on A way I can improve my analysis is by making sure that my notes are clear and that I do a deeper analysis of the quotations I have picked out. Additionally, I will structure my conclusions differently to make it not a summary of what I wrote in the essay to make it more academic.
on on In what ways is ‘Rumours of War’ a representation of “a monumentally unequal America”?
The statue ‘Rumours of War’ shows something/someone that hasn’t been represented in a powerful/masculine way in sculpture, which relates to Wiley’s style of modernising what it means to be a black man in America. Although to the audience it they will probably have never seen a sculpture of this stature, it shines a light on the lack of represents the lack of equality in art and in America. Additionally, the placement of the statue is important. On Monument Avenue, there are multiple statues, many of which are of confederates who fought to keep slavery. By having it placed on the save road it shows that their fight didn’t work and that black men are powerful people too. It also shows that people still idolise people who fought for inequality and the controversy around having a black man being there reflects the inequality in America as some people would rather keep up all the confederate statues than have a black man on a statue.
How does Wiley’s work form a perspective or comment on both America’s past and present?
It comment’s on America’s past be imitating the other statues that are seen on Monument Av. Through appropriating a confederate statue it highlights the past and present racism in the country whilst showing that there is still room for growth and that although America claims to be built on freedom, not everyone in the country has the same privileges. The use of the young black man is key to conveying his perspective that black men need to be empowered too in the same way that their oppressors were and still are today.
on Here is the link to my response on linking the book “Women’s world” and a vintage advert.
on on I think that since this was my first CAT I did well. I prepared by finding an advertisement that had visual text and imagery that could be analysed. Then I wrote notes on what could be analysed and what could be drawn out in text. When I was writing I finished on time because I had prepared before.
Something I think I did well is find the main points of the advertisement and link them to the society that we live in and how it reflected the sexism in the world, more specifically, the workforce. Additionally, I think that the analysis of the image on the advertisement and was detailed in my response.
One thing I think I can improve on is making sure that I link it back to the question clearly and make sure that the reader understands why it is important.
on Themes
A key theme throughout the entire Act is jealousy. Iago is jealous of Cassio for getting the position he wanted and Rodrigo is jealous of Othello about him marrying Desdemona. This duo together brings the most action in this Act setting up people with Iago being the manipulator of situations. Another theme is race, Othello is a high-ranking general in the Venetian army yet is brought down due to his race by his peers. By Desdemona marrying someone of North-African descent this shows that she married for love. Finally the idea of gender and power is played with a lot as Desdemona is very strong-minded in her ways and others do not treat her as an equal and that she doesn’t know what she wants when Othello does.
Characters
Iago is seen to be the manipulator of all situations, telling Othello that “I had thought to have yerked him here, under the ribs” when Rodrigo spoke badly of Othello, Brabantio about Othello and Desdemona’s marriage, and Rodrigo that “when she is sated with his body she will find the error of her choice” meaning that Rodrigo will get Desdemona once they have gotten over the sexual attraction. By his peers he is seen as loyal to all, this is displayed when Othello trusts him to get Desdemona to Cyprus, yet to the audience we can see him manipulating all the situations to his advantage.
Othello is seen to be level headed, calm and powerful. Once the marriage between him and Desdemona was discovered the senate said it was lawful due to them needing him to work for them, the Duke told Brabantio “To mourn a mischief that is past and gone // Is the next way to draw a mischief on.” Iago has stated multiple times to Rodrigo that “I hate the Moor”, the audience later finds out that this is because of “He’s [Othello] done my office”. Although this is only a suspicion the audience is less likely to believe it because Iago manipulates everyone. Desdemona seems to be in love with him due to her saying “Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate” meaning that they’ve become a part of each other. The audience views him to be level-headed because when Iago tries to rile him up in the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2 he says “‘Tis better as it is.” rather than stooping to his level.
Initially Desdemona is seen to be the one to want with Rodrigo being in love with her. Due to the society that they live in it’s clear that she is seen to be weak and unknowing of what she wants, this is seen when Brabantio says “Sans witchcraft could not” meaning that there’s no way that Othello got her love naturally. This shows that her father thinks that she is susceptible to being stolen from him and that she would never think on her own that she could love Othello. Othello sees her as an equal, this is shown to the audience when Othello asks Desdemona to testify in front of the senate when asked about their relationship. Once she starts speaking it’s clear to the audience that she’s strong-willed and she knows what she wants. Additionally, Desdemona made the first move to Othello which shows that she is more contemporary than the setting they live in.
Cassio doesn’t make major impressions to the audience in the first Act. He is seen to not indulge in Iago’s jokes about Othello’s “lawful prize” by him saying that “I do not understand.” shows the audience that he doesn’t want to be associated with the careless jokes about his general. Moreover, since he got the promotion over Iago there must be something that Othello sees in Cassio that he does not see in Iago making him a better leader. Iago doesn’t like Cassio due to the fact that he got the promotion over him, this is why he will try and frame Cassio for having an affair with Desdemona.
on Background info
Iago first impressions
Iago’s insults
Iago and Rodrigo power dynamic
on What is the overall impact of the painting?
The power shown of Napoleon is key to the impact of the painting as it creates an idealised version of him. This is done by the angle of which he is posed making the audience having to look up at him. Napoleon is supposed to be the embodiment of France with the clothing choice displaying the french colours which also displays his faith in the country and nationalism.
How does a knowledge of context enhance your understanding of the work?
Context enhances the work because once you understand the context you can not only further appreciate the painting but also analyse it. This is shown in the engraving of BONAPARTE in the painting by HANNIBAL. To the normal viewer this may not have been picked up on as significant. Although, this displays the power that Napoleon believed he deserved and that he could be immortalised.
What concepts, attitudes and values are represented in the work?
Some of the values represented in the work is wealth, power and nationalism.
Where and how do you see these expressed in the iconography and compositional elements?
This is seen when the light is shone on him making him seem more powerful and important. The juxtaposition between his facial expression and the soldiers in the background creates the idea that they’re weaker than him because they can’t handle the stress whereas Napoleon is the leader and saviour. With the horse being tilted upwards it further pushes the idea that Napoleon is superior by making the audience have to physically look up to him. Finally, by setting the painting in the Alps it shows that he can achieve many things because he’s composed and is dressed to impress whereas in real life this wouldn’t occur.
on I was born in the east midlands in the UK. I lived there for seven years with my brothers and parents, I went to public school and did things that were normal for a seven year old to do. I was a product of my environment and the way I spoke reflected that. Then I got swept into the life of being an international student. In the past 9 years I’ve lived in four different countries. This, of course, changed the way I spoke. Growing up in Derby, people spoke a lot differently to the way they do in international schools. They use abbreviated words like ‘ain’t’ or ‘innit’, and it’s not considered the queen’s English. As I’ve moved around my accent somehow got a little bit posher by the year, I never even noticed it until my friend started making fun of me for the way that I said laughing, teasing me saying “I sound too posh” and that “private schools changed your voice”, but that never really bothered me because I know that it was just a bit of fun even though I may not have sounded the same. Then a couple months later, at a wedding I was told how good it was that I don’t have my old Derby accent. I never really understood what they meant, but now I know that sounding a bit more posh will benefit me more than it could ever hinder me. Even though now when I go back to Derby for a long period of time I do find myself sounding a lot more like my younger self, I still find myself sounding more posh meeting someone new.