Sad Irony

In Marge Piercy's Barbie Doll, there is quite a bit of sad irony and gender roles.  It begins with a girl who is, as many are, brought up to be beautiful.  She matured as many girls did, having typical girl toys, wearing makeup, and desiring to look pretty.  Yet, everyone saw her as an ugly being with "a great big nose and fat legs," (Piercy, 835).  This girl was smart, healthy, and had a great sex drive.  Seemingly having every important aspect, people still only saw her as ugly.  She tried desperately to become what people perceived as beautiful, but was unable to meet there expectations.  The poem culminates with her suicide.  It is sadly ironic that only here, after her death, do people begin to say she looks nice.  This poem exemplifies the society of today, in which a girl can be smart, charismatic, and nice, yet still not be wanted because she does not fit the mold of a woman today.  It is a reality that this poem seems to urge the reader to change in any way they can.

We've All Been There

In Andrew Marvell's To His coy Mistress, the speaker seems to be a lovesick man.  He shows that he cares for this woman very much, and she has been rather uninterested in his advances.  He opens by saying, "Had we but world enough, and time, this coyness, lady, were no crime," (Marvell, 803).  He says if they could live forever, he would admire her for just as long.  He then shows his fear or death, and how much he wishes life was not as short as it is.  He feels scared that they are wasting time being apart.  This leads to frustration because the woman is uninterested in the man's sexual advances.  He ends with his thoughts about death.  He fears that death is absolutely final, and that there will be no embraces after death.  This furthers his feeling of urgency.  This is a common fear for many people in the world.  They fear that their conscious soul will cease to exist with death.  In response to this, according to the man in the poem, people should not waste their time on earth, and instead use it to the very fullest.

What a Thriller

A Jury of Her Peers, by Susan Glaspell, is a classic mystery thriller.  It portrays the women standing in the kitchen while men run around a house looking for clues as to why a wife possibly murdered her husband.  The men mock the women multiple times with sexist remarks, including that they are simply admiring the state of the kitchen and looking at clothing and quilts while the men are working.  At one point, the women "were so engaged with the quilt that they did not hear the footsteps on the stairs.  Just as the stair door opened Mrs. Hale was saying: 'Do you suppose she was going to quilt it or just knot it?'  The sheriff threw up his hand.  'They wonder whether she was going to quilt it or just knot it!'" (Glaspell, 417).  This and other sexist comments of his ultimately prove to be ironic, as this pointless womanly fiddling solves the mystery.  Once they go through her sowing supplies, they realize that Minnie Foster, the woman who may have killed her husband, only had a bird to love, and her husband killed in like he killed Minnie's good spirit.  As revenge  Minnie strangled her husband.  Another example of irony comes at the conclusion, when although the sheriff's wife is called "married to the law," she helps cover up the murder.  They view this murder as justified, and thus outside the jurisdiction of the law.

Boys Being Boys

In Tobias Wolff's Hunters in the Snow, three fools set out on a hunting trip.  These three men behave in typical fashion as one would think men do on a hunting trip.  They search the woods and tease one another.  Their findings for the day are dismal at best and after stopping to ask permission to hunt on a man's land, things take a turn.  One of the men, Kenny, seems to turn homicidal when he begins to shoot things, culminating with the murder of the dog.  It is later revealed that he was asked to kill the dog, but Tub subsequently shot Kenny, as he felt threatened.  As they journeyed to the hospital, Tub and their other friend, Frank, made several stops.  They leave their bleeding friend laying in the back of the truck each time.  On these stops, Tub and Frank talk.  They talk about their new loves and their weight problems.  This contradicts the idea that men don't need anyone.  At one point, Frank says, "'The way I look at it, Tub, no man is an island.  You've got to trust someone,'" (Wolff, 199).  Those shows that although these men seem like normal, hardened men, they have problems too and it feels good to be able to discuss them.  This again defeats the general stereotype of men being creatures that don't have or deal with feelings.

Quite a Shakespearean Finish

Othello, the Moor of Venice, written by none other than William Shakespeare, ends in tragedy.  Only two guilty lives were lost at the end of the play.  The accomplice of Iago, Rodrigo, was killed by Iago in order to avoid payment.  This action characterized Iago has a truly heartless fiend.  Iago was also eventually killed, although not before many innocent deaths and excruciating torture.  Othello delivers a long speech, saying "... beat a Venetian and traduced the state, I took by the throat the circumcised dog and smote him, thus," (Sheakspeare, 1460).  After he concludes, he proceeds to stab himself out of guilt for the murder of the innocent Desdemona.  As the story concludes, Cassio appears to be the only character that will make it out alive.  Cassio represented the middle ground, as he was not the most noble or most wicked of characters.  Shakespeare could be insinuating the neither extreme is the one that succeeds.  Rather, the winners are those who come from the middle.

Asides

William Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice asides frequently.  They are useful  as they provide and unbiased insight into the thoughts of the characters.  Since they are simply addressing themselves or the audience, they have no reason to lie.  Shakespeare uses them to convey the thought process of the characters.  Iago is easily the character that uses it the most.  He frequently reveals his evil plot in solitude, letting the audience know what his plan is.  He reveals the role of a pawn in his plan, and often explains where the plot will go next.  He also commonly says how a recent event was part of the plot.  In Act 5, Iago says to himself, "This is the night that either makes me or fordoes me quite," (Shakespeare, 1449).  This shows that Iago has realized that his plan is complete.  He knows that he will either succeed with his evil plot, or be destroyed by it.

Irony

William Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice features a great deal of irony.  Throughout the entire story, dramatic irony has been present.  This is due to the fact that the story is told as it follows the antagonist, and unique aspect.  In Act 4, this trend continues.  In one scene, Desdemona calls Iago into the room, with Emilia present, to discuss why Othello is behaving in a jealous manner.  While they are talking about the situation, Emilia becomes angry with whoever corrupted Othello's mind.  She subsequently says, "I will be hanged if some eternal villain, some busy and insinuating rogue, some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, have not devised the slander.  I'll be hanged else," (Shakespeare, 1439).  This quote is humorous to the audience as they are aware that the man she is curing is the man she is married to.  Iago attempts to quite her by claiming there is no such man in Othello's ear.  This simply adds to the humor, as now Iago is saying the slanderer doesn't exist, when it is himself.  The dramatic irony throughout the story has been very strong, and it is likely to only get stronger as the plot of Iago progresses.

Foil Characters

Othello, the Moor of Venice, by William Shakespeare, features two characters that are near opposites.  These characters, Desdemona and Emilia, act as foil characters to each other, complimenting and accentuating the features of the other.  Their situations seem to reverse each other too.  Desdemona was in a caring relationship with a kind man who loved her, but has since become a jealous beast.  Emilia was never in an actually emotional relationship, her significant other consistently mocking and verbally abusing her.  Desdemona is strong and not willing to tolerate Othello's mistreatment, while Emilia shows no sign of desiring to leave Iago.  Emilia is a weak individual, who seems to want to get back at somebody with silent revenge.  When Desdemona claims she would not cheat on Othello for the world, Emilia responds with, "The world's a huge thing.  It is a great price for a small vice," (Shakespeare, 1444).  These characters, though constantly pulling each other, have remained good friends throughout the story.  There conflicting viewpoints and positions on most every situation and circumstance makes the reader easily notice the features of the other in contrast.

The Evil Genius

William Shakespeare created one of the most sly villains of all time in his story, Othello, the Moor of Venice.  The villain, Iago, has a public reputation that is nearly spotless, with every character introduced thinking he is an honest and loyal friend.  This reputation proves to be his greatest weapon, as he frequently uses his good standing to advance his plot.  He has very manipulative methods, and is able to anticipate a person's reaction to something and prepare for it.  His charisma also proves to be another weapon of his.  He is able to talk Othello into a jealous mindset in one conversation without any proof at all.  He then is able to make up a complete lie and have Othello accept it as complete reality.  When Othello finally confronted him about having real, visible proof, he said, "To be direct and honest is not safe.  I thank you for this profit, and from hence I'll love no friend, sith love breeds such offense," (Shakespeare, 1416).  When Othello comes at him in an accusing manner, Iago turns the conversation around so the Moor actually feels like the jerk.  This high level of social skill will only lead to more manipulations, and eventually the likely conclusion to Iago's master plan for revenge.

A Different Point of View

Many stories throughout popular culture have a similar point of view.  While the situations, outcomes, and styles can vary greatly, most stories follow the tale of the protagonist, while the antagonist appears periodically to oppose him.  William Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice strays greatly from this rule.  Most of the story has been told as the audience follows the actions of the antagonist, Iago.  Through Iago's dialogue, the audience knows very early on his basic plan, along with some modes he may use to accomplish it.  Iago says at the end of Act II, "His soul is so enfettered to her love that she may make, unmake, do what she list, even as her appetite shall play the god with his weak function.  How am I then a villain to counsel Cassio to this parallel course..." (Shakespeare, 1401).  This shows that Iago is aware that what he is doing is villainous and questionable.  Furthermore, since Iago is actually a friend of Othello, the fact that Iago is evil would be a twist if this were told in the traditional manner.  Since the audience is aware to what the actual situation is, it will be surprising to see the characters trust Iago as readily as they do.  The trust they have given to Iago will prove to be his greatest weapon against them.

Dangerous Irony

Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare features, as all great stories do, a great villain.  This villain, Iago, is manipulative and is using people close to him to exact revenge on Othello.  He has revealed to the audience many times that he is a rather dishonest and cunning man.  His will to get revenge against a man he only mildly sure has wronged him is driving him to interfere with many people's lives.  Considering this, dramatic irony is present in a great amount in this story.  Characters, many of whom Iago is either using or trying to destroy, refer to him as trustworthy.  After getting into a fight that Iago caused, Cassio said, "Good night, honest Iago," (Shakespeare, 1401).  The subject of Iago's immense hatred, Othello, considers Iago to be a close friend.  Othello even left his wife under the watch and protection of Iago while Othello was off fighting a war.  Iago seems to be extremely skilled in the art of manipulating people, and will likely consider nothing of limits in his master plan to find revenge against Othello.

An Eerie Warning

In William Shakespeare's classic Othello, the Moor of Venice, conflict is revealed very early.  The villain, Iago, secretly has a deep hatred for Othello, and has sworn to bring revenge on the Moor.  Out of a rumor about Othello having sex with Iago's wife, which may or may not be true, Iago has formed a vendetta toward Othello.  Iago has chosen to make it appear as if a friend of Othello's, Cassio, has had sexual relations with Othello's new wife.  With various subtle and obvious slurs about Othello's race, Iago says that Othello's bride is actually being held against her will.  Othello, showing how mild-mannered and kind-hearted he is, reacts calmly to the accusations, asks for his bride to tell the herself what the situation actually was.  Upon hearing her testimony, it became clear that she was simply a girl who had fallen in love with a Moor.  The wife's father, Brabantio say, "Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see.  She has deceived her father, and may thee." (Shakespeare, 1380).  This a a foreshadowing statement that likely could mean trouble with Othello and his wife, Desdemona.  Having the villain's perspective, the reader knows that this is indeed consistent with the evil plans of Iago.