Othello & Desdemona

Written in 1603, Shakespeare's Othello is a story of love, jealousy, trust, betrayal, and race which has captivated audiences for hundreds of years. The trap set for Othello and Desdemona is masterfully done, not least because it is set using chiefly the prejudices and mistrusts of those two lovers, and their friends and companions.

Iago, as a villain, is one of the all time greats. His asides to the audience both reveal the cunning of his devious mind and make us, the audience, partakers of his villainy. We are along for the ride, as he shows us the disastrous contrast of what seems and what is. Also note Iago's approach as he lays his trap; he is not a plain dealing villain, but rather wraps himself in the trappings of trust and faithfulness to undo his lord and friend. How can such a villain appear so trustworthy? What does this tell us of the nature of villainy?

Othello begs us to ask about the nature of jealousy; do we doubt for cause, or do we fear because we love what we have and suspect that happiness is fleeting? Why is Othello so willing to believe his wife has abandoned him? Why does he doubt her professed love? When Othello gives himself over to revenge, is that his "true nature"?

What place has jealousy in love?

History Passes Before Us

It's worth noting that we are three years away from the one hundredth anniversary of the beginning of World War I; nearly one hundred years since the war to end all wars began.

It is also worth noting that the last living link to this great war has just left us. Pause, from time to time, and notice the history around you. We are not the orphans of history, or even the last children of a great civilization in it's death throes; we are merely the most recent page in the story of man's long journey, and perspective is vital if we would understand our role in this story.

Question of the day: if WWI was the war to end all wars...why have we had so many since then? What is the true seed of man's wars?

History is largely having a good publicist...

Without being overly cynical about the nature of history (which is inescapably subjective) there is no denying that getting the right cover is vitally important if you want to endure, and even more so if you are hoping to be celebrated in future generations.

With that in mind, it is rather funny to imagine a straightforward, description based title system for classical literature...

SWORDS!!!

Following up from the fantastic demonstration of the sword today, Belisarius is pleased to point out the links added to our "Helpful Resources" list; the story of the sword is the story of man!

Taking It Home

Whenever a test is drawing near (as it is in European History), it's a good time to review some questions to help quiz your general (and specific) knowledge. To that end, I humbly offer these as a generic guide...

1. What belief emphasizes that human reason can uncover the mysteries and laws of the universe; it was the dominant philosophy during the Scientific Revolution?

2. Medieval science was primarily based on:

1. close observation of nature
2. pure superstitions
3. the experimental method
4. a blending of Christian theology and the writings of classical authors
5. decrees emanating from the papacy

And New Philosophy calls all in doubt,

The element of Fire is quite put out;

The Sun is lost, and th’ Earth, and no man’s wit

Can well direct him where to look for it.

3. These verses by John Donne (1573-1631) refer to the scientific work of

1. Harvey
2. Leeuwenhoek
3. Copernicus
4. Paracelsus
5. Ptolemy

4. The Dutch Republic rose to prominence in seventeenth-century Europe because of which of the following factors?

1. Its agricultural innovations
2. Its military strength
3. Its literary creativity
4. Its religious unity
5. Its shipping and commerce

5. Which of the following was most typical of preindustrial European village society?

1. Single-crop agricultural production
2. Domestic manufacture of most household goods
3. Upward economic mobility from one generation to the next
4. Low infant-mortality rates
5. Long life expectancy

6. “His enthusiasm for scientific method, his belief that everything could be reduced to mathemat­ical terms, and his insistence on systematic doubt of all earlier theories left a profound mark on the thinking of scientists in the next two centuries."

The passage above is a description of the work of

1. Francis Bacon
2. Tycho Brahe
3. Isaac Newton
4. Renê Descartes
5. Baruch Spinoza

The King's Man

When Socrates calls for the philosopher king, he must preface his argument by declaring that he is serious, and not merely making a bad joke. He does this because philosophers aren't good for much, and certainly not for overseeing the very real, practical world of government. Who could ever want a philosopher as a king?

Government is for real people, and must address concrete concerns with tangible answers. When the city is faced with a food shortage, we cannot be bothered to ask , "why"; we need food, and sooner is always better.

Except, of course, that even tangible, concrete, real concerns must acknowledge that not all causes or effects are quite so physical in their manifestations.

A city which would possess Liberty must have laws (everyone agrees on this point, from Dante to Machiavelli, Hobbes to Locke). Laws are properly the province of Justice; if Justice is a flexible concept, then so is the law; flexible laws suggest a constantly changing standard, and the almost certain corruption of those who decide where the arbitrary standard of justice lies today.

Justice is difficult to define (ask Thrasymachus!) and as with most absolutes it cannot be weighed out or placed on a pillar for all to see. Our lady Justice is blind: perhaps in her quest to find the illusive virtue she represents, she has come to understand that when undertaking such a task, it is almost better to go without the comfort simple physical eyes, which can mislead us to the false comfort of equating the tangible with reality? If the government's task is to enforce the laws, and if laws depend upon our understanding of Justice, what government can be successful which does not ponder the question of Justice?

But pondering intangibles is the task of the philosophers, not politicians or government officials.

So...what? What can we take from Socrates' rather ridiculous suggestion? Should we turn our government over to the philosophers, and start praying the roads will pave themselves?

Perhaps one may ponder intangible absolutes while still acting in concrete, tangible, real ways. The union of body and mind cannot be so easily dismissed as we sometimes might like to believe; we are not wholly animal, nor wholly spirit, but rather hybrids (the originals, actually; take THAT, Prius!). When studying intangible absolutes, it is hard to ignore the implications of the discoveries we make for the images of the forms (us). It is harder still when we consider the form which became an image of Himself.

Jesus, the carpenter-teacher.

We know very little about Jesus' life prior to the beginning of his ministry, and that is traditionally attributed to what we know of the custom and culture in which he lived. We assume, given the absence of any other knowledge, that as a good man he worked the family trade until his time had come. For expediency's sake, let's grant that; this means that the most influential teacher the world has ever known worked as a simple carpenter for nearly 3 decades before he began to speak about justice, mercy, love, and God.

What does this example demand of us, His followers? What does it tell us about how we live, how we work, what we should expect of ourselves, and our leaders?

Can we be good leaders if we do not thoughtfully lead in love, mercy, justice, etc? Are our thoughts worth sharing, if we have never labored and forsake the physical world around us? Who shall we call king?

Cluny or Loony

When Duke William of Aquitaine founded the abbey of Cluny in France (910 AD), he did so for the purpose of fostering a movement towards the highest spiritual ideals of Christianity; to that end, he specified that the abbey was to free, and that the monks of the abbey would be subject, "neither to our (William's) yoke, nor to that of our relatives, nor to the sway of royal might, nor to that of any earthly power."

How did this uniquely protected space provide an opportunity for reform from within the church? What problems existed between political powers and the church, making such a haven for the church a desirable thing? How did William differ from Henry IV of Germany?

Rococo on the go-go

The Rococo art style of the 18th century focused on the luxurious lifestyles of the aristocrats, differing from the forms which glorified heroes or saints.

Extra Credit Opportunity! Examine this picture and explain what the depiction of the ruler tells us about the probable philosophy of artist as it relates to the sovereign, and where the Rococo style fits into the changing European culture of the 18th century. One typed paragraph should suffice; due Monday, February 28.

Plato's Cave Cartoon!

Thoughts on the Nature of Love

Throughout the stories told in Pride & Prejudice, Much Ado About Nothing, & Jane Eyre, we see the theme of romantic love fleshed out in multiple relationships and in a variety of forms. While the stories do differ, there are some commonalities between the sets of lovers that are interesting when reflecting on the causes of romantic love, and the factors to consider when one is trying to achieve a successful outcome (happily ever after). Let's look at the different couples we have.

**Hero & Claudio - this couple starts out simple, but reveals the problems inherent in ignorant love. Knowledge is important because it is the basis of trust. Intimacy, which characterizes mature love, cannot exist without knowing the beloved. These two progress so quickly to matrimony they skip this process...and it almost destroys them. Thinking about their tumultuous "engagement", one has to wonder: can we expect Hero & Claudio to experience happiness in marriage? Why, or why not?

**Beatrice & Benedick - this couple is at once an unlikely duo, and yet they are universally expected to fall for one another; why is that? What makes opposites attract when it comes to love? Is that actually what is happening (are they truly opposites? are they merely so alike that their similarities are what sets them against each other originally, and brings them together eventually, etc.)? Why is Benedick the only man who does NOT jump to conclusions based on a rumor...and why is Beatrice almost the only person not prepared to simply dismiss Claudio's slander as par for the course when it comes to love? What do they understand about love that others seem to miss? Why do they "get it"?

**Jane & Bingley - is this couple another version of Hero & Claudio? Jane has more to say than Hero, and Bingley is more honorable than Claudio...are they a "believable" couple? Does such innocent happiness exist, and if it does, is their love as true or as deep and abiding as Elizabeth & Darcy's love?

**Elizabeth & Darcy - it is also easy to wonder if this couple is merely another version of Beatrice & Benedick. They are also "similar opposites"; however, they do allow us to consider another question which the others don't explore quite so directly. When we think about Darcy & Elizabeth, we see for the first time an instance where we can ask if there are things which should disqualify the one we are inclined to love (be it station, society, familial obligations, etc)? Love may bloom anywhere, but should we encourage it when what is blossoming is less of a rose and more of a common daisy (to the outside observer)? Are all loves equal, if they are true?

**Jane & Rochester - this couple brings the questionable problem of the disparity between lovers into its greatest clarity. Jane is smart, but poor and plain. Rochester is rich...perhaps not wildly good looking, but still out of her class. What role does/should attraction play in love?

We have asked, is love a fancy or a feeling? Do we choose who we love, how we love, when we love, why we love...or are we compelled as servants of love to an end which may ruin us? This tension is evident in each of these relationships; we must consider which ones are successful, and why.

DBQ Grading Rubric

So, you are getting ready to write a DBQ, and want to know what to focus on, right? Well, remember that this is the content you are being evaluated on:

>>>>>Basic Core (remember, if you don't get all of these, you cannot score higher than 5/9):

**Provides an appropriate, explicitly stated, thesis that directly addresses ALL parts of the question. Thesis may NOT simply restate the question.

**Discusses a majority of the documents individually and specifically.

**Demonstrates understanding of the basic meaning of a majority of the documents (may misinterpret no more than ONE).

**Supports the thesis with appropriate interpretations of a MAJORITY of the documents (at least 70%).

**Analyzes bias or point of view in at least three documents.

**Analyzes documents by organizing them in at least three groups. List the groups here:

a. _______________________________

b. _______________________________

c. _______________________________

>>>>>Expanded Core (these final three points can only be awarded if you get the first six; you may get up to three points for demonstrating the following):

**Has a clear, analytical and comprehensive thesis.

**Uses all or almost all documents.

**Addresses ALL parts of the question THOROUGHLY.

**Uses documents persuasively as evidence.

**Shows understanding of nuances in the documents.

**Analyzes bias or point of view in at least FOUR documents cited in the essay. List documents here: ______________________________

**Analyzes the documents in additional ways—additional groupings. List the additional grouping here: ______________________________

**Brings in relevant “outside” information.

Good luck, and remember to read your documents thoroughly!

Medieval Church Quiz

Don't forget that there is a quiz on the names of the movers and shakers during the high watermark of the church's power in Medieval Europe: this Thursday!

The quiz will feature questions like:

**Who formed the two most significant religious orders of the day?

**Who loved using the Interdict?

**What church leader was both a writer and a contributor to Gregorian chant?

Spare not your notecards!