Some Things Never Change +
I’ve always looked at Othello like the tragedy it is because it’s horribly sad, and there’s death and some humor. Part of that humor that makes it so tragic is the accuracy with which it exhibits relationships on a psychological level, making it all the more reaching, as love hasn’t changed with time. It even has “the blow up.”
The blow up in Othello is the scene where Othello begins to suspect Cassio and Desdemona of foul play, Act 3, Scene 3. The blow up is preceded by Cassio’s leaving of Desdemona. At first Othello just inquires, and makes no assumption of Cassio. However, when Desdemona begins to talk so highly of Cassio in order to get Othello to forgive him, Othello replies, “Prithee, no more. Let him come when he will, I will deny thee nothing” (75-76). He grants her wish and allows Cassio to come, despite delivering the line with a variable. The variable is “I will deny thee nothing.” That could mean “I will not deny you your wish of me forgiving Cassio,” or “I will not deny you your wish to have Cassio come back to the house.” The reason for this line causing a blow up, as the reason for most blow ups, is that Othello meant it to be ambiguous. He wanted Desdemona to have the chance to take that with a grain of salt to evoke an emotion from her; not necessarily anger, but passion. Unfortunately passion is often expressed as anger.
When Desdemona hears Othello’s response she replies:
Why, this is not a boon,
‘Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,
Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm,
Or sue to you to do a peculiar profit
To your own person. Nay, when I have a suit
Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed
It shall be full of poise and difficult weight
And fearful to be granted. (77-83)
She gets upset quickly because she took what Othello said in a harmful way. Her response reflects her frustration of having to tell Othello to do something for his own good. She even goes on to threaten Othello, telling him that proving his love to her will be difficult and something to be feared. This unnecessary hostility is employed to avenge her emotions and evoke passion from Othello. The tension brought upon the couple is clearly not worth the satisfaction of evoking reactions from their loved one. Instead of enjoying her company, he sends her away because its now up to him to evoke an emotion from her. The irrationality of this sequence is pushed aside by the character’s emotions as it is in the real relationships of today. It’s nuts.
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Something else.
Encounters is publishing a couple of poems I wrote with Shakespeare references. I showed them to Professor Deutermann, and she suggest I post them. They’re attached. They’re subject to change within the last stages of editing, titles included, but just about done.