Notes on Othello (c.1836 39) by Samuel Taylor Coleridge R ELATED R EADING ABOUT THE RELATED READING Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772 1834) is best known for his lyrical poems, which are classics of English Romantic literature; however, he was also a formidable critic and philosopher. The following commentary on Othello is taken from Coleridge s notes and lectures on Shakespeare, which were collected and published after his death. The first two excerpts were published in Literary Remains between 1836 and 1839. In the first excerpt, he discusses the character of Iago, showing his awe at the motiveless malignity in Shakespeare s notorious villain. In the second excerpt, he explains why he believes that Othello should not be viewed as a blackamoor or negro not a black man, but a brown one. In the third excerpt (taken from a talk he delivered in December 1822 and published in the book Table Talk in 1835), Coleridge repeats that Othello should be seen, again, not as a negro, but rather a high and chivalrous Moorish chief. Coleridge s racist view was still in evidence one hundred years later when, in 1930, American audiences were outraged by the idea of black actor Paul Robeson playing the Moor onstage. On the character of Iago: Virtue? a fig! Tis in ourselves that we are thus, or thus... This speech 1 comprises the passionless character of Iago. It is all will in intellect; and therefore he is here a bold partisan of a truth, but yet of a truth converted into a falsehood by the absence of all the necessary modifications caused by the frail nature of man. And then comes the last sentiment, 1. This speech. You may read the entire speech in Act I, scene iii, lines 322 336. par ti san (pär tə zən; pär tə sən) n., a passionate supporter of something (as a cause or a political party). The Douglas family are enthusiastic partisans of the Republican party and often volunteer their time to help with local campaigns. RELATED READINGS: FROM COLERIDGE S NOTES ON OTHELLO 245
... our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts; whereof I take this, that you call love, to be a sect or scion... What does Iago repeat that makes him, in Coleridge s eyes, even more wicked? Here is the true Iagoism of, alas! how many! Note Iago s pride of mastery in the repetition of Go, make money! to his anticipated dupe, even stronger than his love of lucre: and when Roderigo is completely won I am chang d. I ll go sell all my land. when the effect has been fully produced, the repetition of triumph Go to: farewell; put money enough in your purse! The remainder Iago s soliloquy 2 the motive-hunting of a motiveless malignity how awful it is! Yea, whilst he is still allowed to bear the divine image, it is too fiendish for his own steady view, 3 for the lonely gaze of a being next to devil, and only not quite devil, and yet a character which Shakspeare has attempted and executed, without disgust and without scandal! 4 On Othello s race: RODERIGO. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe, If he can carry t thus. Roderigo turns off to Othello; and here comes one, if not the only, seeming justification of our blackamoor or negro Othello. Even if we supposed this an uninterrupted tradition of the theatre, and that Shakspeare himself, from 2. Iago s soliloquy. That is, act I, scene iii, lines 383 404. 3. whilst he... his own steady view. While Iago is still attempting to appear divine, or saintly, in the eyes of the other characters, he is unwilling to own up to the truth about himself. The truth that he has no motives at all and is simply evil is too fiendish for him to admit, even to himself. 4. without disgust and without scandal. That is, Shakespeare does not make a fuss over Iago or make any apologies for him he simply presents him as he is. ma lig ni ty (mə liɡ nə tē) n., malignancy: the quality or state of being malignant, that is, evil or harmful. The malignity of the villain was contrasted with the kindness and goodness of the hero. 246 OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE
want of scenes, 5 and the experience that nothing could be made too marked for the senses of his audience, had practically sanctioned it, would this prove aught concerning his own intention as a poet for all ages? Can we imagine him so utterly ignorant as to make a barbarous negro plead royal birth, at a time, too, when negros were not known except as slaves? As for Iago s language to Brabantio, it implies merely that Othello was a Moor, that is, black. 6 Though I think the rivalry of Roderigo sufficient to account for his wilful confusion of Moor and Negro, yet, even if compelled to give this up, I should think it only adapted for the acting of the day, and should complain of an enormity built on a single word, in direct contradiction to Iago s Barbary horse. 7 Besides, if we could in good earnest believe Shakspeare ignorant of the distinction, still why should we adopt one disagreeable possibility instead of a ten times greater and more pleasing probability? It is a common error to mistake the epithets applied by the dramatis personae 8 to each other, as truly descriptive of what the audience ought to see or know. No doubt Desdemona saw Othello s visage in his mind; yet, as we are constituted, and most surely as an English audience was disposed in the beginning of the seventeenth century, it would be something monstrous to conceive this beautiful Venetian girl falling in love with a veritable negro. It would argue a disproportionateness, a want of balance, in Desdemona, which Shakspeare does not appear to have in the least contemplated. What does Coleridge say would be something monstrous to conceive? 5. want of scenes. A desire to create a scene, or spectacle, that would shock the audience 6. black. Of dark skin; swarthy in appearance, but not black in the sense of negro 7. contradiction to Iago s Barbary horse. Iago s reference to Othello as a Barbary horse implies that Othello was from Barbary, and therefore would be a tawny Moor, not a black African. 8. dramatis personae. The characters in a drama sanc tion (saŋ[k] shən) vt., to approve or consent to. In Communist China, only certain churches are sanctioned by the government; others are outlawed. ep i thet (e pə thət) n., a descriptive word or phrase applied to a person or thing; often used in place of the person s name. Because she often forgot to turn in her homework, the student earned the epithet Forgetful Sam. ver i ta ble (ver ə tə bəl) adj., being in fact the thing named; actual, real. Often used as an intensifier. Marie Curie was not only smart, she was a veritable genius. RELATED READINGS: FROM COLERIDGE S NOTES ON OTHELLO 247
What does Coleridge was not the point in Othello s character? How does he describe Othello s mind? On the character of Othello: Othello must not be conceived as a negro, but a high and chivalrous Moorish chief. Shakspere learned the spirit of that character from the Spanish poetry which was prevalent in England in his time. Jealousy does not strike me as the point in his passion; I take it to be rather an agony that the creature, whom he had believed angelic, with whom he had garnered up his heart, and whom he could not help still loving, should be proved impure and worthless. It was the struggle not to love her. It was a moral indignation and regret that virtue should so fall: But yet the pity of it, Iago! O Iago! the pity of it, Iago! In addition to this, his honour was concerned: Iago would not have succeeded but by hinting that his honour was compromised. There is no ferocity in Othello; his mind is majestic and composed. He deliberately determines to die; and speaks his last speech with a view of showing his attachment to the Venetian state, though it had superseded him. Schiller 9 has the material sublime; to produce an effect, he sets you a whole town on fire, and throws infants with their mothers into the flames, or locks up a father in an old tower. But Shakspere drops a handkerchief, and the same or greater effects follow. Lear is the most tremendous effort of Shakspere as a poet; Hamlet 10 as a philosopher or meditator and Othello is the union of the two. There is something gigantic and unformed in the former two; but in the latter, everything assumes its due place and proportion, and the whole mature powers of his mind are displayed in an admirable equilibrium. 9. Schiller. German dramatist Friedrich von Schiller (1759 1805). Here Coleridge refers to Schiller s famous play The Robbers (1781). 10. Lear... Hamlet. The heroes of two of Shakespeare s other great tragedies: The Tragedy of King Lear and The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. chiv al rous (shi vəl rəs) adj., having the qualities of courtesy and grace, as outlined in the laws of chivalry, or knighthood. Opening the door for a lady was long considered a chivalrous act expected of all men; nowadays it is considered equally proper for a woman to hold a door for a man. su per sede (sü pər sēd ) vt., to displace or set aside, and put another in place of. The gruff army general was forced into retirement and superseded by a younger and more personable officer. sub lime (sə bl m ) adj., lofty, grand, or exalted in thought or expression; more broadly, excellent. The critic described the orchestra s performance as nothing short of sublime. 248 OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE
Critical Thinking 1. Coleridge writes that Iago s soliloquies are the motive-hunting of motiveless malignity. Do you agree? Does Iago have any true motive for wanting revenge on Othello? 2. How and why does Coleridge distinguish between Moor and Negro? Why does he think Shakespeare must have intended for Othello to be a Moor, and not a black African? How would you respond to his arguments? 3. Many critics have stated that it is Othello s jealous nature the stereotypical hot Moorish blood that leads to his downfall. Coleridge, on the other hand, says that jealousy does not strike me as the point. What feelings does Coleridge see as motivating Othello, if not jealousy? Do you agree or disagree? Explain. RELATED READINGS: FROM COLERIDGE S NOTES ON OTHELLO 249