William Shakespeare's Othello
A significant moment in Othello demonstrates the theme of binaries questioned in many of Shakespeare's works. Addressing the Duke and senators, Othello says:
"Let her have your voice.
Vouch with me heaven, I therefore beg it not
To please the palate of my appetite,
Nor to comply with heat--the young affects
In me defunct--and proper satisfaction,
But to be free and bounteous to her mind;
And heaven defend your good souls that you think
I will your serious and great business scant
When she is with me. No, when light-winged toys
Of feathered Cupid seel with wanton dullness
My speculative and officed instruments
That my disports corrupt and taint my business,
Let housewives make a skillet of my helm,
And all indign and base adversitities
Make head against my estimation."
This speech occurs in Othello 1.3.259-273. Desdemona has just requested to accompany her husband to Cyprus and Othello seconds her request. He swears not to be distracted from his military duties if Desdemona comes along. To convince his listeners, he claims he cannot be distracted by sex because he lacks the desire for it. As he puts it, “the young affects [are] in me defunct” (262-263). Further stressing his commitment to the military, he boldly declares that if he indeed neglects his duties for the state, “let housewives make a skillet of my helm, and all indign and base adversities make head against my estimation” (271-273). In other words, if his sexual pleasure (“disports”) gets in the way of his work (“business”), he does not deserve to be called a man and should be emasculated by allowing housewives to cook with his helmet. Furthermore, his enemies good reputation should be razed.
Line 271 (“Let house...
... middle of paper ...
...od a place as any to start.
Works Cited
“Appetite.” Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1987.
Greenblatt, Stephen. Introduction. The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1997.
“Helm.” Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1987.
McDonald, Russ. The Bedford Companion to Shakespare. 2nd ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001.
“Palate.” Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1987.
Shakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Coriolanus.” The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1997. 2793-2872.
---. “The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice.” The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1997. 2100-2174.
---. “Troilus and Cressida. The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1997. 1835-1913.
“Skillet.” Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1987.
Clark, W.G., and W. Aldis Wirhgt, eds. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Vol 2. USA: Nd. 2 vols.
Snyder, Susan. “Othello: A Modern Perspective.” Shakespeare: Othello. Eds. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 1993.
Othello is a man who is respected as a General in the Army. Brabanzio even considered him a friend. Thanks to Iago planting a seed in Brabanzio ear about his daughter, Desdemona, Brabanzio accused Othello of taking his daughter away from him by means of drugs or poision. Othello has fought on the battle-field and now finds himself on a very different kind of battle-field. He finds himself in a position of being forced to defend his honor, friendship and his love. There has been accusations made against Othello, so in a room filled with signors, masters, the Duke, and Brabanzio, Othello has a strategy of battlement in his own way. He tells the Duke to send for Desdemona, “Send for the lady to the Sagittary, And let her speak of me before her father” (1.3-115-116).
Desdemona is one of the protagonists of the play contributes to the play and also fleshes out certain aspects of characterisation mainly where Othello and Iago are concerned. Thus her relevance is highlighted consistently throughout Othello, since without her ppresence, Iago would not have succeeded in manipulating Othello, and Othello's drastic transformation would not have been made evident.
Given, Welker. A Further Study of the Othello: Have we misunderstood Shakespeare's Moor?. The Shakespeare Press. New York, 1899.
that completely destroys his life”("Othello"). Othello is shown he is a good man within the first few scenes of the play: “She wished she had not heard it; yet she wished That heaven had made her such a man” (1.3.162-163). This line in Act I spoken by Othello, is an indication that he is a good person although it may appear that he has stolen Desdemona away from her father. Othello speaks that although he has taken Desdemona as his wife without Brabantio’s consent, he is a good person for stating his reasons for his actions as well as standing his ground. After Othello’s marriage to Desdemona, the conflict is started when Iago insinuates t...
Mowat, Barbara A. and Paul Werstine, ed. Introduction. Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Washington Square Press, 1993.
“I asked her to wear something revealing, so she showed up in a prophet's toga.”(CITE) Jarod Kintz’s words are an example of miscommunication, or failure to comprehend meaning. In this case, it is implied that one person misunderstood the message of another, but incomprehension also applies to problems other than falsely interpreted requests. Incomprehension can occur when people misinterpret another’s words or intentions, or when a person misreads situations or events. The outcome described in Kintz’s quote is unexpected and unintended, but there are instances of incomprehension that have consequences of greater severity. Perhaps a classic tragedy with a high body count falls under these parameters.
Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 39-55)
Othello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is “Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?”
This passage is a soliloquy or speech from Othello to Desdemona’s father. He is telling how she has become his wife. Othello plea’s with Desdemona’s father for his blessing and to be a family. Othello states that her father has treated him well for many years and should honor his daughter for loving such a man. Othello and Desdemona is a love made in heaven. They are willing to fight alongside each other in battles and love one another in happy times.
Shakespeare, William, and James K. Lowers. Othello: Commentary, Complete Text, Glossary. Lincoln, Neb.: Cliff's Notes, 1968. Print.
- - -. Othello. 1968. Ed. Kenneth Muir. The New Penguin Shakespeare. London: Penguin Books, 1996.
Barthelemy, Anthony G. "Introduction" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 1-19)
Shakespeare, William. The History of Troilus and Cressida. Ed. Jonathan Crewe. 4. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc., 2000. Print. November 2013.