Humanities & Classics 1002
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Renaissance Forum
Humanities & Classics 1002 |
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I wouldn't exactly say I'm big on Shakespeare, but I wouldn't say I hated the guy, either. Some of his plays and sonnets I like better than others. But I do find it interesting that the plays of his I like most are those that I've seen, not those that I've read. I've read Macbeth, Hamlet, and Julius Caesar (among others). And I didn't like those three at all. But I have seen Othello and Much Ado About Nothing, and two versions of Romeo and Juliet, and I have loved all of them. For me, it's easier to understand and enjoy his works by seeing them. The characters and the words and the whole idea comes alive to me, (I don't care how corny that sounded), whereas when reading them, I can't imagine his plays that well.
Which is why I'm in love with Kenneth Branagh. The first movie of Shakespeare I saw him in was Much Ado About Nothing. It was so entertaining and happy and sad and funny and amazing. And I thought he was neat. And then I did a little bit of research on him I was amazed to find out all the Shakespeare he's done, both in the film and on t.v. Here is a list, read it and weep:
*Movies*
Henry V
Much Ado About Nothing
Othello
Hamlet
*Theatre*
Henry V
Love's Labours Lost
Romeo and Juliet
Twelfth Night
Much Ado About Nothing
As You Like It
King Lear
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Coriolanus
and Hamlet (three times!)
I was amazed. For those of you who have seen Much Ado About Nothing (I'll call it MAAN because it's easier to type) I wonder if you felt this way too. I saw MAAN first, at least 3 or 4 years ago, and it's one of my favorite movies. I think Kenneth Branagh was really good in that movie. He was a nice guy, with good intentions, and amusing and funny to watch. So when we started watching Othello in class, I was excited to see him in it. As we began watching it, I loved Iago, because I loved Kenneth Branagh. As we got farther into the twisted story of Othello, I began to dislike Iago, and I was sad, because Kenneth Branagh is such a great actor. I was mad with the ending of Othello. "I loved Iago!" I shouted to myself, why did he have to be such a jerk. And then I went home and thought. And I realized that Kenneth Branagh is definately an amazing Shakespearen actor. He made me love him in MAAN, and then made me despise him in Othello. And now I think he's far more talented than I did before. It's easy for someone to make me like them. It's difficult for someone to get me to hate them, and it's far more difficult for someone to do both at the same time. Which is how I feel about him as an actor now. Yay.
Onto the movie.
First, I'd like to point out how deep and real the character development was in Othello. Even the minor characters in Othello are so complex and filled with profound views of life and the world. Emilia, (Desdemona's servant and Iago's wife) has one of the best lines (I think) in the entire play:
" 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man.
They are stomachs and we all but food.
They eat us hungerly and when they are full,
They belch us."
She is so wise. I feel that way sometimes; like all I am is something to pass the time until someone/something better comes along. And when it does, I'll be history. I never really thought about it until I heard her say those words, and the smack of sudden realization hit me like being punched in the face.
Roderigo shows such love and deep affection for Desdemona. Within the first few acts of the play, I already love and understand what he feels. When he and Iago first discuss Roderigo's feelings for Desdemona, and you realize that she's already in love with Othello, my exact words were "Man, that would really suck." Which isn't exactly profound, but I can totally relate to his severe unhappiness. And it's written (and acted) so well that I want to cry for him.
I hated Cassio. Even though I knew the allegations weren't true, I still disliked him. At that point, I was still in love with Iago, (whom I felt could do no wrong) and just believed his words, and not the truth.
Lawrence Fishburne was so amazing. I had seen him in other movies, silly things like Boyz 'N the Hood and Apocalypse Now (he was in that one wasn't he?) and never really thought of him as a serious actor. Needless to say, I don't feel that way anymore. I wanted to cry (again) when he realizes that his "Honest Iago" had lied to him, and because of it, he killed his wife. Such tradgedy makes for such wonderful entertainment. There was one thing I didn't like about the character of Othello. At the very beginning, when he is brought to the court or council, and Brabantio accuses him, Othello just stands there and calmly says (something along the lines of) bring Desdemona here, and I swear that she will say she loves me, or they can kill me if she says I'm lying. How bold, I thought at first, but then I changed my mind. It seems a little pompus to say, but I suppose that if you're that secure in who you are, maybe you can say things like that. And maybe if she said she didn't love him, he wouldn't want to live anyway. I don't know. I still think it was a kooky and unneccessarily harsh thing to say.
One thing I thought was mildly amusing was this: Desdemona was the only pure person in the whole play; Othello believed whatever was told to him, Iago we all know was a big jerk, Rodergio wasn't exactly of honest intentions, Emelia blindly and willingly stole the hankercheif for her husband, not even asking what his plans were, Um Bianca was a little less than virtuous. All these people were full of faults or lies or evil, and it was Desdemona the only pure and true soul, who was framed and killed for being an adulterer. How troubling and ironic.
I also thought that Othello had the most amazing imagination. I mean my god, when he thought that Desdemona was cheating on him, he had these amazingly detailed and steamy scenes in his head. Poor guy. But my goodness, what an imagination!
alissa :)