The Winter's Tale Act 5

I went and saw Melissa Arctic on Monday so I had a feeling about what was going to happen in act 5. I should have read it before going to the play I just didn't have time. However, I wasn't expecting it to be so similar. Although since I knew what was kind of coming it was interesting to see Paulina's and Leontes's exchange in 5.1 Paulina makes Leontes swear never to marry again. Leontes says, "My true Paulina, We shall not marry till thou bidd'st us." Paulina says back to him "That shall be when your first queen's again in breath. Which without having known the ending I would not have found this line so funny cause that's what happens! I think people who read this play over again notice that line but when you read it for the first time without knowing the ending you miss the irony of that line. I am glad and sad about knowing the ending in advance but oh well.
I have read several other blogs and I am finding a lot of people angry at how the play ended. There are a few things I want to talk about concerning this act. First I want to talk about how Paulina has become even cooler in my book. She is probably the best female character in the Shakespeare plays we have read this semester. I mean Beatrice might be a close second but Paulina is by far the best. We have talked a little about her in class and I hope we spend some more time on her character because first off she stands up to Leontes and makes him swear he will not marry again. She stands up to a nobleman! Like what! Secondly she is able to bring back Hermoine! Now I'm not really sure if she brought her back or if she's been hiding for 16 years, but as I kind of read it she brought her back. She created life. Which makes sense because she is a woman but still that is so powerful. Paulina is the one who gave the play its happy ending. One thing that bothers me though is that she marries Camillo at the end of the play which is something I wish didn't happen. I feel like Paulina doesn't need to replace Mamillus or really need a man anyways.
A lot of people are man that Leontes gets everything he wants at the end of the play and has no real punishment and that he hasn't really "changed". I kind of want to disagree with that because he had to live with himself and Paulina, in his ear, for 16 years with the guilt of losing two children and his wife. I feel like he punished himself pretty well for all that time. I think 16 years is definitely enough time for someone to change and become a better person. I also think that losing his two children and his wife could make anyone be willing to change. I don't think we should write him off as quickly.
Overall I think this was a great play and I can't wait to do my write up of Melissa Arctic because there are so many things I want to talk about but I don't want to ruin anything for you until you see the play! I know you're going to love it!

The Winter's Tale Act 4

Act 4 scene 1 functions as a summary of what has happened. Time itself, tell us of the passing of sixteen years, how Leontes has shut himself up in his palace while Perdita grew up in the shepherd's care, and how Perdita has fallen in love with Florizel, Polixenes's son, who also loves her in return. And scene 2 functions as a view of what has been happening with Polixenes's for all these years. Camillo wishes to return to Sicilia, but Polixenes orders him to stay because he still needs him. He then inquirors as to the whereabouts of his son, Florizel but Camillo doesn't know where he is. Polixenes fears that it's the Shepard's daughter drawing his son away so they decide to disguise themselves to spy on Florizel. Classic Shakespeare. Why ask when you can spy.

Autolycus definitely reminds me of Falstaff. They both are conmen and willing to come up with these crazy stories in order to obtain what the desire, which of course is money. Although Autolycus seems to be much smart than Falstaff. Falstaff didn't seem to be able to get away with robbing someone and he seemed to always been the one getting robbed but they both are definitely cunning and have little care about anything but basic pleasures.

Scene 4 was definitely a much longer scene than I had first anticipated. For the major character I followed Perdita. She is the daughter of Leontes and has fallen in love with Polixenes's son Florizel. In the scene they become engaged and Perdita has predicted that Florizel's father will find out about them and disapprove. This is exactly what happens after Polizenes confronts his son and reveals his disguise. However, with the help of Camillo the two run off to Sicilia and will appear before Leontes as ambassadors from Polixenes. I choose to follow as the minor character Camillo because I like him quite a bit. I find him to be reassuring and through his desire to return home he will help Perdita to be reunited with her father. Even though it is out of self-interest to help the young lovers I still find it reassuring that he's willing to help them in whatever way he can. And by telling Polixenes where his son is off to Camillo will be able to return home at last. It seems to be a win win for both the major and minor character. Although that depends on what Polixenes will do once he finds his son in Sicilia. I hope it's a happy ending!  

The Winter's Tale Act 2-3

I am doing the "I hate this stuff" rant blog. These two acts were very hard to read because they were so infuriating. I'll start off with how stupid Leontes is for storming into his wife's room and accusing her of adultery and having her arrest for it as well because Polixenes and Camillo have run off. I mean like seriously that is not proof that your wife is cheating on you. Leontes is acting like a dam fool for going through with this and Antigonus is right that they will be the laughingstock of the world.

Also when did Hermione become pregnant? Was she pregnant the whole play and I somehow missed that? I can't believe that her husband would send his pregnant wife to a jail cell. Like come on dude. Paulina is a good and bad character for me. I like how loyal she is to Hermione but I mean she is the one who causes the baby to become abandoned. I know her intentions were honorable but everyone has been calling Leontes a tyrant so of course he's going to be irrational with his own child. Plus his judgment is clouded with jealousy. So the fact that Paulina thought she could change his mind with a baby was just dumb. Although who makes someone choose between killing a baby and abandoning it. Even if that baby isn't yours you can't just kill it! Like who does that.

Act 3, Scene 2 stuff got way too real way too fast. There was way too much going on in this scene for me. First you have Hermione's trial RIGHT after she has given birth. Like what! I also love how he has made this trial public so that he can't be accused of being a tyrant but he's the judge, jury, and accuser so I feel like he's still a tyrant. Jokes on him. Even after seeing the message from the oracle saying that Hermione is innocent he still doesn't believe it. I'm starting to wonder if Leontes was looking for a way out of his marriage because he has no evidence and he's been proven wrong by the oracle but still thinks she's cheating. He was just pissing me off. THEN Mamillius and Hermione die. We lose two main characters in one scene. Too much stuff. And in the next scene Antigonus might be dead by a bear. So many deaths in this play. Leontes is the one that should have died. I'm just not sure what else this play can possibly have in store for us but I guess we will see.

The Comedy of Errors Act 1 and The Winter's Tale Act 1

Egeon is in Ephesus and he is being led to his execution because any Syracusan caught in Ephesus must pay an indemnity of a thousand marks, a price Egeon is unable to meet, or face execution. He is in Syracuse and prospered. He had a wife and twin boys. When Egeon and his family were on a boat back to Ephesus their ship was broken apart by a storm. Egeon, his son, and slave tied themselves to one end of the mass and his wife, other son, and slave tied themselves to another end of the mass. The mass split and the two parties went on different boats. So now Egeon is in Ephesus searching for his lost wife and son. The Duke is overcome with grief that he allows Egeon a day of liberation in order to find someone to pay his ransom. I believe Egeon will find someone to pay his ransom and will also be reunited with his family since it is a comedy and comedies usually end up happy!

Leontes and Polixenes at first seem to be hitting it off great. Leontes wants Polixenes to stay longer but Polixenes says that his already been there for nine months. It is only when Leontes' wife Hermione convinces Polixenes to stay that he does. This drives Leontes crazy because he becomes convinced that Hermione and Polixenes are sleeping together. This is exactly like Othello and Desdemona. Without any proof Leontes is ready to kill Polixenes for sleeping with his wife. It was interesting to see how swiftly Leontes was to change his opinion of Polixenes. I was surprised that Camillo warned Polixenes about the King's intentions of poisoning him and then asked if he could come away with him.

Troilus and Cressida Act 4

This act had a lot going on in it so I think for this blog I'm just going to go through the scenes and make comments on things throughout. This first thing that I found surprising was Diomedes equating Helen to a common tart and that she isn't worth all that much. This depiction of Helen is quite different from the stories that have been passed on about her from other places. I find it interesting Shakespeare is choosing to not fall into the main stream by saying Helen is the woman who launched a thousand ships. I also found the fact that they are trading Cressida without having to ask her or even mention it to her before the agreement is made. I found that part a little unnerving but it makes sense that women didn't have much say back then.

I found it very scandalous that Troilus and Cressida slept together before marriage. And of course her creepy uncle had to give her a hard time even though he is the one who set the whole thing up in the first place. Pandarus is kind of annoying and flip floppy. I'm also not sure what to make of Troilus and Cressida's relationship. It seems as if he's truly in love with her but several times scene five Troilus tells Cressida to be true and it almost seems as if he doesn't trust her with all those Grecian men. Although he does get extremely jealous when Diomedes is flirting with her so that throws a loop into their relationship dynamics. So I'm just not sure what I think about those two.

I found scene 7 to be hilarious with the encounter between Achilles and Hector. The two of them throwing insults at each other made me LOL. Like Achilles thinking he can point out exactly where he'll kill Hector is just so funny. I love it when men go chest to chest with each other because it seems so childish but it's still funny.

Question: In the 6th scene where Cressida enters into the Greek camp she is kissed by many people. When they say they kissed her is it on the lips or on the hand? I mean the hand would seem more resonable because it's not as intimate but Achilles says, "I'll take that winter from your LIPS, fair lady". So I'm just wondering was kissing on the lips not as intimate as it is today? Or are they actually kissing her hand.

Troilus and Cressida Act 2 and 3

Act 2.1 - Ajax and Thersites bicker back and forth. Ajax is constantly hitting Thersites. Ajax wants to know about the proclamation concerning Hector. Achilles and Patroclus enter and try to stop the bickering and Achilles is trying to prevent Ajax from hitting Thersites and Thersites from saying mean things to Ajax. Thersites finally leaves and Achilles tells Ajax about the proclamation and how it's a lottery to see who will fight Hector but if it wasn't Achilles is sure he would be the man to fight Hector.

2.2 - The Trojan council meets to consider the situation. Priam informs them that the Greeks have repeated their offer to call off the war if Helen is returned to them. Hector and Helenus want to return her, but Troilus protests that they will lose their honor if, having approved of her abduction in the first place, they suddenly change their minds. Hector argues that the costs of war are much more than Helen's worth. Cassandra bursts into the room to threaten the destruction of Troy unless Helen is returned, but no one listens which I wonder if that is because she is a woman. After Cassandra leaves the room Hector asks Troilus if they should really ignore their sister and Troilus comes back with not judging the "justness" of a cause by the end result. Honor is more important and I liked that part.  Hector argues that if Helen should be sent back to her husband Menelaus as a matter of morality, but admits that as a matter of pride she has to stay in Troy.

2.3 Thersites is again hating everyone around him. He wishes the whole Greek camp would come down with venereal disease, which I found rather humorous. Even though Thersites hates everyone he definitely adds humor to the play. Achilles sulks in his tent like a five year old but he insists that he's ill and refuses to see anyone. While that's going on everyone is buttering Ajax up which I don't think he needs anymore buttering up. It's interesting to see the Trojan camp be more civil and use logic to settle arguments whereas the Greek camp has everyone insulting one another constantly. It's almost as if the Greek camp is full of a bunch of five year olds and the Trojan camp has all the adults in it. Funny how the war turns out.

Act 3.2 - It is interesting that Cressida is acting shy when Troilus comes into her house when we first encountered her she was witty and out-spoken and teasing her Uncle endlessly. She acted like Beatrice in 1.2 but when Troilus enters she started acting a little like Hero and needing her Uncle to speak for her and doesn't say much. Which is very weird. I wonder why the sudden extreme mood swings. And I was a little confused by the end of the scene. Did the two of them go off to bed together or separate?

Othello Act 5

Act 5 scene 1 was a little weird. I mean it made since that Rodrigo was sent to kill Cassio and I found it humorous that Cassio had armor on under his cloak which makes sense seeing as he is a solider. I also give props to Iago for setting this up beautifully. It makes me think that he had this all planned out in advance and wasn't doing it on the fly because it seems like way too complicated a plan to be put together on the fly. I definitely didn't expect Iago to kill his wife especially after she already confessed everything and he was ruined. I found it weird that he was able to keep his sword and draw it without anyone raising their swords to him. I love the part when Othello says that he didn't commit any of these murders out of hate but out of honor. It seems like honor is a very big theme in all of Shakespeare's plays and a character will go to any length in order to make sure their honor stays intact. I love Othello's final speech about how the story should be told. He doesn't want it toned down or embellished. He wants everyone to know exactly what happen there that night and how exactly he acted leading up to it which I thought was very noble of him. I also like that his reason for all of this was because he loved too much and wasn't wise about it. So I guess if you're blindly in love with someone it is easy to manipulate you and convince you of bad things that don't actually exist. Moral of the story don't love too much and be unwise about it!