Sign In
Not register? Register Now!
You are here: HomeResearch PaperLiterature & Language
Pages:
4 pages/≈1100 words
Sources:
1 Source
Level:
MLA
Subject:
Literature & Language
Type:
Research Paper
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 17.28
Topic:

othello (Research Paper Sample)

Instructions:
1. You need to write about at least TWO works of literature (short stories and/or poems). The exception is if you want to write about Othello: since that is a long play you can write about it alone. This means your choices for what you will write about are: • Two short stories • Two poems • One short story and one poem • Othello (and no other work of literature) • Look at our Blackboard website to see what we read this semester. YOUR FINAL ESSAY HAS TO BE ABOUT THE READINGS, NOT A FILM VERSION OF THE READINGS. (THIS INCLUDES OTHELLO!) You may refer to the films to help support your thesis, but the majority of your discussion needs to be on the READINGS. 2. At least ONE of the texts you write about has to be something from our class readings or from our website, but you can compare it to something we have not read. If you want to write about two works we have not discussed at all, ask me first. 3. I suggest you choose your two texts the following way: • Pick two works that relate to each other. For example, both the story “Why, You Reckon?” by Langston Hughes and the story “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald discuss privilege associated with socioeconomic class differences. You could discuss both of them from the viewpoint of socioeconomic critique (what they say about social class and class struggle). • Pick two works by the same author. For example, you might choose to write about “Harlem” by Langston Hughes as well as “Theme for English B” (we did not discuss this in class but it is in our poetry packet). You could discuss these two poems from the viewpoint of biographical critique by relating them to Hughes’ own life. 4. You need to discuss your texts from a particular critical viewpoint. For example, choose ONE of the following critical methods: • Racial/Cultural Critique: what do the readings you chose say about race, racism, and culture? o Sample Topic: Both “Why, You Reckon?” and “Harlem” by Langston Hughes discuss racism and injustice against Black people. • Psychoanalytic Critique: what do the readings you chose say about human nature? o Sample Topic: Both “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “Those Who Walk Away from Omelas” demonstrate to what lengths people are willing to go in order to preserve their own safety and comfort. • Queer Critique: what do the readings you chose say about Queer characters and Queerness? o Sample Topic: “Café: 3 AM” by Langston Hughes leads to a Queer reading of “Harlem,” in which the “dream” in “Harlem” could also be understood as the dream of not only equal rights for Black people, but also for Queer people. • Feminist/Gender Critique: what do the readings you chose say about female characters and gender roles? o Sample Topic: “The Lady of Shalott” and “The Lottery” both present women who disobey arbitrary rules and are punished for doing so. • Sociological Critique: what do the readings you chose say about society? o Sample Topic: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “Those Who Walk Away from Omelas” are both stories about dystopian societies that initially masquerade as utopias. • Historicist Critique: how do the readings you chose you chose relate to actual historical event(s)? o Sample Topic: The major themes of both “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Why, You Reckon?” by Langston Hughes are rooted in the time period in which they are set – the 1920s and the Great Depression, respectively. • Socioeconomic Critique: what do the readings you chose say about social class and class struggle? o Sample Topic: Both the story “Why, You Reckon?” by Langston Hughes and the story “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald discuss privilege associated with socioeconomic class differences. • Biographical Critique: how does the readings you chose relate to the author’s own life? o Sample Topic: In “Daddy” and “Lady Lazarus,” Sylvia Plath metaphorically depicts the depression and trauma she suffered during her life. • Please note that not every one of these critical viewpoints may apply for each reading. 5. More examples of essay topics: • Both “The Lottery” and “Those Who Walk Away from Omelas” demonstrate the basic selfishness of people living in a seemingly prosperous and peaceful society. (sociological critique) • “Why, You Reckon?” and “Harlem” both discuss the desperation created by the disenfranchisement of Black people. (race/cultural critique and socio-economic critique) • “Sonnet 130” and “She Walks in Beauty” are both love poems but present very different conceptions of love and beauty standards. (feminist/gender critique) • Both “No-Face” and “Give Me Your Black Wings Oh Sister” engage with the authors’ cultural background. (biographical/cultural critique) • Both “No-Face” and “Give Me Your Black Wings Oh Sister” engage with superhero tropes. In the first story, No-Face wears the “mask” of a superhero; in the second, the main character is a reluctant supervillain. (archetypal/pop culture critique) • In Othello, Iago is Shakespeare’s conception of ultimate evil. (psychoanalytic critique) • In Othello, the bond between Iago and Othello is even deeper than the bond between Othello and Desdemona, but far more destructive. (psychoanalytic and potentially Queer critique) • Othello re-tells the story of Genesis and the fall of humanity, with Othello standing in for Adam, Desdemona for Eve, and Iago for the serpent/tempter. (archetypal critique) • You can also pick your own topic! This makes me happy. source..
Content:
Name Instructor Course Date Othello Othello is considered by many as one of Shakespeare’s greatest works in tragedy. If one pays great attention to the play, it becomes difficult, possibly even impossible, to miss the author's very somber and introspective observation on how people respond to and relate to the principle of honesty. Honesty and dishonesty have a wide variety of images that come to mind. Depending on the setting and time period, these traits may be associated with distinct and varied meanings. But when used in their widest senses, the terms "honesty" and "dishonesty" conjure up very distinct connotations. The trait of honesty is displayed by someone who has the highest regard for realism, truth, and what already exists. The truth is what an honest man eventually holds on to. On the other hand, someone who, to varied degrees, adopts the ways of falsehood and illusion can be said to possess the trait of dishonesty. In Othello, one gets to the regrettable conclusion that no character is consistently standing up for reality and the truth. In spite of their different levels of comprehension and knowledge, none of the characters consistently fight against deception. Instead, every significant character in the drama adopts the beliefs of deception, illusion, and non-existence out of sheer will, ignorance, or laziness (Abuzahra and Salahat 196). It is, therefore, important to comprehend and become aware of the terrible implications that must be dealt with in an uninformed and obvious rejection to truth given the ubiquitous dominance of dishonesty in the play’s characters. Iago is by far the only character who is the most profoundly knowledgeable, according to an assessment of each character's respective position in relation to truth.  Iago expresses his perception of the honest man and the dishonest man fairly clearly right at the start of the play. Iago makes it plain that he knows exactly how it feels to be an honest servant of honesty or a dishonest follower of lying. The honest person, who values honesty and reality, displays a very frightened side to life, which, while unappealing, is very realistic. The reality of man's connection to life is that he has very little influence over it. The sincere guy understands that he cannot fully influence and command life as it is. Anyone who commits their entire being to untruth and delusion, like Iago does, has a very real and pressing fear as their primary driving force. Iago's inability to influence the real situations of life that surround him is what drives him to ally with demonic evil. Iago feels the urge to convince himself that he can manage and control things because of the dread he felt after failing to manage the promotion. This aversion to reality and the truth leads to a dislike of life in its present form and a passionate desire to erase everything that is real in it. Iago transforms into the demon while wearing a human body. Iago adopts the characteristics of Satan because he shares Iago's worry about losing control. Satan, who also shared Iago's dread of relinquishing power, left paradise to serve as the lord of illusion. Iago's primary driving force is his desire for retribution against the Moor. The act of vengeance entails a partnership with demonic enterprises and a jubilant disdain for all truth. At first, Iago shows a wicked delight in mocking reality and tampering with honesty, even in his own thoughts. Finally, when Iago fabricates fictitious justifications for his terrible intentions, he shows that honesty and reality are wholly meaningless to him. Iago is the apex of dishonesty, as seen in his character. He is possibly the most abhorrent personification of dishonesty in the play, especially because of his overwhelming terror and hate of anything real. The other main characters in the drama also fall victim to dishonesty. They all corrupt the truth to varied degrees, although not being driven by the same intense motivation to destroy truth and honesty as Iago is. They all unwittingly support Iago in his destructive scheme by distorting the facts. Iago's diabolical authority and confidence are greatly boosted by his ability to exert control and influence over Cassio, Emilia, and Desdemona. However, the most difficult task for this believer rests in the malevolent act of tricking and killing Othello, which forms the basis of the tragedy's deception. Because the Moor chose Cassio to be his lieutenant, Iago despises Othello. In the play's first two acts, Othello serves as a shining example of valiant strength and lucid, perceptive thought. This character demonstrates a confident command of both his feelings and intelligence in the play's opening scenes. when faced by a stressful situation or an emergency, Othello never becomes uneasy or shaken. Iago advises him to stay away from a conflict with Brabantio during his first outing. However, Othello's strength and confidence prevent him from ever running away, and he instantly lets the reader know that he is ready to face and handle any challenge that comes his way: "Not I; I must be found" (I,ii,30). The righteousness of Othello has a strong urge to discriminate between truth and lying, and as he has always taken decisive action, he is given no choice but to fire Cassio. However, this character fails to see that not all people necessarily have the same good characteristics because he is too focused on his own sense o...
Get the Whole Paper!
Not exactly what you need?
Do you need a custom essay? Order right now:

Other Topics:

  • The Theme of Suffering
    Description: Throughout his stories “Sonny’s Blues and Rockpile”, the most prevalent theme is that of suffering. This theme perhaps was sourced from the early childhood of the narrator who came from a humble background and had a difficult childhood. The narrator lived at the time of the Renaissance of Harlem...
    6 pages/≈1650 words| 6 Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Research Paper |
  • A Study of the Meaning of Oedipus Rex
    Description: The Author gives a critical analysis of what Sophocles tried to imply by using the character Oedipus. One projection is presented by H.F Kitto. He argues that there is a possibility that that the gods had contrived this awful fate for Oedipus in order to display their power to man and to teach him a ...
    2 pages/≈550 words| No Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Research Paper |
  • The Connection between Trauma, Memory, and Community
    Description: Memory in psychology is the capability of the self to file, retain, and with time reclaim information. In the event, a person experiences trauma, be it real or emotional, the tragedy affects their memory in various aspects. Research findings show that the contextual factors in this case the community affects...
    5 pages/≈1375 words| 7 Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Research Paper |
Need a Custom Essay Written?
First time 15% Discount!