Viola: I am the man [II.ii.25]
Viola is saying that she is the man Olivia loves, even though she is not really a man. This posses a problem for several characters in the play because it creates a love triangle. Orsino loves Olivia, who loves Viola, who loves Orsino. The confusion could be avoided if Viola's true identity were revealed but she continues to use her disguise. But while in her disguise she can never be with Orsino and Olivia will continue to persue Viola, so nothing can be resolved.

Malvolio: ...and yet to crush it a little, it would bow to me... [II.v.143-45]
Malvolio is talking about part of Maria's trick letter that does not seem to expressly be about him as the earlier parts were. But if he "crushes it a little" and bends the meaning he can work the letter to suit him and make it seem to be about him again. The diction of "crush" and "bow" further illustrates the idea that Malvolio feels he is above everyone and is of a higher class.

Viola: Then think you right. I am not what I am.
Olvia: I would that you were as I would have you be. [III.i.148=9]
Viola hints at her deception but Olivia does not pick up on it. Instead she flirts more with Viola and says she wishes Viola would act more the way Olivia wishes her to and return her love. But Viola cannot because she is not a man and is serving a man trying to win Olivia's love, a man she also happens to be in love with. Olivia, like all those lovestruck, wants the object of her desire to behave exactly how she wants them to, because otherwise her perfect notion of them is ruined.

FFW

In II.iii.170, Maria calls her manipulation of Malvolio "sport royal..." What do you make of this?

Maria considers her manipulation a sport, this is all a game to her. And she believes she is very good at this game. The fact that she calls her game "sport royal" indicates she believes this to be a high class or difficult game, given the fact she confers royal stature on it. Nonetheless she feels up to the challenge and enjoys the game. Perhaps she considers the act of manipulation in general to be "sport royal" as well. It could also be a play on the fact that Malvolio believes he is above everyone else and is "royalty".

Ink Shedding

Fool: I did impeticos thy gratility, for Malvolio's nose is no whipstock, my lady has a white hand, and the Myrmidons are no bottle-ale houses (II.III.27-29)

The fool is saying here that he has earned his tip for entertaining Toby and Andrew, and then precedes to talk more nonsense for them. The three statements Feste makes are all obvious truths, such as the fact that Olivia is beautiful and Achilles' men were not inferior taverns. Certianly, Malvolio's nose isn't part of a whip, which could imply Feste thinks he is rather harmless when all is said is done. He could be implying that Malvolio's bark is worse than his bite and even though he threatens Toby and Andrew and breaks up their parties, he has little real authority.

6 Questions

1. Why does Olivia choose not to be seen for seven years? What is the significance of the number seven in her decision? Why not five years?
   
2. Why does Shakespeare write such confusingly intricate romance storylines where everyone is in love with the wrong person?
3. How does no one notice that Viola is a girl? Is her disguise that good?
4. Why does Toby encourage Andrew to not give up on Olivia?
   
5. Why does Viola help Orsino try and woo Olivia if she loves him?
6. Is Viola's brother really drowned?
   

To Take Wildness In Hand

Michelle Nijhuis' central claim in her article "To Take Wildness In Hand" is that climate change is greatly affecting plant and animal life, but there is much debate over how to combat the change. Specifically the article deals with Florida Torreya, an endangered plant. Some scientists think the best way to handle situations like this is to manually move the plants or animals in danger, but others think this oversteps our bounds in nature. Either way, you can't deny the danger of climate change on ecosystems. "Climate change is begining to make good on its threats, and news of its work is now hard to avoid. Escalating global temperatures? Check. Rising seas? Check."

Besides environmetal factors working against the plant, it faces an anatomical hurdle as well. The plant grows in male and female varieties, so in order to successfully reproduce a male and female must survive in close proximity to each other, no easy task when the species is rapidly dying already. Some say the plant isn't even native to its current Floridian home, and that it was left behind a glacier during an ice age. Reguardless of views on migrating the plants, it is clear they can not long survive their current habitat.

Nijhuis uses testimonies from various naturalists and conservationalists to convey her argument about the danger of climate change. She utilizes sources from both sides of the debate over manual migratoin of speces, while focussing in on the point that something must be done. She assumes the reader has some interest in conservation, and knowledge of global warming. She hopes to move the reader and promote more involvement in conservation.

Another Abstract

Sue Halpern's article "Virtual Iraq" focused on how virtual reality immersion therapy may have significant effects on treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many soldiers suffering from PTSD didn't want to accept therapy, until it was presented to them in the form of VR, a video game that they could relate to. In fact Virtual Iraq was developed from the video game Full Spectrum Warrior. So far the program has shown success in treating patients of PSTD. The premise for this therapy is a simple one, "The idea is to disconect the memory from the reactions to the memory, so that although the memory of the traumatic event still remains, the everyday things that can trigger fear backfiring... are restored to insignificance." In the article, a man named Travis Boyd undergoes this thearpy.

Halpern uses personal experiences to support her claims that VR therapy is effective and powerful. She experienced Virtual Iraq herself as well as witnessed others such as an actor researching a role trying out the device. She also interviewed Travis, who was able to get over his insomia and feelings of guilt about the death of a squad memer through the therapy. She also cites various numbers and figures about the percentage of patients showing results from the various trials of Virtual Iraq. Halpern assumes that the reader is familiar with the nature of the war in Iraq and how stressful a situation it is, and other traumatic events such as 9/11 as well.