Death Poem

Death’s Ultimatum

We all know when it comes,

and we all know why it comes.

There is no question about it.

However. We all curiously question about it.

Death.

Why are we afraid to face something

that is so certain in our lives?

Why are we ever so fearful of something that others

deem as an escape, a paradise?

You see, Death is an ultimatum.

The life we live is Death’s way of saying,

"You can do whatever you want, but it comes at a heavy price”.

We are able to shape our lives

and reflect upon them when we grow older.

We are able to shape our lives to do whatever we want

regardless of any consequences and repercussions.

We are unable to accurately plan out our lives,

yet we are able to plan out our deaths.

Why is it that life is so mysterious and death is so certain?

Othello #7 Analysis

            Emilia’s role in Shakespeare’s Othello demonstrates the disturbance between rationality and irrationality. At first, Emilia repetitively questions “My husband?” (V, ii, 141) in order to clarify that truly Iago is behind his manipulative schemes. Emilia’s rationality within this scene deliberately contrasts to Othello’s irrationality and wrongful accusations he deems upon Desdemona. In Venice, Othello’s clear rationality is maintained as his logical reasoning in court deems him clear and concise; however, in Cyprus, his rationality flips to the point where Iago’s manipulative scheme interferes with Othello’s ability to think clearly and concisely. Emilia’s statements against Iago demonstrate how she, out of all other characters, possesses an ability to think rationally unlike Othello, and she refers to Iago that “O, are you come, Iago? You have done well, / That men must lay their murders on your neck” (V, ii, 170-171). Her condescending statement initiates her abrupt responsibility to defend purity and innocence against irrationality and anger. Emilia makes a clear attempt to rationalize for Desdemona’s sake in order to convince Othello that Desdemona is innocent and crime-free. Despite her attempts, Othello’s irrationality overcomes his ability to begin thinking rationally and causes a tragedy at the end of the play. The disturbance between rationality and irrationality is one of many key concepts in understanding the nature of Shakespeare’s tragedies. 

Othello (V, ii, 1-22) Analysis

            Othello’s soliloquy in the end of Shakespeare’s play is a prime example of how an individual’s cognitive power is hindered by the effects of an unfortunate event. Throughout Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago deliberately manipulates Othello into thinking that Desdemona had an affair with Cassio in order to fulfill his revenge upon Othello. As a result, Othello plummets into an unrecognizable and incomprehensible course of action against Desdemona in order to express his unbending frustration from Iago’s manipulation. Othello’s soliloquy near the end of the text explicates Othello’s reasoning to why Desdemona should be killed.

            Othello maintains a paradoxical relationship with Desdemona; he attempts to express his anger towards Desdemona but his extension of anger is interrupted by a remembrance of Desdemona’s innocence and sweetness. In the beginning of the soliloquy, Othello declares that he will “not shed her blood, / Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow / And smooth as monumental alabaster” (V, ii, 3-5) and expresses that Desdemona’s beautiful skin overpowers his desire to kill her. Despite this statement, Othello believes that his actions in dealing with Desdemona are constrained to only and ultimately killing her. Othello’s metaphorical statement in “When I have plucked thy rose, / I cannot give it vital growth again; / It needs must wither” (13-15) enunciates the fact how he wishes to kill Desdemona purely out of love. He behaves that the only way to vanquish his frustration is to vanquish Desdemona’s adulterous sin, which implies that he must transitively rid of Desdemona as well. His complex relationship with Desdemona demonstrates how one’s passion to love and hate are teetered in an unsteady manner between each other, and in this case, with Othello. Othello’s uncertainty in dealing with Desdemona’s actions is clarified when he states “So sweet was ne’er so fatal. I must weep, / But they are cruel tears” (V, ii, 20-21). Othello expresses his distressing tears in order to imply that killing Desdemona will not be as easy as it sounds considering how frustrated Othello is. His love for Desdemona seems to interfere with his attempt to rationalize a plausible solution to Desdemona’s adultery.

            

Othello #5 Analysis

            Shakespeare’s Othello is a symbolic representation of how villainous a character can be. The villainous nature in Iago disruptively changes the Othello’s character throughout the text. Iago’s manipulative scheme against Othello is created from the strongest characteristics of each character: he uses the apparent qualities in each character against them. Iago manages to manipulate Othello’s character from an orderly leader to a crazed and distraught citizen.

            Iago villainous nature serves as a leech against Othello: slowly and surely, Iago manages to ambush Othello’s will and use it against him. Iago’s perceptible plan is born from his pure evilness and he evidently leads Othello to think the worse where he states “What / If I had said I had seen him [Cassio] do you wrong?” (IV, i, 23-24). These questions empower Othello to critically think about the affiliation between Desdemona and Cassio and how Iago is manipulating Othello to think the possible worst. Iago’s villainous nature is demonstrated as a fatal virus that ultimately degrades Othello into a point of “epilepsy” (IV, i, 50). By stating that “My medicine works” (IV, i, 45), Iago’s ironic statement symbolizes how his manipulative scheme affects Othello to a point of an uncontrollable fit. The audience recognizes Othello’s drastic change from an orderly general to a crazed, fanatical citizen from when he remarks “You are welcome, sir, to Cyprus—Goats and monkeys!” (IV, i, 257). The ridiculousness in this statement shows how Othello has been heavily inflicted by Iago’s poisonous plot. 

Othello #4 Analysis

            Iago’s villainous scheme against Othello is apparent throughout Shakespeare’s Othello. However, the motive behind Iago’s villainous scheme remains unseen until he begins to shape Othello’s perceptions of Cassio and Desdemona.

            Iago’s conversation with Othello signifies the villainous and cunning characteristics that are needed in order to manipulate individuals. Iago remarks that “Men should be what they seem; / Or those that be not, would they might seem none” (III, iii, 126-127). Iago denounces Cassio’s image in order to convince Othello that rather than men being what they seem to be, men cannot pretend to be men but be instead the monsters that they are. The image of Cassio is warped in attempt of convincing Othello that Cassio has affiliated with Desdemona. The driving force behind Iago’s actions can be tangible between revenge and pure evilness, yet Iago’s evilness is unambiguous when he states “There are a kind of men so loose of soul / That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs. / One of this kind is Cassio” (III, iii, 416-418). Iago constructs this falseness in order to lead Othello into confusion and anger. This villainous scheme enunciates Iago’s true motive for his actions: Iago’s revenge against Othello is spawned through his pure evilness he wishes to use against Othello. Iago’s manipulation eventually forces Othello to rethink his love for Desdemona and express Iago’s honesty when Othello remarks “This fellow’s of exceeding honesty” (III, iii, 258). Iago’s true motive behind his revenge against Othello is illustrated through his pure evilness that is conjured through his manipulative scheme.