In The World’s Wife, a poetry collection created by Carol Ann Duffy, she subverts the dominant idea of men and their views as being better and more significant. She envisions the feelings and thoughts of the wives of the men who are deemed ‘excellent’ for their profession, whether it is the area of science(s) or literature. She additionally reviews wives from folklore, mythology and Western history providing them with a voice in a more modern setting/perspective. Duffy brings them out of the darknesses and sets a gleaming spotlight on them in her revisionist poems. Within her poems, Duffy also uses the wives and heroines of history and remodels them to articulate the inequality they have suffered previously and how numerous versions of the identical inequality remain today. The characters and their occurrences are relatable to the reader.

For this Paper 1 exam, I had some sense of what the advertisement was about and some interpretation of my own. My ideas were there, but they were too broad and lacked deeper analysis and evaluation. I revised primarily on my vocabulary because in past papers that’s what I struggled with, on this paper I feel that I improved on that aspect because I move up a grade boundary for that category. For the next paper, I need to focus on finding key points from the text to analyse and evaluate to add more depth to my essay because as of right now my points of interpretation lack detail. Overall, I am happy with my grade and I now know what I need to improve on for my next paper.

In the poem Thetis, Duffy writes of a sea nymph who tries to escape the clutches of her suitor by changing her physical form. The suitor, however, is persistent and is able to reciprocate each change. In the end, Thetis gives in and marries the suitor, before giving birth to a child. Although the suitor is never mentioned in the poem, we feel his presence due to his determined chase of Thetis. Although Thetis, at first look, is the story of a woman’s plight to get away from her suitor, Duffy also looks at the transformations of Thetis in contrast to male transformations. Her suitor changes his own shape in the poem, to rival her shape and to be able to contain her. Another aspect of male and female relationships that Duffy is exploring is the power struggle between the two. All through the poem, Thetis changes herself to become more powerful with each transformation in order to have the power to escape from the ‘strangler’s clasp’ of her suitor. He, however, will not allow her to gain such power and changes himself to be something of higher power than Thetis. Thetis undergoes a different and final transformation as a mother and as the mother of a male child, her attitude to masculinity is tempered by maternal love. She is ‘turned inside out’ after all, which suggests a full and complete change.

The film and website were produced in collaboration with SATURDAY MORNING, an artistic organisation established by officials in the advertisement industry who developed ideas that draw awareness to and change attitudes toward racial bias and injustice in contemporary America. “The Look” begins with an African American man waking up in bed. As he makes his way through the city, he encounters looks of hostility or suspicion from white people – both wealthy and not – despite whether he’s wearing a stylish overcoat or a hoodie, training his son to swim or shopping in a high-end store. The closing scene reveals the faces of those in a courtroom before the black man moves behind the counter in a judge’s robe. The only words said in the film are uttered by the bailiff, “All rise.” After the judge sits down, he smiles looking at the camera. The camera angles in the film are mainly medium or close up shots, this is to emphasize the characters facial expressions because almost not a single word is spoken throughout the film. The focus on the facial expressions and reactions of the individuals puts a stronger emphasis on the message of the campaign, which is all about the look. The music at the beginning fo the film is a simple piano background sound. As the film continues, towards the end, the piano is now accompanied by strings which creates a hopeful mood.

Next time I will focus on mainly the analysis and evaluation section of the rubric because that is where I scored the lowest. With the analysis of language, for example, I will next time take a PEE approach and work closely with the diction choice to unpack and explain it. The analysis was also affected by the way I structured my essay, it would have better if I were to structure according to the key ideas that are expressed about women (and men) in the scene instead, and then relate these ideas to other attitudes that emerged in the play. Overall, two areas for me to focus on next time.

When Desdemona advocates on Cassio’s behalf, she initiates the first real onstage conversation she has had with her husband throughout the play. She also displays her strong, generous, and independent personality. In addition to his burgeoning suspicion, Othello’s moodiness may also result from his dislike of Desdemona herself. Given how much is at stake for Othello in his idea of Desdemona, it is remarkable how he becomes completely consumed by jealousy in such a short time. Moreover, it takes very little evidence to convince him of her unfaithfulness. All Iago has to do to Othello is make him doubt Desdemona, and jealousy spreads like a virus until he rejects her absolutely. Notably, Iago, too, has no evidence that Othello has slept with Emilia, but the suspicion or doubt seems to have been sufficient to make him spurn Emilia and persecute Othello. As Othello says, “[T]o be once in doubt / Is once to be resolved” (III.iii.183–184). Othello’s rejection of his wife’s offering of physical solace (via the handkerchief), and his termination of the exchange in which Desdemona argues for Cassio, thereby asserting a marital right, clearly demonstrate this incompatibility.

Othello’s rejection of Desdemona’s offer of her handkerchief is an emphatic rejection of Desdemona herself. He tells her he has a pain “upon” his forehead and dismisses her handkerchief as “too little” to bind his head with, implying that invisible horns are growing out of his head. Horns are the traditional symbol of the cuckold, a husband whose wife is unfaithful to him. Othello’s indirect allusion to these horns suggests that the thought of being a cuckold causes him pain but that he is not willing to confront his wife directly with his suspicions. The end of Act 3, scene 3, is the climax of Othello. Convinced of his wife’s corruption, Othello makes a sacred oath never to change his mind about her or to soften his feelings toward her until he enacts an act of violent revenge. At this point, Othello is fixed in his course, and the disastrous ending of the play is unavoidable. Othello replaces the security of his marriage with the hateful paranoia of an alliance with Iago. Iago’s final words in this scene chillingly mock the language of love and marriage: “I am your own forever” (III.iii.482).

Several weeks later in Cypress, Montano and several others are awaiting Othello’s arrival by bark or ship. We learn that a terrible storm has largely battered and destroyed the Turkish fleet, which no longer poses a threat to Cypress. Unfortunately, there are fears that this same storm drowned Othello as well. Montano reveals his high praise of Othello, which is shared by many. Cassio, who has arrived, sings Desdemona’s praises. A ship is spotted but it is Desdemona and Iago’s not Othello’s. Iago suspects that Cassio loves Desdemona and slyly uses it to his advantage. Iago tells Roderigo that he still has a chance with Desdemona but Cassio whom Desdemona could love is in the way. Killing Cassio (who became Othello’s lieutenant instead of Iago) will leave Desdemona to Roderigo, Iago slyly explains. Othello finally arrives to everyone’s great relief. Iago decides to tell Othello that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona’s so Iago will be rewarded whilst Cassio will be punished.

A Herald announces celebration that “our noble general Othello!” has defeated the Turkish fleet, calling on all to celebrate this great triumph and also to celebrate Othello’s “nuptial” or wedding to the fair Desdemona. Iago learns more of Cassio’s high regard for Desdemona and Iago manipulates Cassio into drinking too much since he is certain Cassio will do something he will regret. With Cassio gone, Iago tells Montano of Cassio’s drinking problem turning Montano’s high regard for Cassio into dust. Iago also tells Roderigo to attack Cassio. This happens, and Cassio wounds Roderigo and then Montano who was trying to break up the fight. Othello is now awake and Cassio’s name ruined. Othello though he loves Cassio, has no choice but to demote him from his position as his lieutenant. Next Iago comforts Cassio by suggesting he speak with Desdemona who could put in a good word for him with Othello. Iago comforts a wounded Roderigo, telling him he has won by ruining Cassio’s name. Iago has his wife Emilia ensure Desdemona and Cassio will talk so Othello can see his wife talking with Cassio, allowing Iago to convince Othello that Desdemona is being unfaithful.