Emilia and Iago's relationship

From the beginning of the play we have seen Iago’s secret plan to ruin Michael Cassio’s reputation and the Moor’s marriage unfold before us. Though he is fanatical, persistent, daring, and clever in his efforts to control and deceive the other characters, particularly Othello, Iago’s motivations are very muddled. At some points in the play he declares to be motivated by bitterness that Othello, a moor, passed him over for a promotion in favour of Michael Cassio, and suspicion because he heard a rumour that Othello slept with Iago’s wife, Emilia. Iago believes another rumour that Cassio slept with his wife too. Iago acts as the villain of the play; a man you love to hate while his wife acts as an aid to his plan unknowingly. In Act 3 Scene 3, Iago’s plan of destroying the love between Desdemona and Othello takes hold. He imprints ideas into Othello’s head that Cassio and Desdemona are secretly seeing each other. To make his plan more concrete and give proof to his lies, Iago convinces his wife Emilia to steal Desdemona’s handkerchief, the first gift she received from the Moor. When Emilia presents her husband with this gift he snaps at her for the disturbance saying, “How now? What do you here alone” (Act 3 Scene 3, Page 119). Once she states that she has brought the gift Iago has been eagerly waiting for his demeanour changes, however, he still treats with disrespect as if she was his pet, “A good wench! Give it to me” (Act 3 Scene 3, page 119). So far throughout the play we have seen Iago insult his wife’s appearance, intelligence, and daily activities calling her a “foolish wife” (Act 3 Scene 3, Page 119), and says she talks too much, “...I grant/ She puts her tongue a little in her heart/ And chides with thinking” (Act 2 Scene 1, Page 55). Iago treats his wife disregard , while Emilia is convinced into helping with his plans unknowingly falling for his untruthful appearance.

Iago's Actions

In Act II Scene III Iago, Othello’s right hand man, main action is to destroy Cassio’s image in the eyes of Othello. Already from the first act we could see that Iago was a conniving and vengeful man. We are able to see more and more that he acts as the trouble stirrer as the story unfolds before us. Iago’s hatred for Cassio starts in the opening scene of the play when he is angered that Michael Cassio gained a promotion over him, and must serve under a Moor. However, Iago is a clever man and will serve Othello “faithfully” for his own purposes. He persuades Cassio to join his at a party with fellow friends. Iago hopes Cassio will get extremely intoxicated and become unruly, wishing to start a fight with anyone that crosses him. Iago being the snake has figured out Cassio’s one weakness, alcohol. Iago says, “O, they are friends – but one cup; I’ll drink for you” (Act 2 Scene 3, Page 69). Intoxicated Cassio begins to fight with Roderigo, “Zounds, you rogue, you rascal” just as Iago had secretly planned (Act 2 Scene 3, Page75). The fight between Roderigo and Cassio gets out of control and wakes the army general, Othello. In a rage Othello storms into the room to break up the fight and dismisses Cassio, making him an example to the rest of the men, “Cassio, I love thee, /But never more be an officer of mine” (Act 2 Scene 3, Page 81). The keep his faithful place but Othello’s side, Iago gives an account of how Cassio started the fray while still maintaining his imaginary loyalty to Cassio, and innocence in the matter, “Yet, I persuade myself, to speak the truth/ Shall nothing wrong him. This it is, general: … / There comes a fellow crying out for help, / And Cassio following him with a determined sword/ To execute upon him” (Act 2 Scene 3, Page 81). Iago’s vengeful plan worked better than he could have imagined. His enemy was dismissed and humiliated, and he has proven once again his “loyalty” to Othello.

I am Lion!

My name is Mugambo, and I live in the African Savannah where the earth is yellow and the animals run free. I am the leader of my pack because I'm the strongest, and I run the fastest of course. I'm big and sandy coloured with lots of fur. I have long thick hair that looks messy, but that's the look I've been going for. I have big whiskers and my meow is closer to manly roar. What am I? I am a Lion; the King Lion like Simba in the Lion King who happens to live at the next watering hole. You would think he would act like such a celebrity after staring in that Disney movie, but he's pretty humble. His movie has definitely helped our area. Lots of tourists come from all over the world to get a glimpse of a King Lion. Maybe I'll star in a movie someday. Everyone tells me I'm the most handsome lion they have ever seen, and I have the fiercest roar out of all the lions in our area. Plus I could always use the cash since my little cub Simon wants to go to a private school a few watering holes away, but to be honest after making some bad investments with a warthog I don't think I could afford it.

Adapted Poem

 My poem:

IF I SHOULD SLEEP

If I should sleep,

And you should awake,

And night should carry on,

And the moon should gleam,

And the stars should glow,

As it has usual done;

If fireflies should tinkle as late,

And raccoons rush around,--

One might depart at option

From venture below!

'Tis kind to know that sun will rise

When the moon shall lie,

That life will continue,

And birds as vigorously fly.

It makes the awaking restful

And keeps the mind peaceful

That the earth so lively

Perform the lovely scene!

 Adapted From:

IF I SHOULD DIE

by: Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

If I should die,

And you should live,

And time should gurgle on,

And morn should beam,

And noon should burn,

As it has usual done;

If birds should build as early,

And bees as bustling go,--

One might depart at option

From enterprise below!

'Tis sweet to know that stocks will stand

When we with daisies lie,

That commerce will continue,

And trades as briskly fly.

It make the parting tranquil

And keeps the soul serene,

That gentlemen so sprightly

Conduct the pleasing scene!

Roselily Questions

Question #2: Describe the story’s point of view. How does the point of view affect your understanding of Roselily’s character and her circumstances?


The short story is told from the point of view of Roselily through her memories, actions, and thoughts. In a way this allows us only to see her life, and her side of the story. This gives us more of a connection and greater understanding to who Roselily is as a person and about her situation. However, we are also able to make assumptions about her new husband and situation from how she speaks about him, and their new upcoming life together in Chicago. Roselily mentions that her husband’s religion is much different to hers, and she will have to sit separate to him during prayer time. One could assume this means he is Muslim. So through Roselily we begin to understand her new husband better.

Question #3: How does the first paragraph announce the nature of the story’s conflict?

We can tell by the opening words that the story takes place during a wedding ceremony with the words, “Dearly Beloved.” However, immediately afterwards the reader is taken away from the ceremony, and into Roselily’s life. She envisions a little girl in her mother’s wedding dress drowning in quicksand; very symbolic of her true feelings of her situation. A reader begins to see that she almost dreads getting married, and that Roselily may feel like she is the one drowning and has no way out. She seems to envision her marriage as a sort of bondage, or slavery. Yet, it’s odd because she sees her husband as he actually is which is standing on a porch by the highway waiting to be married. The story is all about her marriage to a new man and the new life she is about to embark on.

Question #4: What do you think Roselily’s reflections about her fourth child reveal about her character?

Several paragraphs down Roselily mentions that she gave away her fourth child to his father as she felt like it was the best thing for him. Any mother feels sadness and wonders about a “lost” child and paragraph by paragraph we see the tragedies and heartaches Roselily went through in her life. She mentions her baby’s father has a good stable job, money, and respect. Respect from others seems to be very important to Roselily as she mentions it several times throughout the story, and how she will have it after she and her new husband move to Chicago. The reader begins to feel sorry for Roselily after all her troubles because we see she is a good mother, and a practical person.

Question #5: Describe the groom. What kind of man is he? What sort of life is Roselily likely to have with him?

Roselily never actually mentions her groom’s name but instead refers to him as he. I’ve inferred that her groom is a Black Muslim from Chicago, and he loves her so much that he is willing to put up with her “condition”. This means all her children from different fathers, and possible pregnancy from another man. In the first paragraph we can see that he has agreed to a country wedding, but later the reader finds out that he looks down upon these simple country people’s ways, and their subservience to the white people. It almost seems as if Roselily is marrying this man because he can finically support her and her children, and will be a stable man in her children’s lives. She isn’t marrying him out of love but rather convenience, and the obvious respect she has for him. After the wedding Roselily and her children will move to Chicago with her new husband, and even though she is excited about a fresh start, Roselily wonders if she has made the right decision. She mentions that she should have asked more questions about their new life as it is entirely unknown to her.

Eloquence and Invisible Man Summary

Christopher Hanlon, an assistant professor of English at Eastern Illinois University, begins his essay with a quote by Emerson himself. Emerson says, “It is the doctrine of the popular music-masters that whoever can speak can sing.” Simply it means that those who can orate; a powerful public speaker, can have “musical talents” as oration comes from a musical expression with metre, pitch, and rhythm. He mentions that an artist is not only a man who can play the keys of a piano, but also someone who can bring in an audience with their words. In other words the orator is “composing” the people as “social organisms.” Emerson believes that everyone in the audience is a potential speaker. From Christopher Hanlon’s point of view the Invisible Man written by Ralph Ellison shows the independence of the protagonist and narrator as he grows in intelligence as a public speaker. This character represents an Emersonian speaker, and halfway through the story he stands before a large crowd known as the Brotherhood, where through his words the audience becomes one and connects to him. To make a memorable performance he draws in the power from the audience’s excited participation.