall of a dictatorship - wanting a sense of unity, justice and peace, but suffering from too much fear and paranoia to be outspoken and vocal about their opinions.

Paulina, despite being much more forceful about her convictions in the play is just like Gerardo (the masses) in a sense. She herself suffers from fear and paranoia, though of a different kind. She decides to exact justice upon Roberto because of her mistrust of the judiciary system, and conviction that they are useless. But where does this mistrust come from? People may disagree with this, but I think that Paulina's judgement has more to do with what she perceives as a never ending cycle of corruption than any concrete knowledge of legislation. Due to years of silence and repression at the hands of a corrupt government, Paulina is no longer able to see that life could possibly turn out any other way.

Now you may say that Paulina has every right to think the way she thinks and act the way she acts given her circumstances - but if we looked at the bigger picture, how would a country ever heal if every man and every woman thought the way Paulina thought and acted the way she acted? If a country's people have no faith that they can change their own government for the better, then nothing will change and they will continue to be stuck in a limbo between dictatorship and democracy. When I thought about Paulina's actions in this way, I realised that what she did was particularly selfish as it benefited only herself. If she had found a way to present her case to the Truth Commission before killing Roberto she could have helped countless other torture victims and maybe have helped her country to move in the right direction. Killing Roberto will not change anything for Paulina because no one knows what happened her, and so her suffering still remains a "secret" to her government and her country. She may be appeased for sometime after Roberto's death, but it is my belief that in the long run she will never be truly healed.

Ariel Dorfman on why he was inspired to write Death and the Maiden

"Ariel Dorfman is probably best known for Death and the Maiden, the play he wrote in Chile during that country's transition to democracy in the summer of 1990. Since its first production in Chile, the story of Paulina Salas, a woman who kidnaps the man she suspects tortured her more than 20 years ago, has been staged in more than thirty countries. In Germany alone, in 1993 there were more than 50 different productions all running at the same time. Taught in colleges and high schools, still performed around the globe, Death and the Maiden is a classic example of the coming together of art and the struggle for human rights." The play won the Laurence Olivier award for Best New Play of 1992.
From the Duke University website where Ariel Dorfman is a distinguished professor: http://www.adorfman.duke.edu/

Death and the Maiden - Afterword to the Original Stage Play

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Nobel Prize in Literature

The top accolade of literary prizes, the Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded to writers who have spent a lifetime dedicated to producing literature and providing the world with insight into others' lives and plight through the production of their life's work. Read 2000's Laureate Gao Xingian's thoughts on writing literature.(Just click on his name for the hyperlink)


Take notes and see if there is anything that he says which resonates with your own ideas or helps to prompt or establish new ideas. Please add comments on the blog to show you are engaging with subject matter. You should regard this type of inquiry as a body of knowledge that you are constantly adding to - to help you with your overall understanding in the IB course. The more you engage with ideas and think about things, the more you will find the elements of your IB course overlapping and crystallising.

Carefully considered thoughts on the purposes of Literature

For English A1 you need to have a carefully considered grasp of the functions that Literature can serve. You need to consider all of the points presented to you in class, keep an open mind and add new information to your growing understanding of the subject area. Your aim is not to make rash judgements based on first reactions. It is to think about the deeper message that is being communicated rather than the superficial appearance of what is first imagined - to allow flexibility or change of thought when new knowledge is added to the body of knowledge you already have. The IB learner profile traits which follow are needed to do this effectively - please note the overarching aim of the IB student at the top of the document.

Quoted from IB Leaner Profile Statement:

The Ib Learner Profile

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Here are some carefully considered thoughts of intellectuals, writers, peacemakers for you to think about:

“The answers you get from literature depend on the questions you pose”
Margaret Atwood (Canadian Writer, b.1939)

“Literature is where I go to explore the highest and lowest places in human society and in the human spirit, where I hope to find not absolute truth but the truth of the tale, of the imagination and of the heart.”

“Books are humanity in print.”
Barbara W.Tuchman (American historian, writer, academic 1912-1989)

“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. They are engines of change, windows on the world, lighthouses erected in the sea of time.”
Salman Rushdie(Indian born British Writer, b.1947)

“We read to know we are not alone.”
C.S. Lewis (British Scholar and Novelist. 1898-1963)

"The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean”
Robert Louis Stevenson(Scottish Essayist, Poet and Author of fiction and travel books, 1850-1894)

“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.”
C.S. Lewis(British Scholar and Novelist. 1898-1963)

“What is wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards the condition of the man who wrote."

“Every man's memory is his private literature.”
Aldous Huxley(English Novelist and Critic, 1894-1963)

“Good children's literature appeals not only to the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child”

“The decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(German Playwright, Poet, Novelist and Dramatist. 1749-1832)

“The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.”
Robert Louis Stevenson(Scottish Essayist, Poet and Author of fiction and travel books, 1850-1894)

“While thought exists, words are alive and literature becomes an escape, not from, but into living”
Cyril Connolly (English critic and editor, 1903-1974)

“The crown of literature is poetry.” William Somerset Maugham.

“Whoever is able to write a book and does not, it is as if he has lost a child” Rabbi Nachman

“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society. It is a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of development, an essential complement to investments in roads, dams, clinics and factories. Literacy is a platform for democratization, and a vehicle for the promotion of cultural and national identity. Especially for girls and women, it is an agent of family health and nutrition. For everyone, everywhere, literacy is, along with education in general, a basic human right.... Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.”
Kofi Annan(Ghanaian diplomat, seventh secretary-general of the United Nations, 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.)

“Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree”
Ezra Pound(American Editor, Poet, Translator and Critic, 1885-1972)

“The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar, familiar things new.”
William Makepeace Thackeray(Indian born English Author and Novelist of 'Vanity Fair', 1811-1863)

“When I read great literature, great drama, speeches, or sermons, I feel that the human mind has not achieved anything greater than the ability to share feelings and thoughts through language.”
James Earl Jones

Pondering on the craft of literature

One of the main elements of the final exam paper in Paper 2 is for students to show that they have a solid and knowledgeable understanding of what the craft of literature involves - its amazing variety in construction, theme, purpose.

IB English A1 students were asked to come up with questions to ask a visiting writer about the craft of writing. Their thoughtful and insightful questions follow. (Note -some questions were merged as they were similar in idea)

Mai - When crafting your work, do you know straight away where you want your written work to go or do you discover that when you are writing?
Do you base your work on personal viewpoints or try to tackle issues beyond your perspective?
What would you say is the most important thing to consider when crafting new ideas for your writing?
Dung - What elements make good literature?
Rhys – What made you choose novels as a form of expression over music, drama or writing film?
Lillian – In your opinion, what does a good novel comprise of?
How long does it usually take to you to complete a novel?
May – How long have you been writing literature? Why did you start?
What has been the biggest challenge you have encountered so far in your career?
Christian – What is the hardest thing about crafting literature?
Are your stories inspired by true life experiences of your friends and family?
Are there certain things you have difficulty writing about and why?
Are your protagonist mainly men or women? Why?
Frances – What happens when you finish writing a story – do you decide when it ends? Does a story ever end?
Anahita – Does punctuation play a large role in shaping your work? Do you think of the tone before you think about the storyline?
What usually inspires you to write?
Ruben – Do you write for pleasure or to deliver a message?
Do you hope to teach a moral through your work?
Do you write on your own or like to share your ideas with others?
Where do your ideas come from?
Do you think about your audience when you are writing?
Julia – When researching the setting of a place do you visit it?
Do you plan everything before you write it or do you let things evolve?
What comes first for you? – character, theme or storyline?