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Sewanee Review.
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HONESTIAGO"
or aesthetically
that I am abnormally
sensitive
or
I
the
read
whenever
hear
perverse,
yet
play of Othello my
soul it tormented
iteration of the word *'honest".
by the endless
I do not believe
The
recurrence
monotonous
of
"honest
lago"
arouses
my
sense
even belligerent
to an emphatic,
resentment.
propriety
The irritating phrase distracts
from the main
attention
issues of
the plot with which
the mind should be absorbed,
jars upon the
of artistic
like a discord
nerves
matic
consistency,
an excessive
Such
obvious
device
to
it
indicates
Certainly
was
What
a means
matic,
dience.
this
tickle
the
deliberate
Did
purpose?
of emphasizing
Iago's
as well as uncomplimentary
Did
of the play
knocking
he
regard
of
the
groundlings.
and
specific purpose.
as
regard it merely
Shakespeare
would
?
This
be
undra
duplicity
to the intelligence
of the au
structural element
it as a fundamental
investigation.
challenges
In its two forms of adjective
occurs
word
intellects
some
cur as many
times.
fifty-one
as twenty-eight
as the
and it
that lago
and often summarizes,
expresses,
just those qualities
a strain of irony running
It thus constitutes
does not possess.
the play.
with an
lago uses the word of himself
throughout
smile or diabolical
grin, or, when the occasion requires,
a
manner
brazen-faced
lie.
Othello's
with the sangfroid of
of
a
indicates
the
confidence,
deep-seated
epithet
expressed
using
of a child.
and guilessness
the symplicity
with
The
irony in
acidulous
his
case
is of the unconscious
kind,
recognized
only
spectator.
by
the
"Honest
337
Lago"
are em
of the play two leading motives
and
Othello's
and
these
ployed,?Iago's
credulity,
mendacity
are inseparably
a
motives
stream
of
connected,
single
forming
from
which
flow
all
the
and
all
action
the
of
influeuce,
passion
In
the
construction
the plot.
is not a constructive
Othello's
for it
motive,
jealousy
is the product of the action controlled
it
by lago.
Incidentally
should be noted that although Othello maybe
the "tragic
hero",
the real hero of the play is lago.
He
is the centre of interest,
of the machine.
is the only character who
the mainspring
He
exercises
creative power and initiates movement
in the plot; all
are his puppets,
servants of his purposes,
other characters
tools
in
construc
his
two
used
diabolical
schemes.
Of the
fabricating
tive motives
the word
it signifies
lago
used by Othello
his
"honest"
own
is the keynote:
when
used by
when
and love of deviltry;
his own simplicity
for
and capacity
falseness
it signifies
continuous
differs
widely
The
in
its construction
from
the
other
great
trag
edies.
of dramatic construction,
about which
principle
is
is no essential
the
for growth
disagreement,
necessity
in and through action.
The per
of character
and development
must
of events,
the succession
sonages of the plot
expand with
A
fundamental
there
unfold
est
themselves
in such characters
Brutus
From
stationary;
re
scene of the play Iago's character
in
is development
the
His
action.
only
new devices
in constructing
works busily
of
the first
there
machinery
but the
wickedness,
"motiveless
malignity"
tent
in its operation.
Schelling
says, "the
22
The
338
Sewanee
Review
it to the gallery".
This
generalization,
contact
closer
with the text.
be
however,
justified by
At the very opening of the play the word "honest"
is first used,
a dramatic keynote,
a hint as
and fittingly by lago, constituting
and
villainy
bawls
must
to his character
action.
at once
in the
for lago
With
he describes
servants
the class of honest
contempt
he does not belong:
knaves
who
dote
"knee-crooking"
to their masters.
bondage"
"obsequious
"Whip me
sneering
to which
on their
such honest
class
".
Do
on their lords,
of service
but shows
throwing
thrive by them, and when
lin'd their
they have
: these
fellows
themselves
have some soul,
homage
And
a one
such
".
do
myself",
the cogent
I am not what
is a cold-blooded
Here
I profess
with
the speech
closing
coats
well
Do
the
epitome
of himself,?
I am."
avowal
of all
the qualities
of which his
not wait
to be explained
by
His deeds
explains himself.
He
does
soul is composed.
the action, but fully and accurately
to him
the character
he attributes
after this in no way modify
The
illustrate
it.
instead
self; they merely
passage,
therefore,
we
as
a
are
hint of what
to look for in
of serving
premonitory
black
serves to intro
the subsequent
of Iago's character,
development
now
that character
We
completey
developed.
already
he is just a stage villain,
know all about the man; henceforth
as Hazlitt
saw
he has given himself,
living up to the character
duce
Turn
now
to Othello.
".
A man
.
he
So
gay,
In the
in introducing
"honest",
"a
light-hearted
monster,
first uses
the
villain".
comfortable
cordial,
careless,
word
of Kean,
in the acting
him,
lago
third
scene
he
to the Duke:?
my
your grace,
please
is of honesty
and trust."
ancient;
This
"Honest
But
the
end
tragic
lago
complete
knowledge
left in doubt but the physical
in accomplishing
his purpose.
our
already
is
nothing
preempts
speculation;
instruments
that he will employ
in these opening words
Hence
us
tells
Othello
in our minds;
is foreordained
of
339
Lago"
time he uses
is concentrated
in the plot, not
this point interest
was
of the plot.
That crabbed critic, Thomas Rymer,
than half right:?
From
thing.
motives
more
now
"lago
a nauseous
can
only
acturn
agere,
and
vex
the
with
audience
repetition."
the clever
of lago as we watch
knavery
is
tricks of a conjurer.
His mechanical
stimulating,
deviltry
but it arouses no deep emotions
either against his own
exciting,
or in favor of his victim's
this
hideousness
innocence.
Indeed,
We
watch
the
clever
the absence
of .quick interplay of intense
feeling,
actor
is perhaps
the most strik
between
and
auditor,
sympathy
of
with
fact
one's
Othello.
ing
experience
to a drama of
The play now drops from a drama of character
of
placidity
intrigue.
Says
Professor
Bradley:?
"The
fact that Shakespeare
does not show that the plan,
can make
abstractly
a play succeed,
is a
considered,
good plan."
of this fact, in relation
of danger to the dignity
His
suspicion
consciousness
to warn
us
"we
that?
must
tinguished
character
Iago's
This
is evasive
presents
no more
as well as his
to Othello,
of the tragedy, leads him
a tragedy of
of character.
as dis
intrigue
Iago's
is
plot
in action."
differentiation.
character
in evolution.
than one
of Ben
of the
Tragedy
A "character
highest
type
is
in action"
of
both
indefinitely,
motives,
the
Jonson's
After
word
"honest",
of a bell,
What
goes
on
sounding
little dramatic
sig
The
340
Sewanee
Review
it
is lost by repetition;
it had
in the beginning
ex
it
no curiosity
to
the
it
;
; suggests nothing
imagination
at the outset.
It
that was not fully explained
plains nothing
a mere
or
two
charac
to
the
affixed
becomes
label,
tag
leading
nificance
arouses
mouth
This
figure
and
to trail nobility
in the dust.
Such a tag, or conspicuous
cannot
to
intended
be
and keep
convey information
sign-board
as
to
of the hearer
the mind
for this
the
characters,
straight
cature
would
be a gross
to the intelligent
Is it not pos
hearer.
was aiming at certain effects
that Shakespeare
affront
sible, therefore,
that lie more properly within
the domain
for the
thereto by a thrifty consideration
a dramatic
office?
Such
exactly
the kind
contrivance
of
as
popular
an open mind,
free from .prepossessions
is
obvious
it
that there
enough
assumption,
of tradition
possibilities;
it
is almost
and
husband,
tragedy
profound
and
became
edy,
comic
is
For instance,
in this play.
comedy elements
and jealous
of the plot, the idea of the hoodwinked
a
out
not
motive
of which we should
is
highly heroic
filled with
is
of
interest.
To
constant
the box
the
induced
comedy,
of
receipts
entirely
expect a
of com
almost
lago
humorous,
is
"Honest
341
Lago"
Gurtor?s
Needle.
One
can easily
a confidential
establishing
ence through
sly asides
of gesture
and
Mephistophelian
grins
nose, eyes rolled to heaven
and other similar
tricks of
leers,
after
the
with
expression,
at
in
cheek,
tongue
fingers
a specially
choice falsehood,
and
facial
comedian.
Indeed,
so much
is
in believing
element, we are fairly justified
of lago was at first, and perhaps frequently,
as a comic character.
it must be admitted
presented
Certainly
that there is a strong inherent possibility
of such a conception.
This
somewhat
adventurous
is not entirely with
suggestion
there of this comic
that the
character
a "curious
mentions
Halliwell-Phillipps
the effect that the part of lago was "originally
and
that Shakespeare
undertaken
comedian",
by a popular
some of the speeches
to the peculiar
talents of the
"adapted
one
source
actor".
In Gildon's
of the
possible
Reflections,
out
historic
warrant.
to
tradition"
it is stated
tradition,
that?
into his
put several words and expressions
"Shakespeare
to his character,
to make
the
part, perhaps not so agreeable
audience
laugh."
but more
Incidental
famous
positive
evidence
is contained
in Rymer's
critique:?
some
is in this play some burlesque,
"There
ramble of comical wit, some show and mimicry
the
humor and
to divert
spectators."
This
must
refer
a position
to give
to Othello
somewhere
between
a
name
we
and
for
which
pure
might have
lofty tragedy
comedy,
to seek, perhaps,
in Polonius's
fantastic
catalogue.
constrained
The
342
Review
Sewanee
of the dignity
and rank of this play is
disparagement
a
test
with regard to the com
the
of
rigid
application
justified by
mon laws of nature and human experience.
By almost universal
or
avowed
there
is
implicit,
something
inherently
judgment,
Such
in the
irreconcilable
sharply provocative
common
humanity;
even the enigmatical
features
of resentment
and,
in
Hamlet,
in the attempt
expended
it into the realm of probable
been
"The
of Othello,
something
and protest on the part of our
the case of no other
play, not
dominant
has
such energetic
critical effort
the action and bring
or possible
human
experience.
to rationalize
subtlest
burne.
to be true to nature.
transcendent
merit
Is this
Shakespeare's
or
a
nature
the
truth
of
is
it
expressed,
emphatically
cleverly
play
libel on nature,
and thus a conspicuous
contrived
exception
the side of its moral
the play
content,
among his plays ? On
baffles
analysis,
assails
the
reason,
common-sense.
flouts
is no rational
of Iago's
The
diablerie
and
explanation
warrant
is
fair
for
Such
both.
disbelieving
credulity
as wre know
transcend
human
characters
it; they
experience,
are essentially
vast repudiations
rather than exempli
monsters,
Othello's
of human
exhibits
of perverted
the
of malig
nature,
insanity
monstrous
Marvellous
creations
but
creations,
they are,
nity.
of a high order that produce
and
Frankensteins
shuddering
fications
of the
nature;
of
insanity
pathological
jealousy and
horror.
is unquestionably
the least
the four great tragedies Othello
as
those demands
and expectations
which
regards
satisfactory
nor
to awaken.
It neither
elevates
great tragedy is supposed
Of
That
have breathed,?
.
; things
. an unweeded
rank and gross
garden,
in nature
"Honest
343
lago"
no equipoise
of
tragedy produces
no
to
of
cosmic
recognition
feeling,
resignation
justice,
a Providence
but
it
in
toward
ways
good;
working
mysterious
a
universe
that the
produces rebellion, disgust,
flaming conviction
no calm
itself should
be moved
of Lear
clusion
to avenge Desdemona's
The con
death.
the
conclusion
but not
intolerable;
is terrible,
human
the mind
fied;
the necessity
there is no
is full
such
conviction
reconciled
of
hearer
no such
and therefore
conclusion,
necessary
The progress of the action
is experienced.
irreconcilable
contradictions
of
the natural
leads to Desdemona's
work
with
human
of dramatic
art, considered
the greatness
law of
death
of Othello
is
as a
If it is less abundantly
supplied with
in the other tragedies?golden
that greet us so familiarly
aspects
riches of thought, aspiring
soul revelations,
idealism, profound
of expression,
delicacies
winsome
astonishing
impulses of imagi
to
be
because
intended
nation?it
may
Shakespeare
primarily
the play, what it veritably
Inter
is, a perfect acting play.
a
hoc
like
has
been
criticism,
Providence,
post
pretative
imper
in providing
with lofty intentions.
Shakespeare
tinently prolific
make
We
moralize
opher,
thrifty
vantage.
rapt with
dramatist
We
too confidently,
exalt the poet and philos
at man's
weak mortality,
above the
gazing
of
watchful
for
economic
coigns
diligently
his mind
of the man
of business
behind
The
344
Sewanee
Review
the "subtle-souled
us believe
to "purge
suaded to this purgation
by realizing "how dark, grim
the
is
cruel
On
the contrary,
plicable
irony of life".
and inex
when
he
was
years Othello
to bear the bell
a fair degree
of uniformity
as an acting play
Its transcendent
merits
stage presentation.
are indisputable;
its concentrated,
swift
its con
action,
direct,
common
of
chain
its
tinuous
and easily com
events,
exciting
are elements
passion,
prehended
William
Winter:?
Says
that
insure
popular
success.
as a dramatic
"Viewed
fabric, that is to say,
exclusively
with reference to the element of action, and that only, Othello
is not only the best of Shakespeare's
plays, but the best
language."
play in the English
are dramaturgic,
its supreme
excellences
words,
than profoundly
its
feature is a mas
poetic;
triumphant
is
its appeal
It
intellectual.
scenic, objective,
terly technique;
is not a play that "reaches
through the mind to pluck the heart".
In
other
rather
With
and Lear,
Macbeth, Hamlet
Othello cannot claim fellowship.
by reason
Julian
Burlington,
Willis
of these
limitations,
Abernethy.
Vermont.