The Catcher in the Rye Blog 4

In the last section of the book Holden goes on his date with Sally. It's so obvious that he doesn't even like her and claims he loves her when he sees her, probably just because she looked good: "I didn't even like her much, and yet all of a sudden I felt like I was in love with her and wanted to marry her." I feel bad for Sally because Holden just goes out with her because she's good looking and makes her believe he genuinely likes her. He even says he thinks her voice is annoying. Holden claims how he hates things that are corny and over-the-top but Sally is exactly that. It's obvious that he's very immature and doesn't know what he wants. Although it seems that Holden is, or tries to be, down to earth, which I like about him. During the movie Sally sees a guy she knows and they talk for a long time and she completely forgets about Holden, so she must not be too crazy about him either. After the movie they went skating and Holden talks to Sally about running away together. It's obvious that she thinks he's crazy and wants to leave, and I don't blame her. Once Holden gets an idea in his head, no matter how ridiculous, he tries to go through with it and doesn't realize how silly it is.

After the horrible date with Sally, Holden tries to call Jane again. I really wish he would just get together with Jane because it's obvious that he actually cares about her unlike Sally. He calls this guy named Carl Luce and wants to meet up with him for a drink. I think Holden makes up any excuse just to get a drink. Holden starts talking about Carl Luce and how he could tell if people were gay or lesbian. Holden even has his doubts about Carl and thinks he might be a little 'flitty'. It's weird that Holden calls up these people he isn't even close to and really doesn't even like them and tries to go out with them like they have been friends forever. I realize he probably does this because he's lonely and doesn't have that many friends. In a way I feel bad for him because he's alone and can't go home to his family but then again it's his own fault he's on his own in the first place.

After Holden has a drink with Carl he gets drunk and starts walking all over the city feeling lonely and sorry for himself. He decides to go to his house and visit Phoebe, which probably isn't the best idea since he's drunk. He sneaks in the house and tries not to wake anyone up. He watches Phoebe sleep for a while and then wakes her up. She is excited to see him, but then finds out he got kicked out of school. Then Holden calls up Mr. Antolini and asks to stay with him for a little bit since he has no place to go. Mr. Antolini agrees and then Holden's parents come home. He hides and then Phoebe lends him all of her money. I think that Phoebe is a really good sister and loves her brother a lot because she gets upset when he flunks out of school and lets him borrow all of her Christmas money and I think Holden knows it. He wants to visit her all the time because he knows she loves him and will always love him no matter how many schools he gets kicked out of.

Holden goes to stay at the Antolini's and after he wakes up to find Mr. Antolini petting Holden's head Holden freaks out and leaves immediately. Holden gets another crazy idea to go live in the woods and decides to write a goodbye letter to Phoebe. He meets her in front of a museum and she wants to go with him. He says she can't and she cries and says she won't go to school anymore if he leaves. I think this is the point he realizes he has been foolish failing every school he does to and not caring and setting a bad example for his little sister. He realizes he wants Phoebe to have a good future and not end up like him so he decides to do the mature thing and go back home.

I thought the ending to the story was abrupt, but I thought it fit with the whole story. Holden turns out to be sort of sensitive and says that he misses everyone he's had the chance to meet, even Stradlater and Ackley. I think he learns that life is full of surprises and you never know what's going to happen until it happens.

The Catcher in the Rye Blog 3

In the next part of the story Holden goes back to the hotel. As he gets in the elevator a man named Maurice asks him if he wants a good time. The man asks Holden how old he is and Holden lies and says 22. Holden ends up buying a prostitute for a short amount of time. It's crazy to me that this hotel would have prostitutes available, especially for people that are not being honest about their age, like Holden. I realize that this is probably a low end hotel by the way Holden describes it: "The whole lobby was empty. It smelled like fifty million dead cigars. It really did." The prostitute comes and is ready to get down to business but Holden stalls for a little bit then decides he is scared and not ready for this. He makes up an excuse that he had a recent operation but he will pay her anyway. One thing I did find interesting is that Holden actually felt sorry and sad for the girl: "I took her dress over to the closet and hung it up for her. It was funny. It made me feel sort of sad when I hung it up. I thought of her going in a store and buying it, and nobody in the store knowing she was a prostitute and all. The salesman probably just thought she was a regular girl when she bought it. It made me feel sad as hell--I don't know why exactly." This shows that Holden actually has sympathy for people despite his tough exterior. The fact that he didn't do what he was expected to do with the prostitute showed that he knows right from wrong and he knew it isn't right for this girl to be treated the way she is.

Later on Holden calls up a girl named Sally and asks her out to a movie. It's obvious that he doesn't like her much: "She gave me a pain in the ass, but she was very good-looking." He probably just wants to spend some time with someone he knows, just to feel less lonely. He tries to call Jane, but when her mother answers, he hangs up right away. I think he's afraid that Jane might be home and if he tried to ask her out he might get rejected. That makes it obvious that he really has feelings for Jane and that Holden really has a soft side.

Holden decides to go to Grand Central Station and have some breakfast. There he meets two nuns who are also teachers. One is an English teacher and Holden tells her that English is his best subject. Holden offers to give them ten dollars as a contribution. I think this is ironic because earlier Holden claimed to be an atheist: "I can't always pray when I feel like it. In the first place, I'm sort of an atheist. I like Jesus and all, but I don't care too much for most of the other stuff in the Bible."

I think it's funny that Holden continues to think he's tough and mature, even though he does nice things like donate money and buy a record for his little sister. However, he even admits that he isn't as tough as he would like to be: "I'd have the damn gloves right in my hand and all, but I'd feel I ought to sock the guy in the jaw or something--break his goddam jaw. Only, I wouldn't have the guts to do it. I'd just stand there trying to look tough." I don't know why Holden continues to carry on with this tough guy act when it's obvious it makes him look young and immature. Maybe as the book progresses Holden will realize he is acting very childish when he tries to be an adult and will decide to change his ways.

The Catcher in the Rye Blog 2

In the story Holden and Stradlater get into a big fight when Stradlater comes back from his date with Jane. Holden gets mad because he thinks Stradlater had sex with her and punches him in the face, which shows he has some feelings for Jane. Stradlater tackles Holden and makes him bleed all over the place. After the fight Holden goes into Ackley's room: "I had a feeling old Ackley'd probably heard all the racket and was awake. So I went through the shower curtains into his room, just to see what the hell he was doing." Holden claims that he went in to check on Ackley, but I really think that Holden wanted a friend there for him and wanted someone to comfort him, which his funny considering how much Holden says he can't stand Ackley. I think Ackely is a pretty funny character, especially when it comes to his religion: "I don't care what you say about me or anything, but if you start making cracks about my goddam religion for Chrissake--" Ackley claims that he is very religious but says things like "goddam" and "Chrissake". It's pretty ironic to me. I also think that Ackley is pretty similar to Holden, especially in the way he talks and curses all the time.

After fighting with Stradlater and getting no comfort from Ackley, Holden decides to leave Pencey for good. Holden takes a bus into New York, where he meets the mother of one of his classmates, Ernest Morrow. He finds the woman very attractive, but then again Holden finds a lot of women attractive, so he's a very hormonal young man. After talking to her for a while, Holden asks her out for a few drinks, which seems crazy because 1) he is too young to buy drinks 2) he just met this woman and 3) she is way too old for Holden. Even though she turned him down I think his attempt was still funny, especially because he kept making up stories to impress her.

After Holden gets off the bus he goes to a trashy hotel. There he goes to a phone booth and calls up this slutty girl one of his friends knows. Again he asks her out for a few drinks but she declines. I think Holden thinks if he buys a woman a few drinks he's going to get lucky, which is probably true considering the women he's asked out already. It's funny that Holden says he doesn't understand sex at all but it's all he thinks about and even though he makes rules for himself, he ends up ignoring them: "Sex is something I really don't understand too hot. You never know where the hell you are. I keep making up these sex rules for myself, and then I break them right away."

As the story goes on Holden describes his little sister Phoebe. Again I notice he describes her in a positive and proud way, like he described his brother Allie: "You should see her. You never saw a little kid so pretty and smart in your whole life. She's really smart." I notice that he only talks about Allie, Phoebe and Jane in a good way and everyone else he doesn't really care for. He especially talks about Jane in a good way: "You never even worried, with Jane, whether your hand was sweaty or not. All you knew was, you were happy. You really were." I think that Holden really cares about Jane and I think he will try to get in contact with her later in the book.

The Catcher in the Rye Blog 1

In the first part of The Catcher in the Rye the main character, Holden Caulfield, narrates the story and starts out talking about how he got kicked out of Pencey Prep. He explains how he has kicked out of many different schools because he doesn't care about his education. He makes it sound like it's the school that is awful and not his lack of trying: "They don't do any damn more molding at Pencey than they do at any other school. And I didn't know anybody there that was splendid and clear thinking and all." Holden seems very negative about everything and he doesn't care about anything, either. Holden talks about visiting his history teacher Mr. Spencer and how he had to listen to Mr. Spencer talk about why he was failing Holden: "I flunked you in history because you knew absolutely nothing." And while Mr. Spencer keeps repeating why Holden failed, Holden is perfectly polite and agrees with everything he says, while in his head he is getting pissed off and wants to leave already. I thought this part was pretty funny because Holden decided to be nice and visit his sick teacher for the last time and his teacher makes him miserable by criticizing him the whole time.

Holden also talks about a kid named Ackley who always bothers Holden and supposedly hates everyone: "He hated Stradlater's guts and he never came in the room if Stradlater was around. He hated everybody's guts, damn near." It's pretty funny that Holden basically tells Ackley to go away, but he never gets the hint. Holden can't seem to get away even when he make a big effort to. Then Holden's roommate Stradlater comes in and asks Holden if he can borrow his coat and asks if Holden can write a paper for him. It's pretty ironic that Stradlater asks the kid that is failing almost all of his classes to write a paper for him. It's even more ironic that Holden agrees to do it. So Holden decides to write the descriptive paper about his brother Allie's baseball glove, which had poems written all over it. His brother died of leukemia and this seems to me like the only thing so far that Holden talks about without resentment and talks about his brother with compassion: "He was terrifically intelligent. His teachers were always writing letters to my mother, telling her what a pleasure it was having a boy like Allie in their class." It seems like Holden really cared about his brother and was devastated when he died because he broke all the windows with his hand: "I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it."

After reading so far I think this is a pretty funny book and I'm not even sure that was the author's intention. Just the irony and the swearing is just funny. I know this was a pretty controversial book back in the day and I can see why: there is a swear word on almost every page. Compared to books today, however, this is nothing. I also notice that when Holden is talking about something, he rambles on about something else entirely different or explains why something happened and has to constantly return back to what he was originally talking about. I can't wait to see what happens next in Holden's interesting life.

1984 Blog 3

In the next part of 1984 the Party announces that after all this time hating Eurasia, it turns out that Eastasia was actually the enemy: "At just this moment it had been announced that Oceania was not after all at war with Eurasia. Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Eurasia was an ally." (Page 196). Within minutes of the speaker announcing this news, the crowd goes crazy and begins to hate Eastasia. Winston knows that the fact that they had hated Eurasia will be erased from history: "Although no directive was ever issued, it was known that the chiefs of the Department intended that within one week no reference to the war with Eurasia, or the alliance with Eastasia, should remain in existence anywhere." (Page 199). Winston knows he will have a lot of work to do with this change in alliance. I think it's strange that all of a sudden the people can just lose their hate for Eurasia and gain so much hate for Eastasia in a matter of minutes just because the Party tells them to.

Winston goes to the room he shares with Julia and starts to read a book by Emmanuel Goldstein called "The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism". It is about the social classes in Oceania and that there is no life without war. Goldstein says in his book that no matter what there will always be wars between the three nations: "In one combination or another, these three superstates are permanently at war, and have been so for twenty-five years." (Page 202). It's depressing that there will always be a war going on and there is absolutely no solution so the only answer is hate for the enemy country and every once in a while the alliances switch up and they become allies with the country they once despised. This cycle would get old after a while and the people are obviously so brainwashed that they can't break free from it all.

When Winston and Julia wake up they are startled by a bunch of men that have broken into their room. It turns out that they had been spied on the whole time! The men attack Winston and Julia and take Julia away. Mr. Charrington enters the room and it's revealed that he is in fact a member of the Thought Police. I always thought it was kind of strange that Mr. Charrington let Winston stay in the room that was supposedly safe and free from any telescreens without anything in return.

Winston finds himself in a cell where he is constantly being monitored. He hasn't eaten anything for a long time and wonders if they will even bother to feed him: "But he was also hungry, with a gnawing, unwholesome kind of hunger. It might be twenty-four hours since he had eaten, it might be thirty-six. He still did not know, probably never would know, whether it had been morning or evening when they arrested him. Since he was arrested he had not been fed." (Page 247). Winston couldn't even put his hand in his pocket: ""Smith!" yelled a voice from the telescreen. "6079 Smith W! Hands out of pockets in the cells!"" By the description of the cell it seems like the Party wants to torture their prisoners and make them sorry that they ever broke the law and try to go against them. They want to make it clear that they will find the rebels and make sure they are punished for their actions.

1984 Blog 2

Next in 1984 Winston goes into a bar in the prole district and starts to talk to a man about the past. He asks the man if times were different in the past: "Do you feel that you have more freedom now than you had in those days? Are you treated more like a human being?" (Page 100). The man doesn't give him a straight answer and Winston gets frustrated. Winston leaves and finds himself in front of the store in which he bought the diary. He goes inside and encounters the shopkeeper. Winston looks around a bit and decides to buy an old paperweight, which could have been suspicious: "Anything old, and for that matter anything beautiful, was always vaguely suspect." (Page 106). The shopkeeper takes Winston to a secret room, a room Winston notices doesn't have a telescreen. The shopkeeper says: "I never had one of those things. Too expensive. And I never seemed to feel the need of it, anyhow." (Page 107). The man, named Mr. Charrington, makes it seem like having a telescreen isn't required and he doesn't seem to care about not having one. Mr. Charrington recites a rhyme about churches: "Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement's, you owe me three farthings, say the bells of St. Martin's!" (Page 110). The rhyme makes Winston think of the past and what it could have been like and how different it probably was. Winston leaves the shop and notices the dark haired girl and thinks she is spying on him. He considers killing the girl: "He could keep her on track till they were in some quiet place, and then smash her skull in with a cobblestone." (Page 112). In my opinion Winston seems very paranoid. He was scared that the Party would catch him writing bad things in his diary and now he thinks that this girl is spying on him. I understand standing up to the Party and Big Brother is very risky, but if Winston wants to be rebellious he needs to man up and do it!

In Part 2 Winston goes to work and sees the girl with dark hair with an arm sling. The girl falls down and Winston helps her up. In the process the girl slips him a note. He takes the note and after a long while of debating he decides to read it. It turns out that the girl loves him, or so it says. Winston is surprised by this: "For several seconds he was too stunned even to throw the incriminating thing into the memory hole." (Page 118). I was very surprised at this turn of events. I definitely thought she was spying on him since she happened to be wherever he was and it doesn't really make sense to me that she would be in love with him, especially since they have never talked to each other before. A few days after receiving the note Winston sits at the girl's lunch table. They briefly spoke and decided to meet up in private. They met in Victory Square and agreed to meet again at a later date. I honestly think this whole situation is weird. Winston just wants the girl sexually and it's pretty gross since he's way older than her. I think Winston is a pervert and is constantly thinking about sex.

Winston and the girl finally meet up alone and basically have sex. Turns out that Julia has done it plenty of times and Winston loves her for it: "Listen. The more men you've had, the more I love you. Do you understand that?" (Page 137). This seems more like a political agenda and part of Winston's rebellion scheme to me. The two continue their affair and take up residence in the room above Mr. Charrington's shop. I'm pretty confused about what has happened so far. It doesn't make sense that Winston and Julia are an "item" now and Winston is in love with Julia because she is a whore and slept with so many members of the Party. It just shows that it's part of his hate for the Party and doesn't really have anything to do with his "love" for Julia.

1984 Blog 1

The book starts out telling about a man named Winston, who enters his home in Victory Mansions. He lives in a place called Airstrip One, which apparently used to be England. He believes that it is 1984 but isn't exactly sure: "To begin with, he did not know with any certainty that this was 1984." (Page 9). The narrator also describes a guy known as Big Brother, who seems to be in charge of everything. As Winston enters his house a device called a telescreen gives a news report. Telescreens watch the activity of the citizens: "You had to live-did live, from habit that became instinct-in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized." (Page 5). He begins to write in his diary about movies, which reminded him of an incident that happened that morning. He describes the Two Minute Hate, a session where a video about a traitor named Emmanuel Goldstein is played to make the citizens angry and hate him: "A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against one's will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic." (Page 17). And throughout the book so far one slogan is repeated over and over: "WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH." It seems like the people live by this slogan and can't escape it: "Even from the coin the eyes pursued you. On coins, on stamps, on the covers of books, on banners, on posters, and on the wrapping of a cigarette packet--everywhere. Always the eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you." (Page 30). Winston continues to write in his diary, which is considered a bad thing: "This was not illegal (nothing was illegal, since there were no longer any laws), but if detected it was reasonably certain that it would be punished by death, or at least by twenty-five years in a forced-labor camp." (Page 9). He realizes that he keeps writing the same thing over and over: "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER." Winston is horrified that he has written this, because the Thought Police could come after him. Someone knocks on his door and it turns out to be Mrs. Parsons, who needs help repairing her sink. He goes to her flat and her children start to harass him about his thoughts. When he returns home he freaks out and hides his diary. Winston has a dream about his mother and sister and feels somewhat responsible for their deaths: "He could not remember what happened, but he knew in his dream that in some way the lives of his mother and his sister had been sacrificed to his own." (Pages 33-34). He wakes up and it is time for Physical Jerks, a fitness program on the telescreen. Winston goes to work where he destroys old documents and updates new records. He meets with Syme for lunch and they talk about Newspeak. As they talk, Winston thinks that Syme will be vaporized: "One of these days, thought Winston with sudden deep conviction, Syme will be vaporized. He is too intelligent. He sees too clearly and speaks too plainly." (Page 59). Winston writes in his diary that he had an affair with a prostitute and how much sex is frowned upon in his world: "The unforgivable crime was promiscuity between Party members." (Page 72). Winston writes in his diary that a rebellion lies within the proles and that's the only way. He talks about how awful his world is: "The ideal set up by the Party was something huge, terrible, and glittering--a world of steel and concrete, of monstrous machines and terrifying weapons--a nation of warriors and fanatics, marching forward in perfect unity, all thinking the same thoughts and shouting the same slogans, perpetually working, fighting, triumphing, persecuting--three hundred million people all with the same face." (Page 82).
So far in the story it basically describes Winston's world and what he deals with everyday. It's pretty dark and depressing and makes the reader think about what it would be like if their life was like this. I think it's pretty interesting so far and can't wait to read what happens to Winston next.

Twelfth Night Acts 4 and 5

Act 4 Scene 1 opens with Sebastian talking to the fool. The fool is bothering Sebastian and Sebastian just wants him to go away: "I prithee, foolish Greek, depart from me. There's money for thee. If you tarry longer, I shall give worse payment." (IV.i.18-20). Andrew and Toby enter and Andrew and Toby start fighting. Olivia enters and tells them to stop fighting: "Hold, Toby! On thy life I charge thee hold!" (IV.i.45). Sebastian is extremely confused by what is going on: "What relish is in this? How runs the stream? Or I am mad, or else this is a dream. Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep; if it be thus to dream, still let me sleep!" (IV.i.59-63). I feel pretty bad for Sebastian. He just survived a ship wreck and arrived in this crazy town with Andrew trying to kill him and Olivia trying to hook up with him!
In Act 4 Scene 2 Maria's crazy schemes continue when she has the fool dress up as a priest to banish the demon inside Malvolio: "Out, hyperbolical fiend! How vexest thou this man! Talkest thou nothing but of ladies?" (IV.ii.26-27). Malvolio rants about how everyone hates him and makes him look like an idiot: "And I say, there was never a man thus abused." (IV.ii.47-48). The fool takes off the costume and talks to Malvolio. Malvolio denies that he is crazy: "I am as well in my wits, fool, as thou art." (IV.ii.91). Malvolio asks for the fool's help in sending a letter to Olivia: "Good fool, some ink, paper, and light; and convey what I will set down to my lady." (IV.ii.112-114). I actually understand now why Maria plays so many pranks on Malvolio. He is incredibly cocky and desperate! He won't seem to take no for an answer and is acting creepy. Hopefully Olivia sets him straight.
Act 4 Scene 3 Sebastian and Olivia pretty much get engaged: "If you mean well, now go with me and with this holy man into the chantry by." (IV.iii.22-24). I think this is absolutely ridiculous! Sebastian has known her for maybe a day and already wants to marry the woman! Everyone in this play seems to be insane!
In Act 5 Scene 1 Antonio arrives in Orsino's court and explains how he saved Sebastian's life. Olivia arrives and talks about her and Cesario's wedding, which Viola is completely surprised and confused by: "Who does beguile you? Who does do you wrong?" (V.i.139-140). Olivia keeps insisting that they are married and has the priest come and prove it: "A contract of eternal bond of love, confirmed by mutual joinder of your hands, attested by the holy close of lips, strength'ned by interchangement of your rings." (V.i.156-159). Of course Orsino gets angry at Viola: "Farewell, and take her; but direct thy feet where thou and I, henceforth, may never meet." (V.i.168-169). Andrew comes in and says that Cesario stabbed Toby and once again Viola is confused. Sebastian enters and everyone is shocked that there are two Sebastians/ Cesarios: "An apple cleft in two is not more twin than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian?" (V.i.222-224). Viola and Sebastian ask each other about who they are and come to realize that they are brother and sister. Orsino discovers that Viola is actually a woman and decides to marry her. Fabian admits that he, Toby, Andrew and Maria played a prank on Malvolio and Malvolio declares that he will get revenge. I guess this play ended happily, but I still think it's really strange that everyone fell in love within hours of meeting the person. It's also weird that Orsino is in-laws with Olivia, the woman he wanted to marry. The fool seemed to be in more of the play than any of the others and he seemed more sane than the others as well. This play was extremely crazy, but I do admit there were some pretty funny parts in it.

Twelfth Night Act 3

In Act 3 Scene 1 Viola and the fool have a very "deep" conversation about words. I honestly didn't understand the point of this part of the scene and why it was necessary to the play. Viola talks to Olivia trying to make Olivia fall in love with Orsino: "Madam, I come to whet your gentle thoughts on his behalf." (III.i.107-108). Olivia tells Cesario that she is in love with him: "By maidhood, honor, truth, and everything, I love thee so that, maugre all thy pride, nor wit nor reason can my passion hide." (III.i.152-154). Viola finally sets her straight and tells her she does not love her back: "By innocence I swear, and by my youth, I have one heart, one bosom, and one truth, and that no woman has; nor never none shall mistress be of it, save I alone." (III.i.159-162). Olivia doesn't seem to give up hope: "Yet come again; for thou perhaps mayst move that heart which now abhors to like his love." (III.i.165-166). Olivia is pretty psycho inmy opinion. Cesario flat out tells her that he will never love her and she still seems to have hope that he'll come around. Talk about desperate!
In Act 3 Scene 2 Andrew is bummed because he saw Olivia flirting with Cesario: "Marry, I saw your niece do more favors to the Count's servingman than ever she bestowed upon me. I saw't i' th' orchard." (III.ii.5-7). Toby and Fabian tell Andrew to challenge Cesario to a fight: "Why then, build me thy fortunes upon the basis of valor. Challenge me the Count's youth to fight with him; hurt him in eleven places." (III.ii.34-36). Andrew decides to write a letter for Toby to give to Cesario. Then Maria enters and tells Toby and Fabian to watch her prank go into action: "If you desire the spleen, and will laugh yourself into stitches, follow me." (III.ii.68-69). I don't understand why Toby is playing a prank on Andrew with yet another letter but I guess it would be pretty entertaining to watch Andrew fight a guy who is really a girl.
In Act 3 Scene 3 Antonio and Sebastian are travelling and Sebastian wants to see some of the sights but Antonio can't: "I do not without danger walk these streets." (III.iii.25). Antonio tells Sebastian to meet him at the Elephant Inn. I think this scene was pretty short and boring, but I think it was necessary for an update on Sebastian.
In Act 3 Scene 4 Olivia is setting up for dinner when Malvolio enters all lovestruck: "Why appear you with this ridiculous boldness before my lady?" (III.iv.38-39). Malvolio starts quoting the letter he thinks Olivia wrote to him and Olivia, naturally, is confused. Cesario arrives and Olivia tells Maria to take care of Malvolio and the funny thing is that Malvolio thinks that everything is going according to plan: "Why, everything adheres together, that no dram of a scruple, no scruple of a scruple, no obstacle, no incredulous or unsafe circumstances--what can be said?" (III.iv.82-85). Fabian, Maria and Toby have some fun by picking on Malvolio and acting like there is a demon inside him. Andrew enters and gives Toby the letter he wrote: "Here's the challenge; read it. I warrant there's vinegar and pepper in't." (III.iv.149-150). Toby tells Cesario that Andrew wants to fight him, Cesario doesn't want to but draws his sword anyway and Antonio interrupts, thinking that Cesario is Sebastian, which makes Viola believe that her brother is alive. This scene was very important to the play and I'm anxious to see if Viola discovers her brother and what will happen if she does.

Twelfth Night Act 2

In Act 2 Scene 1 of Twelfth Night Antonio and Sebastian, Viola's twin brother, are talking. Sebastian thinks his twin sister drowned: "But you, sir, altered that, for some hour before you took me from the breach of the sea was my sister drowned." (II.i.21-23). This is ironic because Viola thinksher brother is dead but he is obviously alive. Sebastian decides to go to Orsino's court.
In Act 2 Scene 2 Malvolio gives Viola/Cesario a ring from Olivia. Viola is confused by this and hopes that Olivia hasn't fallen for her: "I left no ring for her. What means this lady? Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her." (II.ii.17-18). Viola realizes she has a problem: the duke loves Olivia, Olivia loves Cesario and Viola loves the duke. It seems like quite the love triangle. The strange part is that all of these people are in love with people that they barely even know.
In Act 3 Scene 3 Toby and Andrew ask the fool to sing love songs. Pretty soon Andrew and Toby join in and they are all acting like idiots. Malvolio comes in and tells them to shut up or leave: "If not, and it would please you to take leave of her, she is very willing to bid you farewell." (II.iii.99-101). Toby, Andrew and Maria then start to gossip about Malvolio: "Possess us, possess us. Tell us something of him." (II.iii.138-139) and "Marry, sir, sometimes he is a kind of Puritan." (II.iii.140). Maria decides she wants to get revenge on Malvolio: "He shall think, by the letters that thou will drop, that they will come from my niece, and that she's in love with him." (II.iii.164-166). I thought this scene was pretty ridiculous and unnecessary. Andrew, Toby and the fool start singing about love, Malvolio tells them to shut up and Maria decides to play a prank on Malvolio. What did Malvolio do to her, anyway?
In Act 2 Scene 4 Orsino and Cesario talk about love. Orsino asks if Cesario has ever been in love: "My life upon't, young though thou art, thine eye hath stayed upon some favor that it loves. Hath it not, boy?" (II.iv.22-24). Viola hints around that she loves the duke by saying that she loves someone like the duke and the same age. Orsino asks Cesario to talk to Olivia again and he refuses to take no for an answer: "I cannot be so answered." (II.iv.89). Viola tries to talk him out of loving Olivia if she doesn't love him back, but ends up taking a jewel to Olivia to show Orsino's love: "Give her this jewel. Say my love can give no place, bide no denay." (II.iv.125). I think Orsino is being a little creepy. I'm pretty sure that if Olivia says no the first time she isn't going to magically change her mind after receiving a jewel from him. I have to give him credit for his determination, though.
In Act 2 Scene 5 Toby, Andrew and Maria watch Maria's plan go into action. They hide and Malvolio walks by imagining what it would be like to marry Olivia. He discovers the love letter and reads it out loud. He thinks Olivia loves him: "She did commend my yellow stockings of late, she did praise my leg being cross-gartered, and in this she manifests herself to my love, and with a kind of injunction, drives me to the habits of her liking." (II.v.166-170). Malvolio decides to go after Olivia and Andrew, Toby and Maria want to see him make a fool out of himself. I'm not really sure why they pulled a prank on Malvolio other than the fact that he is an egotistical jerk, but it's a pretty good prank nonetheless. I'm curious to see what happens to Malvolio!

Twelfth Night Act 1

In Act 1 Scene 1 of Twelfth Night the duke of Illyria proclaims his love for music saying that it makes him feel even more in love: "If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die." (I.i.1-3). He says that he loves a woman named Olivia: "O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, methought she purged the air of pestilence. That instant was I turned into a hart, and my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, e'er since pursue me." (I.i.20-24). Valentine tells him that Olivia is not seeking love out of respect for her dead brother: "The element itself, till seven years' heat, shall not behold her face at ample view; but like a cloistress she will veiled walk, and water once a day her chamber round with eye-offending brine: all this to season a brother's dead love, which she would keep fresh and lasting in her sad remembrance." (I.i.27-33). This doesn't seem to affect Orsino too much as he continues to babble on about "how will she love when the rich golden shaft hath killed the flock of all affections else that live in her." (I.i.36-38). It seems to me that Orsino is so desperately in love with Olivia that he will do anything to be with her, which is a little scary. It also seems like he has never even met Olivia and just views her from a distance, which makes the situation even more creepy.
In Act 1 Scene 2 Viola arrives to Illyria on a ship. Apparently her brother died but she hopes that maybe he is still alive: "My brother he is in Elysium. Perchance he is not drowned." (I.ii.4-5). Viola and the captain discuss the duke and Olivia and Viola decides she wants to work for the duke: "Conceal me what I am, and be my aid for such disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent. I'll serve this duke." (I.ii.53-55). I'm not completely sure why Viola has to disguise herself as a man, but I guess that's why this is considered a comedy.
In Act 1 Scene 3 Sir Toby and Maria talk about Toby's bad drinking habits. Maria advises him to stop drinking so much: "Your cousin, my lady, takes great exceptions to your late hours." (I.iii.5-6). Toby doesn't think he has a drinking problem and doesn't want to change his ways: "Confine? I'll confine myself no finer than I am. These clothes are good enough to drink in, and so be these boots too. And they be not, let them hang themselves in their own straps." (I.iii.10-13). Sir Andrew enters and is intoduced to Maria. He tries to woo her , but ends up failing: "Ay, sir, I have them at my finger's ends. Marry, now I let go your hand, I am barren." (I.iii.77-78). Toby and Andrew talk about Olivia and Andrew thinks he should go home because he has no chance with her: "Faith, I'll home tomorrow, Sir Toby. Your niece will not be seen; or if she be, it's four to one she'll none of me." (I.iii.102-104).  Toby reassures him that there is still hope: "She'll none o' th' Count. She'll not match above her degree, neither in estate, years, nor wit; I have heard her swear't. Tut, there's life in't, man." (I.iii.106-108). After reading this scene I think that Toby is a drunk, Maria is bitter and is sick of men and Andrew is just plain stupid.
In Act 1 Scene 4 Viola enters in her disguise, dressed like a man named Cesario. The duke asks Viola to talk to Olivia and tell her how much he loves her: "O, then unfold the passion of my love; surprise her with discourse of my dear faith; it shall become thee well to act my woes." (I.iv.24-26). Viola has a problem with this because she herself is in love with the duke: "Yet a barful strife! Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife." (I.iv.41-42). It's odd to me that Viola has already fallen in love with the duke when she has just met him. He hasn't even showed any affection for her whatsoever. He thinks she's a man!
In Act 1 Scene 5 Viola speaks with Olivia. She tells Olivia that the duke loves her: "With adorations, with fertile tears, with groans that thunder love, with sighs of fire." (I.v.256-257). Olivia says that she does not love him: "Your lord does know my mind; I cannot love him." (I.v.258). After talking to Viola/Cesario, Olivia feels like she has fallen in love with Cesario: "Even so quickly may one catch the plague? Methinks I feel this youth's perfections with an invisible and subtle stealth to creep in at mine eyes." (I.v.296-299). I think it's a little strange that Olivia has fallen in love with Cesario, especially since Cesario is actually a woman. I knew this would happen right when the duke arranged for Cesario to speak with Olivia. This play has been pretty interesting and strange so far and I think it will get even more strange as it progresses.

Othello Act 3 Scenes 3 and 4, Act 4 Scenes 1, 2 and 3, and Act 5 Scenes 1 and 2

In Act 3 Scene 3 Desdemona wants to give Cassio another chance and reassures him that Othello won't be angry with him: "Do not doubt, Cassio, but I will have my lord and you again as friendly as you were." (III.iii.4-7). Othello and Iago enter and Cassio leaves because he is uncomfortable: "I am very ill at ease, unfit for mine own purposes." (III.iii.32-33). Desdemona tells Othello that Cassio feels bad about what happened and Othello should talk to him: "I' sooth so humbled that he hath left part of his grief with me to suffer with him. Good love, call him back." (III.iii. 52-54). Iago and Othello are then left alone and Iago starts to ask questions about Cassio. Othello becomes suspicious: "Nay, yet there's more in this? I prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings, as thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts the worst of words." (III.iii. 130-134). Iago tells Othello to watch Desdemona: "Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio." (III.iii.197). Othello begins to think that Desdemona is cheating on him: "She's gone. I am abused, and my relief must be to loathe her." (III.iii.266-267). Othello and Desdemona leave for dinner and Desdemona drops her special handkerchief. Emilia gives it to Iago who plans on using it to frame Desdemona: "I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin and let him find it." (III.iii.318-319). Iago tells Othello that he saw Cassio with Desdemona's napkin and Othello wants Cassio dead: "Within these three days let me hear thee say that Cassio's not alive." (III.iii.469-470).
In Act 3 Scene 4 Desdemona and Othello meet up. Othello asks Desdemona for her napkin but she obviously does not have it. He keeps bugging her about where it is and she keeps avoiding the question. She even changes the subject at one point: "Why, so I can; but I will not now. This is a trick to put me from my suit: pray you let Cassio be received again." (III.iv.87-89). Othello gets angry and leaves. Everyone wonders why Othello is angry so Iago goes to talk to him. Meanwhile, Bianca enters and Cassio asks her to make a copy of Desdemona's napkin: "I know not neither, I found it in my chamber. I like the work well. Ere it be demanded, as like enough it will, I would have it copied." (III.iv.187-189).
In Act 4 Scene 1 Iago and Othello have a conversation about Desdemona and Cassio. Iago tells Othello that Desdemona and Cassio were in bed together: "With her, on her; what you will." (IV.i.35). Cassio arrives and Othello hides while Cassio and Iago talk about Bianca. Cassio claims he doesn't love her and Bianca angrily storms in with Desdemona's handkerchief. With this, Othello is certain she is cheating on him. Othello plans to kill Desdemona: "Do it not with poison. Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated." (IV.i.209-210). Iago offers to kill Cassio: "And for Cassio, let me be his undertaker." (IV.i.213). Lodovico and Desdemona enter. Othello shows his anger towards Desdemona and hits her. Lodovico is astonished by this.
In Act 4 Scene 2 Othello and Emilia discuss Desdemona. Emilia says that Desdemona is a good person and whoever says otherwise is evil: "If any wretch have put this in your head, let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse, for if she be not honest, chaste, and true, there's no man happy." (IV.ii.15-18). This is ironic because it was her own hsband who said this about Desdemona. Desdemona and Othello speak of Desdemona's infidelity and she has no idea of what he is accusing her of: "By heaven, you do me wrong!" (IV.ii.80). Iago comes in, acting like he has no idea what is going on and why Othello said what he said: :Beshrew him for 't! How comes this trick upon him?" (IV.ii.128-129). Iago convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio in exchange for Desdemona.
Nothing much happens in Act 4 Scene 3, but in Act 5 Scene 1 Roderigo attempts to kill Cassio. Roderigo is killed by Iago and Cassio is wounded.
In Act 5 Scene 2 Othello smothers Desdemona and he admits it: "She's like a liar gone to burning hell. 'Twas I that killed her." (V.ii.128-129). Iago kills Emilia after she tells Othello the truth about the handkerchief. Othello chases down Iago and stabs him and later stabs himself. Before he dies, Othello kisses Desdemona, knowing he falsely accused her.
After reading this entire play, I definitely blame Iago, but everyone had the chance to ignore him and move on with their lives. If Othello didn't listen to the rumors that Iago told him, he wouldn't have killed his wife and ultimately himself. Even if the rumors were true, he could have calmly discussed the matter with his wife. He should believe his wife anyway instead of some random guy. Isn't marriage based on trust? In the end,Othello's jealousy overcame him and he handled things in the worst way possible.

Othello Act 2 Scene 3 and Act 3 Scenes 1 and 2

In Act 2 Scene 3, Othello and Desdemona's wedding celebration is going on. Cassio is on guard and Iago joins him. Iago convinces Cassio that it is too early to be guarding: "Not this hour, lieutenant; 'tis not yet ten o' th' clock." (II.iii.13-14). They start to talk about Desdemona and Iago thinks that she is a flirt and is capable of cheating on her husband: "What an eye she has! Methinks it sounds a parley to provocation." (II.iii.21-22), and "And when she speaks, is it not an alarum to love?" (II.iii.24-25). Cassio is convinced that she is attractive yet modest: "An inviting eye; and yet methinks right modest." (II.iii.23). Iago then encourages Cassio to have a few drinks to celebrate Othello: "Come, lieutenant, I have a stoup of wine, and here without are a brace of Cyprus gallants that would fain have a measure to the health of black Othello." (II.iii.27-30). At first Cassio resists and says he shouldn't drink: "Not tonight, good Iago. I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking; I could well wish courtesy would invent some other custom of entertainment." (II.iii.31-34). Iago finally convinces Cassio to have a drink and he gets drunk: "Why, very well then. You must not think then that I am drunk." (II.iii.115-116). Cassio chases Roderigo threatening to hurt him: "A knave teach me my duty? I'll beat the knave into a twiggen bottle." (II.iii.144-145). Montano steps in: "Nay good lieutenant! I pray you, sir, hold your hand." (II.iii.148-149). Cassio threatens to hit Montano if he interferes: "Let me go, sir, or I'll knock you o'er the mazzard." (II.iii.150-151), and they get into a fight. A bell is rung and Othello enters. Montano is bleeding and Othello demands to know what happened. Cassio is so drunk he can't even remember what happened: "I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore." (II.iii.287-288).
It is clear to me now that Iago is nothing but trouble and is doing a good job of making everyone's lives miserable. He was the one who convinced Cassio to drink even though Cassio made it clear that he gets drunk easily. I think it's all part of Iago's scheme to separate Othello and Desdemona.
In Act 3 Scene 1 Cassio has musicians play for Othello to ask for his forgiveness: "Masters, play here. I will content your pains. Something that's brief; and bid "Good morrow, general." (III.i.1-3). A clown enters and tells the band to go away: "But, masters, here's money for you; and the general so likes your music that he desires you, for love's sake, to make no more noise with it." (III.i.11-13). Cassio tells the clown that he wants to speak to Desdemona. Emilia enters and tells Cassio that Desdemona and Othello are discussing the matter: "The general and his wife are talking of it, and she speaks for you stoutly. The Moor replies that he you hurt is of great fame in Cyprus and great affinity, and that in wholesome wisdom he might not but refuse you. But he protests he loves you, and needs no other suitor but his likings to bring you in again." (III.i.42-47).
Desdemona supports Cassio, but Othello thinks that no one will take Cassio's side because the odds weren't in his favor considering the situation.Othello is willing to hear what Cassio has to say about it. I think Othello is being realistic. He trusts Cassio and supports him, but he knows the citizens won't take his side because they only know one side of the story.
In Act 3 Scene 2 Othello gives Iago some letters to deliver and looks at the fortification. I still have suspicions about Iago, but I guess I'll have to keep reading to find out his true motive.

Othello Act 1 Scene 3 and Act 2 Scenes 1 and 2

In Act 1 Scene 3 of Othello, Brabantio is determined to see Othello get punished. The Venetian council is having a meeting when Brabantio bursts in complaining that his daughter has been taken from him: "She is abused, stol'n from me, and corrupted by spells and medicines bought of mountebanks; For nature so prepost'rously to err, being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense, sans witchcraft could not." (I.iii.59-64). I think Brabantio is suggesting that Othello practices witchcraft and he somehow got Desdemona to fall in love with him using spells. This is very stereotypical because Brabantio thinks Othello practices witchcraft because of his skin color. Othello argues that he earned Desdemona's love by saying: "Of my whole course of love--what drugs, what charms, what conjuration, and what mighty magic, for such proceeding I am charged withal, I won his daughter." (I.iii.91-93). Othello says that he didn't put a spell on Desdemona and that she fell in love with him on her own. Brabantio comes back with saying that Desdemona would never fall in love with someone like Othello because she was shy and timid: "A maiden never bold, of spirit so still and quiet that her motion blushed at herself; and she, in spite of nature, of years, of country, credit, everything, to fall in love with what she feared to look on!" (I.iii.94-98). Othello says that "Her father loved me; oft invited me; still questioned me the story of my life." (I.iii. 127-128) and says that Desdemona fell in love with him because of his stories: "And bade me, if I had a friend that loved her, I should but teach him how to tell my story, and that would woo her." (I.iii.163-165). Desdemona finally comes in and proclaims her love for Othello: "But here's my husband and so much duty as my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor my lord." (I.iii.183-187). It seems like Brabantio is in denial and needs the final word from his daughter. But if Othello used magic to make Desdemona fall in love with him like Brabantio suggested, the couldn't he cast a spell on her to make her say that she's truly in love with him? It just doesn't make sense to me.
When Othello and Desdemona exit, Roderigo is all depressed because Desdemona doesn't love him: "I will incontinently drown myself." (I.iii.300). Iago gets mad at him and says: "It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will. Come, be a man! Drown thyself? Drown cats and blind puppies!" (I.iii.330-332). Iago tell Roderigo constantly to "put money in thy purse" and it's not the end of the world if Desdemona doesn't love him.
In Act 2 Scene 1 Desdemona, Iago, Roderigo and Emilia arrive. Iago makes a rude comment about his wife: "Sir, would she give you so much of her lips as of her tongue she oft bestows on me, you would have enough." (II.i.100-102). This is suggesting that she talks too much. He also says: "Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk; You rise to play, and go to bed to work." (II.i.112-113). Iago seems to have little respect for his wife and women in general. Cassio then takes Desdemona aside by the hand and Iago thinks there is more going on than meets the eye: "He takes her by the palm. Ay, well said, whisper! With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio." (II.i.165-167). Othello arrives with the news that the Turks have drowned. At the end of the scene Iago has a soliloquy. He says that he loves Desdemona and wants to get even with Othello because he had an affair with Emilia: "Now I do love her too; Not out of absolute lust, though peradventure I stand accountant for as great a sin, but partly led to diet my revenge, for that I do suspect the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat." (II.i.291-296).
Nothing much happens in Act 2 Scene 2 but Othello's herald announces the fall of the Turks and the marriage of Othello and Desdemona. After reading so far I'm beginning to think that Iago is truly evil and will stop at nothing to separate Othello and Desdemona. I just hope Othello sees it in time time to try and save his marriage!

Othello Act 1 Scenes 1 and 2

Reading the first two scenes of Act 1 of Othello has given me a pretty good generalization of the characters and I think I have an idea about what is happening in the story so far. Roderigo is a guy who obviously hates Othello since he says, "Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate" (I.i.5-6) to Iago. I assume the "him" Roderigo is referring to is Othello because he is the main character. Iago assures Roderigo by saying, "Despise me if I do not." (I.i.7-8). Roderigo also displays his hate for Othello by saying, "By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman." (I.i.81-82). Roderigo makes a racial remark about Othello when he calls him "the thick lips". This refers to Othello's African heritage. Iago and Roderigo then walk by the house of Brabantio and yell to get his attention, asking if he's been robbed. When Brabantio comes to the window Roderigo flat out tells him that his daughter is having sexual relations with Othello: "I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs." (I.i. 113-114). At first Brabantio is in denial and calls Roderigo a liar but Roderigo tells him that he speaks the truth and Brabantio admits he had a feeling this was happening: "This accident is not unlike my dream. Belief of it oppresses me already." (I.i.139-140).
First of all Roderigo must really be out to get Othello if he tells the girl's father that she is sleeping with the Moor. There's also some jealousy behind Roderigo's scheme. He must be angered by the fact that a rich man such as himself can't get the girl but a black man can.
Second of all Brabantio must be really oblivious to what his daughter is doing when he's not around. He even denies that his daughter would do such a thing, which suggests that he and his daughter don't have a very good relationship. Brabantio is surprised that his own daughter would go behind his back like that: "How didst thou know 'twas she? -O she deceives me." (I.i.162). He didn't even know she and Othello were married. Brabantio even questions his own parenting by saying, "Fathers, from hence trust not your daughter's minds by what you see them act." (I.i.167-168).
In Scene 2 Iago arrives to tell Othello that Brabantio wants to arrest him. Othello seems to be calm and not worried at all: "Let him do his spite. My services which I have done the Signiory shall out-tongue his complaints." (I.ii.17-18), and "Not I. I must be found. My parts, my title, and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly." (I.ii.30). Iago seems like he is betraying Roderigo by warning Othello about Brabantio coming to arrest him.
A lot has happened in the first two scenes of Othello. Roderigo hates Othello and wants to ruin his life, Brabantio is on a mission to arrest Othello for marrying his daughter and Othello just wants to live a happy life with his wife. I don't understand why everyone is hating Othello, but I'm sure I'll find out why later on.