Lecture 7 Othello the Moor of Venice Act

Lecture 7 Othello the Moor of Venice Act 3 Scene 4; and focus on skills of analysis

Speaking of Themes in OTHELLO? l l Theme of Nobility or Virtue Theme of Faulty Knowledge, connected to theme of Appearance and Reality “men should be what they seem” [Could be argued] the point of the entire play is to show that things are never really what they seem; Othello’s downfall is caused by believing what he sees to be true.

Methods of Analysis Text as drama l Make an effort to visualize how we SEE characters on stage [from page to stage] l And how we would HEAR characters? l Think about the movement and grouping of characters, entrances and exits? l And other theatrical elements l And what dramatic EFFECTS all this would have on a theatre audience?

Language Critical significance of word choice l l l What words and phrases STAND OUT? ? ? Next, ask yourself whether they have any qualities in common… They may fall into groups you can classify Try to group them as similar kinds of words Or, as having a meaning or an emotion in common with each other…

Metaphor l l l Origin: “metaphora” Meaning to ‘transfer’ ‘transit’ ‘carry across’ Hence transfer of meaning Metaphors transfer, connect and compare unlike things To make more clear, graphically vivid and concretize the meaning of something

Imagery: style of metaphorization l l l l Note striking use of imagery And proceed as with words and phrases Look for what images have in common Notice the choice of imagery? Notice the form of the imagery? (visual? ) Notice the degree of novelty that attempts to establish new / original / striking connections Degree of concretization; effects

Example of Poetic Imagery from Scene 3, of Act 3 O beware, my Lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster… [transfer of meaning!!] l Ironically intended as a warning l Very striking, powerful, impacting, vivid… l Makes more concretely evident the kind and nature of the jealousy Iago speaks of l How potent, dangerous, and destructive it can be l Once possessed by it, has the power to transform a man into a most horrible, wicked, evil person,

Poetic language Note use of prose, which can be poetic l Adorned with rhetorical inflation, or artifice l Also prose as low, popular speech And use of blank verse l We note Iago’s linguistic duality l Iago’s styles of speech vary from situation to suit his own hidden agenda l Iago even assumes the sententious style of nobility l Sententious – full of meaning; aphoristic

Othello speaking verse? l Creates the effect of largeness and grandeur and nobility of character l Verse is a polished form of dramatic writing l Possessing enormous expressive & rhetorical power l Can effectively summarize and encapsulate an issue l As such, it can dramatically heighten and intensify the key issue in a given speech

Analysis of Rhythm l l l Note the punctuation that divides language into units of meaning (sense units) Note where phrases are short, and broken Other places where phrases are longer, and the speaker’s speed increases Explain how these variations in rhythmic movement relate to 1) the character, or 2) the subject matter of the speech

Analysis of syntactical structures and their Rhythms Characters may speak in l Short, simple, and direct sentence structures l Continuous, articulate, reasoned structures l Fragmented, loose, emotional structures

Othello’s first Soliloquy Act 3, Scene 3, p 131 This fellow’s of exceeding honesty, And knows all qualities with a learned spirit, Of human dealing. if I do prove her haggard, Though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings, I’d whistle her off, and let her down the wind, To prey at fortune. Haply for I am black, And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have, or for I am declin’d Into the vale of years, —yet that’s not much— She’s gone, I am abus’d, and my relief Must be to loathe her:

Act 3, Scene 3 p 131 Othello’s Soliloquy (cont) O curse of marriage, That we can call these delicate creatures ours, And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad, And live upon the vapour in a dungeon, Than keep a corner in a thing I love, For others’ uses: yet ’tis the plague of great ones ,

Significance of Othello’s soliloquy? l l Allows the audience to see into the inner workings and troubled state of Othello’s mind Why only now? Thus far audience has had no reason to doubt that his outward appearance corresponded to the inner workings of his mind That is now changing

Synoptic overview l l l Othello is thinking about the possibility that his wife is unfaithful His thoughts consist of reasons for and against being suspicious of her… Iago’s ‘honesty’; Iago’s ‘learned spirit’ Desdemona’s appearance makes his love and trust return — how we know? If she is untrue, then heaven mocks itself

l l l In between these arguments, Othello reflects on reasons which make her adultery plausible His colour Believes he lacks refined manners His age; believes he is too old for her All of which makes it seem Iago must be right

Variety of analytical skills Looking at, and closely examining choice and form of language— l Diction l Imagery l Rhythmic movement, and sentence structure l Patterned sound repetition (Rhyme)

Analytical commentary: rhythm and sentence structure Examine the speech in sections l Note a regular rhythm up to the period stop after ‘dealing’ l ‘If I do prove her haggard’ interrupts this, and the pace increases suddenly l Othello’s first two sentences fall into two distinct categories; l First is measured; second, disturbed

l l l Third sentence begins how? Begins with irregular phrasing Ranging from the word ‘haply’ to eleven words between pauses Pace here is very broken, then suddenly races forward Then it breaks again

l l Note the two dashes around the short ‘—yet that’s not much—’ and the sentence breaks off unfinished The rhythm shows how disturbed, and ill at ease Othello is in this speech At the start of line 271, ‘she’s gone’ marks an outcry of new emotion

Six episodes of thought and feeling in six movements changing with rhythm l l l First thinks of Iago’s knowledge & honesty Of Desdemona as a hawk Of his own weakness Of jealous beliefs and the pain he feels Of betrayal in general Upon Desdemona appearing his love returns

Analytical commentary: l l l Diction? What words stand out (in context)? Othello uses what kind of language? Phrases, words to describe Iago? ‘exceeding honesty’; ‘qualities’; ‘learned spirit’; and ‘human dealing’ Suggestive of what? ? ? Effect? Bring to mind noble qualities in human nature

Word choice re Desdemona? Fall into a group you can classify? l l l Turning his mind to Desdemona, we note a transformation. How do we know? ‘haggard’; ‘jesses’; ‘whistle her off’ ‘let her down the wind’; ‘prey’; EFFECT? Paints a picture of her as a hawk, bird of prey Words associated with the animal kingdom Ironically, for Othello, Iago is associated with the human, civilized world; Desdemona now, with primitive wildness

l l l Othello admires beauty of women ‘these delicate creatures’ But undermined…how? By the word ‘appetites’ This (linked to appearance and reality) points to the primitive element that lies beneath a seemingly fine outward appearance

O curse of marriage… this forked plague l l l The unfaithfulness of wives ‘Forked’ carries several implications The idea of an arrow – piercing The sense of two-legged The suggestion of horns (Elizabethan symbol of the cuckold) The idea of a very difficult dilemma

Analytical commentary Imagery ‘I had rather be a toad And live upon the vapour of a dungeon Than keep a corner in the thing I love For other’s uses’ l Toad a contemptible creature l Expressing such a preference? l Intended to? Suggestive of what?

l l l The striking, forceful impact of this imagery shows us how much it would horrify and hurt Othello should it be firmly established his wife has indeed been sleeping around To be a ‘toad’, an unsightly, ugly creature But at least this way he’d be devoid of human consciousness and therefore the torments of the emotional pain of jealousy

Note the elaboration… (noting intended rhetorical effects) l l The environment of his imagined toad is no ordinary pond, but that of a dungeon with its stenching surrounds of waste water Further dramatically emphasizing what he would be prepared to sacrifice (his humanity, marriage, and military career) and to bear instead such a ‘toady’ existence rather than having to live in the knowledge, pain and humiliation of his wife’s carnalities

Dramatic purpose of Act 3 Scene 4 l l l To unfold the strange history of the handkerchief To establish that Othello is undergoing a change To relieve atmosphere of doom in Scene 3 To present a close up picture of the three women characters of the play To focus a stronger light on the character of CASSIO

Theme of Witchcraft? Again? l l l The strange origins of the handkerchief? Important for a proper understanding of the play Not an ordinary handkerchief…Why? It is of magical origin, and for Othello “There’s magic in the web of it”

Note Othello’s key speech concerning the handkerchief p 149 l l l It was sewn by a sibyl (a female prophet); From whom did he get it? Given to Othello’s mother by an Egyptian charmer who said It had the power to preserve love, but if lost or given away Love would be lost ‘To lose it, or give’t away were such perdition As nothing else could match. ’

Symbolical significance of the handkerchief in the play’s plot More then than an ordinary handkerchief l Symbolical? l Symbolic of Othello’s mysterious and romantic past which won the heart of Desdemona Recall however Othello’s words in Scene 3 of Act 3 l ‘She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her, that she did pity them. This only is the witchcraft I have used’ p 33 l He in turn gave it to Desdemona as a symbol of his love and constancy l

By Desdemona losing this precious handkerchief l Symbolically foreshadows the grave possibility that she would also lose her love l Therefore the handkerchief is of great symbolical significance; l It becomes and functions as an organic element in the whole texture of the play

Recall Emilia’s key speech in Act 3 Scene 3 p 133 I am glad I have found this napkin. This was her first remembrance from the Moor. My wayward husband hath a hundred times Wooed me to steal it. But she loves the token, For he conjured her she should ever keep it, That she reserves it evermore about her To kiss and talk to. I’ll have the work ta’en out, And give’t Iago. What he will do with it, Heaven knows, nor I; I nothing but to please his fantasy.

Iago and Emilia Act 3 Scene 3 p 135 Hast stol’n it from her? No faith; she let it drop by negligence, And to th’advantage, I being here, took’t up. Look, here it is. A good wench; give it to me.

l l l It flutters in and out through several scenes of the play— ominously, like a storm signal It is vital to Othello’s love Causes distress to Desdemona upon losing it Emilia involved in finding it Passes it on to Iago, because he desired it so much

Desdemona and Emilia Act 3 Scene 4 p 147 Where should I loose that handkerchief, Emilia? I know not, madam. [Recall Emilia & Iago in 3. 3] Believe me, I had rather have lost my purse Full of crusadoes. And, but my noble Moor Is true of mind, and made of no such baseness As jealous creatures are, it were enough To put him to ill-thinking.

Othello and Desdemona p 151 Is’t lost? Is’t gone? Speak It is not lost. But what and if it were? How? I say it is not lost.

p 155 Meanwhile Desdemona before Emilia, reflects: Something sure of state, Either from Venice, or some unhatched practice Made demonstrable here in Cyprus to him, Hath puddled his clear spirit; and in such cases Men’s natures wrangle with inferior things, Though great ones are their object. Nay, we must think men are not gods…

The handkerchief l l Iago has insisted on Emilia’s silence whenever its topic is being discussed Next Cassio becomes involved, as he in turn comes to possess it, after it being lost for a time; Then we come to see its physical presence in the hands of Bianca; thus involving Bianca as well; We are thus reminded of imminent tragedy

Bianca enters p 157 Re Cassio, [Gives her Desdemona’s handkerchief] as indicated by Stage Directions, to Bianca; Bianca: ‘O Cassio, whence came this? ’ Cassio: ‘I found it in my chamber. ’ Recall Scene 3 of Act 3 p 141, 143: Iago to Othello l Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief. . Such a handkerchief - / I am sure it was your wife’s – did I today / See Cassio wipe his beard with.

Another perspective on Jealousy O Cassio, whence came this? Go to, woman Throw your vile guesses in the devil’s teeth, From whence you have them. You are jealous now That this is from some mistress, some remembrance. No, in good troth, Bianca

As we watch the play progress, this seeming trifle of a handkerchief As light as air, Changes significantly through Iago, And thereby becomes a powerful weapon Dramatic Effect? l The poignancy of the tragedy becomes more pronounced as a result of the status accorded to this piece of cloth; l