Othello and Racism

Othello, a tragic story written by Shakespeare, in 1604, contains a great deal of themes that can teach people today about that particular period that many otherwise may have overlooked. A great example of this can be highlighted by the biggest character of Othello. This is of course the all great and mighty Othello, who just so happens to be black. Now in the grand scheme of the story this aspect of skin color actually plays a pretty huge part of the story, as it should be obvious that it would considering the time it was written there was a heavy amount of racism in the world. So for that reason it should come as no surprise that this aspect affects the story line, themes, and the characterization in numerous ways, something that should be clear by the end of this essay.

            So let’s start with a simple quote by the evil mastermind of Othello, the nasty and sick Iago: “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise; awake the snorting citizens with the bell, or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. Arise I say!” (1.1.9) Now it should be clear, even if you do not understand old English, that the words coming out of Iago’s mouth are not words that should ever be spoken. However, it is these words that are used to awaken Brabantio, with the direct knowledge of knowing that these words would get his attention. There is no doubt that Iago is working on the thought that black people are sexual animals, hence the words, “black ram” and “tupping.” Also an interesting thing to note is that he refers Othello as a “devil,” even though it is clear that Othello is a Christian, but during this time period it was very well known that the representation for the devil was a black man or figure. Again this is a theme of racism in the play that frequently reappears within the story. However, in this particular instance it is also the first time the reader gets a glimpse of Iago’s motives and how manipulative he is. In that regard it is this racism and characterization of Othello that awakens Brabantio and starts the tragic story of Othello.

            However, for contrast reasons it would not be fair to look at a quote from later on within Othello by the great Duke of Venice: “And, noble signior, if virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-in-law is far more fair than black.” (1.3.22) It should be noted that in between this scene and the last it was shown that Brabantio is most likely one of the most racist characters within the story, which is why Iago was able to manipulate him so well. However, this quote shows that even in the period the story was written and the themes of the story that there is a contrast of people who view Othello as more than just a black sex animal. However, his words should shape a different view in many people’s minds, the ones who view that glass as half empty. The words of the Duke are implying that Othello is the exception, that even though he is black, he is a fair one, unlike the others of that time. So even though it may appear the theme of racism disappears, it is as strong as ever within the Dukes words. Which is worrisome because it does show that Othello’s characterization is still viewed as him being different that other people, thus making him quite easy to be manipulated. It should also be noted that this quote helps the storyline running smoothly because it does highlight that even though he is black there is a great respect for him by the senators and Duke, thus making him this great exception of this time period.

            Now let’s fast forward to the most important quote of the whole play as spoken by the great and mighty man himself, Othello: “My name, that was as fresh as Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black as mine own face.” (3.3.54) This quote requires a little bit of research to fully understand it to its full potential, however, that research was done so that the complete picture is represented. It must be realized and pointed out that Diane is the goddess of the pale moon and of chastity. So he himself is saying and comparing his clean reputation that was untainted until the supposed cheating to that of a white face. So what is even more interesting is that now that his reputation has been ruined in his mind he is now saying that his name is now black and dirty. So what should be taken away from this? Well by this moment in the play, Othello seems to be adopting the racist views of other characters around him; he sees himself as a soiled black man. This is a very disturbing time for Othello and evolves the story because it is at this moment that Othello truly believes that his wife has cheated on him and thus he is turning back into not that of a great hero, but an animal like those around him viewed him as. It is also that manipulation and thought in the back of his mind that led to him thinking like this and no doubt led to the killing of his own wife. It also highlights the theme of racism within the story because at this moment it is clear that even Othello himself recognizes that the racism is there and in a way him admitting it is what turns his characterization into one of killing the one he truly loves. Just one more quote on this topic of him admitting this realization by him: “All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven.'Tis gone. Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell!” (3.3.63) Or in other words he is again comparing blackness to something bad and otherwise not good.

            Upon discovering what Othello has done to his wife, Emilia had this to say: “O, the more angel she, and you the blacker devil!” (5.2.36) By killing Desdemona, Othello shows a racist stereotype of that time, that black men are violent, savage, and to be feared, hence the words that “blacker devil!” In conclusion racism evolved this story and kept the story going, had Othello been white it should be clear that this story could not gone as it did, however because he was the theme of racism was allowed to take place and his characterization was able to evolve. That is the biggest thing of this story changing characterization of Othello and how by the end of the story he had proven every stereotype of that time that he had disproven for so long. Thus proving that the writer and this story were both racist because the story did not have to be written with so much racism, but then again for this tragedy to be so successful it truly did, because it was written for an audience of the 17^th century. 

Short story: A love story

“A broken heart…it really leaves you just wanting to awaken from this dreadful shadowy nightmare,” I whispered as I quivered there hundreds of feet above the ground. Yes, that is me standing there on that ledge, thoughts flooding my head, “Will this be painful,” I cannot help but wonder. Feelings of my bygone existence suddenly enter my rapidly speeding distended heart. I stretch for the necklace that once drooped around my neck, but then reminisce at the last moment as I recall you taking the necklace from me. “I suppose it is time,” I murmur as I ignore my senses and allow my figure to sway in the breeze that I once treasured.       

“Knock, knock,” If it had stayed stormy that perfect night I might not have even heard it, but I did. It was sufficient to leave me hesitant, just stand stagnant, and look at the soaking damp ledge.

“Are those my tears or had they dropped considerably lower, someplace I anticipated I would join,” I questioned as I continued standing. I recognized that I ought to get down from this ledge, for the abhorrence within would be too much if you were to see me in this nature. I had been therefore close to concluding this aching pain by undertaking the unthinkable. However, as always you appear and express yourself once I need you the furthermost.

I sashay along the hard wooden floor, incapable of lifting my feet from a shortage of liveliness. Thoughts whirl everywhere within my cranium as I approach the door that I know you are standing behind. Most folks would have surrender and left by now, but not you. I bellow out in a shallow voice, “Who is it,” Just to make the door that is pounding harder than my heart stop.

“You know who it is, please open the door…we need to talk,” I heard in response. I could not help but spectacle what exactly it was she desired, but I reckoned I might as well discover what it is.

“I will be right there,” I say just as I reach the door that is hindering me from laying eyes on the girl that I love like no other. I look in the mirror that is next to the door, “how did I let myself become like this,” I speak softly so she cannot hear. I look utterly horrible, a lengthy beard suspends where it was once smooth as a pebble, and I appear as if it has been numerous days since I had even bothered with my body. I cringe at the thought of you having to see me; I take a quick look through the peak hole to see your appearance. Imagine my disbelief when I noticed that you are wearing the exact dress that you sported to prom not all that long ago. Then my eyes shift to that necklace that I use to hold so dearest, by no means understanding why you took it from me.

I open the door, allowing the shield between us to be broken, I see the glint in your eyes and feel the downpour of feelings that I have for you smash over me like an enormous tidal wave. What is running through your mind as you lay eyes on my body? Unexpectedly I see your lips that I used to kiss forever start to move. “I’m sorry, I did not hear what you said,” I say in a sorrowful voice.

“I said are you doing ok,” she utters in her compassionate and adorable speech that I use to adore so much.

“I am doing great actually,” this of course was falsehood, truth of the matter is I would not be gratified until I heard the words, “until death do us part.”

“…I am ready….I do,” her words were like bliss to my heart. It was as if somebody had drawn out my heart from my fragile body and fastened it together with super adhesive duct tape. “Do you still have the ring,” I scarcely caught those words as I stood there in a motionless astonishment.

I remembered a while ago, when it was a gorgeous day on the beach, almost as gorgeous as she was. Everything was successfully boundless, the dinner I prepared for you made you shriek in ecstasy, and the dessert conveyed you into a disposition I had never witnessed before. We made sweet love on my divan and allowed are feelings for each other to entangle. How foolish I was to try to change things by asking for your hand in marriage, the expression on your face when I asked it seemed destined to never to be. You sprinted off with me bellowing after you with my necklace that you had taken from me a few hours earlier. I was in tremor and I was livid, to my very own astonishment I did not heave the ring, which I had gotten just for you, right into the bay that day. Instead, I put the ring in my back pocket and when I got home, I cautiously put it by a table by the front door, where it would remain until the present.

“Y…Ye….Yes…Yes I do” I have trouble spluttering out, from the direct result of still being in shock at her words.

“May I have it,” she utters in that innocent voice that she wears so perfectly. I stretch for the ring that is on top of the tabletop next to me, I permit my wobbly hand to pick the ring up, and with my hands, trembling like never before, and I slide the ring onto her finger while on one knee. I gaze up and see a slight tear coming from her right eye and a mammoth smile situated on her elegant face. I get up and spring upon her the largest, most passionate kiss I ever have given, feeling the sparks fly as we lock lips for what appears like forever, under no circumstances wanting to sojourn. I whisper to her in a soft loving voice, “When the eyes meet and hold strongly they are bound to meet again…I love you.”     

Deforestation and the effect on the Carbon cycle

....we are back in English now people!!! :D

Deforestation has had numerous disastrous side effects that many probably could have guess would happen, but chose to ignore. The effect on the Carbon cycle is one of those side effects that was ignored and now today is becoming an ever more increasing threat. Many people most likely do not realize that, for example, the plants and soil of tropical forests are estimated to hold around 460-575 billion metric tons of carbon worldwide. In addition, each acre of tropical forest is estimated to store around about 180 metric tons of carbon. When these forests are cut and then burned to establish something such as cropland or pastures, the carbon that was stored in the tree trunks, that is roughly 50% of the tree trunk joins with oxygen and then is released into the atmosphere as CO2. These losses of forest have a huge effect on the global carbon cycle. For example ranging from 1850 to 1990, deforestation around the world worldwide contributed to a release of about 122 billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere, with a current rate being estimated to be approximately around 1.6 billion metric tons per year. For comparison reasons, fossil fuel burning such as coal, oil, and gas release around 6 billion metric tons per year, thus it should be very clear that deforestation is making a significant impact to the overall increasing of the CO2 in the atmosphere.

            So now that the problem is clear it is best to explain how exactly the carbon cycle works and what is the carbon cycle. Well for starters carbon is a gas that is said to be the 4th most plentiful gas or chemical component in our universe, thus there is a lot of carbon. Carbon plays a very important role in the ecosystem, however, too much can have negative side effects. It is responsible in the formation of building blocks of our earth as a living ecosystem with the help of other gases such as those of oxygen and hydrogen. Experts have discovered that the concentration of carbon is greater in a biotic ecosystem, compared to that of an abiotic one. A biotic ecosystem is where you can find things that are alive; while abiotic is where there are things that are not alive. Carbon also forms shading or a blanket that surround our earth. This blanket has the role of blocking very hot and intense heat that shoots off from the sun and is able to maintain it in our atmosphere in order to keep the earth from becoming a frozen wasteland. It can be seen that the relationship of the biotic and abiotic worlds is one where there is a stable trading of carbon between the two. The process of this exchange is known as the carbon cycle. As the name may hint it is composed of numerous steps. The Carbon cycle is a needed to insure that the right amount of carbon level is the atmosphere, however, this can be disturbed very easily and that is where the problem lies. These steps can be broken down into five main steps. They are the following: plants and other forms of vegetation remove carbon dioxide from the air, then when these plants and vegetation die, they are buried within the earth, after millions of years pass, their remains turn into that of coal and oil, people have then extracted the coal and oil, which are known as fossil fuels, When people burn these fossil fuels, they send that carbon dioxide that has been stored and the other greenhouse gases into the air.

            Now that first step of the carbon cycle highlights where the problem lies with deforestation, no trees to suck up the excess carbon that is being generated from the burning at an alarming rate means that the carbon levels will rise and fast. However, surely there is a cause, a reason for why this rate of trees no longer being around has happened. Well I think the example of Easter Island explains it perfectly what is happening to an extent. Easter Island in the past before its downfall supported a sub-tropical forest complete with the tall Easter Island Palm, a tree that was used for building homes, canoes, and latticing necessary for the construction of such statues that are found in excess on the island. With other vegetation that was found on the island, natives had the ability to make rope and fire without any trouble. Within this ancient time between 1200 to 1500 AD when the Easter Island society was peaking, they built the stone heads that are famous today. However, these statues on helped to accelerate the decrease of vegetation and forests on the island because the society used wood platforms and rope from the forests to move these massive stone statues around the island. Pollen analysis have later shown that around that time period the tree population of the island was already rapidly declining as the deforestation was already taking its toll on the fragile island. It was around 1400, when the Island palm went extinct from overharvesting and the toll of rats that were brought over that ate the trees seeds. Without the trees the society could no longer function because the canoes that they once built could no longer be built. To make matters worse the natives decided that they would eat the birds on the island, thus the area that was already feeling the effects of human population, now no longer had pollinators and seed dispersers. Soon without forests on the island people ran out of water, crops ran out, fires were a luxury, grasses were fuel, and total anarchy followed. So the lesson that can be learned from the island is the effects that widespread deforestation can do to a society. As the forests are used up, the quality of life falls to a dangerous point, and then all order is lost.

            It should be clear that this is obviously an issue that needs to be addressed, please keep in mind there are a lot of causes for why trees are being cut down. Too many to name in fact, but here is the important issue in terms of the carbon cycle, those trees are no longer there. This in turn means that carbon is only going to continue to increase so much until we reach a point where our earth has had enough. It has been shown that an increase of Carbon in the air will have drastic effects in our world, so much so that it would be crazy to think that it wouldn’t. The main consequence is that there is going to be more carbon in the air and this in turn will result in a higher greenhouse effect. Thus temperatures will increase and the way that we live our daily life will result in a change that no one could have ever foreseen. So what can be done? Well for starters let me tell the scary thing about trees being cut down, there used to be almost no control over deforestation around the world until laws started to be passed passed. For example, in 1911, the U.S.A. Congress passed the Weeks Law; this in turn let the government buy forests that are part of vital watersheds for rivers and streams, a problem that no doubt only supported trees being cut down. But then another law was passed in 1964, it was known as the Wilderness Act, it preserved wilderness areas in national forests and federal areas. It should be clear that some people only desire to destroy the things around them, but there are those that wish to protect what they know are important to protect. I bet many people do not realize that there are countries that have very few forests remaining. A great example of this lies within Rwanda, where it is currently illegal to harvest the trees because there are so few remaining, however, sometimes people actually steal the trees because they need the wood for fuel that badly. Another great example is the nation of China where they are trying to save their trees that are slowly being cut down because of something silly.  The reason they're losing so many trees is because of wooden chopsticks, a silly reason like I stated earlier, it’s not hard to imagine when you consider that around 45 billion pairs of chopsticks are made each year in China, and that the wood they use is coming from their trees and bamboo plants. The government has gone to the far extreme of actually adding a 5% tax to the purchase of disposable chopsticks to get people to start buying and using reusable ones.

            There’s a sad truth about the carbon cycle being fixed through tree’s it can only happen if humanity allows it. People are going to have to learn to look past themselves and actually learn to replace what is being taken and that is what is going to have to happen starting now and in the near future. Replacing what is taken and actually planting more to compensate for those who don’t are steps that need to be taken. Because if you think about it currently the world’s forests store 283 billion tons, equivalent to the size of 40.1 billion elephants of carbon in their biomass. If we do not replace that, then all of that is going to go into the atmosphere. So in conclusion, humans need to come together and work together to make sure that the forests that are cut are replaced to better improve the carbon cycle that is at risk of failing if new methods in the near future are not used. It also can’t hurt to actually recycle paper to make it so that the demand for trees is not so high, if a nation could impose strict laws to “force” people to recycle then there could be progress made to help change the ecosystem. Recycling paper is what I believe to be the answer to the carbon cycle and data has shown that recycling is environmentally friendlier than having to cut down a whole new tree. It should also be noted that this applies to all tree products and not just that of paper. Also use proper tree cutting management, such as using different methods depending on the environment, such as clear-cutting or selective cutting because there is not just one blue print, it ranges from area to area. If people do not act immediately to curb deforestation for good, experts estimate that in 30 years’ time from now, the earth's surface would be left naked, without forests. Governments and the people of the earth need to act now and they need to impose strict laws on how trees can be forested and also allow reforestation to occur.

Sources:

http://www.policyalmanac.org/environment/archive/tropical_deforestation.shtml

http://carboncyclesteps.com/

http://www.effects-of-deforestation.com/causes-of-deforestation.php

http://www.mongabay.com/09easter_island.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/00442/whatsuptrees.html

http://www.facingthefuture.org/ServiceLearning/FastFactsQuickActions/Deforestation/tabid/182/Default.aspx

http://www.mnn.com/family/family-activities/blogs/5-ways-to-stop-deforestation

Environmental science for AP

http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com/How-To-Stop-Deforestation.html

Chesapeake-Leopard asunto

Chesapeake-Leopard asunto

El 22 de junio de 1807, el comandante James Barron y los hombres cerca de 400 zarpó de Norfolk obligado por el Mediterráneo. La fragata británica HMS Leopard envió un mensaje a petición de Barron para liberar a cuatro desertores de la Armada británica.Barron rechazó la solicitud, después de eso, el HMS Leopard abrió fuego a la bahía de Chesapeake. Dado que la mayoría, si no todos los miembros no estaban entrenados, Barron se entregó. Durante este evento, tres personas murieron y 18 resultaron heridos muchos de los cuales eran estadounidenses. La bahía de Chesapeake, sus cubiertas lleno de tiendas, en preparación para una larga travesía, logró disparar sólo una sola arma de fuego en respuesta a los Leopard, que en comparación con el fuego había 22 tiros a todos, pero la destrucción de la mayor parte de la nave. Los británicos se encontraron cuatro traidores en el barco, sólo uno de ellos era británico. El único de los cuatro en morir fue el traidor británico, los americanos iban a recibir 500 latigazos.Posteriormente, el HMS Leopard que el Chesapeake volver al puerto. El gobierno británico finalmente se ofreció a volver a los tres estadounidenses a los Estados Unidos y pagar indemnizaciones por daños en la bahía de Chesapeake.
Palabra de la "indignación británica" contra el buque de guerra estadounidense por su parte se extendió rápidamente, por lo que la ira patriótica en muchas ciudades de los estados y unir a la gente como no ofenden británica en contra de la marina mercante podría haber hecho. Samuel Smith, ahora un senador de Maryland, informó el humor amargo de Baltimore para el presidente, "no apareció una sola opinión - Guerra - en la satisfacción del caso no se da" Esta cita de Jefferson da una mirada al interior de la gravedad se sentía ". Nunca, desde la batalla de Lexington he visto a este país en un estado de exasperación ". No era difícil decir que la gente pudiera ver una amenaza en ciernes de lo que parecía ser una nueva guerra con los británicos. Mucha gente puso en duda la capacidad de de su marina de guerra para defender a Estados Unidos a partir de una posible invasión británica, a pesar de su costoso y controvertido programa de construcción de fragatas. Sin embargo, por alguna razón, después de semanas de planificación que sólo abandonó hasta después de la Ley de Embargo comenzado.
La Ley de Embargo, fue la respuesta de Jefferson al problema. Para ser capaz de restringir el comercio con otro país extranjero, especialmente Inglaterra, comenzó este acto. El presidente Thomas Jefferson y James Madison se diseñó para evitar la guerra y la protección de los intereses. Sin embargo, debido al aislamiento, American sufrido más por este acto tan Jefferson decidió cancelar sólo dos años después de su firma. Este evento fue uno de los primeros conflictos que se inició la guerra de 1812 en los Estados Unidos. Sin embargo la gente no debería haber sido realmente tan loca ya que fue el comandante James Barron, que comenzó el conflicto en al negar el acceso a la nave. Sin embargo, parece que en realidad era la culpa en realidad era el oficial superior que le permitió no saben para que los no estadounidenses en el barco, sin incluir a los "traidores" en el barco. Además, los británicos tenían la culpa por disparar contra el barco y matar a los estadounidenses. El pueblo de los Estados Unidos tenía todo el derecho a estar muy enojado con los británicos. La mayoría aún tenía los ideales de la Revolución para proteger y defender el país. Es decepcionante que una guerra no había estallado inmediatamente después del evento, pero no fue hasta cinco años más tarde. Muchos piensan que el pueblo de los Estados Unidos podrían unificar en uno y obtener el apoyo suficiente para otra guerra, pero no pudo hasta cinco años más. Por ahora, el gobierno fue capaz de mantener las cosas bajo control.





"Eso era posible que hablaban en serio." - El Comandante James Barron