Othello - Tumblr Posts
21/02/24
just got done reading Othello, writing an essay about it for school from Friday
‘for she had eyes and chose me’
glad someone else had the same thought as me...
what are your feelings on othello, desdemona, and cassio being alive and happy and in love
Yes.
Somewhere between Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet is a person who knows how to plan just enough.
Toothache (A Journal Entry / Othello fanfiction)
March 7, 1573
Verily, on this auspicious day, the scribblings in this parchment shallst not concerneth furth'r machinations to bringeth about the demise of the Moor, but rather to speaketh of an encounter which hath caused me much alarm of late. Mine thoughts doth simply wand'ring unto the remembrance of the night I hath spent beside Michael Cassio. My true intent was to seek out evidence that I couldst bend and distort for mine own gain. Verily, I do intend on using it for my own advantage, but this emotion which doth slumber in me brings light to the num'rous queries about myself which I'm afraid I'm unready to confront.
Anon, I have yet to disclose the full tale of wherefore I was im his slumber-chamber, but I shallst immediately. I had been troubled with a raging tooth. Forsooth, in mine own bed I couldst not slumber, so I decided to slumber in Cassio's bed. Certes he wouldst not object since he did lie unconscious. But verily, as I lay beside him, he began to babble in bis unconsciousness of Desdemona. His dream did seem to possess an amorous nature. Forsooth, at length his form was as still as before. But alas, that would not hold for long. As he doth wax poetic on his beloved, he doth exclaim with passion for his lady-fair, "O sweet creature!" and then kissed me hard. Hereafter, he doth climb upon mine thigh, and doth carry forth his progress in earnest.
I knoweth not how to express this sensation in mine heart as he doth make his advance, yet it is one unfamiliar unto me. It doth unnerve me. I couldst not stir. What doth it betoken in sooth? Mine visage doth scorch. 't went no further than a fiery exchange of our own droplets, yet it felt so... Pish! I cannot ascertain the meaning thereof.
I will kick start mine mast'r plan on the eve of our return to the realm of the Turks. The uneasy sensation in mine nether regions doth only stem from the anticipation of reaching mine objective of unraveling ev'rything yon Moor doth standeth for. I mayst confronte Cassio about what unfolded during yond evening... In a manner most intimate and personal...
I totally agree. There's a lot of stories that are amazing and quickly discounted because they're old.
When COVID-19 caused the shutdown in the US, school was still on, but the needed time investment tanked for the end of the school year. This gave me a lot of time to read, and I read a whole lot of Shakespeare's plays.
While some were skipped (Rape of Lucreta was not something I was going near), some were lighthearted (Twelfth Night, Two Gentlemen of Verona), some were traditional comedies (Winter's Tale), and some were unquestionably tragedies (Romeo and Juliet, King Lear).
And some plays were very obviously products of the political culture of the time (fun fact, in Henry VI, the actress who plays La Pucelle (Jeanne d'Arc) in Part 1 usually also plays Queen Margaret in later parts, because they're both the "villainous women" in the play). Richard III is very obviously pro-Tudor, and the political climate in Hamlet's Elsinor more closely resembles England's court of the time than any contemporary Danish court.
Other plays are most definitely not something publishable today. And this is okay, as long as we (the readers) understand that the attitudes expressed, while prevalent in Shakespeare's time, are no longer acceptable. Othello and Merchant of Venice are definitely the most obvious examples of this, though Prospero's treatment of Caliban and Ariel in the Tempest are also questionable. (None of these plays are accurate representations of real people, or groups of people. However, it is important to note that Shakespeare gives these characters more depth than any of his contemporaries.)
Shakespeare remains one of the most impressive authors of his day, and truly an extraordinary playwright. I guess what I'm trying to say is that while some of his work hasn't aged well, it remains important to teach his work in schools, and the content that hasn't aged well, and the content that is obviously politically biased, remain important to teach as well. (Please hear me out before commenting/bashing)
Shakespeare's Henry VI presents an English perspective on events of the 100 Year War, and due to this perspective introduces narrative bias, which is especially present in the character of La Pucelle, who readers will be more familiar with as Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc). Joan, in the modern understanding of events, was a female civilian who joined the French in working to fight against the English, and was eventually burned at the stake. In the religious context, she has since been canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church. However, in the play, she is written as a witch who is also (in colloquial terms) "sleeping her way to the top." Because Shakespeare is being sponsored by the English crown, and thus must support the English side in his "History" on the war, he has Joan represent a malevolent force.
Even more interesting is that Richard III, about the War of the Roses, has had elements (that could actually be just propaganda, there's not enough historical evidence either way) become part of the prevailing historical narrative. Specifically, the "boys in the tower" story, about how he arranged to have his nephews killed.
Othello could never work in the modern day, but it is representative of historical attitudes. Despite these attitudes, Othello remains a very real character, who, while incredibly competent at his job, remains open to manipulation. Iago takes advantage of social isolation and fear to exacerbate jealousy, and Othello remains a man who is deeply in love. While there are issues with racial attitudes in the story, it could serve as an important lesson about manipulation. Iago finds what Othello cares about (Desdemona), helps to set up the idea that Othello should no longer be secure in Desdemona's love for him, and helps the situation to blow up in Othello's face, so Iago can have what he wants (the job of Cassio, who he sets up as the "other man" in the supposed affair). The lesson that people may not always have your best interests at heart can be a hard one, and is often overlooked by detractors of the play.
Merchant of Venice might paint Shylock as it's villain, but he gets the opportunity to leave the audience with a line that emphasizes the equality of all humanity ("If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"). Additionally, he is remarkably three-dimensional by the end, which makes him much more intriguing as a character, and increases the attention the audience pays to the validity of his lines.
TL;DR, even some of the more "problematic" of Shakespeare's plays remain relevant today (and important to read), even if no longer for the same reasons as before.
(Exit Stage Right, pursued by a bear)
This is how it feels to read a classic that everyone in the world has already read and loves
Guess who just spent at least half an hour and probably more like an hour looking up “16th century divorce laws in Venice”, and then “valid reasons for annulment in the 16th century” because of like, a paragraph in the first section of Othello that, based on what I know of the plot, won’t even matter after this.
It was me.
I like the ephemeral thing about theatre, every performance is like a ghost - it's there and then it's gone.
Maggie Smith
Listen, I must be 110 by now. Granny is going to kick the bucket at some point.
Maggie Smith
If you're lucky, I think you know what you want to do with your life. I think that's a greater gift that any of the gifts you might have when you do know, if you know what I mean. It must be awful to not know what to do.
Maggie Smith
If you like Shakespeare, you've come to the right place.
Othello is a 1965 film based on the National Theatre Company's staging of Shakespeare's Othello (1964-1966) staged by John Dexter. Directed by Stuart Burge, the film starred Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Joyce Redman, and Frank Finlay, who all received Oscar nominations, and provided film debuts for both Derek Jacobi and Michael Gambon.
Maggie Smith in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
Dame Maggie Smith
1934-2024
Shows that I have a unhealthy obsession with and will keep that obsession to the day I die:
Monster High
Ouran High School Host Club
Gravity Falls
MLP: Friendship is Magic
Steven Universe (+ Future)
Kotoura-san
Sofia the First
Wizards of Waverly Place
Teen Titans
Movies that I have an unhealthy obsession with and will never cease to write and talk about:
Lion King (all of ‘em)
The Aristocats
Fox and the Hound
Lady and the Tramp
Ponyo
Your Name
Musicals/Plays that I am obsessed with and if given the chance will direct the shit out of:
Our Town
Young Frankenstein
Othello
Harvey
Hamilton (duh)
Add your own additions!
The recent chapters are absolute insanity.
I just want my bbys be happy 💕
Very relavent
Old memes just my cup of tea.
I am not sorry
I’m putting Francis in charge with this shit
I’m ready for people defending Sebastian
no hard feelings sebby, but I’m on team Ciel
Bitch
by keepitsurreal on Flickr.Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, popularly called The Othello Tunnels in British Columbia, Canada.
which is gayer?
a: being gay
b: whatever the fuck iago's got going on with cassio
struggling to find a post where it talks about how Shakespeare shouldnt be analyzed and she just be enjoyed and somewhere along the post it also talks about pulling up to the globe theater with the homies and making fun of the size of someone's balls and i really cant find it so tumblr gods.. have mercy on me
Additionally there was another post about how Frankenstein was basically depressed for 75% of the book and i also cant find it
He's a little eccentric, but his tiny forensics boyfriend supports his bizarre interests. He demands more pickles.
William: "I swear to god I'm the only one here with a braincell." Grell, Ronald, Othello, & Undertaker: "ALL HAIL the keeper of the sacred braincell!"
They'd be pretty good friends ngl
which Othello??? Is it any good? :)
it’s the globe’s 2007 and it's glorious 2 meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
i’m having the weirdest time ever because i’m watching for roderigo (i’m stopping it every second second because it’s sam crane and he’s a tiny wee baby with a face) but othello is played by eamonn walker who is a) doing the astonishing feat of making me care about othello (i saw john douglas thompson do othello, i thought i just didn’t like this play—which i don’t but also), b) is genius, c) super hoarse super hot good things abound
(i know, eamonn, i’m just as confused by my feels as you!)
desdemona is played by zoe tapper, who was my favorite part of desperate romantics other than the episode where sam crane had a lot of sex and has the best face and the most interesting conspicuous staginess (i’m not saying that as a bad thing, she’s all court scenes thus far, i can’t wait for her intimate stuff because the mannerliness of all this is clearly on purpose and i want to see it in point/counterpoint)
princess.
also eamonn walker and zoe tapper kissed with completely closed mouths and somehow made it super hot, kudos.
(obviously the effect is in motion/hands/voices but like—!)
the dude behind desdemona, above, is cassio, who is a hilarious florid flop with a spadebeard who is Acting Like The Wind
which i am enjoying wholeheartedly
and roderigo
roderigo is
roderigo is a ragdoll cat with rubbish swagger and a VERY VERY SAD TRAVEL CAPE
it is magical; i’m completely failing to deal with his face or the things he chooses to do with his body in any reasonable person way. by the way, that’s iago. he is the only bad part of this production. he is a very bad part. he is everyone’s creepy uncle and he won’t stop SHOUTING. never invite him to a family gathering.
I DON’T EVEN LIKE THIS PLAY
I ONLY LIKE EMILIA AND I HAVEN’T EVEN MET THEIR EMILIA
BUT I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS EXCEPT THE SHOUTING BALDING POTATO ASSHOLE AND GIVEN THAT MOST OF HIS SOLO SCENES ARE WITH (OR BOOKENDED BY) SAM CRANE I AM ABLE TO COMPARTMENTALIZE
i am 54 minutes in (superstar.) (i’m at the scene where shakespeare talks about how good english people are at drinking—yes dear we know you’re a patriot) and i’m a huge fan; it’s a globe dvd and if you can get your paws on a copy, i totally endorse that.
An AU of Othello where everything is the same except Othello is named Brothello.