Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 6, No. 0878. Wednesday, 8 November 1995.
(1) From: Michael Saenger <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 6 Nov 1995 17:15:11 -0500
Tubj: Re: SHK 6.0873 Re: Desdemona's Death
(2) From: Susan Mather <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 6 Nov 1995 17:19:27 -0500 (EST)
Subj: Re: SHK 6.0873 Re: Desdemona's Death
(1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Michael Saenger <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 6 Nov 1995 17:15:11 -0500
Tubject: Re: SHK 6.0873 Re: Desdemona's Death
One interesting resonance of Desdemona's death, if it is bloodless, would be
the clean sheets. In the Renaissance, the consummation of a marriage would
often be "announced" by hanging the blood-spotted sheets for a village to see
(this would prove both the virility of the man and the virginity of the bride).
It is then a tragic irony that Othello kills his pure bride, instead of making
love with her, on the very bed that should be bloody. If his manner of killing
her is with a pillow, it underlines his emasculation, since to envelope with a
pillow resembles female sexual attack, rather than masculine stabbing. This is
quite a reversal for a warrior such as Othello. So on the night of
consummation, things are consumed, inverted, tragically misunderstood. While
Othello is aware of none of this, we can, in retrospect, see a web of tragic
irony.
(2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Susan Mather <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 6 Nov 1995 17:19:27 -0500 (EST)
Subject: 6.0873 Re: Desdemona's Death
Comment: Re: SHK 6.0873 Re: Desdemona's Death
Today I was talking to someone about this thing about Desdemona--what about--he
broke her neck? Could very well be since he didn't want to spill her blood. I
recently saw the Miller version with Hopkins/Hoskins. I don't think that this
action at the end was clear either way.