Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

 

Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?

 

-Desdemona

Othello                            Act IV Scene iii, Line 66

The deed that Desdemona is asking Emilia about is cheating on her husband. Emilia answers that if it was truly for ‘all the world’, she would do it, but not for anything less. Desdemona says that she wouldn’t cheat on her husband for anything. 

This is a very sad scene as Desdemona has sensed her forthcoming demise and talks about it with Emilia. Before they get into the discussion about cheating, Desdemona sings a sad song. I think you would appreciate it more if you heard Desdemona sing the song, but regardless, I think I’ll give you the words.

         The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree,

                        Sing all a green willow;

        Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,

                Sing willow, willow, willow;

        The fresh streams ran by her, and murmur’d her moans;

                Sing willow, willow, willow;

        Her salt tears fell from her, and soften’d the stones;

                Sing willow, willow, willow;

        Sing all a green willow must be my garland.

        Let nobody blame him; his scorn I approve,

(Desdemona corrects herself after this line, ‘Nay, that’s not next’, but then continues.)

        I call’d my love false love; but what said he then?

                Sing willow, willow, willow;

        If I court moe women, you’ll couch with moe men.

And this leads to Desdemona asking Emilia the question which is today's Totally Random line. 

So sad.

You're wondering what the heck these are pictures of, and I'm going to tell you. The top one is an old black and white photo that my sister Jean took of the willow tree that was at the bottom of the street where I grew up. My dad always told us that my grandfather planted that willow. The picture below that is a pic that I just snapped of a piece of the tree in the photo. When they cut the tree down, forty or so years ago, I grabbed a piece of it to save. And I still have it. 

Sing willow, willow, willow.