The Picture of Dorian Gray Preface

Focus: What is Wilde's view of "art" in the preface?
Read Aloud the preface to the novel.

1)Why is this a manifesto about the purpose of Art, the role of the artist, and the value of beauty?
The manifesto about the purpose of Art is the debate about people agreeing whether the piece of art is beautiful or not. The role of the artist is to created debate with his art, when there is critics about his art work and people see it in different ways he has done his job. The value of beauty is just a piece of work to be judged by the spectator, its on how you see it.

2)How does he define both artist and critic?
The artist is the creator of beautiful things. And the critic is who can translate into another manner or new material his impression of beautiful things.

3)What do you think he meant by saying "a book can be moral or immoral?"
"A book can be moral or immoral," It really depends on how the spectator feels about the book. To some one the book might be moral but to another one it might be immoral.

Interpret: "Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril." Is this a warning of some kind?
Every artwork has its own meaning, the spectator should really go further on than the image shown by the artists, but they had look deep into the artwork to understand the message of the art piece.

Interpret: "It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors."
It's the artwork that reflects the spectator and not the life.

Explain whimsical last line: "All art is quite useless."
Art is useless because it serves no other purpose than beauty.

Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray

We will complete watching the movie and have a class discussion about the work tomorrow. Students who haven't updated their Blogs with Shakespeare's Othello script will do so as tonight's home assignment. In addition, everyone will research and post the following for 3rd marking period Blog as we are about to embark on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray:

• Aestheticism: the idea that the pursuit of beauty is the primary goal of art and that art need not reflect any moral, social or religious concerns.
  
• Decadents: refers to a personal trait and, much more commonly, to a state of society. In a person, or used to describe a person's lifestyle, it describes a lack of moral and intellectual discipline.
  
• Victorianism: is the name given to the attitudes, art, and culture of the later two-thirds of the 19th century.
  

Biography on Oscar Wilde.

• Born: October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland
  
• Wilde's education: Oscar was educated at home up to the age of nine. He attended Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, Fermanagh from 1864 to 1871. After leaving Portora, Wilde studied classics at Trinity College, Dublin, from 1871 to 1874. He was granted scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he continued his studies from 1874 to 1878.

• Married: Constance Lloyd

• Children: two sons, Cyril (1885) and Vyvyan (1886)

• Lovers: Florance Balcombe

• Crimes/Arrests: He was arrested for "gross indecency" under Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 In British legislation of the time, this term implied 'homosexual acts not amounting to buggery'.

• Tragedies:

• Death of wife: 1898 following spinal surgery

• Literary Works:
  

-A Florentine Tragedy
-A Woman of No Importance
-An Ideal Husband, Salome
-The Dutchess of Padua
-The Importance of Being Earnest
-Lady Windermere's Fan

• His Death: November 30, 1900 in Paris, France

• Any particular quotes that you like:

-Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much.
~Oscar Wilde~

-I am not young enough to know everything.
~Oscar Wilde~

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde

Othello -final script

Othello

Act V

By:
William Shakespeare





Interpreted By:

Vicky Tzannetis
Arelis Lino
Dominick Heugas
Johnny Mosquera
Helen Astudillo


Act V Scene I


(Iago convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio).
(Iago calls Roderigo and Cassio to meet him in Central Park ; Roderigo at 9:30, Cassio at 10:00).
(Conversation between Iago and Roderigo).

Iago- Glad to see you can come on such short notice.

Roderigo- What’s all this about?

Iago- You know as much as I do; How Cassio is making Othello’s life miserable.
Roderigo- I could just imagine how Othello is feeling.
Iago- I would hate to see him be made into a fool.
Roderigo- We have to do something about it.
-Rustling behind the trees-
Iago- Did you hear that.
Roderigo- Yeah, it came from behind those trees.
(Enter Cassio from behind the trees).
Roderigo- What is he doing here?
Iago- I don’t know, he must have followed us.
Cassio- What the hell have you been smoking, you told me to be here at 10:00

Roderigo- I’m glad you’re here, now we can talk man to man.
(As Cassio and Roderigo are talking, Iago slips away discreetly handing Roderigo a dagger).
Roderigo- What sort of satisfaction do you get out of making Othello’s life miserable?
Cassio- What are you talking about?

Roderigo- You and Desdemona.
Cassio- Me and Desdemona?
Roderigo- Don’t try to act like you’re innocent, be a man! This is tearing Othello apart.
(Roderigo, fustrated, pulls out the knife that Iago gave him).
Cassio- What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?
(Roderigo and Cassio start to fight while Iago is looking from behind a bush. Roderigo stabs Cassio and he fall to the ground. Iago then comes from behind the bushes and stabs Cassio on the back of the leg).

Iago- He had it coming.
Roderigo- He deserved a brutal death for doing this to Othello.
Iago- Let’s got tell Othello it’s done.
(Iago and Roderigo leave to go find Othello).


Iago- Othello, I bring news about Cassio. Rodrigo and I have just made sure he doesn’t interfere with your marriage.
Othello- Really, but how??

Iago- Well, we set him up to come and join us at the park. Rodrigo confronted him and they got into a fight. Cassio is dead but Rodrigo was left badly wounded by Cassio. Come see for yourself.
(Othello and Iago go to the scene of the crime)
Othello (yells)- Good Lord, he is dead! Cassio is dead! Now I must go and deal with Desdemona. She will pay for her affair.

End of Scene 1

Act V Scene II


(Othello walks in Desdemona’s bedchamber watches her sleep at the foot of her bed overcome with his feelings of love. He kisses her one last time and she awakes.)


Desdemona- Baby, why don’t you come to bed it’s already late.

Othello- Say “one final prayer and prepare for your death.”

Desdemona- Baby, tell me what’s going on I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Othello- You know exactly what I’m talking about. You gave my handkerchief to your love Cassio. You know you’re having an affair with him.

Desdemona- You’re the only one I love, you can ask Cassio, and he’ll prove my innocence.

Othello- He’s Dead.

Desdemona- Oh no Othello, what did you do? He was innocent. Kill me tomorrow. Let me live tonight.

Othello- It’s too late

(Othello smoothers Desdemona with his dagger where she lay. Emilia bangs on the door,
reporting to Othello that Cassio
has been injured but he’s still alive. Othello lets Emilia in so
they could talk.)

Desdemona- (faint cry) I’m innocent

Emilia- Who did this to her?

Desdemona- Nobody, I’m fine.

(Desdemona dies)

Emilia- You did this to her, didn’t you?

Othello- No, I could never harm her

Emilia- I don’t believe you!

Othello- Alright, alright I did do it, but what did she expect when she was having an affair with Cassio. You better shut your mouth Emilia, you hear me?

Emilia- (shouts) MURDERER!

(Alerts the whole castle Montano and Iago run into Desdemona Chamber.)

Othello- Desdemona gave Cassio my handkerchief

Emilia- She never did. Iago made me steal it.

(Othello started to comprehend the terrible truth. He lunges at Iago but it’s promptly disarmed by Montano. Iago grabs Emilia and he stabs her, as she lay dying she remembers Desdemona song and confirms that she was chaste and in love with the “cruel Moor”. )

(Iago runs)

Montano(shouting): Hey, Iago where you going?

(Montano runs after Iago leaving Othello by himself, Othello awaits Montano to return with Iago. When they return Othello stabs Iago only to wound him.)

Othello: Oh Cassio forgive me for what I have done to you, and for doubting your innocence.

(Cassio listens)

(Othello pulls out a hidden dagger and stabs himself and falls dying next to Desdemona.)

Othello: “I kiss’d thee ere I kill’d thee. No way but this/ killing myself, to die upon a kiss.”

(Othello dies.)

End of Act V Scene II

Othello character sketch

Michael Jai White as Othello

We chose this character to play as Othello because he has acted before like in the movie UNDISPUTED II, and he has that attitude that takes to get to play the role of Othello. Othello is a Moor which means he has a darker skin color. Michael Jai White is also a man of color and his image fits the character of Othello. In the play Othello’s persona is mostly described as someone of anger and rage at all times. In act V his planning to kill Desdemona because he heard that she was having an affair.

David Thewlis as Iago

David Thewlis has play before in Harry Potter as a teacher. We chose this character because we think he would play a good role of Iago. He was a teacher in Harry Potter and that means he has to be smart and clever to play a role of a teacher. Iago was pretty clever himself, in Othello, he plays the role of Othello’s friend, but what Othello doesn’t know is that he planned the whole story about Desdemona and Cassio.

Keanu Reeves as Cassio

We choose Keanu Reeves to play as Cassio because in the movie Matrix he didn’t depend on anybody else, he was a character that would stand up for himself more like Cassio. He has no idea of Iago’s evil plan.

Antonio Banderas as Roderigo

Antonio Banderas can make a great Roderigo he has played as a protagonist and antagonist in many movies. In Othello Roderigo is the person who tries to conviced Iago to kill Cassio. Roderigo’s persona in Othello is the character of someone who will take orders and aren’t afraid of getting things done.

Monica Bellucci as Emilia

Monica Bellucci would make a good Emilia she has work in many films. Emilia’s persona in the play is an understandable woman. She thought that Iago, her husband was a good man until she found out that he was trying to kill Othello and Desdemona.

Naomi Watts as Desdemona

Naomi Watts would make a good Desdemona, she’s pretty, she’s has work in many movies like King Kong. In Othello Desdemona and Othello are in love. Othello is a Moor and he is darker of skin color while Desdemona is of lighter skin color. Desdemona’s persona in Othello is an innocent type of woman. She’s also hurt that Othello is accusing him of having an affair with Cassio.

Act V

Who are the characters?
The characters in Act v are Roderigo, Cassio, Othello, Desdemona, Lodovico, Gratiano, Emilia, lago, and Biana.

What is the setting? (Time and Place)
On the streets then the scene shifts to Desdemona's bedchamber in the castle.
It's night time.

List the many conflicts that exist in this Act.
1)Othello vs. Desdemona
Othello thinks that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio.
2)Iago vs. Everyone
Iago starts the rumor that Cassio and Desdemona have been together. He takes Desdemona's handkerchief that Othello gave her.

What do you think is an appropriate theme for this Act?
Theme is Jeolusy

What evil plan does Iago concoct?
Iago convices Rodrigo to kill Cassio in the streets at night. But when they left him for dead they didn't known that he was still alive. But he eventually dies either way.

Why does Othello stand at the foot of the bed where Desdemona is sleeping?
Othello is standing at the foot of the bed, because he is overcome with his feelings of love. He doesn't want to scar her face but still wants to kill her.

What do you think is going through his mind?
I think he's thinking about everything that happened and he finally loses it an smothers her.

How does Othello murder Desdemona?
Othello smothers Desdemona, because he doesn't want to scar her beautiful face, but rather he will kill her "bloodlessly".

Why does Desdemona remain loyal to her husband with her dying breadth?
Desdemona love Othello, and she even lied to Emilia to protect him. She loves him to death.

Othello calls Desdemona a whore rather than an adulterer. Why such a degrading name?
Othello calls Desdemona a whore rather than an adulterer because his insecure of the racial difference between them. He doesn't trust her anymore and he's very angry at her.

What are Othello’s last words?
He last words are to his innocent wife and victim: "I kiss'd thee ere I kill'd thee. No way but this/Killing myself, to die upon a kiss."

Why does he kill himself?
I think he couldn't leave with himself knowing that Desdemona was no longer alive.

Who also dies in the end and how?
Emilia dies, Iago stabbed her. Cassio as well from the stabbing earlier.

Who ironically does not die and why?
Iago ironically does not die because his the one who starter all of the rumors and cause all the trouble, yet he lived when evryone else died.

October 22, 2007 classwork

Who were the Venetians?
The Venetians were a wealthy and therefore powerful people. This wealth was due Venice’s canals which made it an ideal place for trade. The wealth and power of this city did two important things in consideration of the plot of Othello. They made Venice a city of high importance to military and political officials and also gave the natives a great pride in their background.

How were the Moors/Venetians regarded in Shakespeare's day?
Moors were characterized as being alternately or even simultaneously noble or monstrous, civil or savage. Being a different race meant, primarily, being an Other, non-English, as well as non-Christian.
*The Venetians regarded to Shakespeare’s day the wealth and power of Venice did two important things in consideration of the plot of Othello. They made Venice a city of high importance to military and political officials and also gave the natives a great pride in their background.


What were the military duties of ranked officers?

General- The leader of the army in whatever city/state they serve. It usually is someone who has been in the army since a young age. They are powerful figures in society and are well respected. Generals are in charge of giving out promotions to their fellow soldiers. And control the actions of the entire army.

Lieutenant- A powerful position, is assigned by the General. Can give orders to other soldiers that have lesser ranks then him. This rank does not come with much social status but it is often used as a place to work from to reach higher ranks.

What was the military hierarchy?
The military hierarchy of ancient Greece could in retrospect be viewed as running parallel to its social hierarchy. The aristocratic class were the wealthiest and most politically powerful individuals of the populace. Their social position gave them an identical stature in the military hierarchy, for they assumed complete authority as trierarchs of both land and sea forces. Not only did they instigate wars but they also led them on the battle fields. Cavalry members were quite wealthy but were subordinates to the first census class. They supplied chariots and horses and equipped themselves handsomely with armaments; often they were commanders of small units. The hoplite soldiers who formed the phalanx were composed of third class members, and were capable of attaining the necessary skills and equipment to become heavy-infantry soldiers. The lowest class was conscripted into the light-infantry in which they were massed together under the leadership of the generals and commanders. Although the military hierarchy was imbued with the same social hierarchy as in their city states the military was much more than an obligatory service. It was a unifying patriotic force that was shared between all social classes on the battle field where each citizen saw himself as a soldier equal to any other.

What was the role of women?
Prior to the 16th century society viewed women with the Christian and Aristotelian views which looked at them as sinful and imperfect. Writers such as Shakespeare challanged these views with their works and they were slowly changed. Women were mostly silent, they did not speak out much at all about their opinions, especially in public. Some women wrote, but mostly all they wrote about was prayer and meditation. The only real chance they got to write about their feelings was in poems. Women were beginning to get some power, the ruler of England at the time was Elizabeth who was the most powerful woman of her time. Nobel women had much easier lives while poorer women had to work hard to keep their husbands and families happy.

What was expected of a daughter?
Daughters were seen as property to control by their fathers. They were expected to obey their father’s wishes and to marry by the age of thirteen. Daughters were objects to always be guarded and watched over, too tender and gentle to fend for themselves in a dangerous world. They were expected to preserve their chastity until marriage, and provide a dowry when they finally did marry.

What was expected of a bride?

In the Renaissance times a Renaissance Woman was supposed to marry well, be loyal to her husband and give birth to boys. Many women did not fit the mold of what they called a "Renaissance Woman." Many of them would fit in as more of a "Renaissance Man" or what we would call a "Renaissance Woman" in our day and age.

Girls were married for alliances between their families, not for love. Women were married with doweries that their family provided and they prepared household possesions to contribute to the new home. Brides were supposed to be virgins before marriage. Women were supposed had to be faithful and respect their fathers and the family over their wants and needs.

Women got involved in disputes about marriage, inheritance and property. In all these matters they had contact with officialdom, so they enter the record. What is particularly noticeable is that many women were familiar enough with the processes involved to use them constructively to their best advantage. It's no accident that women appear far more often in cases tried in the church courts (where even married women had a separate legal identity) than in the common law courts (where married women could not bring cases on their own account).

What rules for getting married existed at the time of the play?
Brides were supposed to be virgins before marriage. Women were supposed had to be faithful and respect their fathers and the family over their wants and needs.

What were the rules of courtship?

What do you think is a scene in a play?

A scene is a unit within an act. Begin - Mid- End.

What do you think is drama term dramatis personae?

Latin for the characters or persons in a play.

In your groups: read your appropriate Othello Plot Synopsis

Who are the characters in your Act?

The characters in Act v are Roderigo, Cassio, Othello, Desdemona, Lodovico, Gratiano, Emilia, lago, and Biana.

Where does it take place?

On the streets then the scene shifts to Desdemona's bedchamber in the castle.

What time does it take place?

It's night time.

What happens in the various scenes in each Act?

In the first scene there's a fight between Roderigo and Cassio.

In th second scene Othello wants to kill his wife Desdemona. Othello stabs lago. Othello kills his own self at last.

How many scenes are there in your Act?

There were two scenes.

Can you plot your scence/ Act?

Yes, we could plot the scene and the act they have a begin- mid- and end.

October 19, 2007 classwork

1)What tragedies have you experienced? Do you have any tragic flaws or know of someone who has?

Yes, I have experienced a tragedy when my uncle died. I loved him so much, it was really hard to lose him, he died in a motorcycle accident. Yes, I have tragic flaws, to give new chances to people that don't deserve it at all. Give more than I get.

2)Use the above drama terms and make a connection to other text such as a novel, poem , short story, movie, television, show, newspaper article.