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The story of Othello shows a change in literature. Before we read Othello in class all of the epic poems, stories, and plays were about kings and royalty as they were the only subject allowed to be used. During Shakespeare’s time writers started using real, common folk as the subjects and main characters of their writings. Writers now could have characters be the “bad guy” and the evils did bot just have to be a monster as in Beowulf. The main character in Othello is of coarse, Othello. He is not royalty but actually the complete opposite. Othello is different and an outsider in Venice. He is referred to as the Moor rather than his name in many different occasions. Yet, Othello has still been able to become a respectable General in the army and proves useful to the Duke on the island of Cyprus. Hundreds of years before Othello, it was unheard for a writer to have the protagonist not be a king, prince or god. Looking back upon all the materials prior to Othello we can see that no other work featured normal people as the main characters. Othello signifies a changing of style and expansion into what would writers would do for the next couple hundred years.

The story of Othello shows the powerful effect of trusted advisors. Throughout the story, Iago was the the puppeteer over all the characters. He would pull the strings to defeat those that he set his mind against. Much like life there is always someone who is pulling the strings or using their cunning wits to gain what they most desire. Iago was a clever advisor who helped Cassio to seek revenge for his loss of his war rank, a lieutenant, and Cassio was blinded by his anger to think of Iago’s true motive. Iago, began to kindle Othello’s fire of jealousy when he sees Cassio walk away from his wife Desdemona. When Othello sees Cassio part away from Desdemona, Iago tells him,“No, sure, I cannot think it,  That he would steal away so guilty-like,  Seeing your coming” He planted the seeds to see his reaction and unfortunately it wasn’t pleasant. Othello loved his wife and was heart broken to think that she would be with another man. Little did he know Iago was behind this conspiracy and not just Cassio. Iago’s greatest part to his revenge for Cassio was the handkerchief of Desdemona being planted in Cassio’s room to prove her guilty of all suspicions and see Othello fall.

William Shakespeare’s Othello is seen as a vicious story of love and revenge on the surface. Iago, the story’s villain, spurs on the characters to hate each other. His hatred stems from a rumor that circulates about Othello, the Moor, or outsider, sleeping with his wife. Iago pushes the story to explode with tension and confusion in the end. Surprisingly, some modern day issues overshadow this drama. Othello shows how word of mouth can be dangerous and have unpredictable outcomes. A modern day example can be texting or Facebook. Oftentimes, what we mean to say in a text message does not come across correctly to the reader. It can happen that we mean to say something nice, and the reader can interpret it with some hostility. Another modern day issue covered in Othello is racism, and the issue of being an outsider. Othello is a man from a different country and he is treated like an outsider throughout the story because Iago creates an air of mistrust around him. Being the new kid is never easy, so Othello asserts himself in the court and fights to prove his worth.

Within the great story of Beowulf the theme was very blunt. Never make a deal with demons, no matter how tempting or pretty they may be. The poem had not described Grendel’s mother as a beautiful woman like the movie did so the only thing that really tempted Beowulf comparing both scenarios; was the natural craving of power. To become a king seemed like that was his top priority and in the end he rationalized that he deserved that much. However, when you make a deal with those who are corrupt it will come back to haunt you, its unavoidable. Within the story he knew of this in the back of his mind that it would be due time for the deal to break but he banked on a small hope that it wouldn’t be so. When the deal was broken he found himself in battle with his son as his opponent. The comparison between Grendal and Beowulf’s son was a significant difference. Grendal seemed distorted and was unnaturally different but to be the offspring of a warrior showed imminent strength. Beowulf’s son being a dragon symbolized a massive strength and terror. It was sad to know how it ended between them but it was foreseen.

The story of Gilgamesh is an epic poem that revolves around the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, who is 2/3 G-d and 1/3 human. He reigns over his city with an iron fist, doing whatever he wants with no regard for the citizens of the city. The citizens soon became fed up with their ruthless tyrant, so they went to the only source that they could go to to bring peace back to their town, the g-ds. The g-ds answered their pleads by bringing forth a being of equal strength, Enkidu. Gilgamesh and Enkidu soon became friends and from their on decided to test their strength against a renowned monster. So the two went to Humbaba the monster of the forest and after a great battle, Gilgamesh had slain Humbaba, but not without a price. Enkidu died during the battle with Humbaba but it taught Gilgamesh to appreciate life more. When Gilgamesh goes back to his town he understand what it means to appreciate what you have and begins to treat his citizens with kindness.

The lesson that Gilgamesh learns is a very important one. He learns that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Before Enkidu challenged Gilgamesh as the strongest, Gilgamesh power went unchecked and therefore he was able to do whatever he wanted to. He then learned that life is short and it can end at any moment (shown to him by the death of Enkidu) and life should not be made to make his citizens life difficult and miserable.

Medea is different that most stories written from that time. It tells the story of a woman who attempts to, and succeeds in, destroy all of the men that have ruined her life. Most of the stories that were written at this time were about g-ds and heroic men, but Euripides decides to write about a woman’s struggle to find acceptance and equality. A main focal point in this story is the theme of feminism. It is clearly evident as the story goes on that Medea is a woman who, has not gone insane, but has entered a state of mind where she no longer cares for the well-being of the other humans that she lives with. She kills the King Creon and her husband Jason as acts of revenge for banishing her and for leaving her for another woman, respectively. She also commits a heinous act that most woman cannot wrap their minds around, much less follow through. She kills both of her boys, not out of a lack of love, but because she is doing it out of spite for her ex-husband. She wants to take away all possibilities of Jason to have a family.

Beowulf was a great story filled with heroics, monsters and mothers. Beowulf is the complete and total epitome of what a true “man” should be, for he is: strong, brave, fearless and a great leader. He risked his life to fight off Grendel, even though the Grendel monster was not terrorizing his own town. Even though he was given plenty of gold and praise for his achievement, this does not take away from any of it in my eyes. He did not ask for any of the special gifts that he received for killing Grendel or his mother. After Beowulf returned to his home land he told the stories of his adventures to the people of his town and they couldn’t believe all that he had done. But Beowulf had one more task before he could die in peace. He must save his own town from a unrelenting dragon. The dragon had been stolen from and therefore attacked everything. Beowulf had to once again save the day, even though age had begun to take an effect on him. He fought and defeated the dragon, but at the price of his life. The dragon had bit him in the neck and as the dragon’s poison was coursing through Beowulf body, he told his story to the only comrade that would fight with him. Beowulf was the most courageous and honorable man that the world had ever seen and probably will ever see. He is what superman is in today’s culture.

This picture illustrates the morning of a sinful decision. I see Madea admiring her children before she decides to take their lives. What woman would ever take the life of such angles of youth?  That crazy woman would be Madea. I don’t think anyone can ever convince me otherwise. This lady is mental. You can’t get me to believe she did it in the interest of her own children. Or she was saving them from a life of turmoil. There isn’t anyone that could’ve decided the fate of those children, including Medea. The only way Medea would’ve been saving the lives of those children was if she took the life of Jason and herself. She could have left the children in the hands of the nurse. However, she didn’t, because she is selfish. Instead she selfishly takes the life of her children in spite of their father Jason’s actions. I believe the lady crying in the back is the nurse who cared for those children dearly. I’ll leave you with this last image of Madea and her children and you decide if this woman is mental or not.

I enjoyed reading the poem as well as watching the movie adaptation of Beowulf. However, I must say I liked the movie adaptation more than the story told in the poem. As much as I liked reading Beowulf I loved how the movie took the story and with some twist made it into its own piece. I thought the connection made by the film makers between the first battle with Grendel to the final battle with the Dragon was brilliant, because it works and most importantly makes sense. However, it’s interesting how the writers gave Beowulf a weakness in the movie, because in the poem Beowulf does not possess any weakness. In the poem and the movie he comes, he boast, he sees then conquers. Except in the movie he is manipulated and deceived by a beautiful woman who in a way directed his fate. It was a bold move by the writers, giving the fact Beowulf is supposed to be this almighty demon killer who never fails and always accomplishes his goal. Although, it was very interesting and enjoyable to witness the direction the writers took with the movie. Beowulf is a true warrior, like he says, “I am Ripper… Tearer… Slasher… Gouger. I am the Teeth in the Darkness, the Talons in the Night. Mine is Strength… and Lust… and Power! I AM BEOWULF!”

It’s amazing how such an old tale like the epic Gilgamesh can make its way to present day and still inspire and teach us today. The author describes Gilgamesh as such a Godly figure. His physique, beauty, strength, and wisdom are all contributed to his Godlike characters. Although, with all these Godly features in body and mind he was still cruel. He poorly ran and controlled his kingdom by treating the people with disrespect and hate. This Godly man would sleep with anyone he wanted and force the people to work for him. In my eyes Gilgamesh was selfish and probably homosexual. Just by the way he admired Enkidu. He was a selfish tyrant, because what he put his people through when he was ruling. Moreover, it took an epic journey of ups and downs for Gilgamesh to see the light. At the end he finally did come to a realization. By the end of his journey when he went back home he sees the wonderful kingdom he ruled and took for granted. However, with strength, wisdom, and love he acknowledged the closest thing to immortality a mortal can desire. Here is a link to a video that kind of summarizes the tale of the epic Gilgamesh in its entirety. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gopr-PrgMfw