Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Epilepsy & Othello
Wow. In Act 4 scene 1, Othello falls into an epilepsy. It's actually really funny! Because this man is so stressed out by Desdemona's so-called infidelity, he keels over and has a seizure. I guess you could say he's literally love-sick. Why does he have these seizures? And is it bad to think of it humorously?
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I think it is tempting to laugh at something that aren't really funny, especially if it's not happening to us or it's happening to someone we don't have sympathy for. And, of course, if you just happened upon someone "spasing out," it might just look funny until you realized what's happening. Do you think Iago finds this funny? What happens to the effect of the play if at this point the audience laughs?
ReplyDeleteCould someone respond to how the Elizabethan audience would view "an epilepsy"? What did they consider the cause? Do you remember this being an issue in Julius Caesar?
I think the fact that Othello has a seizure shows he is weak and emphasizes Iago's strength and power. I think it solidifies how well Iago has manipulated everyone around him to the point that he causes someone to have a seizure.
ReplyDeleteI know we talked about this in class today, but Elizabethan audiences would see his "epilepsy" as very sad. I think that his siezure would evoke sympathy from the audience, which works to add to the emotion of the play.
ReplyDeleteI think that people may be tempted to laugh at this scene because otherwise they would be crying. If Othello, Iago's biggest enemy, can be reduced to such a sorry state, you know that Iago can crush anyone. When the hero himself is brought down, the endgame is soon to follow.
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