Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Shakespeare - Essay Example Cassio: I do. I would have given all that I am to save Othello’s reputation in the least. I deserved all I got for being drunk and brawling in the streets, destroying my own reputation as well as his. As I told Iago, I would rather sue to be despised than to deceive so good a commander with so slight, so drunken and so indiscreet an officer (II, iii). But I was confounded by that evil rogue just as my noble commander. I live my life in darkness thinking perhaps I could have assisted my good commander in his time of confusion. Banquo: Madness can often strike unawares. It did so with my good friend and compatriot, Macbeth. He was always my good friend until the madness of the witches took him and he became convinced I was designing against him. Cassio: Ah, Banquo, would that I could attribute Othello’s madness to something as external as what afflicted your Macbeth. Alas, I fear a good portion of Othello’s madness stemmed from my own actions, ill-advised as they were by the evil Iago though well-intentioned by myself. Cassio: I sought out admission to the lovely Desdemona, Othello’s bride, for assistance in regaining his ear and my position. There was naught in our relations to suspect Desdemona and I had anything other than concern for Othello and a desire to serve him, but Iago was able to convince him, through Desdemona’s pleas for my benefit and my presence with her, that she and I had dishonorable intentions. Had I not sought her assistance, Iago would not have had such a ready weapon to use against so noble a man. Buckingham: You do not hold any blame. A man cannot be expected to do anything other than further his station. You acted correctly in seeking any means possible of regaining your status. You cannot be held to account for the misdeeds of another. Horatio: I disagree. I, too, have held some responsibility for the destruction of a good and noble prince. I knew of Hamlet’s father’s

Evolution of Rights and Responsibilities as Compared Between Native Essay

Evolution of Rights and Responsibilities as Compared Between Native American, African American and European American Women in th - Essay Example Tracing the social organization of Native American societies in the 18th century, Theda Perdue observes that these cultures practiced a well delineated division of labor between the sexes. She gives the example of the Wahpeton Dakota community where men and women lived three months of each year apart as the former hunted muskrats while the latter was involved in the production of sugar (Perdue 1999). Such a gendered division of labor, though perhaps not in consonance with modern notions of equity, ensured to Native American women a considerable degree of social autonomy, that which was denied to them during the heyday of the colonial era. Perdue thus refers to Bernard Romans to illustrate the manner which racial and gender intolerance mingled to in the manner in which Native American women were portrayed in the accounts of the early European settlers- â€Å"Their strength is great, and they labor hard, carrying very heavy bundles a great distance; they are lascivious, and have no id ea of chastity in a girl† (Romans qtd in Perdue 1999). The above description points to the collusion between racial and gender stereotypes whereby Eurocentric prescriptive notions of femininity were superimposed upon Native American women. The most striking shift in power equations could be seen in the case of the Cherokees. Anthropologists observe that Cherokee women had equal ownership of land and property, a practice that changed with the tribe being forced to sell significant portions of their land holdings to the United States government. The colonial government entered into these agreements with the men of community, rendering at once, the traditional parity of gender in these groups awry and creating a distinct hierarchy between the sexes (â€Å"Native women are fighting for their rights – and their lives† n.d.). This rupture within the community was deepened by then Voting Rights laws put forth for Native Americans by the American government. Till 1924, t ribes were often compelled to abandon their social and cultural affiliations with their respective groups in order to gain the right to vote in American elections. Yet again, the men already rendered more powerful due to superior economic rights had a more pronounce incentive in giving up their tribe affiliations (â€Å"Native women are fighting for their rights – and their lives† n.d.). The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 was enacted chiefly to acknowledge the contribution of Native American troops in World War I. The act led to the reduction of federal involvement in Native American community life and increased the role of tribal self-governance. Though it was unprecedented in the autonomy that it conferred upon the Native Americans within the USA, the act also consolidated their â€Å"outsideness† and hence was not equally well received across Native American communities. Furthermore, the restoration of land to Native Americans yet again accentuated gender inequalities as it did not ensure equitable distribution between the sexes