Term Paper-December 8, 2008

Term Paper: Part 1
The main goal of a director is “the determination and realization on the stage of an artistic vision of the play text (Gleason) .” Oliver Parker had the power to make decisions about his own adaption of a great literary work. In the hands of director Oliver Parker, a great cinematic masterpiece brings a fresh perspective to 21st century minds.
A lot of people look to the past with a great deal of nostalgia. Even though Othello is fictional in plot, the struggle of race, citizen class, and forbidden love were issues in Elizabethan England. By keeping the original Shakespeare setting, Oliver Parker shows that the past was not perfect. Both, Shakespeare and Parker, knew that a grand Venetian city was the perfect starting point for a grim story.
The basic starting point of any production is to find good actors and actresses. Oliver Parker needed to find strong talent and shape the actors facial expressions, body language, and voice to Parker’s vision. Laurence Fishburne is the perfect character to bring forth a strong, yet weak Othello. White men in Venice loved to believe that they were the superior race. Parker wanted to show that Othello understands the system and has Othello look down when he address the Senate. By having Othello look down, Parker is helping Fishburne to show how Othello is no more than an animal to the Venetian Senate. This animalistic characteristic does come out in a scene with Iago and Desdemona. Othello’s sexual strength is seen in the film after a mock skirmish with Iago. Othello sees Desdemona and calls to her. Parker has Fishburne’s voice sound sensual and grows loud just like an animal after winning a fight for its mate. As Iago weaves his web of deception, Othello has a mental breakdown and physically looks like he is chained to the wall. However, Othello’s legs are spread wide open and Parker uses this small motion to show Othello’s sexual vulnerability that is in the hands of fair Desdemona (Fishburne).
Desdemona sees Othello as more than a sexual animal, but as the man she loves. Even though, Desdemona is believed to have lived a sheltered life, Parker shows that Desdemona is not completely ignorant of the consequences of her marriage to Othello. In the opening scene, Irene Jacob is running for her life in an unsafe neighborhood. However, when Jacob reaches the safety of the chapel and sees Othello, Jacob does not change her facial expression to the joy of a bride. Parker wanted to show Desdemona questions her decision up to the last minute. One of the most ambiguous actions, in the film, Othello, is in Desdemona’s deal scene. As Fishburne is strangling Jacob, Jacob’s hand is pushing Fishburne away until the very last second when Jacob’s hand looks as if she is caressing Fishburne (Fishburne). Parker chooses to show Desdemona’s true love or blind love in that final gesture. Irene Jacob is an acclaimed international actress. When Parker chooses Jacob to play the part of Desdemona, Parker used Jacobs’s accent to the idea that Desdemona is well-educated and well-off. Even though she is aware of cultural taboos, Desdemona is unaware of the deception around her.
Kenneth Branaugh is not only an accomplished actor, but also an accomplished director. However in Othello, Oliver Parker is molding Iago into Parker’s artistic vision. The interpretation of Iago can be vast from dark intelligence to a conniving fool. Parker has Branaugh playing both. When Iago has a soliloquy, his low voice gives the idea of planned intelligence. When Iago is around other characters, Parker has Branaugh smiling and playing a friend to all. Deep down, Parker believes Iago is an intelligent villain. Parker shows Iago know his playing field well. Iago knows he can control many characters, but Othello is a different story. Iago begins deceiving Othello in the weapon room. At the beginning of the scene, Parker has Branaugh positioned far away from Othello. At the end of the scene, Branaugh is whispering and physically close to Fishburne (Fishburne). These stage directions are Oliver Parkers efforts to bring forth his artistic vision.
Oliver Parker has other techniques he can use to bring the Shakespearean text to life on-screen. The director cannot keep track of every single detail, but Oliver Parker has the final say in several categories. One of the biggest investments in cinema is the set. Parker wanted to break the idea of a nostalgic past, but Parker wanted to break the nostalgia through the plot. Parker wanted to set the audience up for a paradigm shift by creating a grand set. The city of Venice set is filled with beautiful architecture. Even Othello and Desdemona’s outpost quarters are fit for a king and queen. These grand settings are a vast contrast to the dark story of Othello. One of the tools, at Parker’s disposal, is the props. There are two that stick out in the story. The first prop is the mask seen in the very first scene. This prop is striking for two reasons. The mask is all white except for black outlining and the mask is worn by a black man escorting a white woman. This shows the entire story of Othello in one single plot. The mask is also a sad face. When people attend mask balls, their costumes usually include happy masks. This one prop sets the entire tone for the rest of the film. The other significant prop is the handkerchief. This prop was important in Shakespeare’s text. A woman would have her mark of greatness, by having a singular creation on her handkerchief. The color is what makes Oliver Parker’s interpretation important. The colors are red and white, which are symbols for blood and purity. This is a fitting color for Desdemona’s fate (Fishburne).
The grand costumes also hold a symbolic purpose. When the audience first sees Othello, Desdemona, and Iago, their costumes are fronts to what society perceives them to be. Parker believed that society saw Othello as a second class citizen. When Othello is first seen, Parker has Fishburne wearing two gold earrings. Earrings are the mark of a slave or someone in long servitude. Iago is first seen in the quintessential garb of the period. Shakespeare and Parker needed to bring forth the unexpected villain by making him appear ordinary. The hairstyle is an intricate part of a woman’s costume. For the most part, Desdemona keeps her hair down, instead of the intricate hairstyle of the day. This is a perfect fit for Jacob’s character because of Desdemona’s lack of interest in wealth and obvious innocent nature. Society dictates their treatment of a person based on what they wear (Fishburne).
A societal atmosphere can also be conveyed through subliminal techniques. The lighting in a stage play is more obvious than a cinematic production. However, Oliver Parker uses the lighting throughout the film to set the stage for a dark, somber plot. In most stories, there is a struggle for power. Stage blocking is used by the director to express the character’s power play. Throughout the film, Iago literally encircles his victims before the final kill. The beginning and ending of any story is what people remember. The opening and ending scenes both dealt with water. The opening scene has the famous gondola boats flowing down the dark river. Parker shows that evil flows throughout the city. The final scene is Othello and Desdemona being thrown into the ocean (Fishburne). The ocean is clear against the setting sun. The sunset symbolizes the ends of this story. The water is more symbolic of the purity of the dead, not that justice has been served.













Term Paper: Part 2
1. What did you learn from your counterpart’s performance?
Oliver Parker, as any other director, plays the most important behind the scenes role. The director must choose who is to present his artistic vision. Oliver Parker picked strong actors that move the audience to the heart of the story. I did not have a wide range of choices, but I did have to place the ones I was given. I could not use the Shakespeare text because of the lack of males. My first idea was to create a reality TV-show with Mike being a male version of Desdemona. However, my actors and actresses told me what roles they wanted to play. Since Jai wanted to be Othello and Mike wanted to be Iago, I have to take the sexual part of the roles out the plot. I had to work with my actors and actresses, so that we could have a good time and present a masterpiece.
Othello is all about a power play and stage directing gives a subliminal cue to the audience. Kenneth Branaugh gave a powerful performance, but Oliver Parker helped create the web of deception through stage direction. Kenneth Branaugh is whispering in Laurence Fishburne’s ear. When I was direction, I have limited text, so I needed to create the power play without words. In the first scene, Jai and Mike have a disagreement. At first Mike tries to gain power by standing over Jai’s desk. In return, I had Jai standup to even the playing field. I believe it would have been easier, if Jai was taller than Mike. In the last scene, Mike and I had invaded Jai’s private office. We were standing in the power position, but that was our downfall, as in Oliver Parker’s version.
2. What are the different aspects of your counterpart and your performance?
The obvious difference between Oliver Parker’s approach and mine is the setting. With my actors and actresses playing certain roles, I had to have a setting where the love relationship can be eliminated and the power play is still relevant. In class we discussed what triggered Iago’s need for revenge. In a cop setting, there is a higher level of stress and little things can set someone off very easily. A promotion in the field can change the entire course of a detective’s future. Especially in specialized units, the higher the ranking there is the higher the change of being noticed by the city councilmen. Another essential part is the relationship between Desdemona and the men around her. In the Shakespearean text, Desdemona is one of two women among countless men. I did not have that option, so I played with reversing the sex roles. The fact that there were more women than men and that could easily set off the need for revenge in some men’s minds. The other benefit to a modern setting was the use of language. I had students, instead of trained actors that are paid to memorize their lines. If our group forgot our lines, no one would know. This took a lot of pressure off my actors that also played other roles such as set designer and script writer.
The script is only one thing under the director’s control. However, this was a student production and those controls are limited. One of the most powerful tools in Parker’s production is lighting. I didn’t use the lighting to send a message about the plot, but I used the lighting to direct the audience’s attention. The soliloquy’s are an important part of the Shakespearean text. When we did have a soliloquy, only the person that was speaking could move. The rest of the actors had to remain still and remain in the background and out of the lime light. Since I took the idea from the TV-show Law and Order, we wanted to use the theme song during scene changes and the ambulance sounds during the end. However, the play group did not get to rehearse with the technician and the scene changes did not come through on the actual performance. However, we did get the ambulance sound at the end and the audience could still hear us from the back of the theater. Another subliminal tool is the different character’s costumes. Since there is a uniform code among police detectives, I could have my actors create very simple costumes. I asked everyone to wear a business suit. I also asked everyone to put on their own personal touch. Jai wore her hats and tall boots. Carmen wanted to go for a Latina look, so she added accessories to that effect. I added a layered look, because I was technically playing two different characters that we had rolled into one.
3. How did you and your counterpart differ in your interpretations?
There are three main aspects of interpretation between Oliver Parker and myself in the interpretation of Othello. The first is the idea of race. There is no way to get around the subject of race in Othello. In the play group, Jai happened to be African-America and wanted to play Othello. When Jai wrote the script, I asked if she could also put in the racial aspect of the story. Mike did not feel comfortable using racial slurs, so I asked him to keep some, but put in terms he was more comfortable with. In the end, the camaraderie of the group made the performance work. There is no denying that Othello is a love story. However, with the only make actor wanting to play Iago, I took out the love relationship between Othello and Desdemona. Instead I had a past love relationship between Desdemona and Iago. This allowed for us to play with the sex talk that Shakespeare is famous for. Shakespearean tragedies have known to be very gruesome. Suicide is a very serious subject, but the psychology behind suicide in the Shakespearean text is a little different. Othello killed himself because he killed Desdemona. Since this is a cop show, I thought betrayal is just as good enough reason for murder. These aspects of society are important issues today just as they were in Elizabethan England.














Works Cited
Gleason, Paul. Descriptions of Jobs for Production Designer and Director. Handout. Milwaukee: Cardinal Stritch University, 2008.

Othello. Dir. Oliver Parker. Perf. Laurence Fishburne. 1995.

Acting Bias- November 20, 2008

In watching all of the groups tonight, you can appreciate the text even more. Othello and Hamlet changed something about the text in their specific play. Hamlet changed the words to make the text more understandable. However, with every new director there is a specific bias toward each character. The Othello group changed the entire play and even though everyone still died in the end, the interpretation of the play is probably entirely different than what Shakespeare intended. Shakespeare is dead, but the text is still alive and can be interpreted to be important to every reader. In performing tonight, I was amazed to see that a text that is meant as a tragedy could be turned into a comedy. Just as in life, there are funny moments even in the hardest of times.

Shakespeare and Feminism- November 12, 2008

Does Shakespeare’s text sympathize or antagonize feminism? Lady Macbeth is a woman who wants power of her fate. We can conclude that Shakespeare’s text understood the woman’s need for control over her life, but the text seems to show that feminism went against the natural order of the day. Women were meant to be subservient to the man of the household. The text perceives that Lady Macbeth would have been perceived as evil according to the thought process of the time. This is unusual because a year before Macbeth was written Queen Elizabeth ruled England. During her reign, England prospered and grew in power. Now that a man had come to the throne, patriarchal ideals must be reinforced. At the time, Shakespeare had a great example of a powerful woman that succeeded. Instead, he created women as evil or frail characters and follows the lead of the patriarchal society.

The Noble Eightfold Path- November 12, 2008

Macbeth and The Throne of Blood follow the ideals of “The Noble Eightfold Path.” Washizu and Macbeth both fail to follow the first basic step of seeing things as they are and not as they appear to be. The second step of “The Noble Eightfold Path” is denying something very dear, such as money, power, or title. Washizu does not deny his right to the throne and in doing so; Washizu cannot have peace according to the Buddhist tradition. When we consider Shakespeare, students admire the play on words and discover that the spirits really were speaking the truth. The Throne of Blood also uses the riddle of the trees to show truth as it needs to be perceived. Both main characters desire power and in the Buddhist Tradition, one must be aware of oneself without craving or desire. These are only three out of the eight that both Macbeth and Washizu have violated and in the end show the reality of life, suffering, and peace.

Ideological Pinnacles- November 7, 2008

Cordelia and Saburo are the pinnacle of their particular religious belief. Cordelia is a wonderful example of Judo-Christian ideology. In the beginning of the play, we can infer that she has loved her father through actions. Christ also loved through actions when he washed the disciples feet. Second, Cordelia even though she was a woman exemplified the Christian perspective. When a woman marries she is no longer under any obligation to her father, but now under her husbands domain. Then she was an innocent life that was killed by the follies of others. Christ was killed to save mankind from their sins. Saburro also follows the Buddhist tradition. From the beginning of Ran, Saburro understands that life is suffering. He knows that there will be know peace if his father divides the kingdom. Saburro wants to keep the family together, which is also a part of Japanese culture. In Ran, Saburro denies the power given to him by his father. This self-sacrifice is treasured in Buddhist ideology. These two people are examples that the fathers should have been.

Shakespeare Social Activist- Novemeber 3, 2008

Was Shakespeare a social activist? In Othello, he does not conform to any social norms. To start off with, the evil character is a typical Englishman. Iago is white, intelligent, and has a good military career. This compared to Othello, who to start off with is black and ends up destroying his military career through his weakness. Then Shakespeare uses some interesting questions in “The Merchant of Venice.” The great speech, given to an “inferior” being asks questions that mankind has to answer about anyone. “If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die?” Does Shakespeare want us to understand that our soul, though the strenght may vary from person to person, is what needs to be given a chance to live.

Timeless Literature October 20, 2008

In a previous class, Dr. Gleason asked why do people continually read Shakespeare down through the ages. Classics are timeless because they continually apply to the struggles the common man faces. That is obvious in the play Othello because of our discussion in class. Today we still deal with the subject of race. The point of view has changed over the years to now where the African Americans and other minorities have a voice. However, we still have prejudices of mixed racial families. Romeo and Juliet is also another example. If it did not apply, Leonardo DiCaprio could not have played a major role. The gang life is not very familiar to all of us, but the parent’s wishes vs. teenagers wants still create problems today. If we can still talk about the text in class and find a very specific example (Romeo, Othello), then it is part of timeless literature.

Blocking Power October 13, 2008

Today when I was figuring out the blocking for my playgroup there is always the question of who holds the power. In Hamlet, Queen Gertrude (Glenn Close) backs herself up against the bed. She positioned herself in the weaker position. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) places himself in a week position when he is first confronted by Mercutio. In the adaptation of Othello, there are many main characters, so there is always a power struggle. In the first scene, Othello (Jai) is standing behind a desk. This is very close to being a throne of power in the play. Iago (Mike) and Cassio (Sara) stand behind the desk at attention to show respect. Desdemona/Santiago is on the side of the desk because she has to work with both the rookies and the captain. In the last scene, Mike and I are behind the “desk of power” trying to obtain Jai and Carmen’s sense of power and comfort. However we fail and are arrested and put to shame.

A View of Literature

1. What stage or stages of reading development was I at before the beginning of this
semester?
In my high school years, I would say that I looked at reading mainly through the text-other text view. Throughout my freshman and senior year, several of my English classes covered several mythologies. These mythologies included Roman, Greek, and Egyptian. We compared these three to each other as well as other texts. The Roman and Greek are very similar, but there are similarities to other religious literature. One text-other text example is the paper I wrote comparing several religious accounts of a great flood. The paper started with the two well known examples from Greek literature and the Judeo-Christian Bible. I noted that the timelines were different for both. In the Greek timeline myth, the population of the Earth happened after a nine day flood. According to the Bible, the flood happened after the population of the Earth. The flood also lasted forty days, according to the book of Genesis. The Greeks used stones to explain the repopulation of the Earth and the Bible does not give a clear example. Then I moved to explain similar flood stories from Babylonian, Chinese, and Aztec literature. These are different example of literature across time and space that I compared in several English classes.
In my early college years, I developed an interest in fiction writing. I wanted to adapt the complex twists in Shakespearean comedies to modern times. In reading Shakespeare for a modern adaptation, I had to think about the character’s dilemma and the modern comparison. For example in Much Ado About Nothing, having an affair is not as devastating today as it was in Elizabethan Protestant England. It was very hard to think about an equivalent for Hero’s situation. I had to put my modern Hero into a strong religious household to equate Hero’s shame at home. However, the view of women today would not equal to the shame given to Elizabethan woman felt by those outside her family. I believe that the reason Shakespeare, Austen, and Dickens are classics is because the emotions can be applied to current society.
2. What stage or stages of reading development am I at now?
I still maintain a text-other text view in my blogs. I blogged on Leonardo DiCaprio’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo. Shakespeare is known for his great use of language, but DiCaprio used “simple motions.” In the discussion of literature there must be an understanding of current social norms. In my last blog, I mentioned the fear of purgatory. This is relation to Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy and this understanding of fear can help place the true situation of character. If a person does not place himself or herself in the times of that character the readers feelings and emotions may cloud the author’s true intent.
I also used several blogs to show a Text-World aspect. The best example was my first blog about the film Shakespeare in Love. There are several aspects that were shown to shape Shakespeare’s life. The first things I mentioned was the effect that Queen Elizabeth had on the arts. The political realm was in an uproar during Shakespeare’s time and had a great impact on his histories. The social norms were also mentioned in my blog. I was disappointed with the portrayal of differences in social classes, but there was a poignant difference in sexual roles. Then I made a point to talk about Shakespeares inspiration and stated that “Shakespeare's lover was not the only inspiration, but as well as the words heard everyday, fellow friends, and political dreams.” That is true of all of us that our situations and sphere of people influence and help us become who we are and who we may be.
3. How do I think I can move to the net sage of reading development?
There are three things that I can do to improve to include more text-world view. I need to be more aware of current events. I currently do not have a television, so I cannot watch the news. I also read the newspaper very sparingly. However, I still do not believe watching the just one news channel is enough because of a possible slanted view. As far as the newspaper, I need to read more than just the financial page and include articles related to the effects of society.
The second idea is to include “harder” classics in my repertoire of books. People have a definition of what is complex to them, but Tolstoy is my example of a “harder classic.” Tolstoy touches on the economic and social concerns of Russian society through a complex history. This could be relevant today, but I have not tried to broach the long and daunting novel.
A third ides is to read “professional” opinions. Most professors and teachers have seen more than I and by reading their ideas I can travel beyond my current means. Reading effectively can open doors that the economy, safety, and social norms have closed. These are a few ideas that will take effort on my part, but the rewards would be greater. The more I know the more I can help the people around me.

Stuck between a rock and hard place October 7, 2008

What is a dream? Sigmund Freud analyzed them to no end. Shakespeare has compared them to death. There are nightmares in dreaming, but for many it can be a peaceful experience. Dreams for many people have been a wonderful escape from reality. In Hamlet, he has to decide whether it is better to dream and in dreaming give into depression and die. Hamlet in the end realizes he cannot escape reality. Another true reality to Hamlet is the man code of honor where a man is a disgraced who does not go through the act of revenge. Hamlet would fear the wrath of purgatory and the anger of his father. The punishment of the father would not be as bad as being stuck in purgatory. Purgatory to a man in that position would be like going to sleep with no dreams at all. Even in hell, there would be a feeling of existence.

The Student Director September 26,2008

In the real world, the director has many responsibilities. However, they do not need to play politics as well as a student director. The director always has to conform with the ideas of the producer, whether student or not. In the real world, the lines are already written for every actor. Both student and director have the opportunity change the lines, but the real world director can depend on a qualified source for the written lines. The actors, in the real world, are asked to play major roles and the minor ones may be asked or assigned. For the student, every role is assigned and with a smaller group there are never minor roles. The director can clearly manage his vision, but a student group because of its size has to make everyone at least congenial with each other.

The Job of the Director September 18, 2008

The director has to be the most flexible person in the entire theater. The director firsts recieves his or her job from the producer. The director, even though he or she may have his own vision, must abide by at least some of the producers guidelines. The producer must work with all the actors and actresses. As with all people, they have their own opinions and ideas for their own character. The director has to stand firm with his or her vision, but he or she will have to work every day with these actors and actresses. That situation can be made easier or harder depending on how flexible the director can be. Especially in smaller plays, when props, scenes, and actors are not as available, directors must be very flexible even with the author's original intent. Even Shakespeare plagerized.

Leonardo's acting September 4, 2008

There is a short scene in the movie that features Leonardo DiCaprio alone on the beach. Before his father drives by, there is an inner glimpse of the character of Romeo. Leonardo does not use extensive language to further his character, but simple motions. Leonardo helps enhance the director’s idea that Romeo does not want any part of his violent family. There is a cool calmness in Leonardo’s demeanor even as he smokes his cigarette. Throughout the scene there is a calmness in his face. When Leonardo does use words they sound intellectual and philosophical. They are not words of hate, but love as Romeo is a lover. Finally when Leonardo is talking to his cousin, Leonardo’s demenour entirely changes. His face is always tense with frustration and his waving arms show passionate emotion. The words turn to frustration and desperation.

Shakespeare in Love August 28, 2008

Shakespeare wrote during a time of great art exploration. The Elizabethan period had a great impact on all the arts. Queen Elizabeth invested a lot of money in the art of plays. Shakespeare in Love shows the struggle between the roles of men and women. However, the movie could have shown a greater struggle between the classes. A lot questions have been asked about where writers get there inspirations. The movie showed the inspirations that surrounded Shakespeare. Shakespeare's lover was not the only inspiration, but as well as the words heard everyday, fellow friends, and political dreams. Even though it is unrealistic to believe that Queen Elizabeth would hide during the performance of Romeo and Juliet, it gives us a small glimpse of Queen Elizabeth's struggle to maintain power. Shakespeare in Love is a great insight to the times struggles in poverty, politics, and love.