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Need help with Othello..... (1 Viewer)

Benmc

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Hello

I'm in year 11 and doing advanced English.
Our study topic for this term is Race and Gender.
We're currently studying the text Othello in class and we've be given out first assignment for the term.

Now to tell the, truth, i really hate shakespheare texts. They way they're written, i simply cannot understand it.

Anyway i need abit of help to kickstart the assignment.
I Want to get it done really soon.

Here is what the assessment sheet says.

Task Title: A written reflection ,as one of the characters of Othelio in a specific text form. Length: 800-1000 words for the reflection, plus a self-evaluation of 150 words of your own writing.

Task: You are to write a reflection on the ideas about race and gender raised in Othelio in role as one of the key characters of the play. In your reflection you are to focus on how those ideas are represented in the language of the play, and operate as an extension of the play's Renaissance context.

Choose the form of your reflection from one of the following suggestions:
1) A courtroom speech from Cassio calling for the execution of Iago after the events of the play o A monologue/soliloquy as Desdemona before she is murdered
2) An imagined conversation between Othello and Emilia before the murder of Desdemona
3) An interview/cross-examination of Iago by one of the surviving characters of the play
4) If you wish to use another form or other characters, please have it approved by your teacher.

You will also be required to compose a self-evaluation of your own writing, focusing on both the way your composition developed AND the way your thinking about the play grew as you worked on this task.
Now i really don't know which one to choose?
What do people think is the best?
1,2 or 3?

I'm thinking of doing 2 or 1, but i don't know where to start. This is always a problem!

And if i choose 2, how the hell do i write a soliloquy?
Is there any websites with guides on how to write Shakesphear style solilioquy's?

And i i choose 1, how do i start that off? I'm 100% sure it has be written in some form of shakespeare text.

Anyway...

Please help.
I need a starting boost.

cheers.
thanks.
 

illmtl

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We're doing Othello atm.... I must admit that I haven't yet read the play... but we've been watching a BBC production in class, and so far I'm finding Othello very unengaging.

For your assignment I'd choose the Iago option, because he is the centre of the play... and says a lot that you can take and mould into one glorious mass... but I think that if you don't feel comfortable with that... go with the character that you feel the greatest affinity towards, the one you feel you could express because you understand them. Beyond that I can't really say anything...
 

HamuTarou

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do u have to write the soliloguy/interview then a reflection? considering there isnt any courtroom speech to write about.

other than that, 3 is the easiest. writing about iago is easier, the facts ar there, you just have to find them
 

NightShadow

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i think the courtroom thing will be quite interesting to do..considering that Iago's motives are never actually set in concrete as he feverently attempts to give his actions cause, even to the extent that he suspects that Othello has had an affair with his wife.

so you can explore Iago's motives but in doing that..i guess you're not really attending to the gender and race aspect of the task

so i suggest..mm...perhaps the Othello and emillia dialogue could promote some gender aspects and also since it is Othello wallowing in his self pity, it could allow him to continue his thought that "he does not possess the quality that chambers have".
 
P

pLuvia

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hey do you guys know what your end of term test is going to be on othello? apparently mine is going to be how othello is interpretted from different readings, and how there are different othello's with different contexts
 

brilliance**

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kadlil said:
hey do you guys know what your end of term test is going to be on othello? apparently mine is going to be how othello is interpretted from different readings, and how there are different othello's with different contexts

[SIZE=-2]oOoo!!
we just had a major assessment on that last term...
except, my task was to re-enact a major solioquy from within the play,
according to my chosen reading,
and basically compare it with another different reading.
I chose the psycho-analytical, and the post-colonial readings... of the soliloquy of Iago




this one is a very interesting task.
you just need to do your research.
I found a lot of books based on shakespearean character studies quite useful~ :D
as far as I'm concerned there are about .... 5 different readings?
post-colonial, feminist, psycho-analytical, power readings and traditional reading
hrmm.... maybe there's others too.

... I found this text quite interesting``
and yes... I think there are (as far as I know) two different filmed versions of othello at the moment.
one including a version from bbc(!?)
Iago is a very interesting character to study.
the power reading suggests that iago is in a power struggle where he is the insider who underlooks othello due to the fact that he is the outsider.; and is somewhat disgusted over the fact that an outsider has promoted someone else who is also an outsider (Cassio - I believe iago refers to him as a florentine) - thus placing him in lower ranks.
and also, there is the psycho analytical reading which suggests that iago is a homosexual, and is deeply in love with Othello.
a feminist reading on emilia, suggests that females are the ones who bring order among the chaos which the males have created``
a traditional reading suggests that othello is a character who wants lover and acceptance, and thus loves desdemona as a passageway to gain this form of acceptance from the society. so there is a struggle with the outside world, and the inside world. or something like that.

lol``
hope that gives you have few suggestions/ideas on on your assessment.
sorry if I've just rambled on about stuff that are of no help to you``
g'luck!:D:D[/SIZE]
 
P

pLuvia

Guest
brilliance** said:
[SIZE=-2]oOoo!!
we just had a major assessment on that last term...
except, my task was to re-enact a major solioquy from within the play,
according to my chosen reading,
and basically compare it with another different reading.
I chose the psycho-analytical, and the post-colonial readings... of the soliloquy of Iago




this one is a very interesting task.
you just need to do your research.
I found a lot of books based on shakespearean character studies quite useful~ :D
as far as I'm concerned there are about .... 5 different readings?
post-colonial, feminist, psycho-analytical, power readings and traditional reading
hrmm.... maybe there's others too.

... I found this text quite interesting``
and yes... I think there are (as far as I know) two different filmed versions of othello at the moment.
one including a version from bbc(!?)
Iago is a very interesting character to study.
the power reading suggests that iago is in a power struggle where he is the insider who underlooks othello due to the fact that he is the outsider.; and is somewhat disgusted over the fact that an outsider has promoted someone else who is also an outsider (Cassio - I believe iago refers to him as a florentine) - thus placing him in lower ranks.
and also, there is the psycho analytical reading which suggests that iago is a homosexual, and is deeply in love with Othello.
a feminist reading on emilia, suggests that females are the ones who bring order among the chaos which the males have created``
a traditional reading suggests that othello is a character who wants lover and acceptance, and thus loves desdemona as a passageway to gain this form of acceptance from the society. so there is a struggle with the outside world, and the inside world. or something like that.

lol``
hope that gives you have few suggestions/ideas on on your assessment.
sorry if I've just rambled on about stuff that are of no help to you``
g'luck!:D:D[/SIZE]
hey thanks for that. I hate shakespeare so much lol. Its so boring lol
 

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