Today’s Totally Random Line(s)
Cousin,
there’s faln between him and my lord
An
unkind breach: but you shall make all well.
-Desdemona
Othello Act IV, Scene i, Line 224
Faln is a shortening (contraction?) of fallen. An unkind breach has fallen between Cassio and Othello.
That’s what Desdemona is saying, and she’s saying that Lodovico will fix it. No,
I don’t think so.
It does not seem that at any point in this play Desdemona becomes aware of the specific problem: that Othello thinks that she and Cassio are having an affair. Or does she? There is clearly much of this play that I don’t remember as it’s been probably twenty years since I’ve read it in its entirety. Also, I have never seen it performed, live or otherwise.
Now speaking of Othello’s mad, jealous obsession, what
of this mad obsession of Pete’s with Will’s works? Is it mad? Where did it
start? I can tell you that at least, I think. It took off from the blogging. I
was a fan of Will’s previously, but once I started this thing of looking at a
random line each day, and spending a little time with Will’s works each day,
well I suppose the obsession was inevitable. And the blogging, to start with,
was simply an idea to create a platform so as to be able to sell a book. The
book was a shot in the dark idea of a way to do something to combine Bill’s
drawing and my writing. So, I guess mine is a very accidental obsession?
Well, does anyone go about with the intent to get obsessed with something? Do they? I would think not. But wait a minute: whilst you can bet that Othello did not intend (or want) to become obsessed with jealousy, I think you can also bet that Iago did intend it. So, Othello's is a very intentional obsession, just not intended by the guy who got obsessed. Huh.
Okay, I thought I was going to have to call in our resident philosopher for this one. No, not me: I’m talking about our professional philosopher; the guy that gets paid to philosophize (that’s a great word, huh?). I thought we were going to have to ask Professor Davis if anyone goes about with the intent to become obsessed with something. But I think we’ll let him be for today. And we’ll let this topic be, and we’ll be done. What do you think, Professor?
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