Shakespearian Journaling

Shakespearean Journaling
Alex Marothy

5-1-13

Journal #1: Me, Him, They

(Thinking aloud to himself)

And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio

(Here he addresses a higher power, wondering aloud what the future could hold)

Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,

Every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo,

(Now, still directly addressing himself, also indirectly lets the audience in on the secret)

He calls me to a restitution large

Of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him

(Now speaking directly to audience, explaining his theft)

As gifts to Desdemona.

It must not be. If Cassio do remain

He hath a daily beauty in his life

That makes me ugly. And besides, the Moor

(A self-reflection that seems to be directly to himself)

May unfold me to him—there stand I in much peril.

(Again to a higher power, pondering the consequences of his possible inactions)

No, he must die. But so, I hear him coming.

(To the audience, finalizing the plan)

In this soliloquy, Iago addresses multiple players in this tragedy. In the act of finalizing his treacherous scheme to the audience, he reflects upon himself and ponders aloud to a higher power. He indicates speaking to the audience by making clear statements suggesting direct actions, almost a step-by-step procedure, and may in this case turn his gaze out from the stage. To himself he speaks as if no one is watching, choosing such words as to observe his emotions, possibly indicating this by gazing at his hands, the floor, or something personal. When speaking to the heavens, his statements seem almost questions, quizzical in their deliverance, as if wondering aloud for an answer he does not yet have. He most likely would convey this by cocking his head to the side, or even gazing upwards.

Journal #2: The Man, The Legend, Cassio

Michael Cassio:

Act 2. Scene 1: Cassio welcomes Desdemona

Act 2. Scene 3: Cassio gets drunk and fights Roderigo

Act 3. Scene 4: Cassio gives up on Othello's love

Act 4. Scene 1: Cassio is tricked by Iago into furthering the belief of his scandal to Othello

Michael Cassio observes a series of misadventures inspired by wrong turns he believes himself to be making independently. From drinking too much and losing Othello's love, to fueling the Moor's rage and desire for bloodshed, he has clearly made some mistakes. However, these mistakes are not the shortcomings of an honest man, but the trickery of an evil one, Iago. Cassio is constantly falling pray to Iago's deceptions, being influenced to over-drink, and becoming subject to attempts of murder.
In the midst of this tumultuous trickery, Cassio is infatuated with the allure of women. Desdemona is an angel in his eyes, and he hangs on her every word. Unfortunately for Cassio, this past time of speaking with Desdemona fits almost too perfectly into the villainous schemes he knows nothing about. 
By observing the events unfold from Michael Cassio's perspective, we see he is but a poor, honest man, just another pawn in Iago's games. His motivation stems from Othello's pride and love, while he turns a blind eye to his own manipulation.

Journal #3: The Tale of Iago

One midsummer's day, a long time ago, a boy was brought into the world. His mother, Lady Macbeth, birthed and raised him, guiding him along the way. In his childhood years, Iago loved to run and play, and was know frequently erupt into dance at the sound of music. Clearly a jubilant little fellow, he brought joy to everyone he met, and blessed his small, Venetian town with delight. 

Upon his adolescence, however, things seemed to take a turn for the worse. His mood sullen, his attitude altered, and his demeanor inverted. Little did his company know, his mother had been manipulating him for quite some time. They would spend hours in the study each night, practicing the art of deception. As a teenager, he was felt to be the 'sly fox' of his peers, constantly conceptualizing some new mischievous scheme.

These themes of deceit and duplicity he carried with him to adulthood, reflecting his mother in the eyes of his enemies. After lying and deceiving  all his life, he knew naught but that. His path lead him to a man named Othello, and a position in the militia he would soon regret.

Journal #4: Action Plan

As Iago, I hope to convey a sarcastic and sardonic attitude. My body movements, while slight, will indicate that I am a snake creeping the tall grasses of Othello's mind, swaying and bending him to my will. My voice will slither through the air, a suggestive tone painting pictures of blood. Without direct and blunt presentation of facts, I will sneak into other characters' minds, poisoning their hearts.

My Iago will be fully equipped with a tiny snake-pet on his shoulder, to enforce the simile that he is sneaky like a snake. A fitting prop that will magnify the audience's view of Iago, especially in my assigned scene, and observe him as a cunning, yet devious mastermind.
My group has strived to create a presentation that will stand out from the others through precise action, and delicate tonalities, finalizing a product that explores Iago and Othello's relationship in a tactful manner. Also, half of the group will be off book! Something that will surely add to the reality of the play.

Journal #5: A Reflection on Performance

Iago: If it be that, or any that was hers, it speaks against her with the other proofs.

In the delivery of this line, Iago pushes Othello over the edge, and reveals to the audience his increasingly devious nature. He merely suggests, in a sly manner, of Desdemona’s many wrongdoings, only skirting the edges of her crimes. By speaking in subtle fallacies, Iago allows Othello to paint a picture of scandalous adultery. My personal delivery of this line suggested just that, allowing Othello’s actor to clearly demonstrate his disgust-inspired rage.

Personally, I believe my group performed admirably. Through thorough planning and multiple practices, we were able to create a beautiful final product which was both fluent and efficient. Every move was choreographed, every emotion believed, and every character embodied. I can singularly say that the scene seemed to come alive while in the midst of it, making our performance that much more powerful. I am so proud of the time we dedicated to the scene as a group, and the level of commitment with which we approached it, as well as my resolve to memorize the lines, and personify the character. If I were able and required to do but one thing differently, I would have pressed my group members to memorize their lines as well, and hope for an even smoother performance. This being said, other members did explicitly well in embodiment of the character, causing me to observe unseen inner passion in their performance.

The culminating performance did little to improve my comprehension of the play, for I have always understood it well, but it did open my eyes to other things. I can see how this process would help the comprehensibility of the story, for solely in reading lies confusion for the infant. In terms of someone’s first meeting with Othello, aspects of the plot are understandably difficult to visualize, especially with Shakespeare’s often unfamiliar language. Watching and even being part of a play surely helps one to grasp nuances that would otherwise have been missed, existing naturally as it was meant to be.