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Ok, as promised, the worst student essay I got all semester. Brace yourselves. The prompt asked the students to trace an image or pattern of imagery through one Shakespeare play and then discuss how the imagery elucidates a theme. This student decided to do heart imagery in Othello. I actually highlighted portions of this and sent it to the other TAs and the Prof in case they needed a laugh. And yes, English is not only this girl's first language, it's her major. I'm not saying that she doesn't know how to form sentences. And maybe it just looked bad compared to some of the other excellent papers I got from my better students. But hooo boy ... this one was something special. I'll excerpt the best parts: Love and the Heart in Shakespeare’s Othello
The human heart is one of the most unpredictable, uncontrollable functions that exists. Both a blessing and a plague, it manages to land human beings into states of unparalleled joy, and sorrow. Like the famous line in The Wizard of Oz goes, “Hearts will never be practical until they're made unbreakable." The heart is unpractical in several ways; love knows nothing of reason, while hate turns all other feelings to mute. The importance of the heart can be seen in 1.1.87, when Iago relates the heart with the soul, saying that if “your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul.” The importance of the heart, and its two primary emotions, love and hate, are reiterated over and over again, as examined in two passages in Act One. And so it goes in Shakespeare’s Othello, a play about, if nothing else, listening to your heart, and what happens if you listen to something, or someone, else. My argument is that the story of Othello would never have happened if the human heart were not so vulnerable. Iago was hurt; Othello was jealous and sad, etc. The human heart, a constant theme throughout the play, is often underestimated.
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Because Othello chose to “love” someone else as his lieutenant (Cassio), Iago’s faith was shattered, and developed into hate. Here is a striking appearance of the heart: once betrayed, sometimes it is irreconcilably shut. Perhaps Iago had so much inner evil that it was only a matter of time before he snapped. After all, one could argue that the villainous man overreacted; get over it! But also maybe this is an oft-overlooked tragedy in the play. How much trouble and sorrow could have been avoided if Iago’s hurting heart had been acknowledged? He even goes on to explain his vengeance: “Others there are who, trimmed in forms of visages of duty, keep yet their hearts attending on themselves… Not I for love or duty.” He sounds like he is in the middle of breakup; once we break up and start dating again, even if we seem into it, we often guard our hearts. Sometimes, once our hearts are broken, they are never given away again. This is not to say that there are homoerotic themes in this book; this is merely stating that hate usually stems from scorned (conscientiously or unconscientiously) love. Iago’s heart is in a state of disrepair, and all will feel his wrath.
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Iago’s speech, for example, explains about why most of what happens, happens. It is easy to see Othello as a two-dimensional play, to blame either Iago or Othello for the travesties that occur (have a little faith!). Instead, it complicated things. It is hard to pinpoint he who is culpable, when in both cases it is matters of the heart that drive them to their crimes. Both are blameworthy, but at the same time, it is hard not to feel sympathetic. At first glance, Othello shows Iago to be just plain evil and Othello to be faithless and jealous. But anyone who has been passed over, cheated on, or in any way had their heart abused can relate, a little, to two of Shakespeare’s more famous men. ... The heart, introduced in this passage as a vulnerable function capable of driving you to action and force, is voiced in bitterness throughout for its apparent ability to conduce hatred and hurt.
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It is interesting also that we regaled with the details of Othello and Desdemona’s courtship. In the aforementioned Act One Scene Three, Othello says, “She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them.” (1.3.166) It seems like Othello’s insecurity is plagued further. He details how she fell in love with him, while Desdemona demonstrates no such narcissistic revelation when similarly relating. It is almost as if he must convince himself… If this is the case, if his heart truly is that vulnerable, than Iago had an easier job than previously imagined.
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Shakespeare is known for creating multidimensional characters and including themes that enhance the plotline. His use of the heart is no different. Hate and love, along with jealousy and insecurity, rack the play, inducing the characters into variants of joy and madness. ... If anything, the exhausted reader concludes the play with the further reinforced opinion that the heart is truly an unreasonable but valuable organ.
-FIN- Whoo! My professor said: "To quote the Wizard of Oz, 'If she only had a brain!'" Tee hee! Now, some of you might be thinking "that's not THAT bad." Maybe not for a 10th grader. coming next: the email she sent me when she received her failing grade, and the email Ryan wanted me to send in response. Good times!
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