Thursday, February 26, 2009

Interpretations of Othello

I think that it is odd how many different versions of Othello different authors and producers can make. It was supposed to be done on stage not in a novel but reading it could be translated in so many things. It bothers me when I read a book or play and I have an image of what the stage or scene is suppose to look like and it doesn't turn out to be the way I read it. I guess this is one reason that Shakespeare did not put too many stage directions or detail into scenery because it can be widely translated. I imagine this is why it has become so popular because the differences have brought so many discussions and ideas of what is true and what every detail means. For instance... was DesDemona a virgin? What do you think?

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Place and Identity


When reading Othello it is easy to see how place and identity is strongly linked. Everyone from the same culture has commented on Othello's differences, even DesDemona. This reminds me of Saint Mary's. Saint Mary's to me, is a more difficult place to feel like you fit in than a larger, maybe even a state school, would. I think this is due to our strong heritage and traditions. There is definitely a certain "fit" that is Saint Mary's College. I know I felt more comfortable here just because my mom and aunt had gone to school at Saint Mary's... It was fun to talk to girls and have them ask when my mom graduated and share that bond. I imagine it would be extremely difficult to go to school here if you did not feel part of the bond, not necessarily legacy bond, but some sort of Saint Mary's bond. I imagine that this is how Othello felt, out of place, or displaced. Except Othello couldn't just transfer schools.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Girl Interrupted

When I was watching the movie and Georgina introduces that she is a pathological lier it made me think of Yellow Wallpaper when Gilman introduced that her story is not entirely true. It made me think that Lisa was the reason that Suzana and her old friend Jamie felt like they needed to stay in the center. I thought that when Lisa went away Jamie got better and left. I felt like the story about hanging herself with a volleyball net was just a lie because Georgina told it. So in fact Lisa was the "devils advocate" as she called herself and prevented the two girls from getting better.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Yellow Wallpaper

Although the consensus seemed to be favorable towards this piece in class, I did not enjoy it as much. Yes, it was the easiest read thus far but the story made me feel uneasy. I couldn't help but become claustrophobic while reading how this woman is stuck in a room with bars and torn wallpaper. A pet peeve of mine is partially torn paper or things for instance when my paper tears with fringes out of a notebook. So to read about how the paper was torn really bothered me and I couldn't get past that image.

I think another problem might be that I cannot relate to this woman at all. I have never felt crazy like her and trapped in a room. It was hard to get into the character. Most of the time I was just thinking that her husband is probably just trying to help her because he doesn't understand her. I feel like I related to the husband more than I did her. I do feel sympathetic to her situation because I think it is sad that women just were casted as crazy when they had an illness that now is seen as common.