Tuesday 31 May
A-D. In 4.1, what exactly does Iago say that causes Othello to "fall in a trance"? Why?
Act four scene 1 consists of
Iago insinuating that Desdemona has been unfaithful to Othello with his
lieutenant, Cassio. Naturally that would send anyone a shock learning that all
their previous suspicions are verified, so Othello’s reaction of falling into a
trance is completely fair.
As for the arising suspicions Othello had
regarding his wife’s faith, they were all planted by Iago. Somehow Othello
managed to not catch Iago’s falsehood on being “honest Iago” (2.3.177). Iago’s
constant state of causing Othello to question Desdemona’s actions builds up
until Iago finally comes out and says that he thinks Desdemona is cheating on
Othello.
The exact lines that cause Othello to fall
into a trance are Iago answering to Othello’s questions about Cassio and
Desdemona. Iago answers to Othello asking if Cassio had lay with Desdemona,
“With her, on her, what you will” (4.1.36). It is the word play that truly sets
Othello off, had Iago answered simply that Cassio had lay with her instead of
observing the actual act of sex Othello perhaps wouldn’t have taken it so hard.
Believing that a lieutenant of his had performed dirty acts with his wife and
knowing that would make him a cuckold turned Othello into less of a man in his
eyes thus causing him to fall into a trance.
♥
By the end of act 4 scene 1,
Iago has convinced Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair fully
wanted and appreciated by both people so well that Othello actually falls into
a trance after Iago states that Cassio lies “With her, on her, what you will”
(4, 1, 32). Only after Othello meditates on the meaning of this answer does he
fall into a trance.
Iago discreetly persuades Othello that
Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio with her consent and active
participation. If Iago had only said “on her”, Othello could have taken it as
meaning that Cassio had overpowered Desdemona. Iago’s line, however, starts off
reading as “With her” (4, 1, 32). Othello catches this significance immediately:
“We say “lie on her” when they belie her. Lie with her? That’s fulsome!” (4, 1,
33-34). Perhaps before Iago said that specific line, Othello could have
believed that Cassio was the only evil perpetrator; in other words, he could
imagine that Cassio was seducing his wife, yet Desdemona did not want his
advances at all. In that case, Othello would have seen Desdemona as a victim of
rape, not a fellow perpetrator that he would also have to punish if he wanted
revenge.
Othello ponders aloud how Iago reminded
him about the missing handkerchief, perhaps to persuade him further of
Desdemona’s guilt (4, 1, 17). Throughout his last speech before falling into
the trance, Othello repeats the word “handkerchief” three times; therefore, it
is no question that Othello was thinking about it in addition to Iago’s claim
of her affair with Cassio (4, 1, 33-40). A handkerchief given to a lady was a
sign of affection. Having Desdemona take the sign of Othello’s affection and
make it her own for another man is incredibly insulting, especially in a new
marriage. This supposed action would show that Desdemona has feelings for
Cassio and is more likely to have lied “With him” as Iago had told him (4, 1,
32).
Othello states that “It is not words that
shakes me thus—pish! Noses, ears, and lips!” (4, 1, 38-39). He does not become
angry because of the fact that there is an affair, but because Desdemona is
apparently a willing participant: there are two noses, two sets of ears, two
lips. When Othello falls into his trance, Iago sees that he has successfully
lied to Othello about Desdemona and Cassio.
♥
Act four scene 1 consists of
Iago insinuating that Desdemona has been unfaithful to Othello with his
lieutenant, Cassio. Naturally that would send anyone a shock learning that all
their previous suspicions are verified, so Othello’s reaction of falling into a
trance is completely fair.
As for the arising suspicions Othello had
regarding his wife’s faith, they were all planted by Iago. Somehow Othello
managed to not catch Iago’s falsehood on being “honest Iago” (2.3.177). Iago’s
constant state of causing Othello to question Desdemona’s actions builds up
until Iago finally comes out and says that he thinks Desdemona is cheating on
Othello.
The exact lines that cause Othello to fall
into a trance are Iago answering to Othello’s questions about Cassio and
Desdemona. Iago answers to Othello asking if Cassio had lay with Desdemona,
“With her, on her, what you will” (4.1.36). It is the word play that truly sets
Othello off, had Iago answered simply that Cassio had lay with her instead of
observing the actual act of sex Othello perhaps wouldn’t have taken it so hard.
Believing that a lieutenant of his had performed dirty acts with his wife and
knowing that would make him a cuckold turned Othello into less of a man in his
eyes thus causing him to fall into a trance. '
♥
“With her, on her, what you
will” (4, 1, 32-33) in my opinion, are the lines carefully chosen by Iago which
causes Othello’s mind to spin into such a frenzy that he falls into a trance.
By this point in the play, we have seen Iago play puppet master to all of the
core and secondary characters. But those particular lines by Iago strike a
chord with Othello. Iago knows this and uses it to his advantage.
There are numerous times throughout the
play where the reader/viewer learns the importance of reputation to Othello. He
loves Desdemona, but his reputation is of utmost importance to him. And who
knows this better than anyone else? Iago. Iago says to Othello, “Her honor is
an essence that is not seen/They have it very oft that have it not. But for the
handkerchief” (4, 1, 16-18). He is saying to Othello that one cannot simply
“see” a reputation. However, he throws the notion of the handkerchief back into
the conversation as a means to make Othello “see” that the handkerchief is a
physical symbol of Desdemona’s faithfulness to Othello.
Iago’s plan is working, so he
decides to take it another step further by intentionally hesitating to tell Othello
any further details on what he “knows” about the intimate details he has
concocted about Desdemona and Cassio. By saying that he not only lie “on” her,
but also “with” her (4, 1, 32) is a way to make Othello believe that she not
only cheated on her husband, but that she has affection for him that is beyond
physical lust. Once Othello processes this, he falls into a trance.
Though it were those lines
that caused him to fall into the trance, the conversation prior leading up to
this in conjunction with his absolute trust in what Iago’s speaks is divine
truth equally contributed to Othello losing his mind. Later on in the play,
Iago states how he only led Othello to believe what Othello was already
questioning within himself. And this proves to be Othello’s greatest flaw and
his demise.
♥
By the end of act 4 scene 1,
Iago has convinced Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair fully
wanted and appreciated by both people so well that Othello actually falls into
a trance after Iago states that Cassio lies “With her, on her, what you will”
(4, 1, 32). Only after Othello meditates on the meaning of this answer does he
fall into a trance.
Iago discreetly persuades Othello
that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio with her consent and active
participation. If Iago had only said “on her”, Othello could have taken it as
meaning that Cassio had overpowered Desdemona. Iago’s line, however, starts off
reading as “With her” (4, 1, 32). Othello catches this significance
immediately: “We say “lie on her” when they belie her. Lie with her? That’s
fulsome!” (4, 1, 33-34). Perhaps before Iago said that specific line, Othello
could have believed that Cassio was the only evil perpetrator; in other words,
he could imagine that Cassio was seducing his wife, yet Desdemona did not want
his advances at all. In that case, Othello would have seen Desdemona as a
victim of rape, not a fellow perpetrator that he would also have to punish if
he wanted revenge.
Othello ponders aloud how Iago reminded
him about the missing handkerchief, perhaps to persuade him further of
Desdemona’s guilt (4, 1, 17). Throughout his last speech before falling into
the trance, Othello repeats the word “handkerchief” three times; therefore, it
is no question that Othello was thinking about it in addition to Iago’s claim
of her affair with Cassio (4, 1, 33-40). A handkerchief given to a lady was a
sign of affection. Having Desdemona take the sign of Othello’s affection and
make it her own for another man is incredibly insulting, especially in a new
marriage. This supposed action would show that Desdemona has feelings for
Cassio and is more likely to have lied “With him” as Iago had told him (4, 1,
32).
Othello states that “It is not
words that shakes me thus—pish! Noses, ears, and lips!” (4, 1, 38-39). He does
not become angry because of the fact that there is an affair, but because
Desdemona is apparently a willing participant: there are two noses, two sets of
ears, two lips. When Othello falls into his trance, Iago sees that he has
successfully lied to Othello about Desdemona and Cassio.
E-G Desdemona refers to Lodovico as "a
proper man" in 4.3. Is there any significance to this?
Desdemona refers to Lodovico
as “a proper man” in 4.3 during a conversation with her lady’s maid, Emilia.
This conversation occurs shortly after dinner, when Desdemona leaves Lodovico
and Othello to prepare for bed. This scene wasn’t the first time Desdemona had
met Lodovico, however.
Their first encounter in the play occurs in
4.1 when Lodovico brings a letter to Othello from the Duke and senators of
Venice. Even here it does not seem as if they were unacquainted. She refers to
him as “good cousin Lodovico” in this scene, which hints at a prior
association, although they may not have been closely related as our modern use
of the word assumes. In Shakespeare’s time, the word “cousin” meant anything
from close kinship to any relative beyond immediate family, to virtually anyone
of an equal social standing (www.shakespearewords.com/cousin).
There is another implication of familiarity
in 4.1, in that Desdemona is the one bringing Lodovico to Othello. There are
two possible reasons that she would be the one bringing him to Othello. The
first is that he went to their house and, Othello not being there, she offered
to take him to find him. The second is that, assuming they were closer
relatives or acquaintances, Lodovico thought to visit Desdemona while he was
delivering the letter to Othello, and they were still chatting when they found Othello.
Both of these possibilities
are highly dependent on Shakespeare’s use of the word “cousin.” As his meaning
could vary so greatly from ours, it’s virtually impossible to prove whether
Desdemona and Lodovico were friends or even acquaintances before appearing in
the play. Regardless of whether they were or not, Desdemona’s reference to
Lodovico as a “proper man” doesn’t mean she had sexual interest in him. It
simply means that she thinks he is handsome and recognizes his kindness and
gentlemanly character. Emilia affirms this sentiment, showing that Desdemona
wasn’t the only married woman to recognize the looks of a man besides her
husband.
As the two women’s conversation continues,
though, we see that this recognition of attractiveness is where their morals
part. They continue on in this scene to discuss in what circumstances they
would or would not be unfaithful to their husbands. Desdemona claims that she
would not do it for the world, to which Emilia responds that “the world’s a
huge thing; it is a great price / for a small vice” (4.3.65-6). It seems that
Emilia would be willing to be unfaithful, depending on whether she would
benefit from it. Desdemona, on the other hand, doesn’t believe there is
anything that could persuade her to be unfaithful.
All
of this leads us to the conclusion that Desdemona is unfailingly faithful to
Othello, despite his belief otherwise. And while she recognizes that Lodovico
is “a proper man,” it doesn’t have any significance as far as a relationship
with him may go. We could even come to the conclusion that Desdemona’s purpose
in saying so is to begin a conversation with Emilia about being unfaithful so
she could see what her maid thought of the concept.
♥
In Act Four Scene Three of
Othello, we witness the first real get together after the final details are
decided between Iago and Othello of the killing of Roderigo and Desdemona. Lodovico enters with with Desdemona and they
are saying thank you for each others kindness as Desdemona gets orders from
Othello to get ready for bed. Once the
men leave and it is just Desdemona and Emilia in the room, Desdemona makes the
comment that Lodovico is a proper man after Emilia discusses getting her
nightgown.
I feel this has some significance because
Desdemona is still thinking about Lodovico after her husband tells her to
change and get ready for bed. Instead of
thinking about all she has to do before she is ready for bed, she has Lodovico
on her mind and their recent conversation that obviously went very well. Desdemona is use to not having the best
conversations with men and always being the one that is ignored because her
sister usually gains all of the attention.
Desdemona has always received little to no attention from men, and she
jumped at the love of Othello, although they do seem to make a decent
couple. Desdemona had a pleasant
discussion and encounter with Lodovico and we witness him on her mind by this comment. Desdemona could have realized that Lodovico
is a good man and she begins to compare his treatment to that of Othello’s. I
find it interesting that she was discussing her mother and the love her mother
had and then Lodovico was on her mind. I
am unsure if there is a significant connection between this or not, but it is
something worth noticing. Emilia seems
to attempt to discuss Lodovico more but we see Desdemona changing their
discussion topic. Emilia states that
Lodovico is admired by other women, in which Desdemona ignores the comment and
begins singing. Due to this, I am unsure
where Desdemona stands with her opinion of Lodovico and why she brought him up
in the first place.
♥
The dramatic purpose of
Desdemona’s “Willow” song is based on foreshadowing. The lines that Desdemona speaks
when she decides to bring up the history of the song to Emilia set the tone for
both the current mood of the scene and a foretelling of what is to come. “She
had a song of “Willow.” / An old thing ’twas, but it expressed her fortune /
And she died singing it. That song tonight / Will not go from my mind”
(4.3.30-33). This explanation of the song shows that its singing will associate
Desdemona’s own unfortunate circumstances and most likely her death if she were
to sing it. It is also significant that the song will not leave her head no
matter what she does. This omen of death has firmly attached itself to her.
Could she have prevented her demise
if she refrained from singing the “Willow” song? We will never know because she
barely hesitates before singing a portion. It does not seem like she is singing
it for Emilia, but more for herself and her own sorrow. The discussion of this
song seems to seal her fate. She even starts to express attraction to another
man, Lodovico, putting herself into the role that Othello so firmly believes is
the real her. She begins to sing the song, further cementing her oncoming
death. While she sings, she becomes lost in her own situation and sings the
lyrics incorrectly. “Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve— / Nay, that’s
not next” (4.3.54-55). This entire section has shown, dramatically, that
Desdemona is pretty aware of her impending demise and, sadly, is starting to
wonder if she deserves it.
♥
According to a comment in Norton’s Digital Edition of Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice,
Desdemona’s reference to Lodovico as a “proper man” in 4.3 hints at her
character’s largely-veiled sensuality. The evidence given for this is the
“Willow, willow” ballad—which is clearly about unrequited lust/love—Desdemona
sings right after making this reference about Lodovico to Emilia. The Norton
editors also cite the suggestion that Desdemona and Othello have not yet
consummated their marriage as a possible motivation for her sensual display
during this scene.
Furthermore, I think that Desdemona’s likely attraction to Lodovico sets
up a symmetrical parallelism between Lodovico and Cassio, a character who is
also referred to as “a proper man” (Iago, 1.3. 370) and whom Othello and
Rodrigo believe is Desdemona’s object of affection. This dichotomy emphasizes
how much Desdemona is misunderstood throughout the play by several of the male
characters, such as Othello, Brabanzio, and Rodrigo, despite the fact that they
are so concerned with what is going on in her mind. For example, Brabanzio, who
is Desdemona’s father, is so certain that his daughter could never love Othello
that he is very wrongly convinced she has been tricked by the Moor’s magic. And
of course, Othello eventually comes to the false conclusion that his wife is
unfaithful. Even Cassio, only ever extolls on Desdemona vague platitudes that
do not say anything deep or meaningful about her character: an example from Act
II, “…a maid / That paragons description and wild fame, / One that excels the
quirks of blazoning pens / And in th’essential vesture of creation / Does tire
the engineer.”
The parallelism between these two “proper” men also displays
contradiction between the two speakers who use this reference. For instance,
Iago, who calls Cassio “a proper man” is clearly the most dishonest character
in the play, and perhaps in the history of literature, in spite of the fact
that he is constantly described otherwise. On the other hand, Desdemona is
perhaps the most honest character in the play, though she is accused several
times of lying.
Desdemona’s display of sensuality in this scene
is also important because of the possible hints Shakespeare gives that Othello seems
to have a distaste for sexual urges of any kind. For example, Othello mentions
twice the possibility that sex could have a negative effect on his disposition
(1.3.257-272; 4.1.192-4). Othello also chooses to personally attend to Montano
after he is stabbed by Cassio in scene three of Act II instead of sleeping with
his wife and consummating their marriage. There is also the fact that Othello
smothers his wife instead of stabbing her with his very phallic sword. It could
be that Othello’s inexperience with sex has made him suspicious of those free
to display their urges, which is why the thought of Desdemona sleeping with the
attractive and experienced Cassio was especially hurtful to him.
H-O What is the dramatic
purpose of Desdemona's "Willow" song in 4.3?
The dramatic purpose of
Desdemona’s “Willow” song is based on foreshadowing. The lines that Desdemona
speaks when she decides to bring up the history of the song to Emilia set the
tone for both the current mood of the scene and a foretelling of what is to
come. “She had a song of “Willow.” / An old thing ’twas, but it expressed her
fortune / And she died singing it. That song tonight / Will not go from my
mind” (4.3.30-33). This explanation of the song shows that its singing will
associate Desdemona’s own unfortunate circumstances and most likely her death
if she were to sing it. It is also significant that the song will not leave her
head no matter what she does. This omen of death has firmly attached itself to
her.
Could she have prevented her demise
if she refrained from singing the “Willow” song? We will never know because she
barely hesitates before singing a portion. It does not seem like she is singing
it for Emilia, but more for herself and her own sorrow. The discussion of this
song seems to seal her fate. She even starts to express attraction to another
man, Lodovico, putting herself into the role that Othello so firmly believes is
the real her. She begins to sing the song, further cementing her oncoming
death. While she sings, she becomes lost in her own situation and sings the
lyrics incorrectly. “Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve— / Nay, that’s
not next” (4.3.54-55). This entire section has shown, dramatically, that
Desdemona is pretty aware of her impending demise and, sadly, is starting to
wonder if she deserves it.
Desdemona sings a song called the willow song in act 4 scene 3 that seems to have little if any relevance to her situation with Othello, to her eyes. This is due to the dramatic irony of the situation, since she does not realize the parallels between her future with her husband, and the events her mother’s maid experienced. The passage that comes before the song foreshadows this quite well as can be seen here “She was in love, and he she loved proved mad And did forsake her, she had a song of ‘willow’: An old thing ‘twas, but it expressed her fortune, And she died singing it”. (4.3.26-29) As this passage speaks of the woman like Desdemona fell in love with a man who went mad, and in this madness both women will be forsaken. Desdemona is also like the maid, bound by love that she can not stop feeling even if she wished to, her love is the trap that holds her as her peril approaches. The song she speaks of about willows which are a symbol of women whose love is unrequited. Their drooping limbs and swaying leaves like tears falling to the ground over what they have lost. As Desdemona says that the song expressed the maid’s fortune, she does not realize that she is in truth speaking of her own fortune. The doom foretold by her father long before finally to fruition with Othello mistrusting her, and doubting her every action. The conclusion of the passage speaks of the maid dying while singing the song, this proves to be some of the most powerful dramatic irony of the play, as Desdemona sings this very song on the night of her death. This would be a strong enough connection, but not only does she die, but she dies by the hands of Othello, who she loved deeply, and faithfully. His madness blinding him to all her appeals to him that she loved, him and that she was faithful, all his twisted mind could see was her imagined betrayal. Thus the song she sang in sadness remembering her childhood maid, became her funeral dirge when her beloved betrayed her and cast her aside.
There are a few different tiers to the dramatic effect that the song Desdemona sings has on the reader. Firstly, before the singing begins she explains that a woman died while singing it and that it is now stuck in her head (4.3, 29). This starts as the most obvious and is foreshadowing, the woman dying while singing this song would not be significant or mentioned if the same fate were not about to befall Desdemona. A very significant portion of this song however are the lines “Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve” (4.3, 48), which gives more insight into how Desdemona is feeling about what is happening between her and Othello. This line seems as though it could be saying one of two things, that either the woman did something to deserve this treatment, or that she is just trying to be what her society has told her it is to be a good wife, meaning she will take the burden for her husband in order to make his life easier. Due to the context given by the rest of the song, such as the symbolism of the willow as meaning disappointed love, it seems to make more sense that the wife is innocent and that she is just doing what she thinks will make things easiest on her husband by not fighting back. Desdemona has shown loyalty to Othello, and it has been his own insecurities and flaws throughout the play which have made him come to the conclusions that he has, and this shows that this songs seems to fit the situation that Desdemona is in perfectly. The dramatic effect is then echoed throughout the rest of the play, as events unfold the reader is reminded of this song, and when the reader is reminded of this song it is all too easy to understand that the fate that is going to befall Desdemona is the same as the woman that sang this song, the fact that it is an unjust fate adds to the weight of it.
♥
The “Willow” song Desdemona speaks of is a forshadowing of
her own death. The mention of it is made directly after Othello orders her to
go to her bed and dismiss her maid. Emilia shows her own surprise at such an
order when she exclaims, “Dismiss me!” (4.3.13). Her surprise at the order
shows that this is an unusual circumstance, yet Desdemona shows no surprise-
just obeidence. Her own obedience to follow his demands shows a certain sense
of knowing and not knowing how to get out of it, she seems to accept this fate.
She explains the story she heard of Barbary and said she was going to “sing it
like poor Barbary” (4.3.32). Considering that Barbary died after she had sung
her “willow” song, and Desdemona said she would do the song like her, it is
easy to see she expected to die as well.
The
song does not come to Desdemona's mind out of chance. She thinks of it because
the words are fitting to her situation. The song speaks about how the singer
approves of his scorn (4.3.48), which is evidence to Desdemona's own acceptance
of her death, but she also shows that she believes herself to blame. Her mind
is so preoccupied with her thoughts on her own dark future that she messes up
the song's lyric order (4.3.49). Her nerves are clearly rattled by her sense of
fear, yet she does nothing to prevent it.
♥
Desdemona sings a song called the willow song in act 4 scene 3 that seems to have little if any relevance to her situation with Othello, to her eyes. This is due to the dramatic irony of the situation, since she does not realize the parallels between her future with her husband, and the events her mother’s maid experienced. The passage that comes before the song foreshadows this quite well as can be seen here “She was in love, and he she loved proved mad And did forsake her, she had a song of ‘willow’: An old thing ‘twas, but it expressed her fortune, And she died singing it”. (4.3.26-29) As this passage speaks of the woman like Desdemona fell in love with a man who went mad, and in this madness both women will be forsaken. Desdemona is also like the maid, bound by love that she can not stop feeling even if she wished to, her love is the trap that holds her as her peril approaches. The song she speaks of about willows which are a symbol of women whose love is unrequited. Their drooping limbs and swaying leaves like tears falling to the ground over what they have lost. As Desdemona says that the song expressed the maid’s fortune, she does not realize that she is in truth speaking of her own fortune. The doom foretold by her father long before finally to fruition with Othello mistrusting her, and doubting her every action. The conclusion of the passage speaks of the maid dying while singing the song, this proves to be some of the most powerful dramatic irony of the play, as Desdemona sings this very song on the night of her death. This would be a strong enough connection, but not only does she die, but she dies by the hands of Othello, who she loved deeply, and faithfully. His madness blinding him to all her appeals to him that she loved, him and that she was faithful, all his twisted mind could see was her imagined betrayal. Thus the song she sang in sadness remembering her childhood maid, became her funeral dirge when her beloved betrayed her and cast her aside.
♥
There are a few different tiers to the dramatic effect that the song Desdemona sings has on the reader. Firstly, before the singing begins she explains that a woman died while singing it and that it is now stuck in her head (4.3, 29). This starts as the most obvious and is foreshadowing, the woman dying while singing this song would not be significant or mentioned if the same fate were not about to befall Desdemona. A very significant portion of this song however are the lines “Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve” (4.3, 48), which gives more insight into how Desdemona is feeling about what is happening between her and Othello. This line seems as though it could be saying one of two things, that either the woman did something to deserve this treatment, or that she is just trying to be what her society has told her it is to be a good wife, meaning she will take the burden for her husband in order to make his life easier. Due to the context given by the rest of the song, such as the symbolism of the willow as meaning disappointed love, it seems to make more sense that the wife is innocent and that she is just doing what she thinks will make things easiest on her husband by not fighting back. Desdemona has shown loyalty to Othello, and it has been his own insecurities and flaws throughout the play which have made him come to the conclusions that he has, and this shows that this songs seems to fit the situation that Desdemona is in perfectly. The dramatic effect is then echoed throughout the rest of the play, as events unfold the reader is reminded of this song, and when the reader is reminded of this song it is all too easy to understand that the fate that is going to befall Desdemona is the same as the woman that sang this song, the fact that it is an unjust fate adds to the weight of it.
P-R Emilia's speech "I do think it is their husbands' faults" (4.3) seems to have a hidden agenda. What might that be?
When Emilia tells Desdemona,
“But I do think it is their husbands’ faults” (5.1.81), she is essentially
saying that women are just as human as men, and they have the same feelings
that men do, so why is so bad if they cheat as well? She goes even further to
say that they learn unfaithfulness and bad behavior from their husbands.
In my opinion, during her speech to
Desdemona, I believe that she is almost justifying cheating on their husbands.
I think that she could be justifying it for two reasons actually. One, because
maybe she is guilty of doing this ‘crime’ herself, or two, because she wants
Desdemona to cheat on Othello. I’m leaning more towards option two. I believe
that she is trying to help with the plan to make it look like Desdemona is
cheating on Othello so she’s trying to make Desdemona think that all men cheat
on their wives so there is no reason why women shouldn’t cheat on their
husbands. She also essentially says that every woman cheats. She is trying to
make Desdemona feel like the outcast because she would never cheat on Othello.
She’s also trying to turn it around on the men so it takes the blame off of the
women by saying it’s their fault that we would even cheat anyway, and not only
is it their fault, but we learn this terrible behavior from them.
There definitely seems to be an ulterior
motive here on Emilia’s part, and I definitely think she is justifying the
action of cheating so that Desdemona will think that it’s okay to be
unfaithful. If this was her plan, Desdemona is still sticking to her guns, and
still believes that cheating is awful and wrong.
♥
Emilia’s speech contains
several lines that suggest her hidden agenda is to expose her husband Iago for
the true villain he really is. Emilia is a good person and knows that her
husband is not at all a good person, not the kind of person everyone seems to
think he is. She sees how Iago treats other people and how badly he treats her
and uses this as justification for her hidden agenda. By saying, “The ills we
do, their ills instruct us so” (4.3.98) Emilia is justifying her future actions
and blaming Iago for them. The entire speech is about how a wife’s misbehavior
is the husband’s fault and the husbands drive their wives to behavior badly.
When Emilia says
Why, we have galls, and, though we
have some grace,
Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands
know
Their wives have sense like them:
they see and smell,
And have their palate both for
sweet and sour,
As husbands have. (4.3.87-91)
it is a foreshadowing that
she is going to reveal everything about Iago. Emilia says that wives are just
as smart as men and hear and see everything. This suggests that Emilia knows
everything about her husband because she pays attention and wants to get revenge
on him; the best way to get revenge is to expose him for the real person he
is. It is in Act 5 Scene 2 that Emilia
finally exposes Iago. Emilia says, “Tis proper I obey him, but not now”
(5.2.191) which relates back to the speech in Act 4 Scene 3. Emilia not only
exposes Iago for being the puppet-master behind everything, but also Othello
for being the killer of Desdemona.
S-Z T. S. Eliot once said (impudently) that
Othello in his final speech, "I have done the state some service"
(5.2) is "cheering himself up."
Is there any truth to this? Why or why not?
Othello’s
past grips Desdemona to tears and is what brings her to elope with him; it is
also the monster that salute’s her death. The psychological damage that the act
of war brings on a man is monumental; the side effect of this is PTSD, it
consumes the mind. Othello’s life was war; it was what he knew, especially
compared civilian life in Europe. The constant changing environment and the
plague of war are what are behind his words “I have done the state some
service” (5.2.398) a statement of compulsion.
The ever changing environments led
Othello to isolation, for he did not know many people moving from Africa to
Europe and the people he trusted, such as Cassio, in the beginning, and Iago,
at the end, seemed to betray him. He was alone and did not have a community to
turn to when his mind was of a violent nature. During this time period of his
life, the Turks had not shown up for battle due to a mighty storm that blew
them away, so he was at peacetime. His active duty resorted to a more restive
motion, but a man who has energy and has slaughtered countless of people, is
not accustomed to peacetime. Even as a child he was a slave who knew work and
duty, not peace. He is brave in war, but when environments completely change
the person reacts differently than when he would in his former climate.
Othello’s
life is made of violence, yet in the beginning most see him as a fair and
respectable man. When Othello enters civilian life as a married man, his acts
of service follow him. He still brave and courageous, as if he is standing on a
battlefield at all times. When Iago taunts him about Desdemona’s father’s
anger, he stands like a strong oak tree, unmoved. When he hears of Desdemona’s
unfaithfulness, he fights it. A person
who ruthlessly spends his life under fire resolves to be what Plato describes
as in The Republic, “And so he
becomes an unintelligent philistine, with no use for reasoned discussion, an
animal addiction to settle everything by brute force” (p. 411). A remedy is
recommended by Plato, the balance between aggressive violence mixed with
dancing, poetry, and art. “They are not intended the one to train body, the
other mind, except incidentally, but to ensure a proper harmony between energy
and initiative on the one hand and reason on the other, by tuning each to the
right pitch’” (p. 411-412). If Othello had balance, he might have acted out in
reason instead of passion when he it came to Desdemona. Desdemona even asked if
she could be banished instead of killed, but Othello refused her laments for
peace.
In the end of Act 5, everything was stripped
from him. He had killed his wife and he knew that he was in the wrong, so all
good that was left of him was his years of service. The only honor he now had
was that of war, but still Cassio’s words, like that of many, rang through his
head, “Reputation, Reputation, Reputation!” (2.3.281). in the military,
reputation is brought like down like bricks upon the soldier. The leaders want
solders to be completely devoted to service which is why the honor and shame
practices are very popular amongst military generals. Othello did not want to
experience the shame, especially since service was his life. Trusting after
battle is a difficult feat, usually one only trusts himself and his strength. “A
hero of war/ Is that what they see/ Jest medals and scars/ So damn proud of me/
And I brought home that flag/ Now it gathers dust/ But it’s the flag that I love/
It’s the only flag I trust” (Rise Against). He put his entire trust in the
service, for he trusted no one else.
Shakespeare might have not known about PTSD, but he
certainly knew how a mistreated person is affected and how a person reacts to
said mistreatment. He knew a person of war has a reputation to uphold and that
military becomes a soldier’s life. So when Othello mutters ““I have done the
state some service” (5.2.398), he is only commenting on the life he stands
faithful too and holds dearest to him, his service to his country, his flag.
♥
♥
In Othello’s last speech of the play, he says the line “I
have done the state some service…” (5.2.332). In this line, Othello is
referring to the military work he has done to help Venice. Eliot impudently claims
that this line is spoken to “cheer him up.” However, according to the rest of
Othello’s final speech, this does not seem to ring true. Another strong piece
of evidence towards this is the fact that as soon as this speech is over,
Othello kills himself. Most people who kill themselves would not try to cheer
themselves up right before doing such an act.
When
hearing of Eliot’s “claim,” one must understand that this was not a claim made
in seriousness. Obviously in this speech, Shakespeare’s intentions were not for
it to sound like Othello was attempting to make himself feel better. In fact,
the more one digs into this final speech, there is no truth to this statement
at all. If Othello had said this line alone, it might make more sense to make
the “claim” that Eliot did. However, as soon as one reads the lines following,
it has a completely different effect.
I have done the state some service, and they know ’t.
No more of that. I pray you, in your letters,
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aught in malice…
(Oth. 5.2.332-336)
In these lines, what Othello is
trying to say makes more sense to the audience. He tells the other men in the
room that even though he has been of service to Venice, that should not be the
only thing people see in him. They should not talk him up and make him sound
better than the murderer he had become. If Othello had been trying to cheer
himself up, he would have focused more on all of the good he had done for Venice
instead of talking down on himself and telling others not to focus on the good
in his life.
♥
I
feel like there is some truth to Othello cheering himself up when he says “I
have done the state some service.” (5.2.331) At this point he has found out
that Iago had planned the whole thing. Othello also realizes that his wife
Desdemona did not cheat on him, Emilia stated that she was the one who helped
Iago with giving him Desdemona’s handkerchief, “O thou dull Moor, that
handkerchief thou speak’st of/I found by fortune…” (5.2.219-220) Othello is
saying this because he knows now what had happened and now he will be on trial
for killing his wife. Also when Emilia says that she gave the handkerchief to
her husband, Othello knows know that he killed his wife for something that had
never actually happened and he falls weeping upon the bed where his wife lays.
At this moment Othello finds out that his wife was telling him the truth and
that she was faithful to Othello the whole time. Lodovico tells Othello “You
must forsake this room and go with us/Your power and your command is taken
off.” (5.2.323-324) Lodovico is telling Othello that he will be on trial and
will forever be in jail. Othello doesn’t like what is happening and what will
happen to him when he gets back home. When he finds out what Iago had done he
gets angry and stabs Iago “I look down towards his feet, but that’s a fable/If
that thou beest a devil, I cannot kill thee.” (5.2.279-280) Everything bad is
happening to him, he lost his wife, his job, his life for what he has done. In
a way Othello saying that “I have done the state some service, and they
know’t.” (5.2.332) to make himself happier in this terrible moment of his life.
He is telling himself that he has done good in his life and he is trying to
think of something good right before he stabs himself. Othello’s last words
were to his wife “I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this/Killing
myself, to die upon a kiss.” (5.2.351-353) From reading this it seems to me
that this is his way of saying he is sorry to Desdemona for everything before
he dies.
