Q4 Benchmark-Performing Othello

Performing Othello - Pierce Luck

Journal 1

That’s not amiss,

But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw?

-Now will I question Cassio of Bianca,

A housewife that by selling her desires

Buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature

That dotes on Cassio, as ’tis the strumpet’s plague

To beguile many and be beguiled by one.

He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain

From the excess of laughter. Here he comes.

As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad.

And his un bookish jealousy must construe

Poor Cassio’s smiles, gestures, and light behavior

Quite in the wrong.—How do you now, lieutenant

  First, Iago was having an intense monologue with Othello for a couple of lines. Now Iago talks to the audience about how he felt of how he asked Cassio of Bianca.  You can tell he was talking to the audience because he talks about Cassio in a very despiteful way. You know this because Iago isn’t brave enough to confront Cassio he would rather manipulate problems. Also, you can tell that he was because after he's done monologuing about Cassio (it says entering Cassio). There was a couple of pauses to show the importance on the tone in Iago's voice. Finally, In the final piece to the monologue, Iago still is talking about his plan, showing to us that he must be talking to the audience because he wouldn't talk about his plan to his enemies. But you can tell that it quickly changes from audience to Cassio when he directs a question towards him.  

Journal 2

Roderigo  Act 2 scene 3/Act 5 Scene 1

     In act 2 scene 3 of Othello, Roderigo saw a drunken Cassio pursuing to kill him. Rodrerigo was in total fear as he cries, and weeps for help. In this scene, Roderigo is very confused of why Cassio is so angry at him, and so confused on why he wants to kill him. Roderigo saw Montana defending him and from this he was relieved because he was not the one fighting Cassio. He was told from Cassio that he is a villain. Rodrego is a true character who only wants Desdemona's love.  In act 5 scene 1 of Othello, he saw his target Cassio from a far distance away. He took his sword out to kill Cassio. He saw a seemingly trustworthy Iago, behind him for support. He was told by Iago that he will give him back up after he stabs Cassio. But he doesn't know truly why he is attacking Cassio. He was manipulated by Iago's words, and Iago gave him reasoning for it. Iago doesn't care of any of their lives.Rodrego only wants the doesn't want all this violence in his life. 

Journal 3 

  Othello had a hard life as an only child of a single parent household. He went to a royal school academy where he was sort of a jock, but was tormented by his teachers. His teachers didn't like him, and devised a plan to get him suspended and permanently banned from the school. They only true reason behind this was because Othello was a growing proud black man who would grow into power. The teachers knew Othello was easy to persuade, so they tried to take advantage of that weakness.They saw the progression of the young Othello, and knew he would have a powerful role under the Duke.They set schemes and bribed other students to influence Othello into trouble. The temptation was great for Othello but he overcame most of his troubles. As he was always being sent to the Dean’s office, where he had to talk his way out of trouble. But to do this he had to show a lot of confidence and poise in his voice. One of the teachers tried to say that he influenced one of the girls to be his girl-friend which wasn't true. Othello spoke proudly to his teacher that accused him and explained how he got his girl and got the girl to also explain that she loved him. This experience helped him in the play.

Journal 4 

  During my performance, I am bringing a very strong protective voice to the play. I will talk in a way that protects me. In the play I would bow before the Duke, I would use hand motions, I get on one knee to convince the Duke of my innocence, and I also walk off with Nomi (Desdemona) on my arm. I am going to bring a scarf tomorrow for the presentation. I am bringing a scarf because my group and I thought it would fit with my character in this scene. It shows my nobleness. I think our subtle actions and our voices will really make our group standout. We all captured our characters essence in our play

Journal 5

    In the performance I played the black general Othello. I feel that the line,  “I do beseech you, send for the lady to the sagittary, ad let her speak of me before her father: If you do find me foul in her report, the trust, the office I do hold of you, not only take away, but let your sentence even fall upon my life”. This line is important to the play because Othello speaks out of term to the Duke of Venice as he pleads his case. Before he even begin to yell and defend himself from the accusations of poisoning the young Desdemona’s mind to fall in love with him, Othello says I beseech you meaning no disrespect. Right after that line he kind of orders / asks the Duke to send for Desdemona, so he would have proof ad would be able to plead his case in front of the Duke and in front of Desdemona’s father Brabantio.  This scene is important because Othello’s fate is in Desdemona’s hands at the time because Othello said to the Duke that if Desdemona says otherwise than he would take it upon his life and take a death punishment. In the play I first was calm as I was talking to the Duke but my actions and words began to increase in intensity. I began to speak louder to plead my case and I also did many had motions to the crown would know how animated Othello actually was. Our group gave tremendous effort and I thought we played our roles to our fullest potential. We all planned together and it turned out exactly how we practiced it. I’m proud of our delivery in our lines and really taking the roles of our characters. I really wouldn’t do anything differently, maybe I could have just memorized my lines that would have made me capable of doing more actions. Performing the play helped me visual the placing of the characters in the play. Like when Iago was being mysterious he would hide behind something and it was nice to see that live.