The Finale

Act IV:
1.) The scene starts off as Iago plots his next move in convincing Othello that Cassio has been sleeping with Desdemona wherever, whenever, and however he wants. Iago then tells Othello to hide and listen to Cassio and Iago's conversation as Iago brings up about Bianca, which to Othello is mistaken as Desdemona and how Bianca loves Cassio. He laughs about this story and Othello hidden, was outraged.
2.) The handkerchief seems to represent the evidence of fidelity of Desdemona. If it is beside her or is in another possession then for Othello means infidelity of Desdemona. I feel like Othello is only getting his suspicions through a piece of superstitious item that represents loyalty. If the handkerchief is being passed around from one person to another then that will probably consider Desdemona a whore as Othello has cried to her about.
3.) What prevented Othello from being moved is how Desdemona continuously denying how unfaithful she is without actually proving Othello that she isn't a whore. She keep denying it even though Othello is on a frenzy that he won't believe her.
5.) The conversation between Emilia and Desdemona shows how similar these two characters are. Desdemona is finally facing the same treatment as Iago treats Emilia. It seems as though that Desdemona is Emilia's foil and how Emilia tells Desdemona to be strong and be a strong woman.
6.) I believe the memorable dramatic irony is within the song that Desdemona sang. In the last line when she says, "Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve— Nay, that’s not next," Desdemona mistakenly forgot the last line and evidently, means that she accepts the scorn of Othello and that she will die by him. However, from this line, she still didn't blame him for killing her.
Act V:
1.) Iago's villainy becomes evident as his own wife points out the mastermind of this tragedy. After the death of Desdemona, Othello finally tells Emilia that Iago, her husband, has told him about the handkerchief. Emilia then realizes that its her husband who did this sinful act and rushes to confine him. What actually led to Iago's unmasking was the two letters of Roderigo before he died about the events in getting Cassio out of the position and onto Othello's kill list. Then Cassio confesses to Othello that Iago was the one who got him demoted by getting him drunk. Iago then kills Emilia and runs off.
4.) I believe what led Othello to kill Desdemona is the excess idealism. He urge himself on to kill this white beauty as he is hesitant in doing so, but to protect the love of men for women, he has to kill this "whore-keeper." He also trusts men more than he trusts women because if he actually love Desdemona then he should only believe none other except his own naked eyes.
5.) Othello knew only to love Desdemona's beauty rather the love of heart of Desdemona. He only concentrated on the amount of love that Desdemona gives him, but not the quality of love(how deeply she loves him).
6.) I would agree that his little speech before his death gave back his dignity and nobility because he finally unfolds the blindness of his eyes that kept him from seeing the love that he had. Othello, according to Cassio, was "great of heart" and I truly agree to that. He not other love his friends and beloved so dearly that he loved them too much that brought his pain and suffering in the end. He was easily manipulated and trusts everything other "trustworthy" men were saying.

Othello, The Tragic Hero

          Interesting as it as, Othello catches my attention every page I read about Iago's little plot on all the characters in the story. Up to this point, I really don't know what's Iago's intention in getting revenge upon Othello. He says that Othello has chosen an officer of no battle experience and has probably slept with his wife even though he seems to not love her at all. After his failure in the first scheme, Iago seems to be cautious and more attentive in his next plot that is so far successful. He has gotten Cassio fired from his position and yet, he still continues to drag this drama on throughout the story. But what do we know? Its a tragic story, someone has to die in order to end this tragedy, but who would it be? More likely so, Iago may reach his death if his plans are revealed since everything is planned out properly and neatly. The most hilarious part about Iago is that he feels that his actions are evil and has been creating sins upon himself, but he defies these evil and sinful acts as an aide for his fellow friends that he "love" so much.

On Misunderstanding Oedipus

In this article, Dodds actually made a point of the blindness of Oedipus and to unravel the mysteries of his life before he became king. What struck as reasonable is Dodds acknowledgement of Oedipus's greatness. He speaks of his greatness in the inner strength of continuing to find out the truth and not the greatness of his position, a king. Like Dodds said, life is consists of riddles that needs to be solved for all individuals because happiness is an illusion. When a family member dies, we stand at their funeral, yet we try to be happy in order to forget those sorrows and sufferings. It is compelling to me, since Dodds has mentioned about it, that illusions are imaginative thoughts or ideas in the human mind for us to remain alive in the world of existence. We all try to forget unfavorable memories by having something else to distract us, that itself, is an illusion.

The Fallen Oedipus

          As the truth is finally been revealed and the guilt of killing his own father and marrying his mother, Oedipus has fallen into shame and have lost all pride. His arrogance and hubris drove him into blindness, literally in the end, that he was unable to see the truth of everything. However, the curse of the land was unknown until the prophet, Tiresias, targeted Oedipus as the murderer and the curse of himself. (1)He was quite explicit in revealing that Oedipus is the one who was responsible, but it was surely not Oedipus's fault. The play was intentionally made that way to show the tragic flaw of the protagonist because he had so much confidence in himself that he did not realize what he was doing. Was Oedipus truly trying to find out who killed Laius or was he just defending his own head?
          (3)However, to concur with the interpretation of not knowing the truth and blame his ignorance, Oedipus's natural parents are the one to blame. If they did not listen to the little stupid prophecy then the actual curse wouldn't have afflicted them in the future. (5)Jocasta is quite a woman here, a queen who marries her own son and made brothers and sisters for him as we portray them as Oedipus's children. She does not represent a generalized queen figure, but a woman who possess a mother-like personality. In the play, she tries to calm her husband (her son) down and tells him that prophecies are lies once those prophecies have passed already. However, she is naive in believing this because, according to Greek mythology, the oracles are influenced by the gods who controls the fate of humanity.
          (6)One major element that may contribute to the play is dramatic irony. We do know, however, that dramatic irony is when a character of a work of literature does or says something that may be of a great importance that they are limited of knowing it. For example, when Oedipus argues with the blind prophet, Tiresias, he does not know that Tiresias did not call him the murderer or the curse of the land out of anger, but from the truth. This sets a prime example in leading the readers to see the hamartia of Oedipus by the blindness of pride.
          (7)The offstage violence or so to speak, the climax of the play, holds a suspenseful part of the story where the readers question why the characters are treating themselves like they do. This will give an advantage for the play to proceed to the falling action of the play as the protagonist is reaching his demise or the end of his power as he recognizes his faults or actions. (8)In blinding himself, Oedipus chooses to disable himself from seeing the world of truth. The use of a golden pin to stab his eye is such a meaning as the pin that pinned his ankles together when he was a baby. Although Oedipus is an arrogant and prideful man who led his own demise, he is not to blame for his actions. According to the prophesy and the doctrine of determinism, the law of nature or the gods were responsible for his actions. Oedipus was doing what he was destined to do by the prophecy and there was no where to hide that fact. (9)So to say, I pity him in the end as he realizes and sees the truth that he cannot hide from and so he chose to blind himself.
          (11)The gods in the play seems to portray cruelty and viciousness, however, the citizens and the oracles believe that gods determine the fate of each individual. I believe that believing in gods during that time is absurd because if gods inspire the people who believes in them and curse those who gods believe that they should be cursed, then what's the point in believing them? Wouldn't the process continue on and on and eventually curse yourself then basically, gods are cursing everyone. (12)But to end this perspective, the play does not, at all, end in total gloom. Oedipus, the cursed king, did not die in the end in order to break the curse among the people. He was rather exiled from Thebes and to never return. The people are finally free from the curse and can live under another reign led by Creon, but they will still remember the powerful Oedipus.
        

Oedipus, The Cursed King

          Of all the other texts that we've read so far, The Origins of Oedipus The King gives a more distinct contrast than any other protagonist. To put it out there, his hamartia (tragic flaw) has been foreshadowed during the first part of the play as he puts too much hubris (overconfidence) in his reign. Unlike other texts, this text gives vivid information by having more characters in the story talk together as a whole in order for the readers to comprehend the storyline.
          Oedipus's hamartia comes from his hubris and his intellectual mind in solving riddles and outplay the prophecy of Delphi's. Oedipus does not believe the blind prophet and accuses him that he is the murder and such fear grows toward Creon, his kinsman, that he was the one who was plotting this with the blind prophet. In protecting his throne, he neglects and brings fault upon the people who wishes to protect him.
          The skirmish between Tiresias, Creon, and Oedipus are the prime example of catharsis as they all tend to fight for something. The intense emotion of these people brings pathos in the palace and brings forth more fear upon the people of Thebes.