Blog Entry 20: Quote-Response

Quote:

Othello: “Went he hence now?”
Desdemona: “Yes, faith, so humbled
That he hath left part of his grief with me
To suffer with him. Good love, call him back.”
Othello: “Not now, sweet Desdemon. Some other time.”
Desdemona: “But shall ‘t be shortly?”
Othello: “The sooner, sweet, for you.”
Desdemona: “Shall ‘t be tonight at supper?”
Othello: “No, not tonight.”
Desdemona: “Tomorrow dinner, then?”
Othello: “I shall not dine at home.
I meet the captains at the citadel.”
Desdemona: “Why, then, tomorrow night, or Tuesday morn,
On Tuesday noon, or night, on Wednesday morn.
I prithee, name the time, but let it not
Exceed three days. In faith, he’s penitent;
And yet his trespass, in our common reason—
Save that, they say, the wars must make example
Out of her best—is not almost a fault
T’ incur a private check. When shall he come?
Tell me Othello. I wonder in my soul
What you would ask me that I should deny,
Or stand so mammering on. What? Michael Cassio,
That came a-wooing with you, and so many a time,
When I have spoke of you dispraisingly,
Hath ta’en your part—to have so much to do
To bring him in. By’r Lady I could do much—
Othello: “Prithee, no more. Let him come when he will,
I will deny thee nothing.”
(Othello by: William Shakespeare Edited by: David Bevington, Pgs. 983-4)

Response:

This is where the manipulation where Iago’s plan goes into full effect. He is doing what he thinks that he need to do to get revenge on Cassio. I cannot even imagine being in Desdemona’s position here. In the time that this is based out of things were handled so differently. Due to the difference in their demeanor in this time it is hard for me not to feel really emotional about this story. I believe in women’s rights and that they should have a say in what happens to them. However, back when this was written women had nothing, she was to be seen and not heard. Othello’s commitment to her is also something that amazes me. Not that it is ok that he kills her over her supposed betray but the love that he has to have for her to do something of this nature. It is twisted I know but after watching the movie O I got a bigger perspective on how much he really did love her. It is a little construed in the movie however due to their young age (high school) but I cannot imagine the strength that it took Othello to kill her. It is one thing to kill an intruder entering your home, you know nothing about them. But, to love someone so much you kill them has to take a lot of strength. I think this is why in the movie he kills himself, he could never live with what he had done. To me this is an epic love story with a horrible ending…which is true to most of Shakespeare’s work.