Designed for D. Mitchell's English A1 HL International Baccalaureate class at Socastee High School, this blog offers students key information, blog questions, assignments, and homework related to Part IV and Oral/Written Commentaries. Useful and fun links, as well as other resources, will also be included as time permits.
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Shakespeare uses songs as a hidden message from a character to a reader. The excerpt
ReplyDelete"King Stephen was a worthy peer,
His breeches cost him but a crown;
He held them sixspense all too dear" (II, iii) is a metaphor directly to Othello. Othello always talks about how he has "[loved] too well" (V, ii), and in the end he loses his ultimate title. In the song, Iago sings about how he lost 'but a crown' as if saying that it is not a big deal and he can easily be replaced. This song is relevant to the text because it has irony of Othello's outcome being similar to the song. The fact that Iago is singing it shows the relationship between Othello and Iago. Iago has a secret hatred toward Othello and sneaks around to secretly manipulate his lifestyle leading to his death. He believes that Othello is not as important as he thinks he is and he needs to be put in his proper place.
In Shakespeare's tragedy Othello, the use of song is extremely important to the plot and the relationships of the characters. By using the Green Willow Song, Shakespeare shows Desdemona's ultimate commitment to Othello, even when she knows she is about to die. The willow tree symbolizes mourning. By using the willow tree in this song, Shakespeare illustrates Desdemona's sadness and it ultimately foreshadows all the deaths that are to come. Also, the willow tree is one which requires much water, thus draining everything around it. This aspect is used to symbolize just how potent Iago's plan was, showing us how it drained the love, and life, out of the people it manipulated. In the song, the willow tree is green. Green as a color symbolizes nature, but it also symbolizes sexuality. By the use of the color green, we see that, while Desdemona did have sexual relations with someone, that someone was only her husband, and she continued to remain faithful to him. The Green Willow song as whole is also used to foreshadow Desdemona's death. Right before Emilia leaves, Desdemona tells her of her mother's maid Barbara who was killed by her lover, saying that "she died singing it" when "he she loved proved mad" (291). This is important because it shows that, not only was Desdemona aware that she was about to die, she was going to willingly accept her fate as a last show of faithfulness and duty to her husband. Thus, Shakespeare uses the Green Willow Song to show us that Desdemona loves Othello so much, she is willing to die for him, even when he thinks she has been unfaithful.
ReplyDeleteThe origin of the song, as related to the audience by Desdemona, is from her mother’s maid, Barbara. The similarity between the maid’s name, Barbara, and Othello’s cruel nickname, “Barbary horse” (220), allows the audience to see the correlation between the song and Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. The lyrics suggest that both men and women are unfaithful toward one another as Barbara’s husband “did forsake her”; she was left alone and “died singing it” (291). This fact foreshadows what is soon to happen to both Emilia and Desdemona as they each are killed by their husbands who have betrayed them. Moreover, the song seems to evoke a somber, melancholy view of love; words like “poor”, “tears”, “moans”, and “sighing,” as well as the images it conjures in the audience’s mind such as “her head on her knee” (291) denotes this tone. Furthermore, the symbolism in the song demonstrates the dramatic irony that pervades the play. The “sycamore tree”, a symbol of divinity and strength, is juxtaposed with the “green willow” (291) on the following line. Green, a color of the devil, represents envy and jealousy. Because it is used as an adjective to describe the willow, a symbol that, in some cultures, is viewed as the essence of love, the audience is better able to sense the foreshadowing of the tragedy that is about to befall Desdemona. The last lines of the song, however, give the most obvious and profound foretelling of the future for Desdemona; she blatantly sings, “I call’d my love false love” (292). Here, the audience is able to discern the relevance of the song: it points out the dramatic irony of the play, foreshadowing the ultimate demise of both Emilia and Desdemona. The song is reflected in each of the relationships between the characters because they all, to some degree, fall victim to Iago, the motiveless malignity. The song is a warning to rid oneself of jealousy. However, none take heed.
ReplyDelete-Matt
Shakespeare’s use of song foreshadows the events about to transpire before the eyes of the singer and the one hearing the song. Two of the instances of song appear between Iago and Cassio in Act II Scene II and Desdemona and Emilia in Act IV Scene III of Othello.
ReplyDeleteIago encourages the intoxication of Cassio, urging to “let a soldier drink” (246) because an intoxicated Cassio will fall perfectly into Iago’s scheme. Soldier connotes a valiant and manly figure, and due to Cassio’s new station in the military. Iago’s mention of the soldier resonates with Cassio’s efforts to prove himself valiant, causing him to indulge in more alcohol. Iago’s second song cautions Cassio to “take [his] auld cloak about [him]” (246), for Iago intends to cause him harm. The cloak in the song symbolizes Cassio’s wits, which, under the influence of drink, depart, leaving him vulnerable to Iago. Unfortunately for Cassio, he succumbs to the persuasive tone of the first cause and ignores the warning of the second song, resulting in his rash actions and dismissal from the position of lieutenant.
Although, Desdemona does not hold any negative feelings against Othello’s rage, she continues to lament “willow” (291). A willow symbolizes not only despair, but a despair that spreads and drains; the repetition of willow demonstrates the spread of despair as willow forms the refrain of the song. The context of the song also translates to Emilia that Othello will murder Desdemona because she notes that the love of her mother’s maid, Barbara, does “prove mad and [does] forsake her” (291). The situation of Barbara parallels the situation of Desdemona, for she was killed by her love, much in the manner that Othello will kill Desdemona. The sorrowful symbols as well as the background of the song foreshadow Desdemona’s murder to Emilia.
The song, one of Aristotle’s basic elements of a tragedy, in Shakespeare’s play grant insight into future events, even when the characters fail to heed the warnings provided.
-Alexis
The songs sung throughout Othello symbolize the internal conflicts of the main characters. The songs are meant to appeal to the audience and also mimics the fact that these conflicts are constantly stuck in the characters mind, just as the tune of a song can easily get stuck in ones head.
ReplyDeleteIago and Othello relate to the song that highlights “’T is pride that pulls the country down; then take think auld cloak about thee” (247). Both men are forced to commit crimes in the play because of the fear of ruining their reputations. Iago ruins the lives of Othello, Desdemona and Cassio so he could get the satisfaction he wanted because his wife cheated on him with Othello and Othello did not give Iago the job he had wanted as Lieutenant. Othello murders his wife because he is led to believe, by Iago, that his wife has been cheating on him with Cassio. Othello does not want to seem weak to the people of Cyprus that regard him as a strong leader. Because of these men “held them sixpence all too dear” (247) they chose to ruin the lives of others in order to gain pride for themselves.
The song Desdemona sings emphasizes the sadness she feels towards the actions and attitude her husband has suddenly taken on, the audience must remember she does not know Othello believes she is cheating. The song, although sung by Desdemona when Othello is not around, also explains conflict taking place in Othello. The symbol of the “green willow” (291), found in the song, stresses the envy and sadness that Othello and Desdemona are feeling because of rumors stirred up by the villain Iago.
The repetition of the “sing willow, willow, willow” (291) in the song puts emphasis on how sorrowful Desdemona is feeling because of the sudden change of heart from her husband. The song, in its last stanza, also talks about cheating which is ironically the reason there is conflict at all in the play.
The songs are a way from the characters to vent to the audience their feelings without venting to the other characters on stage.