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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 27.068 Monday, 29 February 2016
Date: Monday, 29 February 2016
Subject: SBReview_24: A Fury in the Words: Love and Embarrassment in Shakespeare's Venice
[Editor's Note: All SBReviews are peer-reviewed and are archived at the SHAKSPER web site's Scholarly Resources section: http://shaksper.net/scholarly-resources/book-reviews in book-quality PDF files.]
Harry Berger Jnr. A Fury in the Words: Love and Embarrassment in Shakespeare's Venice, New York, 2013. Fordham University Press. pp. ix-x + 229.
Reviewed by John Drakakis
University of Stirling
Harry Berger Jnr. begins his discussion of 'Love and embarrassment in Shakespeare's Venice' with an acknowledgement of R.P. Blackmur's deliberate 'misreading' of a street sign that he takes to be a key to the understanding of language as gesture. The 'sleeping monster' that Blackmur awakened in Burger leads him to readings of Shakespeare's two Venetian plays that he admits constitutes "a similar if monstrously more complex process of misreading" that he goes on immediately to name "close interpretation." He immediately perceives a problem with the close reading of the texts of plays in that it "interrupts the rhythm and flow of theatrical performance in order to create problems where no problems exist" (p. 2. My italics).
This is a provocative way of introducing a feature of Shakespeare's plays that Berger invites us to perceive as part of "a general fiction of rehearsal." Actors, he argues, "distinguish what goes on between characters from what goes on within the language that characters speak," and the distinction that he invites us to consider is between "the interlocutory and intralocutory properties of dialogue, where the latter is "semantic and lexical" and is the repository of "intralocutory or "inward" meaning." We are also invited to accede to the claim that "actors understand that even as their characters engage in interlocutory action with each other, their characters' words engage in intralocutory acts on their own." On the surface of it, this observation looks like a version of Derridean 'play', and although it leads in principle to a fluidity of interpretation, Berger seems to have something else also in mind. The idea that actors "discover that Shakespeare's language insists on doing its own thing, apart from the things its speakers intend it to do" (p. 3) raises two important questions; the first one is, who puts the 'meaning' in Shakespeare? The late Terence Hawkes provided an eloquent and complex answer to this question in his book Meaning by Shakespeare (1992) and went on to lay the foundation for a literary-presentist challenge to the notion that somehow Shakespeare's language works all by itself. But, perhaps, this is not all that Berger has in mind. On the one hand, he appears to have a degree of contempt for the "slit-eyed perusal" of the text "in which every scene becomes a problem scene" (ibid.), and yet there is a sense in which his own methodology is curiously dependent upon it. The second question hovers between one of the tenets of New Criticism in its gesture towards the autonomy of the text, but then veers into psychoanalysis with its claim that intralocution operates beneath the plane of articulation but is not, it would seem, equivalent to the Lacanian 'real'. Indeed, Berger's concern with what he calls "the 'inwardness' of language as gesture" brings together a neo-Kristevan concern with "the goings-on that irrupt within speech, the things that language does for its speakers, or with them, or to them, the things it says about them, regardless of their express intentions and interlocutory strategies," on the one hand, a quasi-Stanislavskian compulsion on the part of the actor (here aligned with the critic in a "fiction of interpretation as rehearsal") "to expose what characters feel, not what they ought to say" (p. 9). Expressed as a formal property of language, this is an ingenious formulation that establishes a common ground between theatrical and 'literary' criticism.
The initial examples he chooses to illustrate his point are not from the Venetian plays, and of the two he offers, the one from Macbeth might serve as an indication of the distinction he seeks to explicate. The moment is Banquo's response to Duncan's murder, and his instruction to "his fellow thanes:" "When we have our naked frailties hid, / That suffer in exposure, let us meet" (2.3.126-7). On the one hand this is an interlocutory utterance, "a simple directive or summons." But, argues Berger, "at the intralocutory level there is a fury in his words." He continues:
"When we have our naked frailties hid" is a gesture of fear, bad conscience and moral weakness. It is a parodic gesture of mutual distrust: "when we have protected ourselves from each other."
It is also a gesture of embarrassment: "when we have protected ourselves from ourselves." The whole of Macbeth is about the anxiety of characters who try to hide the "naked frailties" of their murderous lust for power and who worry about exposure. Among the "frailties" Banquo hides is his motivated failure to tell Duncan about the witches' prophecy, thus insuring the old king's ignorance of and "exposure" to the murder he "suffers". (ibid., pp. 3-4)
It would not be difficult to assent to most of this. The king has been murdered, hence the fear of those who remain alive. The "bad conscience", however, is fanciful since there is no suggestion that Banquo regrets not informing Duncan about the encounter with the Weird Sisters; indeed he has had his own concerns about what their prophecies signify and before the murder he is at pains to protect himself from them. The clause "naked frailties hid" recalls the 'hidden' frailty that was exposed earlier, and the extent to which Macbeth it at pains not to express it, and his desires, in words. This clause repeats in condensed form something that as theatre audience we have already seen and heard, and although it cannot be anything of which Banquo is fully conscious himself, the link is made by the audience whose collective memory is activated by what has already been said earlier about "nakedness", "frailty", and the Macbeths' capacity for "hiding" their ambitions and their actions.
We might also note the immediate realism of Banquo's utterance: nakedness (though not necessarily nudity) and frailty are features of a post-lapsarian existence, and the resultant 'weakness' that inheres in uncontrolled 'Nature', and that emerges only in the night-time is something that a little earlier in the play Banquo has asked "merciful powers" to protect him from. That Banquo's utterance is concentrated is not in doubt, but the protection that he may seek from "himself" has a very specific application, and cannot be inflated to universal proportions. Here Berger's "slit-eyed perusal" displays a certain filtering of detail, while occluding some of the historically specific cultural questions that might have formed the basis of a speculation on the sophisticated oral practices that a Jacobean audience might have been expected to bring to bear on the experience of seeing and listening.
Of course, the fun of Shakespearean interpretation is that we can quibble over particular readings, and there is a welcome tantalising energy, sometimes innocent, sometimes faintly mischievous, that runs throughout this fascinating book. And it is the example from Macbeth that crystallises a particular problem in that it seems to herald a retreat into the 'character' criticism of the last century. Berger invokes Anthony Giddens on the topic of institutional hegemony to describe "forms of consciousness involved in 'the reflexive monitoring of conduct'", but he amalgamates this, curiously, with a notion of the dramatic character's intentions and motives:
Shakespeare's texts dramatise situations in which the characters may not want to, may try not to, confront and report on "their motives". On the contrary, they may "wish" or "try" not to become aware of their motives. They may wish or try to disown knowledge. Shakespeare equips them with the ability to occlude, ignore, or forget – to disown or "disremember" – whatever interferes with their belief in a chosen discourse. (p. 11)
What he calls a discursive "practical consciousness" (his italics) that involves knowledge or belief that cannot be expressed discursively is balanced in Berger's lexicon by a "practical unconsciousness" which he claims is "a storehouse of disowned knowledge" (ibid.). This thesis has its attractions, but what in an example such as Polonius's momentary forgetfulness in Hamlet where the character/actor seems to forget his own lines (2.1.51-2) can be traced to the play's preoccupation with 'memory', is extended in Macbeth to provide an unusually candid definition of the operations of the Jacobean unconscious. Prior to the moment that Berger elucidates, and before the murder of Duncan, Banquo reveals not only how the unconscious operates, but also what its contents might be. "Those thoughts that Nature gives way to in repose" are not repressions in the Freudian sense, but suppressions, in this case of the Weird Sisters' prophesies, that in sleep would be the stuff of nightmares. Here there appears to be no discursive dislocation involved since Banquo is fully conscious of what he knows the 'unconscious' contains, and how vulnerable the state of sleep is. Nor could we say that he is somehow in denial since what Banquo is 'disowning' (perhaps in this case a better word would be 'refusal') here is not 'knowledge' but certain of the consequences that could follow from the possession of that knowledge if he were, as Macbeth later does, to act upon it.
All of this makes Berger's 'practical unconscious' rather problematical, since it invites the interpreter to enter the realm of free speculation about what the dramatic character (and the actor) may be concealing.
This is an important methodological quibble because if we accept Berger's categorisations at face value, then we give ourselves permission to slide between the demands of a formal philosophically augmented discursive analysis and a neo-Bradleyan 'character' analysis that may or may not be refurbished by the insights of psychoanalysis. Berger moves perfunctorily, though not entirely unproblematically, through Kant to a Sartrean "skew" in which he argues, "it may be necessary to curtail knowledge in order to make room for bad faith" (p. 12). It is in this way that Sartre's "inward turn" of consciousness (Being and Nothingness (1984), p. 48) can be made serviceable for Shakespeare's Venetian plays where, it is claimed, characters "curtail or disown knowledge by switching on the gestural power of the discourses stored in practical unconsciousness" (ibid.). Significantly, and to some extent reductively, it is, for Berger, characters who "switch on" or, perhaps more neutrally, disclose this "gestural power" that is the unconscious of discourse. Of course, once having identified this mobile category, then discussion, as in its Derridean mode, can go anywhere. This may not be quite what Berger intends, even though this does free him from certain textual constraints. The problem still remains, though, of distinguishing between knowledge denied (for whatever reason) to dramatic characters, but made freely available (except, perhaps, in the case of Hermione's 'death' in The Winter's Tale) to an audience or a reader. Berger's approach also raises the question of how far it is reasonable or legitimate for interpretation to speculate about the motives of fictional characters?
Both The Merchant of Venice and Othello have attracted a plethora of explanations about the 'motives' of their characters: about what they reveal, what they suppress, or indeed, about what they might repress. Throughout Berger expresses admiration for the late Janet Adelman's book, Blood Relations: Christian and Jew in The Merchant of Venice (208), a very complex and condensed account of those theological, social, and political forces that sustained late Sixteenth-century relations between the two unstable categories of 'Jew' and 'Christian.' In some respects, Berger aims at a complementary suppleness in his approach to the Venetian plays, aiming to explore what he calls "the intralocutory underground of practical unconsciousness" with a view to uncovering "the complicity of Portia and Antonio with Shylock, and of Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, and Emilia with Iago" (p. 15).
In her book, Adelman locates the difficulty between Jews and Christians in Venice in a complex Christian anxiety that is the result of moving from the religion of the Father to that of the Son, and she traces it through various theological commentaries that point to a deep unconscious affinity between Christian and Jew. Berger's version of this emerges in his focus on the 'merry bond' in The Merchant of Venice and upon Antonio's attitude towards what he calls "Shylock's outlandish terms" (p. 22). So far, so good. But things take a curiously novelistic turn when Antonio is accused of meeting the conditions of the bond "with weird alacrity" (ibid.) and that "some threat to his personal being, was what he wanted to elicit and put on display" (p. 23). Of course, what the link is between Antonio's initial expression of sadness and his acceptance of the 'merry bond' is never made clear. Indeed, it is not until Act 4, scene 1, that Antonio is prepared to sacrifice himself for Bassanio that we can talk of public display, and by that time – even though the scenario resembles a Christian agony—this is far from what Berger detects in the initial encounter with Shylock as "the embarrassing spectacle of Antonio showing off before Bassanio." It is possible, of course, to resist Berger's speculations here while at the same time agreeing with his conclusion that "Antonio is a problem" (ibid.).
This is a cue for a discussion of that perennial chestnut that Berger calls "Antonio's Blues". The dialogue signifies, to be sure, "more than generic social friction" (p. 25), and Berger's intuition that his "first impression of Shakespeare's Venice is of a community of speakers who don't particularly like or trust each other" (p. 23). Antonio's perfunctory dismissal of Salarino and Salanio (he accepts Dover Wilson's contraction of the 'three Sallies' into two) is, he argues, "his way of protecting his privacy in a nosy world where everyone gazes and squints at everyone else and entertains theories about them" (p. 25). Berger only hints at what Antonio may be protecting here, though one suspects that it supports the familiar claim that it is a 'love' that dare not speak its name. If we were being encouraged to think of Venice as a bourgeois society or as a Chekhovian location, then Berger's account would be more persuasive than it is. Venice is a republic and the issue is the vexed question of money: who lends, who borrows, and under what circumstances and with what consequences in a society where 'strangers' are supposedly welcomed. Of course, it is difficult to be certain whether Berger's translations and paraphrases of dialogue and his speculations about 'the practical unconsciousness' of characters is supposed to sit on top of the accretions that generations of critics (and he has read most of them), or whether this critical method represents a significant departure from them.
Usury is, as Berger acknowledges, an important focus in the play, but for him Antonio is caught in what he identifies as "negative usury" that involves him in giving "more than he takes by taking no more than he gives." (p.28) As Berger correctly observes, this is the structure of Marcel Mauss's 'The Gift', but projected onto Antonio (and possibly Portia) it is transformed into a form of "donation" that makes the Venetians seem even less attractive:
If usury boils down to taking more than you give, the donor's discourse is a form of negative or deferred usury: it consists of giving more than you take in a manner that makes it possible for you to end up getting more than you gave. Negative usury as a strategy aims to embarrass the victims of donation by placing them under a moral debt thy can't easily pay off, much less shake off. (p. 29)
Nor is the aside that 'usury' "in this context is metaphoric: a specific economic practice is extended to a general ethical practice" (p. 29, fn. 4) very much help here. What seems to be missing from this speculation is a larger historical context that is just as important in shaping Berger's "practical unconsciousness", a context that would extend to conventions of male friendship, the plethora of moral issues surrounding the taking of interest, and the location of Venice as a geographical space that aroused contrary political and libidinous feelings among Elizabethan commentators. As it stands Berger's "practical unconscious" turns out to involve a particularly devious form of protecting personal privacy. Again it is the case that the play continually exposes the difference between what seems to be and what is – nowhere more problematically than in Bassanio's comments about female temptation immediately before making his casket choice in Act 3, scene 2. We might further enquire what the grounds are for claiming that Bassanio is in any way an 'embarrased' victim of Antonio's donation (p. 29) beyond a psychological speculation concerning the structure of the Maussian 'gift'. As a prodigal aristocrat, the 'Lord' Bassanio appears to be unembarrassable, even when at the end of the play he is confronted with his broken oath to Portia, and even though the gift of her ring to Bassanio tars her with the same brush as that used to decorate or embellish Antonio's financial donation (pp. 30-1). In circumstances like this, a pragmatic psychology threatens to reduce to an innovative pragmatic psychology, what might have developed as an intricate historical enquiry. This may be, what motivates actors, and it may also be what entertains modern audiences, but it falls a little short of elucidating what we try to identify as the text's discourses, which in the case of The Merchant of Venice are not always that clear or indeed consistent.
In what Berger takes to be the competition between Antonio and Portia for Bassanio, Portia comes out looking more like the scheming Venetian housewife than the 'golden fleece' that Salerio (and Bassanio) takes her for. Indeed, she 'embarrasses' Bassanio and Antonio, and her "O love, dispatch all business and begone" (3.2.320) is interpreted by Berger as "an act of generosity" but in a "skirmish" in which "the gesture of donation trounces that of the self-sacrificial victim" (p. 33). Berger is entitled to resist the "Platonising" of the description of the friendship between Antonio and Bassanio but he takes her reference to "this Antonio" at 3.4.16 as further evidence that she is "at war with Antonio" – he inflects this deictic phrase with a paraphrase that hovers between a conscious strategy and the practical unconscious: "(Whoever he is)" (pp. 34-5). There is something odd going on in the play at this point. We can accept, perhaps with some reservation, Berger's reading of her dismissal of her "latest good deed" as "a self-conscious gesture of embarrassment uttered as a reflex to her auto-laudatory outburst" (p. 35), but can we forget that the Portia who is speaking at Act 3, scene 4.10-21, is the very same person who two scenes earlier had submitted herself "to be directed, / As from her lord, her governor, her king" (3.2.164-5). It may indeed be the case that Bassanio's request for the means to save Antonio follows immediately behind his acquisition of Portia's riches, and that this might be the cause of some embarrassment on his part. But just how manipulative is Portia being at this point? For her Antonio is a mirror image of Bassanio and is therefore someone to whom she feels justified in extending her 'love'. If we read this triangular relationship against the grain then a fault-line emerges that opens up the difference between homosocial and heterosexual relationship, and of the kind that Shakespeare explored with greater subtlety, and even greater candour, in the opening scene of The Winter's Tale. Berger develops this into what he calls "a battle for competitive donation" (p. 67), a version of René Girard's 'mimetic desire,' that makes for a much darker play altogether.
For Berger, if we view the ensuing court proceedings through the eyes of the disguised Portia then we "must share her embarrassment" caused "by the husband with whom she has contracted to share life after Happy Ending, and by the professional scapegoat he is attached to" (p. 36). This is to make a soap opera out of a scene that seems to be deliberately constructed to suggest a repetition of the foundational moment of Christianity, and to risk secularising what is probably the most serious moment in the play. Of course that seriousness is never allowed to prevail since the wager that Portia and Nerissa place on Antonio's freedom will be Bassanio's (and Gratiano's) marital fidelity.
All this is not to dispute that there is something very odd going in the Venice and Belmont of this play. And while we may quibble over some of the particular readings offered by Berger, and speculate about the operations of his own practical unconscious, what cannot be disputed is the inventive manner in which he sets about his task. His account of The Merchant of Venice is eclectic, resourceful, and inventive, unearthing issues that taken collectively make this play even more problematical than critics have found it.
Berger is on surer ground in his account of Othello largely because this play deliberately invites speculation about motive and action much more clearly than in The Merchant of Venice. Here we are invited to evaluate empirical evidence, albeit from a position in which as audience we come to occupy an increasing omniscient position. Berger is correct to observe the play's "comic backwash lengthening in the wake of The Merchant of Venice" (pp. 87-8), but the claim that "the embarrassing protagonist" that Othello replaces is Bassanio" (p.88) is more questionable. The link between the two plays raises some interesting questions about what constitutes a Shakespearean 'source' beyond what Berger supplies. Indeed, Shakespeare takes from the earlier play the Lorenzo-Jessica parallel plot and fuses it with the Portia-Morocco episode, steering the action away from its venal emphasis in order to expose another facet of Venice's treatment of the figure of the 'stranger'. Moreover, it is only if we accept Berger's structure of 'embarrassment' in the earlier play, that his claim that, here it is Desdemona who is "the embarrassee" (p. 88) can be made to stick. The book as a whole takes its title from Desdemona's puzzlement at Othello's accusatory 'words' and seeks to probe what separates them from Othello's "fury". And it is this that prompts further investigation into the 'practical unconscious' of Venetian discourse.
Berger is preoccupied initially with the play's withholding of information about Cassio's role in Othello's courtship of Desdemona (pp. 90-91), and this is one of a number of questions of the withholding of information that emerge in the play. At this point Girard's triangulated 'dance' of mimetic desire is invoked to explain Othello's deployment of a go-between, and here the explanation extends beyond the confines of the play; in Act 3, scene 3, "we learn for the first time that the three principals have been choreographed in René Girard's dance of mimetic desire since before the play began" (p. 91). There is a danger with this kind of reasoning since it smacks of the "how many children had Lady Macbeth" question. There is also other information that only emerges, as it were, tangentially, one of the most important being the uncertain role that Brabantio played in Othello's courtship of his daughter. We see Brabantio in two 'states': in the first he refuses to believe Iago and Roderigo, but once he succumbs to the carefully engineered 'proof' we see him ventriloquising the attitude of Iago. On occasions of this kind, Berger seems to be more fascinated by psychological generalisation – by what he thinks that people generally would do in these situations—than he is by the dramatic context that over-determines the characters' positions. What happens in Venice could happen, the assumption seems to be, behind the picket fences of middle America and/or in the ingenious plots of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. But this should not be allowed to denigrate the kinds of questions that Berger asks. We might be persuaded by the claim that "since Othello is an outsider who lacks confidence, he resorts to a go-between, and he sees in Cassio everything that he himself is not: white, young, handsome, elegant, always at ease among the likes of Desdemona" (p. 91). Except that this is not what Desdemona says when asked to justify herself, and it is not what Othello thinks until Iago has made him think again about his wife's fidelity. Berger invokes the support of Grahame Bradshawe who in Misrepresentations: Shakespeare and the Materialists (1993) observes that the news of Cassio's role in Othello's courtship "is news to Iago as well as to spectators and readers" because it forces them "to reconsider, re-evaluate, reinterpret everything that has occurred since the beginning of the play" (My italics). But this is exactly the point, and lest we get too quickly sucked into the racist, misogynistic, patriarchal discourse of Venice, we are given two early demonstrations of the dangers of making up our minds prematurely: the one, as we observe Brabantio's inadequate empirical investigation, and the deadly conclusion to which it will eventually lead, and the other as we observe the Duke receiving different kinds of information before deciding on a sound naval strategy against an external enemy, the Turks. To extend the enquiry beyond the play is to risk falling ourselves into the trap that Iago sets for all of the main characters in this drama. The point also is, surely, that insignificant details, such as Desdemona's comment to Othello in Iago's presence about Cassio's services as go-between, can be turned inside out by a character who has is accused by his wife of his having had "some such squire…That turned your wit the seamy side without" (4.2.147-8). Desdemona is unaware of the semantic 'play' of language nor is Othello until 'honest' Iago has got to work on him. She is also unaware of the significance of the handkerchief until Othello discloses it to her.
It is these discordances within the play that indeed do prompt the sorts of questions that Berger asks, although the range of possible answers serve to exacerbate the mobility of what he calls the 'practical unconscious'. There is, to be sure, a very real tension that surrounds "the contrast between silence and openness in the play" (p. 98), but there is also the danger that the notion of conspiracy is carried just a little too far. For all its curious narrative inconsistencies, indeed, perhaps, in spite of them, each of these events, and the information that they yield is very carefully contextualised. Already by Act 1, scene 3, Berger is prepared to side with Iago against Othello. Again it is the case that everything Iago says throughout the play "contains a grain of truth" (p. 106). The question is: do we seek for the grain of 'truth' in everything that those who come into contact with Iago say? And how do we judge what to include and what to omit? Berger's conclusion seems to be that we cannot distinguish because everything assumes a primary importance thereby justifying a series of separate enquiries into behaviour and motive; for example, Othello is as 'bombastic' as Iago says he is, and this becomes evidence of his 'embarrassment', and much follows from that premature conclusion. What seems to be missing from this is the way in which insinuated 'information' can colour our perception. We need to wait, like the Duke, before making up our minds.
Desdemona is at the heart of Berger's account of the play, and he characterises her as "'a deserving woman' confident in the fidelity of her love but confident also in the power of the sexuality she controls" (p. 110). Critics have for some time tried to square the self-possessed figure of Act 1, scene 3, who sees Othello's "visage in his mind" (1.3.254) with the figure who exchanges bawdy banter with Iago at Act 2, scene 1. This difficulty could be further expanded by drawing in the figure at Act 4, scene 3, who, after she has been spurned by Othello asks Emilia if "there be such women do abuse their husbands / In such kind?" (4.3.61-2). The apparent inconsistence here is odd, but it does resemble Othello's own acceptance of Iago's 'honesty' while at the same time recognising that the latter's body language are "tricks of custom" that are available to "a false disloyal knave," but in "a man that's just / They're close denotements, working from the heart, / That passion cannot rule." (4.3.124-7). The point is, surely, that Othello and Iago are not what they seem, the one by nature and the other by design. Othello's empiricism seems to be deficient, in that he sees only one side of his 'ensign', whereas Iago can fabricate evidence to sustain particular partisan viewpoint. If Desdemona and Cassio get drawn into this complex web of deceit it is surely not because they themselves have hidden agendas, but because their open gestures can be manufactured to fit Iago's narrative. Desdemona is emphatically not a Venetian housewife, though she can acknowledge the type. Consequently, when Othello, under Iago's tutelage describes her as "that cunning whore of Venice" (4.2.92), it is after she has been forced to defend herself against his ruthless Iago-like deconstruction of particular elements her own discourse.
Cassio is an even trickier case because his courtier-like behaviour can be interpreted both ways. Also, his mysterious liaison with the suggestively named Bianca does little to stabilise our perception of him. The intricate web that Berger weaves – and he is able to find ample critical evidence to support his arguments – raises the question of how far his own interpretation is dependent upon the perspective that Iago persistently insinuates. For example, can we say objectively that "the politesse of erotic insinuation remains the active core of all Cassio's graduated performances"? (p. 111). Perhaps we should remember that Desdemona is no Isabella confronted with a duplicitous Angelo, nor does she give Othello substantial cause to think that she might be. Both hers and Cassio's gestures are persistently judged by onstage and offstage audiences, and there is a discrepancy between what one interpretation fabricates, and what the other knows. If we, or readers, take our cue from Iago then we become complicit in the fate of Desdemona. Berger is right, in the case of Cassio to suggest that what may from one perspective be a flirtation with Emilia at 2.1.97-99 is part of a general strategy whereby "he busily extends his manners downward" (p. 111). But surely, in the presence of Iago almost every character is persuaded to "extend" their "manners downwards" none more so than Emilia herself in Act 5, scene 1, when she puts her finger exactly on what it is that over-determines female subjectivity: "Then let them use us well: else let them know, / The ills we do, their ills instruct us so" (5.1.101-2). This process of shaping response permeates the play, and cannot, it seems to me, be replaced by some autonomous motivation the search for whose origins can be undertaken relatively independently from the dramatic complex structure that imposes certain parameters upon meaning. The Gordian knot that Berger expertly, and tantalisingly weaves intertwines the motivation for the actor's realisation in performance (and perhaps 'reading' as species of performance) of the character's motivations, with the textual web of significations that point to an historical 'practical unconscious' that envelops and over-determines their artificial behaviour. The two do not always coincide.
Berger's treatment of Desdemona offers an insight into drift of his speculations. He asserts that after her admission of the apparent misplacement of her handkerchief Desdemona's "heated exchange with Othello displays an interest in keeping him angry, but angry on her terms, not his." Even more, he suggests that Desdemona harps on Cassio in this exchange almost purposely, as part of a domestic quarrel that "has everything to do with gender – with the struggle of will between her and Othello – and nothing to do with sex."
Berger suggests further that her behaviour, or as he puts it, "her strategy is consistent with and reinforces her refusal to acknowledge Othello's jealousy" (p. 160). This is not unreasonable, but what follows makes of Desdemona's approach a demonstration of wilful stupidity in that "the refusal is self-blinding. It accompanies behaviour that seems, even more perversely, to arouse and intensify the jealousy she refuses to acknowledge, the jealousy that gives her vantage, if not to exclaim on Othello, then to dramatise her injured merit" (pp. 160-1). Since Berger's initial concern was with discourse, then what this reveals is the gap between Othello's appropriation of Iago's reductively masculine view of Venetian women, and Desdemona's innocent, and not unreasonable insistence that Othello rectify his decision in relation to Cassio. What Desdemona does not know at this point (but we do) is what has happened to make her husband think that she has been unfaithful. Of course, Desdemona is concerned to justify her innocence, but that surely is the extent of her own "self-justification". She certainly does, as Berger indicates, refuse to "acknowledge the jealousy" but she couples it, we are told, "with her persistence in rubbing the salt of Cassio into its wound" (p. 161). Berger brings two separate observations into a causal relation with each other and the linear connection implies that Desdemona is guilty of something. There are plenty of instances in Shakespeare where characters talk past each other, and where the issue is competing meanings. Few have such tragic consequences as in Othello. But Berger suggests that there is a further depth beneath discourse (something perhaps not too dissimilar from the Lacanian 'real') that haunts this play. If the kaleidoscope is shaken in one direction then it reveals a Kristevan pattern, if in another direction, then a Girardian triangulation of mimetic desire, if from another, then it is how all couples behave in fraught domestic situations. Berger's reading is so democratic in this respect that the reader can take his/her pick, and this is part of the appeal of this book.
While there are plenty of grounds for disagreement with aspects of Berger's suggestive linking of The Merchant of Venice and Othello, he goes out of his way to engage in collegial discussion. There is also much to agree with, and that provides a balance that is clearly designed to stimulate further thought. Berger is a free spirit who speaks as he finds, is prepared to reveal his own eclectic critical predilections and who does not appear to mind if his readers turn his theory of the 'practical unconscious' back upon him. But what shines from every page in this detailed and complicated argument is the passionate and enthusiastic desire to debate, a rare phenomenon in an academic world that is in danger of forsaking its pursuit of knowledge for a drab and vulgar professionalism. This is a book that anybody interested in these two puzzling yet thoroughly engrossing plays absolutely needs to read. Its delightful irritations, provocations, cajolements, and its traversals of the minute detail of the criticism that these plays have attracted over the last half-century cannot but excite the reader or the spectator, and there is also much food for thought for the actor.


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Biography of Wole Soyinka
A bibliography of Wole Soyinka, provided by the Nobel Prize Foundation.
Recent news on Wole Soyinka
The Guardian's compilation of recent articles on Wole Soyinka and his work.
History of Nigeria
A brief history of Nigeria; the "British Colonial Rule" and "Independence" sections are most relevant to Soyinka's play.
An Interview with Wole Soyinka
An Al-Jazeera segment on Wole Soyinka's life, in which Soyinka discusses his role in politics and literature.
Prize and Prejudice: Reactions to the Award of the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature to Wole Soyinka, particularly in the British Press
An academic article examining reactions to Soyinka's Nobel Prize award.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Yesterday, Julie and I visited J.Crew's corporate headquarters to view their new fall bridal styles. J.Crew is really expanding their wedding collection—they're opening their first bridal atelier on Madison Avenue in New York in early June (featuring not only bridal gowns but bridesmaid dresses, rehearsal dinner looks, and more), collaborating with milliner Leah C. for a line of headpieces, and working with Miriam Haskell to create some amazing jewelry. Plus, their new collection of dresses (all under $3,000) is absolutely stunning—from short, sparkly cocktail frocks to flowy, ruffled gowns in luxurious fabrics. The best part? Once you order a gown from J.Crew, you'll receive it in about a week—perfect for last-minute brides. And for bridesmaids, there's a new range of styles—from floral printed looks to beautifully draped chiffon styles. Visit jcrew.com to view their current collection, and check back in June for their newest styles. —Kim Forrest


text:
Summer is in full swing, with some rather miserable temperatures happening over the last week. Truthfully, I tend to spend most of July and August inside dreaming about cool fall days ahead.
There's a bit of Patagonia gear happening in my summer upgrades. All great signs for a prepared fall season on the road.
Patagonia Long Sleeve Fjord Flannel Shirt
Each year, around my birthday, Patagonia releases their new flannels. And I immediately buy two or three before my size runs out. The Fjord Flannel is a staple piece of clothing for me and is their thicker flannel option. If you see me anytime between late September and April, there's a good chance I will be wearing a Patagonia flannel :) This year, I purchased two and saved my remaining flannel money stash for the next upgrade.
Patagonia Heywood Flannel Shirt
New this year is a lighter flannel shirt by Patagonia. I purchased one Heywood Flannel to give it a test this season and see if there's applicable use for having a lighter version. Already feeling confident this will become a new favorite piece of clothing for not so cold days.
Fitbit Charge HR™
While traveling around this spring, my Fitbit Charge began to show some age. The latching mechanism sometimes came undone, landing in a puddle or on the ground where I then stepped on it. Admittedly, I'm pretty rough on this piece of gear and fully expect to replace it every two years. The time had come and it made a great opportunity to upgrade to the version with heart rate tracking. I have SVT and often take a quick pulse while out hiking and exploring. So far, the results on my wrist have been fairly accurate and saves me some counting!
KEEN Big Kid's Newport H2
Allow me to have zero shame in buying kid's shoes. During the tail end of my spring road trip, I stepped in a HUGE wad of gum at a rest stop in South Carolina while wearing my five-plus year old KEEN's. Don't spit gum on the ground! Could I have gotten all the sticky, lime green gum out of every tiny crevice of the sandal? Maybe. Since they were already on my replacement gear list for 2016, opting for a new pair was a better option. Plus, buying a kid's size saves a bit on the overall cost.
Patagonia Black Hole™ Wheeled Duffel Bag 45L
My biggest upgrade was a new wheeled duffel bag for road trips. And it was on sale big time. All my other duffel bags are REI brand and they are fantastic. Since this Patagonia bag was on sale, with similar features and capacity, it was a great option for my upcoming fall road trip. I'm trying to move toward traveling with two or three small bags during long road trips, instead of one small and one really large. It makes packing and unpacking much simpler and allows for more configuration with available trunk space.
Unlike my spring upgrades, these were all personal purchases. A few are already getting steady use, while the others will become part of everyday life as summer fades into fall.
As always, this is not an advertisement or paid endorsement for any of the products, companies or brands noted. Each was paid for with hard earned money and are items I truly love and use :) Direct links not in place since they may expire. Each website has a search feature to easily find the exact item noted above.


text:
Milestones achieved, goals still to be reached
I have been working hard to get pieces in place for Udemy's Black Friday promotions. I've got five courses published.
I have been working hard to get pieces in place for Udemy's Black Friday promotions. I've got five courses published.
I had just a short time to do a bike workout today and headed to the fitness center in the afternoon. I did my first 10-20-30 type of workout. For minutes, I did 30 seconds at less than 100 watts, 20 seconds at around 150 watts and 10 seconds at an unknown wattage. The gears for the respective intervals were 5, 10 and 20. When I was in gear 20 the speed read in the range of 25 mph.
I think that 15 minutes was a good start for this workout. I think 30 minutes would have been too much.
I ended up just picking Eli up in the chariot after school for my workout today. I didn't even workout at all yesterday. I'm a little anxious about how much fitness I'm losing, but also enjoying a little bit of a breather. I think I've still got a bit of time that I can relax before I need to get back to more structure and volume.
I was very productive in making some great progress on my next Udemy course this morning. I had intended to ride with a cycling group today. Instead I just got back from an easy one hour ride. I think that it's a better balance that I allowed the bike ride to take a back seat. I will be very happy when I get this next course published.
This morning I decided that I was going to stay focused today and finally finish my third Udemy course and submit it for review. I invested 9.6 hours to get it done, but I succeeded! I feel so good right now.
Lana and I really want to have a drug-free, natural childbirth at Mountain Midwifery Center. However, right now our son is in the Frank breech position. We had an ultrasound yesterday that confirmed it. Furthermore, the doctor said that there is not a lot of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby, which means that it is unlikely that the baby will turn (or can be made to turn).
Lana and I have lived in Colorado just a few days more than four years; we arrived here on August 3, 2006. In June of 2006 we made the decision that we wanted to make the move. At the time we originally decided to move we did not have jobs in the state. But, we were confident that we would find a way to make ends meet. Both of us were teachers, although I had just been non-renewed at my first teaching position. So, we reasoned that if we could not get full-time teaching offers, we could substitute teach.
I think that most people would agree that I march to a different drummer -- maybe not 100% of the time, but more than most others do or are willing to. This is a tendency that has continued to manifest itself to a greater extent as I have gotten older, much to the concern of some of those in my life. Part of my desire to march to my own drummer is that I want to feel a sense of control over my life. In an effort to exercise that control I have been willing to take certain risks. A case in point is my current employment situation.


text:
The Red Sea is a
very special place for those who like to SCUBA dive or snorkel. There
are many highlights of Egypt underwater,
including a large number of species which are found only here, or in the
neighbouring Gulf of Aden, as well as a wide variety of animals which have
a wider distribution. The main reason why there's so much unusual
wildlife here is that the Red Sea is almost fully enclosed, except for
a very narrow opening at its southern end. Very little
water enters from the Indian ocean and this, combined with the tropical
heat and the complete absence of any rivers flowing into this body of water
makes the Red Sea saltier than most seawater. Although it gets
very hot in summer, in winter the temperature dips quite deeply, and so
the Red Sea is actually too cold for some types of marine life, such as
sea snakes.
There's a wealth of colourful fish species here, many of them endemic to the area. One example of this is the different butterflyfishes which live here, such as the Red Sea melon butterflyfish, Red Sea raccoon butterflyfish, the red-backed butterflyfish and the masked or blue-cheek butterflyfish, all of which are found only in a restricted range centered around the Red Sea.


text:
Suppliers, Competitors Balk at Wal-Mart's RFID LeadBy Jacqueline Emigh | Print
Desktop-as-a-Service Designed for Any Cloud ? Nutanix Frame
Wal-Mart has reaped much attention over a timetable set to force product suppliers to use RFID wireless tracking technology. But analysts say the rest of industry isn't really ready to play 'follow the leader.'Many companies have queued up quickly behind retail giant's Wal-Mart's RFID mandate. But others now look much less willing to toe the line. Certainly the impact of RFID will be large, industry watchers predict, however, the technology will hardly hit all at once, despite the best plans of Wal-Mart.
Since Wal-Mart Stores Inc. issued its original RFID edict, companies such as Target Brands Inc., Albertsons Inc. and Best Buy Co. Inc. have all followed suit with their own initiatives. Insider reports suggest that Kroger Co. and CVS Corp. hold similar plans.
On the other hand, some of Wal-Mart's other competitors, including Circuit City Stores Inc., are adamant about setting their own timetables.
Significant barriers to RFID include pricing and accuracy, he said. "One of these [barriers] needs to go down. The other needs to go up. Successful read rates [for RFID tags] are still only in the high 80s to low 90s."
As Circuit City sees it, RFID is only part of what Jones calls "the whole wireless opportunity." During an upcoming pilot of supply chain technology with IBM, Circuit City will compare a Linux operating system vs. Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP as a platform for retail sales associates.
In addition, the evaluation could include wireless POS (point-of-sale) terminals, Jones said. But when asked if RFID will be part of Circuit City's technology test, the answer was negative.
Meanwhile, product suppliers have little choice but to adhere to Wal-Mart's RFID edictor pay convincing lip service to it, at least, analysts said.
At a suppliers' meeting early this summer, Wal-Mart unveiled bold plans to expand upon its initial RFID rollout, adding 100 more retail stores by June, 2005, and 350 more stores by October of the next year.
But despite Wal-Mart's staunch outward appearance, some analysts are picking up signs that the mandate might now be wavering a bit in the face of implementation costs, technical limitations and overall industry foot-dragging.
The RFID industry is buzzing with controversy over one company's plan to pursue RFID patent fees. Click here to read more.
"We've been perceiving that Wal-Mart might have started to soften its stance," said Andrew Bartels, vice president at Forrester Research Inc., of Cambridge, Mass.
David Schrier, an analyst at Oyster Bay, N.Y.-based ABI Research, drew a similar observation during a recent industry Webcast last week. In early trials with suppliers, Wal-Mart has started to recognize some of the challenges posed by RFID, he said. Schrier considered this to be particularly true at the item level, as opposed to palette- and carton-level RFID, which is easier to implement.
Still, even if Wal-Mart keeps sticking to its guns, there are practical restrictions on how fast suppliers can respond, according to Bruce Hudson, analyst at Meta Group Inc, of Stamford, Conn.
"Forced adoption doesn't always work. Companies will move to RFID at the rate at which business processes can change," Hudson said in an interview with eWEEK.com.
Along the same lines, analysts said that even initially reluctant suppliers will leap to RFID, just as soon as profitability is here.
IBM, Microsoft and Oracle have started piloting RFID software with their customers. Click here to read more.
For IT providers, analysts predict rampant opportunities around RFID, across categories ranging from cards and reader hardware to middleware, supply chain software applications, systems integration, and global cargo tracking infrastructure.
However, analysts see RFID as unfolding in a series of waves, with RFID hardware striking first. Moreover, RFID is envisioned as catching on much earlier in certain vertical industry segmentssuch as automotive and pharmaceuticalthan others.
Check out eWEEK.com's Supply Chain Management & Logistics Center for the latest news and analysis of enterprise supply chains.
What Partners Need to Know About HP, ...In the channel, HP, Inc. is a storied vendor that has relationships...
Watch Now


text:
CANNABIS CULTURE – Canada's largest and highest marijuana trade show, the Treating Yourself Expo, held its 3rd-Annual event last weekend at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and Cannabis Culture camera's were there to capture all the fun.
The convention centre was packed for three days with hundreds of pot-related vendors, activists, media companies, seed companies and some of the best and brightest of Canada's cannabis community.
Check out three days of photos by CC editor Jeremiah Vandermeer in the galleries below on on the Cannabis Culture Flickr page.
Read more about the Treating Yourself Expo on CC.
TY Expo 2012 – Day 1
TY Expo 2012 – Day 2
TY Expo 2012 – Day 3
Jeremiah Vandermeer is editor of Cannabis Culture. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.


text: To boost up and get better sales optimization for your online business I just want to share these tips. 1. Build a Visible Webpage: In essence, your business website creates distinctiveness of your business online. Grab the opportunity to make it visible for viewers and at the same time can provide valuable information that they might be looking for. 2. Inclusive Assessment of the Website: The whole website is weighed up to track together the admission and way out points of all viewers while exploring your webpage. Preferably, do not make viewers be overwhelmed by too much designs, the most important thing is to provide them what they actually need. 3. Providing better usability: Your website's functionality is very important and greatly affects the performance of your online business. The information acquired after exploring the website is utilized to develop your website effectively. Hope these could help=) Regards, Jason


text:
Freecharge Razorpay Offer – Get 5% Cashback Upto Rs.50
Page Contents
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text:
Cool Songs from Cult Bands ( 60's & 70's)
"A wayward soul searching for lost pearls in an ocean of wine, women and song…" FL
Fotheringay (1970) – Winter Winds (Sandy Denny)
Winter winds they do blow cold,
The time of year, it is chosen.
Now the frost and fire,
And now the sea is frozen.
He who sleeps he does not see
The coming of the seasons,
The filling of a dream
Without a time to reason.
When she walks through evil
O'er the paths of broken illusions,
Carefully now she lives,
For she has mended her confusion.
Fotheringay was a short-lived British folk rock group, formed in 1970 by singer Sandy Denny on her departure from Fairport Convention.
The band drew its name from her 1968 composition "Fotheringay" about Fotheringhay Castle, in which Mary, Queen of Scots had been imprisoned. The song originally appeared on the 1969 Fairport Convention album, "What We Did on Our Holidays", Denny's first album with that group.
The song is about Mary, Queen of Scots, who after being overthrown by Scottish nobles and forced to abdicate and flee to England for safety, was imprisoned by Elizabeth I for 19 years, and moved from remote estate to estate to prevent assistance reaching her.
After attracting several Catholic plots? to murder Elizabeth and put her (Mary) on the throne, she was eventually tried and found guilty of treason -even though she was not an English subject- and beheaded at Fotheringay Castle.(Robert from Glasgow)
Years active 1970–1971 – Island Records
styles: British Folk – British Folk-Rock
Folk-Rock – Psychedelic/Garage
Sandy Denny
Trevor Lucas
Gerry Conway
Jerry Donahue
Pat Donaldson
"When Sandy Denny departed Fairport Convention, insisting that she wanted to concentrate upon her own songwriting rather than pursue the band's exploration of traditional English music, she never meant she also intended abandoning the folk idiom itself. Although all but two of the songs on this, her first post-Fairport project, are indeed original compositions, it is readily apparent that, like former bandmate Richard Thompson, her greatest talents lay distinctly within the same traditions as the poets and balladeers of earlier centuries, while the fact that fully one-half of Fotheringay itself would eventually join Fairport illustrates the care that went into the band's formation. Even the group's name resonates — "Fotheringay" was also one of Denny's best-loved Fairport songs. Listening to the album, too, one can see and hear the mothership all over the show, from the tight dynamics of "The Sea" to the simple beauty of "Winter Winds" and on to the showpiece "Banks of the Nile," a Napoleonic Wars-era ballad set firmly in the storytelling mold of "A Sailor's Life," "Tam Linn," and the post-Denny Fairport's own "Bonnie Bunch of Roses." The presence of producer Joe Boyd and guest vocalist Linda Peters complete the sense of a family affair". Dave Thompson
Fotheringay – Fotheringay (1970)
1-Nothing More (Sandy Denny)
2-The Sea (Sandy Denny)
3-The Ballad of Ned Kelly (Trevor Lucas)
"Such is Life" Ned (Mick Jagger)
4-Winter Winds (Sandy Denny)
5-Peace in the End (Sandy Denny / Trevor Lucas)
6-The Way I Feel (Gordon Lightfoot)
7-The Pond and the Stream (Sandy Denny)
8-Too Much of Nothing (Bob Dylan)
9-Banks of the Nile (Traditional)
10-Two Last Weeks in Summer (Dave Cousins)
11- Gypsy Davey (Traditional)
"…Go away from me, Lady, Go away from me! There's not a man in all Strathdon Shall married be with me, with me, married be with me. Go fetch me a horse, And fetch it like a man, And send me back to my mother A maiden as I came, I came A maiden as? I came." Lovely Sandy (lady sonja)
Sandy Denny – Peace in the End
Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) with Sandy Denny


text:
'Frankenweenie' Terrorizes (Adorably!) with Six New Retro-Inspired Posters
Tim Burton's 'Frankenweenie' hits theaters this Friday, and we've got six brand new posters for the film -- with a twist! These posters have an old school monster movie style that's just too darn cute to ignore and fits right in with the film's nostalgic aesthetic.
These six posters for 'Frankenweenie' feature all of the film's "monsters" -- the result of a little science gone awry. When young Victor Frankenstein's dog, Sparky, is hit by a car, the boy decides to revive him with the help of a little lightning. It works, but his classmates are quick to uncover his secret and decide to revive their own dead pets, to disastrous -- and hilarious -- results.
Below you can get a peek at Sparky and Victor, as well as the other reanimated companions, like Shelly the turtle, the mummified hamster, a were-rat, and a flying vampire cat. The cat in particular is one of the best parts of the film, and its quirky owner -- voiced by Catherine O'Hara -- is one of those memorable supporting characters that'll leave you wanting more.
'Frankenweenie' also features the voice talents of Winona Ryder, Martin Landau, Martin Short, and newcomer Charlie Tahan. It's also the closest we'll get to old school Tim Burton, so get your butts to the theater to see the cutesy, kooky flick this weekend.


text:
I'm totally envious of Lauren's Paris time, but I probably shouldn't be since my past week has looked roughly like this:
That was a much needed vacation. I'd tell you about it, but all I did was eat, sleep, drink, read, swim, and hang out with Alex. In other words, it was heaven and I'm afraid if I go into too much detail you'll fly into a jealous rage.
So I'll stop.
I'll tell you more about my food and cooking philosophy instead. I haven't talked about it much since Lauren already knows how I think food-wise and I'm fairly certain that our mothers are this blog's only readers – but it's important stuff. In short, I make a huge effort to eat local, sustainably grown food. I care so much about this that I choose local over organic every time. I don't eat much meat, but when I do I get something that's not pumped full of antibiotics and hormones.
My food habits change dramatically depending on the season. In the winter I tend to eat meat more (about once a week) and rely more on grocery stores – there just isn't that much local produce available in NYC in February and if I bought solely from the greenmarkets I think I'd end up with malnutrition. It isn't until April or May that they start to offer something besides root veg, and so spring is when Lauren and I resume our Saturday morning market trips (in the winter these turn into Saturday morning coffee and gossiping trips, or waffle and bacon brunches).
Summer and fall are when things really get exciting on the food front. For the past four years I've been a member of a Community Sponsored Agriculture, or CSA, group. In March I pay them a lump sum (which works out to $30/week) in exchange for several months' of locally grown veggies, fruit, and eggs. I pick up a share every Tuesday afternoon between June and November and, honestly, the pickup is one of the highlights of my week each time. I almost never know what I'm going to get, but I do always know that the food is going to be plentiful and delicious – and that it's going to be great fun figuring out my week's menus on the fly.
This is a process that I'm going to start documenting here. I'll take a picture of my share's contents each week – starting with yesterday's haul, the first of the season – and describe what I got. Then I'll give three other lists: first, to tell what I had left over from the previous week that needs to be worked into meals; second, to tell you what I bought at the store or greenmarket to supplement the CSA's offerings; and thirdly, the meals I prepared with the bounty I received.
Let's get to it!
This week:
head of green lettuce
bunch scallions
bunch radishes (with greens)
2 bunches arugula
bunch Red Russian kale
bok choy
1 dozen eggs
Leftover veggies from last week: nothing, since we were on vacation, though I did have a couple lemons survive our absence by hibernating in the fridge.
Bought to supplement (so far): tofu, onion, garlic, 2 pints blueberries, 1 dozen eggs (bought for hard boiling, because the CSA eggs are too fresh to hard boil until next week – they won't peel well if I don't wait).
What I've eaten (so far):
Radish greens and arugula pesto (one serving, cobbled together for my lunch today)
Tonight's dinner will be a bok choy and tofu stir-fry (assuming our critters don't eat all our greens before I can get to them….)


text: Keita Sakon, MD Location: Salem Health Midwives & OB/GYN 875 Oak St. SE Building C STE 5030 Salem OR 97301 Fax: (503) 814-4482 Specialty / Area of Practice: Obstetrics & Gynecology 503-814-4480 BIO Dr. Sakon practiced ob/gyn in Las Vegas, Nevada, for 12 years prior to relocating to Salem. He believes in providing patients with varying approaches to patient care, but ultimately having patients take responsibility and get involved in their own health and well being. When he is not caring for patients, he is active outside playing soccer in indoor league, cycling, skiing, and paragliding. Education Medical school: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Residency Training: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Clinical Interests Dr. Sakon has a special interest in minimally invasive surgery including DaVinci Robotic surgery, as well as treatment of abnormal cervical cytology. Certifications American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital and Clinic Affliations Salem Hospital


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This is an activity about electromagnetism and the Sun. First, learners will do a KWL activity using six vocabulary words. Next, they will build an electromagnet and investigate how it works. Finally, learners will relate the workings of their... (View More) electromagnet to a Solar Dynamics Observatory magnetogram image of the Sun. Per group of learners, this activity requires materials such as a length of insulated wire, alligator clips, a 2-D-battery holder, two D-batteries, and a nail. (View Less)
In this lesson, learners will first use computers to research and learn how solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. Next, they will calculate the surface area of solar panels board a satellite and their total power generated in various... (View More) positions of the satellite, given the dimension of the panels. After, learners will organize and write a report summarizing the information about the MMS mission satellites. This activity requires student access to internet accessible computers. This is lesson four of the MMS Mission Educator's Instructional Guide, which uses examples from the mission to introduce mathematics (focusing on geometry) in a real-world context. The lessons use the 5E instructional cycle. Note: MMS launched March 12, 2015. For the latest science and news, visit the MMS Mission Website under Related & Supplemental Resources (right side of this page). (View Less)
This is a building-wide enrichment program consisting of a series of posters and accompanying questions designed to pique student interest in science concepts and their application to the world in which we live. Accompanying each poster is a series... (View More) of question sheets of increasing difficulty levels that students answer and submit at a designated location (collection box, office, etc.). Random prize drawings can be used to recognize/celebrate student participation. The purpose is to expose students to and create school-wide interest about science so students want to "STOP for Science" as displays are changed throughout the year. Although the focus is building-wide, content can be linked to classrooms through use of accompanying teacher resource guides. The website includes several resources for program facilitators, including posters, answer sheets, podcasts, implementation guide and webinars for facilitators. The program targets grades 3-6 for independent use, but can be used with grades K-2 with adult or upper grade level assistance. Each poster in the series stands alone and is not tied to concepts in other posters. Therefore, posters can be displayed in any sequence desired. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Free per group of students
In this lesson, learners will discover how certain snakes (pit-vipers) can find prey using a natural infrared sensor and will extend their understandings by exploring infrared technology applications. The lesson features background information for... (View More) the teacher, pre-requisite skills and knowledge for the student, a mini-exploration of infrared image technology, multiple image sets, assessment information, student worksheets, extension and transfer activities, and additional resources. This is lesson 2 on the Infrared Zoo website. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $1 - $5 per group of students
In this multi-day activity, students use infrared and visible images of animals and sort them into broad categories based upon the learner's own reasoning and observations of the images. Further explorations reveal that warm and cold-blooded animals... (View More) can be identified and characterized using infrared images. The lesson features background information for the teacher, pre-requisite skills and knowledge for the student, a mini-exploration of Infrared Image Technology, multiple image sets, assessment information, student worksheets, extension and transfer activities, and additional resources. This is lesson 1 on the Infrared Zoo website. (View Less)
In this multi-day activity, identified on the Infrared Yellowstone website as Lesson 1, students use observation skills to determine what information can be gathered from images taken in both visible and infrared light. Students compare the visible... (View More) and infrared light images. As a result, students discover that the relative temperature of water from a geyser, as well as the nearby landscape, is revealed in the infrared images. This lesson features background information for the teacher, background information for students, a mini-exploration of Infrared Image Technology, image sets, assessment information, student worksheets, extension and transfer activities, and additional resources. (View Less)
This is a lesson about the Phoenix Mars Lander's science mission to use robotic technology to uncover water on Mars. Learners will be introduced to the mission and conduct some simple experiments to learn about the important properties of water and... (View More) water-ice. Advanced preparation is required of soil/water icicles (~15 min) at least one day prior to the lesson. This is lesson 12 of 16 in the MarsBots robotics learning module. (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per student
This is a lesson where learners trace the path that atoms take as they change form and move throughout the cycle of matter and compare this to the flow of energy. The lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes... (View More) teacher notes, prerequisite concepts, common misconceptions, student journal and reading. This is lesson 6 in the Astro-Venture Biology Training Unit that was developed to increase students' awareness of and interest in astrobiology and the many career opportunities that utilize science, math and technology skills. The lessons are designed for educators to use with the Astro-Venture multimedia modules. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Free
Learners will design and conduct experiments to answer the question, "how does distance and inclination affect the amount of heat received from a heat source?" They will measure heat change as a function of distance or viewing angle. From that... (View More) experiment, they will identify how the MESSENGER mission to Mercury takes advantage of these passive cooling methods to keep the spacecraft comfortable in a high-temperature environment. This is lesson 3 from MESSENGER Education Module: Staying Cool. Note: the student guide starts on p. 24 of the PDF. (View Less)
This is a lesson about radiation and the use of the scientific method to solve problems of too much radiation. Learners will build snow goggles similar to those used by the Inuit (designed to block unwanted light, while increasing the viewer's... (View More) ability to see in a bright region) to understand some of the engineering challenges encountered while protecting the solar cells on the Mercury MESSENGER. This is Lesson 2 of 4 at the middle level in the module, Staying Cool. (View Less)
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Launch Gift! Glass & Glitter Full Scrapbook Kit! *FREE*
Here's a scrapbook kit I know you will all love! I fell in love with it myself ;) *swoon*
When I first started working on it, I only had the idea of stained glass in mind and then as I progressed I found I liked how the word glitter sounded with, so that's how it came to life: Glass & Glitter.
27 Backgrounds, 38 Elements (78 with the variations), 8 Frames, 2 Alpha Sets, and 5 Quick Pages
For those having trouble downloading from the above links, I've split the kit into parts (except the quick pages, for some reason the file wouldn't upload)
Elements: here
Papers: here
Frames: here
Alphas: here
Please note this kit is free for personal use only. If you would like to share it, please link back to my blog. Let me know if the links are broken, and I'll re-upload asap.
Would really love to see what beautiful and amazing designs you do with this kit. Don't be shy to show me, and I will be more than happy to showcase them on my blog. Also feel free to comment or tell me about broken links.
Hope you enjoy!


text:
Close to the city of Paithan, in a small village called Sauviragram, which lay along the banks of the great river Godavari, lived a woman named Ilaa. Being cotton farmers, her family was well to do, but not among the richest in their area. It was the harvest season, and cotton had to be picked from the plants. The wholesalers and traders from Paithan would be arriving in just a few weeks, carrying gold and goods for barter. They would exchange what they carried for the cotton that the farmers grew. The bales of cotton had to be ready in time! Work was at its peak!
But Ilaa was not to be found in the fields. She wasn't working. Instead, she was sitting by the banks of the great river Godavari.
"I am sick of this!" she grunted loudly.
Her friends sat with their heads lowered. They, too, had shared Ilaa's dream; but not her heartbreak and rage now that it had been crushed. As women born and raised in a patriarchal society, they had learned to expect just that. They were just sad to have disappointed their friend.
Ilaa looked at them and read their submission to defeat. She didn't resent them for their lack of perseverance. She just knew she couldn't give up like them. She directed her angry eyes towards the river. The tranquil sheet of water that spread in front of her belied the depths, which it hid underneath. Just like her resolve on this subject, she thought.
"Ah! There you are." Lakshmi's voice echoed from the back door of the house. She climbed down the stairs that led to the river. Ilaa sat there, on the last rung, her feet immersed in the water.
She looked perturbed and Lakshmi could guess just why. "Paarvati's husband said 'No' too… I guess?"
Ilaa confirmed with a nod. After Neela's and Vandana's husbands, this was the third and final rejection. It was also a grave blow to Ilaa's hopes to convince her own father for the project.
Frequent droughts in their region, made the crops suffer ever so often. Even in the years which saw adequate rains, the losses from the previous years cancelled out all the profits. Most of the families in this whole cotton producing belt, were, at best 'hand-to-mouth'.
After months of deliberation and research, Ilaa had come up with a plan, to improve the village's financial situation. It was common knowledge, that ever since Aurangzeb had taken over as the Viceroy of Deccan and established Aurangabad as his capital, Paithan's local craft of weaving Paithani sarees had got a shot in the arm. He was a great patron of this 2000-year-old art. Therein lay the golden opportunity which Ilaa wanted to seize; of capitalizing on an expertise all women in Paithan held. Ilaa had been consumed with the idea of starting a karyashaala (workshop) for Paithani sarees. So far, within their district, this craft had mostly only been confined to mothers weaving sarees for their daughter's trousseau. It was now time to take it to newer heights. Finding labor in Sauviragram would not be a problem. There was no dearth of space for the workshop either. Weaving machines and charkhas were in abundant supply too. Everything seemed providential, except for the first step; getting the men in their families to consent.
"I told you… it will not be easy." Lakshmi's warm eyes tried to soothe her.
"I don't understand, Aai! This will give us all additional incomes to count on during droughts. How many families must be ruined before people open up their eyes? How many farmers should die? Paarvati's husband almost had to mortgage his house last year, after the crops failed. Neela's husband is knee deep in debt too. The fools still won't agree?!" Ilaa beseeched. Their dissent made no sense to her. Their families weren't as affluent and Ilaa's; and therefore, unlike her, desperately needed this initiative.
Lakshmi had no answers. She supported her daughter, unreservedly. But she also knew her support carried no currency, in a society, where men dictated all the rules. Before doing anything, Ilaa would need their sanction. And they still carried their antiquated taboos like a badge worn with pride. To them, this was the same Pratishthanapura of thousands of years ago. They did not acknowledge the fact that with time, the definition of pratishtha had changed. That, what their wives and daughters were setting out to do would not tarnish their honour, rather embellish it.
"So… what's next?"
"Ohhh!... I haven't got the faintest idea." Ilaa resignedly reclined on the stairs and looked up at the sky. It was nothing but a stretch of pale blue with a few white blotches of clouds. After a few moments, her languid eyes met a flock of red-crested pochards, migrating south-west to the Nath Sagar Lake. Her mother had told her that they came from lands, far beyond the Himalayas. It sparked a thought.
"It's beautiful… isn't it Aai?"
"What is?" Lakshmi's eyes followed hers upwards and found the birds. "Hmmm…"
Ilaa's eyes kept chasing the birds, as they got smaller and smaller, till they just fused indistinguishably into the blue. "I wasn't really talking about the flock of birds."
Lakshmi's eyebrows furrowed into a question mark and darted back to her daughter.
"What's beautiful… is their willingness to travel thousands of miles from home… in search of what they need." The sparkle in her smile hinted of an ingenious plan.
"Are you sure about this?" Janaardan asked.
"Yes, Aajobaa." She beamed at her grandfather.
He looked at Lakshmi. The calmness on his daughter's face made it clear that she was on board with his granddaughter's plan.
Janaardan was a member of Wasudewa Sanstha, an institution created by Sant Eknath, a sixteenth century saint from Paithan. Just like other Wasudewas, Janaardan would travel to various towns, go door to door, and sing bharuds (prayer songs) in an effort to spread social and religious messages. Ilaa had requested him to take her along, to Aurangabad, under the ruse of going to Paithan to spend a few days at the Eknath Maharaj Temple. That part was relatively, easy because Ilaa's father, a deeply religious man, would never say no to such an expedition. It was the part about what Ilaa intended to do, once in Aurangabad, which frazzled Janaardan.
"But why would the Governor agree to help you?" he inquired.
"Because my darling Aajobaa… He has nothing to lose if it doesn't work… and a lot to gain if it does." Ilaa had a way of being confident, with an effulgence, which soon rubbed on to the people around her.
Janaardan had always been a doting grandfather, especially after she was widowed at the young age of twelve. Besides, she intended to use this project for the economic upliftment of poor families and especially of the widows of the farmers who committed suicide. He figured he owed it to his grandchild and this noble mission to aid her efforts.
He smiled, conceding. "You are a real tough one, aren't you?"
The two women exhaled in relief and smiled at each other. They had a whole lot of preparations and weaving ahead of them.
Sarfaraz Khan, the Governor of Aurangabad, had made a gaffe a year ago; when Chattrapati Shivaji passed through the city and the Governor failed to pay him due homage. That dereliction of duty, did not sit well with Aurangzeb, who considered Shivaji as a powerful ally at the moment. Since then, Sarfaraz Khan had been pining for an opportunity, to do something worthy of getting him back in the Viceroy's good books. So, one fine day, when he heard that a woman from a tiny village near Paithan, wants to see him regarding an art form, which Aurangzeb had come to be fascinated with lately; an imposing sense of serendipity made him agree to see her, at once.
He heard what Ilaa had to offer, patiently. Though he didn't display it, but he was deeply impressed by her clarity of thought and the amount of astute planning she had put into this project. She asked for his support to set up her karyashaala. But he still wasn't sure what was in it for him. He was almost about to dismiss her when she pulled out a saree from her bag, and started to unfold it. He looked away distractedly, because he had seen many of these before. But just then, Ilaa unfurled the trump card. The moment she spread the pallav of the saree on the table, his eyes widened. This one was quite different from any he had ever seen before. This vibrant pallav had a unique floral motif, which resembled the amalgamation of Islamic and Persian designs often found in Mughal paintings and architecture.
"Behold, O! Noble Governor… the Aurangzebi Paithani." Ilaa presented her masterpiece.
A glint of excitement floated in the Governor's eyes. It was the very promise of hope, which Ilaa had pursued, from Sauviragram to Aurangabad.
The crowd squatting in front of the village Panchaayat didn't mean to be disrespectful by chattering. But they couldn't reign in their emotions anymore; surprise and a bit of anger amongst the males, curiosity and enthusiasm amongst the women.
Ilaa stood facing the Sarpanch, calmly making her plea.
"Respected Sarpanchji, last year alone eleven farmers in Sauviragram committed suicide because their crops failed and the loans mounted. They left behind widows, orphans… Many others lost their homes and assets to the losses. What I offer, is a solution to that problem, forever." Ilaa's voice was soft, yet persuasive.
The Sarpanch was livid. How could he consent to what she was proposing? People of Pratishthanapura would never compromise their honor, even in the face of poverty and death. "Our women do not work or run a business. Period." He employed the clichéd argument to stonewall Ilaa's enterprise.
"They do. They always have."
"Excuse me?" he bellowed.
"Just because they don't get paid for it, doesn't mean they don't work Sarpanchji. Look around you…" She said pointing at the huddle of women. "They all work in the fields with their husbands. It's just that they never get paid a single aana for it. I am giving them an opportunity to turn their hard work and talent into money."
"Oh! That is different. They work with their husbands. Not for someone… outside their family."
"They still won't."
"Please! We are not that naïve, Ilaa. They would work for you, won't they?" His arched eyebrow and condescending tone, were aimed at deriding Ilaa for disguising her plan to make a windfall from this project, as noble intentions.
"No. They will work for themselves. What I am offering is a new form of enterprise where all of them will be the owners and hence get a share in profits, based on the quantum of their labor. It will be called a 'Co-operative'."
The Sarpanch was baffled. He had never heard of a set-up like this.
"The 'Co-operative' will offer membership to all widows and women from the poor families, who are interested. They desperately need new livelihood… They need this opportunity."
"But… how will you manage to sell it? Our women cannot approach tradesmen in the cities to sell…"
"We won't have to. The Governor has promised to pick up all our production, as long as we only make Aurangzebi Paithani."
The murmur swelled. Now it had the notes of optimism to it. Lakshmi stepped forward and stood next to her daughter.
"Times have been tough, Sarpanch Ji. But we finally have a solution. This not only gives us women something worthwhile to do with our time, and make money in the process… It also puts Sauviragram on the map, as far as Viceroy Aurangzeb is concerned. Rumors have it that he is next in line to Shah Jahan's throne. Imagine the merits of Sauviragram being one of his favourite villages; the one that helped him build a legacy? Tax rebates for our farmers, infrastructure development… perhaps a post for you in the district administration? You will after all, be the face of this village." This demeanour was a little sycophantic for Lakshmi's taste, but she had known the Sarpanch long enough to know it would work.
It did. Sarpanch's face softened. "Do you think Aurangzeb would like that?"
"He already does." Ilaa's outstretched hand held out a letter, from Aurangzeb which she had carried back from her meeting with the Governor. Therein, signed by the Viceroy himself, was an order for a hundred sarees.
Aurangzeb was smitten, by the splendor of Ilaa's perfect weave, which Sarfaraz showed him. Never before had the historical craft of Paithani been associated with any particular dynasty, although it had been patronized by many. Not until, Ilaa had designed the first ever Aurangzebi motif. Aurangzeb couldn't miss this golden opportunity.
Ilaa closed her argument, in her trademark poised tone, which always dispelled all further doubts. "No one can pass over a chance to create a legacy, Sarpanchji, not even future emperors... And neither should you."
The Sarpanch caught her hint. Women in the crowd burst into a volcanic applause. That is the thing about a change that has been a long time coming. The day it finally decides to erupt, the so called gate keepers of the society have no option but to conform. That is what the Sarpanch and the rest of the Panchayat also did, that evening.
Ilaa sat hunched over the accounts of Naari Shakti Udyog. She didn't yet know, that what she had created, would go down in the annals of history as the first ever Women's only Co-operative Organization of India. She didn't do all this for the laurels anyway. She did it for the gay singing and laughter, mixed with the humdrum of the charkhas, which echoed from the workshop floor outside. Fifty women worked there, against the clock to finish the latest order; this one for Aurangzeb's sister Jahanara and her courtiers. Jahanara had always been more supportive of her their elder brother Dara Shikoh's candidature for the throne. This gift was the latest one in Aurangzeb's attempts to woo her.
Lakshmi brought in Ilaa's lunch. Ilaa smiled gratefully, rolled a chappati, and took a bite, never once taking her eyes off the books.
Lakshmi just stood there beaming with pride. She had never really liked the name Ilaa. A fable dictated that King Ila, the founder of Pratishthanapura, was cursed by Lord Shiva once. The curse made him turn into a woman every alternate month. For a long time, he had to live this maddening life of duality.
Looking at her daughter now, for the first time, Lakshmi concluded that the name suited her daughter perfectly. Because Ilaa most certainly was, a summation of the best qualities of the masculine and the feminine: industrious, enterprising, free-spirited and strong-willed.


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ive been hit by a POTS storm these past two days. oh my, i cant believe i put up with these symptoms for so long years ago. i had an appointment with a local neurologist today, he told me to up the domperidone, prescribed a ridiculous amount of gaviscon. im laying here nauseous, hot, dizzy, the feeling that my brain is swishing around in my skull, with the occasional tap on my skull.
im not with it. how did i cope?
saturday im due to attend the PACES trial at the local hospital!!! i was hoping to enlightening the doctors with POTS info. they have to guess what disease i have. i really want to go. im hoping the drugs will help. ive been wearing the sea bands all day, with no results. they have tiny little accupressure bobbles that sit in the inner wrist, which are suppose to help with nausea.
i need some distraction. may listen to the radio, or watch some tv programme. hope im making sense, because im not to me! take care all. xxx
15 February 2012
4 comments:
Hi Em,
Sorry to read you are feeling so poorly even if the resolve is still there to attend attended te PACES thing. The holiday has obviously taken a lot out of you which I am sure is no comfort. Just take it easy. I'm sure they can re-arrange if you are feeling no better and more importantly look after yourself.
Hope you feel well soon,
- 16 February 2012 at 00:08
- Em said...
thanks nechtan
tiny bit improved this morning.
at least the nausea has given me a break for a couple of hours before coming back. i know this shall pass, its the living through it. hope your ok. x
- 16 February 2012 at 14:53
- Sarah♥ said...
Feel better xxxx
- 17 February 2012 at 20:04
- Em said...
hey sarah
you too, dont you just wish life was easy sometimes? x
- 22 February 2012 at 19:05
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