the very long entry that ends with movie stars solving the financial crisis

E3H:

Othello... the story so far:

(We have arrived at Act Two, Scene Three. The film obviously cuts a lot of dialogue.)

At first we meet Roderigo (a young Venetian noble) and Iago (Othello's ensign, or trusted advisor), who are sneaking around the streets of Venice so that Iago can show Roderigo a secret rendezvous between Desdemona (the daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian lord) and Othello (a Moorish soldier who has become a general in the army of the Duke of Venice). Since Roderigo is in love with Desdemona, he is devastated to find her in the arms of the Moor, especially since Othello is black.

Iago, who secretly hates Othello because the Moor promoted Cassio to lieutenant instead of him, has decided to make Roderigo his dupe in order to exact some measure of revenge against both Othello and Cassio. He tells Roderigo, a very foolish man, to awaken Brabantio and tell him about the affair. Roderigo does this and Brabantio charges off into the Venetian night to find his daughter and Othello, intent on either killing the Moor or seeing him brought up on charges of using some kind of African witchcraft to enchant Desdemona. When he meets Othello, though, he discovers that the two have been married already and that the Moor has been sent for by the Duke, who is meeting in a late night emergency war council because of an imminent attack by the Turks.

Both Othello and Brabantio head to the Council, where Brabantio pleads with the Duke to punish the Moor for what he has done. Othello, however, eloquently explains that "the only witchcraft I have used" was the telling of the story of his life, which Desdemona eagerly listened to and which caused her to love him. All is settled, and peace is made among the Venetians, but Othello must go immediately to Cyprus to face the Turks. It is decided that Desdemona will be allowed to accompany him. Iago privately encourages Roderigo--who wants to hang himself with grief--instead to "put money in thy purse" so that, when Desdemona becomes sick of the Moor, "She must change for youth: when she is sated with his body, she will find the error of her choice." Once he has talked the idiot into this, and he is left alone onstage, he tells us, "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse," clearly revealing his duplicity.

In Cyprus, Othello dispatches the Turks easily and we find the war over by the time that Iago's vessel arrives with Desdemona. Cassio, as lieutenant, greets the ship, and when Iago witnesses him warmly welcoming Othello's bride he feels that he finally has the beginning of a trap: "With as little web as this will I ensnare as grate a fly as Cassio." He convinces Roderigo that Desdemona has, in fact, become tired of the Moor, and that now she has turned her attention to Cassio. Roderigo is very upset, almost reverting into suicidal whining again, but Iago has a plan: he tells Roderigo to wait in the Cyprian streets that night and then, when the opportunity arrives, to pick a fight with Cassio. Then, he conspires to get Cassio drunk, knowing that the lieutenant cannot handle wine...

More movie tomorrow...

For those who missed the ending of Macbeth:

The final battle between Macduff and Macbeth takes place in a lengthy, clunky fight. It goes back and forth until, almost accidentally, Macduff manages to drive his sword through the joints of Macbeth's armor, skewering his torso. The usurper staggers up the castle stairs, followed by his vanquisher. As he reaches the top, Macduff (who has pulled the sword from his victim) neatly slices off Macbeth's head, which tumbles to the ground below. (His body, in a gravity-defying but cinematically-pleasing feat, also tumbles, head over heels, down the stairs--90 degrees opposite of the direction it was facing at the time of the beheading.) Ross, who has managed to get away with everything Polanski had him do, gives the crown to Malcolm, declaring "Hail! King of Scotland!"

Then, Polanski adds a short coda in which we see Donalbain riding through the rain on horseback, apparently heading home from Ireland. He reaches the same craggy cliff where we have several times met the witches. He hears singing and, curious, stops. The last image of the film is Donalbain limping off in the direction of the witches' cave.

E2H: Having bought Catcher in the Rye, start reading it. As you do so, notice the way that Salinger uses various narrative techniques, such as slang terms, repeated expressions, unusual sentence structures, etc. to provide a unique and specific voice to the character of Holden Caulfield. In the journal exercise that you will be doing, you will try to use this kind of technique to create your own voice as if you were a character in a Holden-like book. Read a significant part of the book first; get used to the style before trying to do this. Then send me your first entry so I can give you feedback before writing any more.

Drama: Thursday: English teachers

and now, natalie portman and rashida jones solve the financial crisis:

NATALIE PORTMAN & RASHIDA JONES Speak Out from Natalie Portman

--kt