On hypothetical scenario of if I were Desdemona what I should have done- it’s a very complex and intricate question to answer. It’s easy to say I’ll leave and condemn or fight him back to please modern audience but things were not going as easy as that for Desdemona. I am mindful of the fact that Desdemona was not a post War II who had an education, career scope and society norm and values adjusted as per her convenience. Though I was really amazed by her first appearance as a free spirited lady who defends her decision to chose Othello and her liability towards her father and husband she chose in a very witty, emotionally balance and rational way. I do perceive …….Due to the Moor my lord.( 1.3.178-87). I was expecting the same Desdemona throughout the play.
Later her I felt she was little bit weak at reading her husband jealous and suspicious mind. As a human being she was very generous and helpful too and she became the same victim of that generosity. Her assurance to Cassio of helping him makes her seem a kind and helpful person (Therefore be merry Cassio Thy solicitor shall rather die Than give thy cause away – 3.3.26-28 ). One of the worst situation Desdemona faced was when Othello slapped her saying “Devil” in front of her cousin Lodovico when she was asking to reconcile with Cassio - 4.1.230 and her meek response was just, I have not deserve this ( 4.1.230 ) – without demanding the real cause of this disrespect and misbehavior.
Desdemona had left everything- cozy home, status of her father for everything for Othello and her marriage was also against her father’s will. As the story took place in around sixteen century and as a woman Desdemona had no support available for her besides Othello and his mercy to rely on. On the other way she also loved him beyond limit in spite of all.
The story tells Desdemona already had some vibe regarding Othello intention as he told her company Emila about her mother’s maid Barbary, her tragic end and the song of willow which was all rambling around her mind and soul. She seemed to faced consequences whatever worst it might be.
I had a mixed feeling what Desdemona’s body had done if she had my soul. One way I was sure that she will melt her beloved heart and clear all the misunderstanding whatsoever. On the other hand she was determined to face any consequences from Othello even death; because she loved him so much beyond rationale that nothing was more important to her than to surrender him. The final word when asked by Emila about her death she replied, Nobody; I myself. Farewell. (5.2.125). Normatively thinking her final words has put her on the zenith of sacrifice, compassion, forgiveness, and all other virtues that perhaps can be compared to Jesus. But on practical round with modern perspective her act is mere BULLSHIT.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Blog 5
Iago’s Sexist Language (Blog#5)
Iago considers woman nothing more than a “sex machine “. According to him any woman ultimate desires is to have good sex. From the beginning of the play he thinks that all women are frittering with other men besides their husbands. He has a very similar attitude towards every woman, even his wife Emilia besides Desdemona. He suspects that his wife is double crossing him too with Moor, the main protagonist of the play.From the beginning of the play he describes Michael Cassio as “A fellow almost damned in a fair wife” – 1.1.21. By this he means that Cassio wife though she is a fair looking woman is cheating on him.
Iago is always using vulgar languages explicitly to describe man-woman relationship especially their mating. He describes, “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (1.1.91-92) as a words inform Brabantio what his daughter is doing now. In another line, he says, “your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.”(1.1.115).
Iago in general has no warm and loving feeling towards any person and his feeling turn even bitter when it comes to women. He is very selfish and self-centered manipulator who has not a single tint of humane emotions like love, kindness, sympathy, helpfulness etc. He is a combination of fox, jackal, wolf and goat- what it is called back in my native land. In the entire play he is using everybody as a tool to gain his vested interest and is loyal to none. He uses his friend Roderigo, his own wife Emilia, Cassio, Othello – everybody to quench his desire, lust and ambition. He thinks man who falls in love and try to scarify his life for love are worst than a monkey and prefer to be monkey than lose life for love,” I would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon.(1.3.309-10). For him all man who desire woman except for his cranial pleasure are fools and woman are nothing but flesh and bone that gives man a pleasure at bed and women themselves enjoy being like that. He is never willing to have any emotional relationship with a woman even to his wife. His attitude towards his wife is reflected in when he says, “She gives you so much of her lips As of her tongue she oft bestows on me, You will have enough.”(2.1.110-113).
However he is hundred percent cruelly rational and is precise as mathematical theory devoid of any emotions. He rationalizes that men should control his desires and lust and women are the great stimulator of this men’s weakness. Here he considers women as simply an amusing things as drink or drugs which give man certain pleasure. It is harmless to have some pleasure sometimes but is fatal to get addicted. Sometimes Iago often seems promoting some mythical ideas still popular on some part of the world as if women templates men desires which lead them to door of hell. So it’s better to stay away from them to attain spiritual salvation for man.” But we have reason to cool our raging emotions, our carnal strings, our unbitted lusts; whereof I take this, that you call love, to be a sect or scion.” (1.3.223-24) He furthers elaborates that love is nothing but an infatuation for carnival pleasures.
For Iago those who are honest are fools and those who appears to be honest but have their own hidden agendas in being honest “have some soul” (1.1.54). And he proudly confess to be a such one. “And such a one do I profess myself.”(1.1.55). He is not a person who goes to pay for the straight to salt but a one who is always looking for chances to back bounce his friends, masters and enemy alike. His ideas regarding reverence is best portrayed in lines, “Many a duteous ……..I follow myself(1.1.45-59)
Iago considers woman nothing more than a “sex machine “. According to him any woman ultimate desires is to have good sex. From the beginning of the play he thinks that all women are frittering with other men besides their husbands. He has a very similar attitude towards every woman, even his wife Emilia besides Desdemona. He suspects that his wife is double crossing him too with Moor, the main protagonist of the play.From the beginning of the play he describes Michael Cassio as “A fellow almost damned in a fair wife” – 1.1.21. By this he means that Cassio wife though she is a fair looking woman is cheating on him.
Iago is always using vulgar languages explicitly to describe man-woman relationship especially their mating. He describes, “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (1.1.91-92) as a words inform Brabantio what his daughter is doing now. In another line, he says, “your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.”(1.1.115).
Iago in general has no warm and loving feeling towards any person and his feeling turn even bitter when it comes to women. He is very selfish and self-centered manipulator who has not a single tint of humane emotions like love, kindness, sympathy, helpfulness etc. He is a combination of fox, jackal, wolf and goat- what it is called back in my native land. In the entire play he is using everybody as a tool to gain his vested interest and is loyal to none. He uses his friend Roderigo, his own wife Emilia, Cassio, Othello – everybody to quench his desire, lust and ambition. He thinks man who falls in love and try to scarify his life for love are worst than a monkey and prefer to be monkey than lose life for love,” I would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon.(1.3.309-10). For him all man who desire woman except for his cranial pleasure are fools and woman are nothing but flesh and bone that gives man a pleasure at bed and women themselves enjoy being like that. He is never willing to have any emotional relationship with a woman even to his wife. His attitude towards his wife is reflected in when he says, “She gives you so much of her lips As of her tongue she oft bestows on me, You will have enough.”(2.1.110-113).
However he is hundred percent cruelly rational and is precise as mathematical theory devoid of any emotions. He rationalizes that men should control his desires and lust and women are the great stimulator of this men’s weakness. Here he considers women as simply an amusing things as drink or drugs which give man certain pleasure. It is harmless to have some pleasure sometimes but is fatal to get addicted. Sometimes Iago often seems promoting some mythical ideas still popular on some part of the world as if women templates men desires which lead them to door of hell. So it’s better to stay away from them to attain spiritual salvation for man.” But we have reason to cool our raging emotions, our carnal strings, our unbitted lusts; whereof I take this, that you call love, to be a sect or scion.” (1.3.223-24) He furthers elaborates that love is nothing but an infatuation for carnival pleasures.
For Iago those who are honest are fools and those who appears to be honest but have their own hidden agendas in being honest “have some soul” (1.1.54). And he proudly confess to be a such one. “And such a one do I profess myself.”(1.1.55). He is not a person who goes to pay for the straight to salt but a one who is always looking for chances to back bounce his friends, masters and enemy alike. His ideas regarding reverence is best portrayed in lines, “Many a duteous ……..I follow myself(1.1.45-59)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Blog 4
If we assume that Shakespeare is referring to two soul mate in his sonnet 116 which first lines begins as , “Let me not to the marriage of true minds” Benedick and Beatrice can be soul mate but on certain conditions. Both are quick, sharp, expressive, witty but lonely inside. During the period when Shakespeare wrote, Benedick lord of Padua is well to do fellow and Beatrice as well is rich enough to lead a noble life in Elizabethan period in city of Messina which was predominately English. Both match in status and character and have least chance of having conflict because of financial or career enhancement priorities. We can see that both are able to hire few servants from some remote parts of Scotland or Africa as other well to do family of that time. It seems to me that even after marriage; Beatrice doesn’t have to work even inside kitchen and home and can afford to amuse herself reading books, studying Latin and Greeks, going theaters etc whereas Benedick as well can enjoy his life on other pleasure of that time appopriate to him. However, if such couple get married in present time, let say in NYC and both are on their own, then they might end up as Mr and Mrs. Kramer in Robert Benton movie Kramer Vs Kramer ( Beatrice might get bored with daily mundane life of cooking, preparing child for school, cleaning etc at the cost of her potential in other outside career and Benedick being too much centered his outside to meet their ends career neglecting Beatrice’s emotional needs / It’s weird for me to imagine Beatrice leaving six year son in husband hand to pursuit for her career ; or may be she would have asked Benedick to flip flop the role – you take care of home and I work outside or let’s share both home and outside work together ). But they were living in different world then.
It’s seems to me rather Benedick has surrendered himself on the will of Beatrice as he loves her and vice versa. From the beginning of the play it is the Beatrice who is inspiring Benedick for his actions of wit and sophistry. She is over him as we saw that she convinced him to challenge Claudio for harsh treatment of Hero. Without her it hard to imagine Benedick’s strong wit and wisdom. She is complementary to him and without her, his character can’t be well defined. The most important is both realize that they love each other even after it was reveled that both were crossed by their friends and cousin and told lies about how each love one another. Even here Beatrice is manipulating him when she says, “ I would not deny you, but by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told, you were in consumption.” Note she is surrendering to save his life. However such silly things and personal ego vanishes when two people really are in love and are committed to take care of each other. When Benedick kisses after this to stop her mouth its mutual love and harmony they have learned to share. I don’t think its one’s surrender over other’s will but a mutual understanding which every couple who are in love should must possessed.
It’s seems to me rather Benedick has surrendered himself on the will of Beatrice as he loves her and vice versa. From the beginning of the play it is the Beatrice who is inspiring Benedick for his actions of wit and sophistry. She is over him as we saw that she convinced him to challenge Claudio for harsh treatment of Hero. Without her it hard to imagine Benedick’s strong wit and wisdom. She is complementary to him and without her, his character can’t be well defined. The most important is both realize that they love each other even after it was reveled that both were crossed by their friends and cousin and told lies about how each love one another. Even here Beatrice is manipulating him when she says, “ I would not deny you, but by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told, you were in consumption.” Note she is surrendering to save his life. However such silly things and personal ego vanishes when two people really are in love and are committed to take care of each other. When Benedick kisses after this to stop her mouth its mutual love and harmony they have learned to share. I don’t think its one’s surrender over other’s will but a mutual understanding which every couple who are in love should must possessed.
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