Much Ado About Muffins

The topic is due or he entire thing is due tomorrow?

I think just the topic...are we together choosing a play we didn't read to anaylze and post on?

I agree, Emilia’s character was very likable.  Even being the villain’s wife and all, you could really tell she was trying to be a good person.  I think when she realizes what her husband had done in the end, she made a snap discussion to betray Iago and blame him for everything that had happened.  Regardless of Iago begging her not to say anything, she confesses whatever she knew.  It does not seem fair what happened to her next though.  I feel like Shakespeare stabs a very honorable character and I do not really understand that point.

Unfortunately, I think Shakespeare has Emilia killed is because of the mere fact that this play is a tragedy, and it needs to live up to the definition that Shakespeare loves. I also believe that Emilia dying by the hand of her very husband just is an example of how evil Iago really is; to be so heartless and cold that you stab your wife because she tattled on you is very shallow, and helps with character development. It shows the audience how low people are willing to stoop to get their way.  

I agree with all of you, but I want to add that kind of like Aaron in Titus Andronicus, I feel like for his antagonists to act the way he does they really have to be evil and murdering your honest wife is the perfect example. I really liked Emilia, I'm glad she never had kids with that jerk Iago!! haha, what I am more interested in is the fact that Shakespeare didn't seem to have some clear moral to the story. Don't be unfaithful? No, obviously not. Don't be so quick to anger? Maybe. I wish we had a better idea of what Shakespeare thought of his characters.

I read it after I finished my second paper, I chose to write about Titus Andronicus, and after dealing with the complicated revenge and who's killing who, I totally agree that Othello was a breath of fresh air! OMG especially after Richard III, I had such difficulty following the characters. I do wish Othello had been more patient and listened to Desdemona, I think she embodied a lot of what a woman of Shakespeare's time should be. Honest, faithful, obedient, loving, I was really sad she died the way she did. I haven't seen the movie but I'd be interested in seeing it too!

Oh I totally agree :) I liked her relationship with Ferdinand even though I think we had every reason to be skeptical since she was kept so innocent. It kind of got ruined for me though when Ferdinand and Prospero openly discuss her virginity and Ferdinand's excitement of taking it. But I think the Tempest could become a fun modern adaptation like a movie and still entertain audiences without the confusing language at times!

That's a good point. I didn't really find myself liking Prospero in the beginning, but towards the end I respected him more. I didn't like how dominating he was (but a father should rightly be protective of his daughter, and Caliban tried to rape her). I also thought I would have enjoyed him more earlier on if he wasn't so reliant on magic to get his way. But at the end when he gives it up, it's nice to see that all the years in isolation didn't quite take away his human side. I was really happy when he blessed the marriage for Ferdinand and Miranda, even though he was getting a happy ending with the dukedom I really feel like the affection for his daughter was genuine.

I agree that love isn't easy, but I think it's a little difficult to support (I'm just playing devil's advocate, I really liked this play). It apparently was easy as fairies could quickly manipulate humans into loving whomever Oberon wished (except for the Demetrius mishap) I think it would have been interesting had the play been extended a little and it showed them reflect on "had it been a dream?" I'm sure eventually Titania would have realized Oberon took her changeling away and it had the potential to unravel a little if she wanted to get even with him for the nonsense with bottom!

I liked the ending too :) While not totally related, there's a famous opera called Pagliacci which does a play within a play. I think it's just interesting in general when writers use it. I forget who commented on it being like getting "inceptioned" haha. In Pagliacci though the main character and his wife are actors in a troupe of clowns that go from town to town putting on shows. He realizes she's cheating on him and is heartbroken. She plans to run away with her lover after the next show which just so happens to poke fun at adultery. He plays a dumb clown being fooled by his young and pretty wife, in rage (onstage, the audience can't tell he's no longer acting) demands to know her lover's name. He stabs her and as the lover rushes the stage, he stabs the lover too. The audience is horrified and a minor character delivers the final line "the comedy is over!" That's kind of what Puck's last lines reminded me of. It wraps the story up nicely but can be examined I think with a lot of deeper philosophic undertones.