Othello

Shakespeare has done it again. The opening scene provides the reader with a subtle amount of information. This "Moor", "he", "him", "thick-lips" all refer to a black character in a Venetian society who is despised by Iago because he has promoted Michael Cassio to lieutenant and has married Desdemona (the senator (Brabanzio's) daughter). Iago quickly becomes furious because he was not promoted although he had served in countless battles and this Cassio fool has barely any credibility/ experience. As Iago expresses his hatred to Roderigo, the audience can automatically pick up that this guy is the deceptive villain always looking to make somebody's life miserable. Without thinking twice, he decides he wants to ruin Othello's marriage by turning Desdemona's family against him. At the same time, Roderigo wants to get back at Iago because he thinks that his wife may have cheated on him with Iago and therefore says, "In following him I follow but myself, Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty/ But seeming so for my peculiar end."

The reason this quote struck me was because it made me think of my own life. I was reflecting the overly demanding hard work that we go through in school everyday and what our motive behind it all is. Although our motives are not revenge like in Roderigo's case, a lot of what we do (whether it's doing whatever it takes to get an A on a report card or trying to break 2000 on the SAT's) is ultimately to fulfill a desire. And in a teenagers case, it comes down to trying to get into the best college that they possible can, to increase the chances of a stable job, which will provide more money, which will allow us to buy more stuff, which will make us feel good when we show it off to other people and then we'll gain the approval of others and then we can die happily and that's it. The end. Is this really what our society has turned into?

This concept can be applied to all aspects of life. Think about it, why do we get upset? It's because there's something that got in the way of what we wanted and that's not okay. So what I got out of this was that if I change my heart when I don't get my way and seek the light that I should truly be living for, I will be much more at peace.

The Inspired