Sunday, October 11, 2015

289 Quiz Answer

In the play “Othello,” Iago is a soldier who has fought beside his general, Othello, for years, and has become his trusted advisor. But at the beginning of the play, Iago claims to have been unfairly passed over for promotion; he plots to bring about the downfall of Othello.

(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "N" is for "nefarious")

The following scenelet should suggest a very well-known play to you.  What’s the name of the play?

"You're still complaining?  Hey, you chose a military career and it isn’t really so bad after all.  But you don’t really agree with that, do you?”
“You bet I don’t.  Fifteen years of service, hellish battles and combat all over the world, risked my life dozens of times, and what do I wind up with?  Two metal bars and a few rows of ribbons – what good are they in civvie life? “
“Come on; you got your rank, not too bad a pay grade for retirement.”
“But that – that – is exactly the point.  I was due for promotion and now that wer're here in Cyprus they bring in this outsider.  He’s now the fair-haired boy as far as the general is concerned.  That should have been my job!  It was as though it had been promised to me.  For all practical purposes I already had it; the skipper depended on me for just about everything!”
“Yeah, I know.  I thought it was – well – unfair.”
“Unfair is the least of it.  For the good of the service you want experienced officers.  This guy, he doesn’t seem to have been anywhere or done anything, and he is now the right-hand man!"

"Relax.  It's not as though the general has committed some sort of nefarious act; he has the right to pick the man for the job."

"It's nefarious to me.  You know where he's from, the new guy?  From Italy, but most important, from Florence!”
“So?”
”You know what they do in Florence?  They spend most of their time creating delicate art, making little objects out of spun glass and such.  That’s a warrior?” 
“You don’t seem to understand that in the military, politics often plays a more important part than experience.  You see, actually, he has been places and done things.”
“Yeah, like what?”
“Well, he’s been to the right schools, the right university.  He comes from an important family that seems to know all the right people.  And you – let’s face it – you never set foot in a university and not very many schools as far as that goes.”
“There was a time when a man who started at the lowest level and worked his way through all that greasy crap right on up to a commission, made the very best, the most experienced officer!”
“Yeah, yeah.  Listen, I’m on your side.  But this new guy has got the job.  It’s obvious that he’s the general's choice.  You should relax and just accept it.  A few years more and you can retire.”
“In the meantime I’m supposed to take orders from the likes of this – I don’t think I can stand it!”
“Hey, I hadn’t realized how much you were ignited by this.  You’ve got to calm down.  You’ll get yourself all worked up and maybe do something stupid to try to get revenge.”
(The answer will be posted Saturday.) 

25 comments:

brudberg said...

Could this be Othello??.

Berowne said...

Congrats, Brudberg! First with the right answer.

Rosey Pinkerton said...

Got it - Bugsy Malone! Yes? No. Oh well!

Rosey Pinkerton's blog

Berowne said...

The correct answer has come in from The Blog of Bee and Susan Anderson.

naturgesetz said...

Iago considers himself the victim of such an injustice by Othello in favor of Cassio.

Berowne said...

Just checking in with the right answer is naturgesetz.

kaykuala said...

It is Othello

Hank

Berowne said...

Kaykuala also has the correct answer.

Roger Owen Green said...

Got nothin'. (sigh)

ROG, ABCW

Unknown said...

Nefarious is one of my favorite words : ).

Gigi Ann said...

You evil, evil man making us wait for the answer until Saturday. I guess Gilligan of Gilligan's Island fame...Sorry me bad....

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Don't seem to be getting anywhere with this one... think, think!
Anna :o]

Photo Cache said...

So far I am averaging zero in your quizzes every week.

My ABC WEDNESDAY

Unknown said...

I can't say that I know, but it was an enjoyable read!

Thank you for visiting us at peppersfetch.blogspot.com

Reader Wil said...

Though the story you wrote, is breath-taking and a good read, I have no idea who wrote this play in the first place. I feel terribly ignorant.Anyway I learned a new word! Thanks.
Have another very creative week!
Wil, ABCW Team

Unknown said...

Hi

I had to look up the word and translate it.... creative choice, i would not have thought of it.


Have a nice abc-day / -week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)

Sheilagh Lee said...

I have no idea

Leslie: said...

Iago is pissed off that he was passed over for promotion so goes about trying to destroy Othello, the name of the play.

Leslie
abcw team

Berowne said...

Another "winner," Leslie has the right answer

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Uhm, Julius Caesar came to mind. But, I think not.

Ira said...

Though I rarely can guess the plays but the snippets make a good reading... Thanks for the innovative idea as people like me learn about literature still untouched by us...

Eddie Bluelights said...

maybe The Merchant of Venice

Kathleen said...

Nefarious - one of my favorite words!!!

Obsessivemom said...

Aw.. too late for this quiz. I had Iago on my blog for 'I'.

Tess Kincaid said...

Oops late again...Othello one of my faves....

 
Blog designed by Blogger Boutique using Christy Skagg's "A Little Bit of That" kit.