I have had a little experience with Shakespeare prior to this class.  I read Othello as part of my Junior English class, but aside from that I have read little else of the author.  What I have noticed about Shakespeare is that he has a knack for taking everyday items and emotions, and making them important turning points in his stories.  In Othello I noticed this with the use of the handkerchief to suggest some treachery on the part of Desdemona.  This was such a simple thing yet Iago used it with such cunning that it made a momentous difference in Othello's attitude towards Desdemona.  Shakespeare also made jealousy so real in his writing by dramatizing it, to the point where every form of envy was highlighted by simple conversation, until the end when tragedy suddenly struck.   I was able to understand the story because of how universal Shakespeare made these experiences, even with the strange language he uses.  I hope to see how else Shakespeare can take such common things and form them into major plot points.