Act 5 opens with Iago explaining that he doesn't really care whether Iago or Roderigo lose in the fight that's coming:
Now, whether he kill Cassio,
Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,
Every way makes my gain
It's always nice when the you win no matter what.
Shortly thereafter, Roderigo has one of my favorite quirky lines in the play:
I know his gait, 'tis he.--Villain, thou diest!
REALLY?! you know who it is you are attacking from the way he walks?! How exactly does Cassio walk that it is so distinct? Or is Roderigo just being absurd? Either way, it amuses me. I also have to keep myself from inappropriately laughing at Cassio's line:
I am maim'd for ever.
I know it's a terrible thing. but there's something about the word maimed right next to FOR EV ER that just tickles my funny bone and I can't help it. It' something I want a pull string doll to say because I am dark and twisty that way.
Meanwhile Othello has been spying the horror and leaves thinking Cassio is taken care of and he should go take care of Desdemona the same way:
strumpet, I come.
Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted;
Thy bed, lust-stain'd, shall with lust's blood be spotted.
Full. on. insane mode. These are intense images and words.
Meanwhile, instead of killing Cassio, Iago kills Roderigo, continues to fool everyone else about his intensions and involvement, and everyone is mean to bianca. Poor Bianca. Spoiler alert: at least she fares better than the other women in the play… speaking of, we have some woman on woman crime right about now:
EMILIA
Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet!
BIANCA
I am no strumpet; but of life as honest
As you that thus abuse me.
EMILIA
As I! foh! fie upon thee!
There's a whole lot of compassion missing from this play. Meanwhile, things are no longer win/win for Iago. But this is the moment that shows Iago would not have the same issues as macbeth were he in Macbeth's shoes:
This is the night
That either makes me or fordoes me quite.
Iago may be terrible and play a villain, but he owns up to the consequences at least...
5.2
Let's finish this thing… I'm not even sure if I can add fun pictures this post.. I'm too sick and this act is too depressing. We start with Othello repeating to himself and it almost seems like reconvening himself to kill his wife:
It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,--
Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!--
It is the cause.
Then there's this well known line:
Put out the light, and then put out the light:
I think this scene is one of the best for teaching about the spirituality at the time of Shakespeare. You could kill someone or you could kill them with the intention of damning them. We'll come back to this when we get to Richard III, but look at how concerned with Desdemona's soul Othello is, even though he's mad enough to kill her:
OTHELLO
Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona?
DESDEMONA
Ay, my lord.
OTHELLO
If you bethink yourself of any crime
Unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace,
Solicit for it straight.
Of course, you could also the this as him trying to get her to confess even though he's already convinced himself she's guilty, but he's clearly still having some trouble since he says this:
That death's unnatural that kills for loving.
As Paula Vogel points out in her play I mentioned in earlier acts, "THAT'S NOT LOVE."
When he tells Desdemona he's going to kill her but he's going to give her time to repent because he's merciful, she replies with this piece of common sense and honesty:
And have you mercy too! I never did
Offend you in my life; never loved Cassio
But with such general warranty of heaven
As I might love: I never gave him token.
Then there's this line that Liam Neeson wishes he got in his crazy revenge movies:
Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge
Had stomach for them all.
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| Look at that, I managed a meme anyway... |
OTHELLO
Out, strumpet! weep'st thou for him to my face?
DESDEMONA
O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!
It's like saying you're not a witch just making people more sure you're a witch
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| In this case… replace witch with strumpet... |
OTHELLO
Not Cassio kill'd! then murder's out of tune,
And sweet revenge grows harsh.
DESDEMONA
O, falsely, falsely murder'd!
EMILIA
Alas, what cry is that?
The early modern cannon likes to have fake deaths once in a while… and what kills me is once Desdemona wakes up, has her I'm not dead yet moment, etc. She uses her last breath TO LIE!
EMILIA
O, who hath done this deed?
DESDEMONA
Nobody; I myself. Farewell
Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell!
If I ever have to play Desdemona, or direct Othello, this will be the single hardest moment for me. I cannot comprehend why she does this. 1. The stand by your man thing when your man has killed you is shenanigans. 2. Why would you damn yourself with lying and/or tarnish your honesty and reputation right before you die anyway and 3. WHY would she ever think this would work?! CLEARLY Emilia already KNOWS who has done this deed. and if it was desdemona herself we'd be finding her in a river, not smothered in bed… it's a lot harder to smother yourself than drown yourself… Anyone have some insight on this? it drives me crazy. EVERY. TIME.
Then Othello lets Emilia in on something that actually IS a surprise… unlike who killed Desdemona...
OTHELLO
Thy husband knew it all.
EMILIA
My husband!
OTHELLO
Thy husband.
I think that moment has the potential to be the most powerful int he whole play. Especially if Emilia and Desdemona had a friendship established earlier the kick in the gut moment of realizing she caused her good friend's death is devestating. The women are so silenced in this play and for a brief moment Emilia refuses that fate:
Thou hast not half that power to do me harm
As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt!
As ignorant as dirt! thou hast done a deed--
I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known,
Though I lost twenty lives.--Help! help, ho! help!
The Moor hath kill'd my mistress! Murder! murder!
Not only does she refuse to be silenced, she refuses to be trifled with and calls Iago out on his equivocation:
IAGO
I told him what I thought, and told no more
Than what he found himself was apt and true.
EMILIA
But did you ever tell him she was false?
IAGO
I did.
This is why Emilia is an awesome character. She messes up, she owns it, and she calls out the other people around her:
Villany, villany, villany!
I think upon't, I think: I smell't: O villany!--
I thought so then:--I'll kill myself for grief:--
O villany, villany!
I think upon't, I think: I smell't: O villany!--
I thought so then:--I'll kill myself for grief:--
O villany, villany!
I love her.
Then we have Othello with what I think is the most powerful vowel in the English language
Then we have Othello with what I think is the most powerful vowel in the English language
OTHELLO
O! O! O!
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| Also possibly the inspiration for this modern spin off... |
GRATIANO
Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's dead:
Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief
Shore his old thread in twain:
Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief
Shore his old thread in twain:
Really Gratiano? I'm not feeling too terrible for Desdemona's dad… or any of the men in this play…
Emilia pays the price for being a woman who speaks out:
Emilia pays the price for being a woman who speaks out:
IAGO
Come, hold your peace.
EMILIA
EMILIA
'Twill out, 'twill out: I peace!
No, I will speak as liberal as the north:
Let heaven and men and devils, let them all,
All, all, cry shame against me, yet I'll speak.
Iago kills his wife and she gets to die next to Desdemona… which is sad and really beautiful and the idea of a swan song is gorgeous… makes the strange singing earlier in the play worth it...
What did thy song bode, lady?
Hark, canst thou hear me? I will play the swan.
And die in music.
Moor, she was chaste; she loved thee, cruel Moor;
So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true;
So speaking as I think, I die, I die.
Hark, canst thou hear me? I will play the swan.
And die in music.
Singing
Willow, willow, willow,--Moor, she was chaste; she loved thee, cruel Moor;
So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true;
So speaking as I think, I die, I die.
And in case you wanted some satisfaction and justice, sorry about your luck...
LODOVICO
Where is this rash and most unfortunate man?
OTHELLO
OTHELLO
That's he that was Othello: here I am.
It seems like Othello is going to come forward and give himself up to justice. In the meantime, Iago resigns himself to silence which is maddening for an audience. And also genius. What makes people more crazy than the silent treatment?!
It seems like Othello is going to come forward and give himself up to justice. In the meantime, Iago resigns himself to silence which is maddening for an audience. And also genius. What makes people more crazy than the silent treatment?!
IAGO
Demand me nothing: what you know, you know:
From this time forth I never will speak word.
And then instead Othello wounds Iago and kills himself. He also asks to be remembered kindly. Leaving me with the big question of this play and my favorite questions to ask when I teach it… is this play a tragedy because Desdemona is innocent? Because that's what this final line implies:
Of one that loved not wisely but too well;
Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought
Perplex'd in the extreme;
Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought
Perplex'd in the extreme;
Of course, you all know by now that I'm a pretty big feminist and think- crazy I know- it's tragic that he kills his wife, whether or not she's been faithful.
And that's the end of that. We end in a small dark room where many, many people have been silenced. Take back your voice y'all.
Next up… when I get the time… 2 Gents. We'll get through that early play and then jump way forward to a Romance!!!!
And that's the end of that. We end in a small dark room where many, many people have been silenced. Take back your voice y'all.
Next up… when I get the time… 2 Gents. We'll get through that early play and then jump way forward to a Romance!!!!
i like your post.
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