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If you get the reference in the title of this post, you deserve a cookie. If not, it’s okay because it has nothing to do with Shakespeare.

The Winter’s Tale is yet another Shakespeare play with tumultuous relationships and jealousy. These are such popular themes in Shakespeare’s works that it makes me wonder about his life. The two (Leontes & Polixenes) were childhood friends, are still friends, but that’s clearly going to change as the play progresses. The friendship of Polixenes and Leontes is becoming rocky due to the jealousy of Leontes himself.

“I have tremor cordis on me: my heart dances;

But not for joy; not joy. This entertainment

May a free face put on, derive a liberty

From heartiness, from bounty, fertile bosom,

And well become the agent; ‘t may, I grant;

But to be paddling palms and pinching fingers,

As now they are, and making practised smiles,

As in a looking-glass, and then to sigh, as ’twere

The mort o’ the deer; O, that is entertainment

My bosom likes not, nor my brows! Mamillius,

Art thou my boy?”

Not only is he doubting his wife, but he’s doubting the legitimacy of his son due to his irrational thoughts.  I see no reason for the jealousy of Leontes. Wouldn’t he want his childhood friend and his wife to be cordial to each other? It seems to be backfiring though, so much so that he wants to poison Polixenes. Is this another case of insanity in one of Shakespeare’s plays? I personally don’t see the reasoning behind not only the jealousy of Leontes, but why he wants to poison his friend. He has no legitimate or sane reason, if there ever is a sane reason for doing so. Even Camillo thinks he’s crazy, and when he addresses the “relationship” between Hermione and Polixenes, Camillo doesn’t believe it.

Now the obvious, but again irrational reasoning behind Leontes’ jealousy is the very first line of the play “Nine changes of the watery star” which translates to 9 months, the length of Hermione’s pregnancy. This is just Shakespeare’s way of trying to imply to the reader that Hermione was indeed unfaithful, but also the only apparent reason for Leontes’ feelings about his wife, her pregnancy, and their son.

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After our in class discussions, I don’t think Julius Caesar is a fitting name for the play. If you look at it from the title and only the title, it’s very misleading. Despite the name of the play, Julius Caesar himself is such a minor character. I want so badly to quote Mean Girls in my blog post, but I know myself and my closest friends would be the only ones amused. Anyways…Julius Caesar was more important as a historical figure than he was in this play.

Looking at the text, it’s evident that not everyone has come to terms with the death of Caesar. For example, Antony says in scene 1 of Act V,

“Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers

Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar.

You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds,

And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet,

Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind

Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!” It’s clear he feels that Brutus and Casca betrayed Caesar, and rightfully so.

Cassius mentions how he never believed in omens, but now does, and I think this particular part of the play is really fitting in regards to its reference to death.

“You know that I held Epicurus strong

And his opinion. Now I change my mind,

And partly credit things that do presage.

Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign

Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perched,

Gorging and feeding from our soldiers’ hands,

Who to Philippi here consorted us.

This morning are they fled away and gone,

And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kites

Fly o’er our heads and downward look on us

As we were sickly prey. Their shadows seem

A canopy most fatal, under which

Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.”

There’s a lot of symbolism in this passage, but I want to address the birds specifically. Eagles are majestic in our eyes, but I found a bible study site that gives this definition, “This “ravenous bird” is a symbol of those nations whom God employs and sends forth to do a work of destruction, sweeping away whatever is decaying and putrescent”. Is war not destruction? This seems to me to be such a fitting definition. I also find it fitting because ravens and crows essentially replace the Eagles, and they’re very morbid (think “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe), and that’s why Cassius is so paranoid.

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I’m not a fan of the man that Richard III is, hence my blog title, which I just want to specify is a play on word and not a reflection how I feel about the play itself.

“But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks,
Nor made to court an amorous looking glass;
I, that am rudely stamped and want love’s majesty
To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;
I, that am curtailed of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time
Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,
And that so lamely and unfashionable
That dogs bark at me as I halt by them—” Lines 14-34, Act I. Richard is extremely bitter because of the way he was born, and I feel that because of that he’s more determined than most to make something of himself, because he has something to prove. He will do anything in his power, quite literally, to make a name no matter how badly he does so.
Richard proves my prior statement not long about his self loathing in Act I;
“I am determined to prove a villain

And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophecies, libels and dreams,
To set my brother Clarence and the king
In deadly hate, the one against the other”. Lines 30-35 are a prime example of how crazy and vindictive Richard plans to be throughout the play.
   One specific example of how desperate Richard is to be someone is the way in which he has the two young princes murdered by Dighton and Forrest. Richard knows that these Princes stand between him and the throne because of the fact that they’re the rightful heirs. Richard got exactly what he wanted after asking Tyrrel to have the boys killed, because even though Tyrrel was on the fence at first, he hired two men and had the deed done. Another indicator of how twisted Richard is, is that he wants to marry his niece. Not only is his niece so much younger than him, but she’s related to him which makes that an incestuous deed in and of itself!
   Richard preys upon Queen Anne, the widow of King Henry VI, at the worst time to try to get a woman. He jumps on the opportunity to try to court her during her husband’s funeral, and is incredibly disrespectful before doing so. He demands the paul bearers to put down the coffin, which in my opinion says SO much about his character and his lack of empathy towards others. Queen Anne is so disgusted by him that she says, “Alas, I blame you not, for you are mortal, And mortal eyes cannot endure the devil.” Richard lies to her and says that she didn’t kill his husband, and although he killed him in war and not the savagery that we see throughout the novel, she still has every right to loathe him. To see Anne fall for his facade and actually give him the time of day in the same scene in which she was telling him how much she hates him was such a shock.

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I never thought I’d find myself relating to a Shakespeare play, but here I am finding something relatable in Othello. The way Iago is playing with Othello’s mind is something I dealt with once, except the situation was slightly different. For me, it was my former boyfriend who told my best friend something to stir up trouble, and of course my best friend came and told me. It resulted in a huge fight with my best friend and we didn’t talk for 3 years after that. Love makes us do, say, or think the craziest things at times.

In act IV, scene I, it is here that Iago has finally convinced Othello of Desdemona’s infidelity, and he does so in the most vindictive way. Iago is well aware of his doing, because he has ill intentions behind his words; “Or to be naked with her friend in bed, An hour or more, not meaning any harm?” “Work on, my medicine works! Thus credulous fools are caught, And many worthy and chaste dames, even thus All guiltless, meet reproach.” Iago’s “medicine” can be interpreted as poison, because in a way he’s killing Othello’s soul with everything he’s been telling him.

Cassio enters and Iago talks to him in a way that completely convinces Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful, and Iago, the snake that he is, even tells Othello to hide while he talks to Cassio so that he may see his face and words as he speaks. What Othello doesn’t know, is Cassio is talking about Bianca, not Desdemona. Iago continues to play along with his cruel charade, and tells Othello, “Would you would bear your fortune like a man,” which is his way of saying he wishes Othello could face the truth like a man. I think it’s incredibly harsh for Iago to say that to him, because it’s nowhere near the truth.

Othello is so blinded by his anger that he even slaps Desdemona, and she is well aware of how underserving it was. He shocked not only Desdemona with his actions, but also Lodovico who says, “My Lord! This would not be believed in Venice, Though I should swear I saw’t. ‘Tis very much. Make her amends: she weeps.” Iago and Cassio are carrying on their façade so well, and Othello and Desdemona are the ones left to suffer because of it. It’s evident in the text that Iago has no conscious, and is a snake like someone in class had mentioned.

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One of our questions on Tuesday in class included four questions lumped into one, and three of those questions really struck me. The questions that made me really think were: Is theater an arena of abuse and cruelty? Is it necessary to have someone deceived in order to create dramatic illusion? Is art a form of madness?!? These are questions that of course most people probably have their own opinions on, myself included. I’m not a theater geek; I’ve never seen a play on Broadway; and I haven’t seen a play since I saw my high school perform Mary Poppins at least 12 years ago. I am however still entitled to my opinions on these questions.

The first question seemed rather preposterous to me, so it struck me in a negative way. The Oxford English Dictionary defines abuse as, “Improper usage; a corrupt practice or custom; esp. one that has become chronic,” and “Wrong or improper use (of something), misuse; misapplication; perversion.” There are many other definitions but those are the two closely related to what most people would see as the definition of abuse. Cruelty is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as, “The quality of being cruel; disposition to inflict suffering; delight in or indifference to the pain or misery of others; mercilessness, hard-heartedness: esp. as exhibited in action. Also, with pl., an instance of this, a cruel deed.” Nobody is forced to perform in theatrical performances of anything, they audition, and if they don’t like a part they’re given they can decide not to act in the performance.

Now onto the next question, this, of course ties in with Twelfth Night, and the title of my blog post. In the very first scene of the play, Viola decides to disguise herself as a young man and will go by the name of Cesario. Viola’s original plan was to become a servant to Olivia, but when that’s out of the question, she decides to disguise herself and serve Duke Orsino. While serving Orsino as Cesario, Viola must deliver love messages to Viola from Orsino. Let’s just take a moment to think of all the deceit that’s happening here: Viola disguises herself as a teenage boy, Cesario; Cesario serves Duke Orsino; Cesario delivers love messages to Olivia. The only person who truly knows about Viola’s disguise is the Captain. Orsino and Oliva are both completely unaware of who Cesario truly is. The question remains: is it necessary to have someone deceived in order to create dramatic illusion? I don’t think it’s necessary for someone to be deceived in order to create dramatic illusion, but I do think it adds a certain element. From the perspective of someone who has read the play, there wouldn’t be any dramatic illusion knowing exactly who Cesario is because the watcher would not be deceived. I do believe that from the perspective of someone who has never read the play that deceit and dramatic illusion would go hand in hand.

Is art a form of madness? I think this question is solely a matter of opinion. I personally think that some of Shakespeare’s works are madness (fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, disguises in Twelfth Night), but I wouldn’t say art is a form of madness as much as madness can be expressed in the form of art.

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Shakespeare’s love of writing about love, more specifically forbidden love, is so apparent in some of his works. Romeo and Juliet is one example, and of course now reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream I see its prevalence in here too. The love stories of both works can be compared and contrasted significantly.

Hermia is in love with Lysander, but her father expects her to marry Demetrius. Egeus approaches Theseus to complain about his daughter, and essentially threatens her. Hermia is threatened because of who she loves, because she loves someone other than who she is expected to love. The anger Egeus feels towards his daughter’s love is evident in lines 39-45; “Be it so she will not here before your grace Consent to marry with Demetrius I beg the ancient privilege of Athens: As she is mine, I may dispose of her, Which shall be either to this gentleman Or to her death, according to our law Immediately provided in that case.” Not only is she threatened by her own father, but Theseus threatens her as well; “Either to die the death or to abjure For ever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, Know of your youth, examine well your blood, Whether, if you yield not to your father’s choice, You can endure the livery of a nun, For aye to be in shady cloister mewed, To live a barren sister all your life, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.”

What’s a girl to do when her love is frowned upon? Hermia just can’t force herself to marry someone just to appease her father. Hermia decides to run away with Lysander because it’s the only way they can be together. Their love story takes an unexpected turn with Lysander’s eyes are anointed with a love potion that results in him falling in love with the first woman he sees upon waking. In a way, this twist of fate seems to be punishment for Hermia disobeying not only her father, but also what Theseus says to her as well. Lysander no longer loves her, and instead loves Helena.

My post sums up a lot of the major plot for the first two acts, but it also raises a lot of questions in my mind. Why does Shakespeare write such complicated love stories? I’m not well versed in Shakespeare’s works, but everyone knows the story of Romeo & Juliet whether or not they’ve read it. The way Hermia and Lysander’s love story takes such a wrong turn early on in a Midsummer Night’s Dream makes me wonder how it will end for them. Will the love “potion” wear off and Lysander will love Hermia again? Will Hermia go to Demetrius because Lysander no longer loves her? I’m left with so much curiosity after reading the little bit that I have so far, and I’m looking forward to finding out how the rest of the play unfolds.