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Department Of English
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MA (Final) Year
TERM
PAPER
ON
Write a note on the use of
Soliloquy in Shakespeare’s Tragedy with reference to Hamlet, Othello, King Lear
and Julius Caesar.
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Department of English
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Department of English
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Abstract
This term paper
is a study
of Shakespeare’s use
of soliloquy, a
convention common to
early English tragedy.
Its purpose is to
determine his development
of the dramatic effectiveness of
the device. The introductory
chapter is a general
discussion of soliloquy and its
dramatic functions.
Originating
in Hellenic tragedy as speech uttered by a single character alone and generally
addressed to the audience, the soliloquy survived throughout the Middle Ages as
a dramatic device that has bridged the gap between the play’s fiction and its
audience’s reality, often with some didactic purpose in mind. Normally, a
soliloquy is a dramatic technique of speaking alone on the stage. It is a
dramatic convention of exposing to the audience - the intentions, thoughts and
feelings of a character who speaks aloud to himself explaining earlier events
and actions that have occurred offstage or filling in other necessary
background while no other character remains present on the stage. Although close,
it is different from an aside, another dramatic technique frequently applied in
plays. In an aside, more than one characters are involved but here the
speaker’s speech is only audible to the speaker himself or herself rather than
to other characters on stage whereas in a soliloquy only one character is
present and his speech is audible to the audience as well as to him. However,
major soliloquies from the four famous tragic plays entitled Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, a literary giant
in English Literature of the Elizabethan Period, the most creative age of
English literature cited and they are being described below one by one.
In Hamlet, Hamlet, the protagonist, through his soliloquies reveals his
heart that is hesitant in execution of any task. From his soliloquies, the
readers come to learn that the major task of his life is to take revenge for
the death of his father but he delays whereas in Othello, Iago, the
Machiavellian character of the play, discloses his heart to the audience to
better understand his character. However, Iago has ultimately misguided Othello
to murder his flower like innocent chaste wife. King Lear several major
characters’ inner thoughts are soliloquised with greater significance. In the
play the heart of the king is replete with sorrows whose root lies in the
misconduct and maltreatment of his elder daughters and another character called
Edmund a devil like Lucifer, a character from Dr. Faustus by Christopher
Marlowe where as his brother, Edgar, is honest one.
The soliloquies spoken either by the protagonists or by
the non-major characters are directed to the audience, rather than seeming like
conversations with himself or herself. Indeed in Shakespeare, soliloquy is an
integral part of the action and does much to advance the action of the plays.
Soliloquy in
Shakespeare’s work allows us, as readers and/or as an audience, to dive in a
character’s mind. It is that extra view that makes us see what the characters
in Shakespeare’s work can’t see. Use
of Soliloquy in Shakespeare’s Tragedy with reference to Hamlet, Othello, King
Lear and Julius Caesar will be this term
paper's principle subject.
Page 4
Table
of Contents
Chapter-One
1.1
Introduction :.................................................................................................(page number)
1.2
Soliloquies in Shakespeare :.....................................................................................
Chapter
-Two
2.1 Use of Soliloquies
in Shakespeare’s Hamlet :.................................................................6
2.1.1 Analysis of Hamlet's Soliloquies ..................................................................................7
2.1.2 Use of Soliloquies
in Shakespeare’s Othello :.............................................................9
2.1.3 Use of Soliloquy in Othello...........................................................................................9
2.1.4
Othello's Soliloquy :.....................................................................................................11
2.1.5
Othello's Soliloquy Analysis.........................................................................................11
2.1.6 Important Soliloquies in Othello:.................................................................................12
2.3 Use of Soliloquies
in Shakespeare’s King Lear :...........................................................17
2.3.1 Edmund's soliloquy in King Lear :...............................................................................17
2.3.2 Analysis of King Lear’s Soliloquies:............................................................................18
2.4 Use of Soliloquies
in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar :.....................................................23
2.4.1 Example of a Soliloquy in "Julius Caesar :.................................................................23
2.4.2 Three important soliloquies in Julius Caesar :............................................................24
2.4.3 Brutus Soliloquy :.......................................................................................................25
2.4.4 Antony’s Soliloquy In Julius Caesar...........................................................................26
2.4.5 Inner Turmoil Expressed in Brutus’ Soliloquy :...........................................................27
Bibliography…………………………………………………………...…........……….28
Appendix……………………………………………………………………...……………..30
Page 5
Chapter-One
1.1 Introduction :
A soliloquy (from Latin solo "to
oneself" + loquor "I talk") is a device often used in
drama when a character speaks to him- or herself, relating thoughts and
feelings, thereby also sharing them with the audience, giving off the illusion
of being a series of unspoken reflections. If other characters are present,
they keep silent. and/or are disregarded by the speaker. Though it should be
said that sometimes, depending on the performance, a monologue that is written
as a soliloquy, will be addressed directly to the audience. And sometimes it is
hard to tell if what is being heard is a monologue, or a duologue or a
soliloquy; in which case choosing the right term may be a matter of
interpretation.
A soliloquy is a type of monologue, but it is not an aside: a monologue is a speech where one
character addresses other characters, or the audience; or it is a speech that
is self-directed; an aside is a (usually short) comment by one character
towards the audience, though during the play it may seem like the character is
addressing him or herself.
Soliloquies were frequently used in dramas but went out of
fashion when drama shifted towards realism in the late 18th century. But now a
days, with budget restrictions in theatre, they have come back into fashion.
Good examples in literature can be seen in the words of the character of Iago, who has a leading role in Shakespeare's famous play Othello.
1.2 Soliloquies in Shakespeare :
William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616)
was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest
writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He
is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".
His extant works, including collaborations, consist of approximately 39 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His
plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare’s soliloquies contain
some of his most original and powerful writing. Possibly prompted by the essays
of Montaigne, he explores in his greatest tragedies the way someone
wrestles with their private thoughts under pressure, often failing to perceive
the flaws in their own thinking, as in the great galloping I-vii soliloquy (‘if
‘twere done when ‘tis done…’) in which Macbeth unconsciously reveals through
his imagery his fear of damnation. That is part of it; he actually has a
variety of thoughts. But he fails to realise what really holds him back from
murdering his king: simply the fact that it is wrong. And if he does indeed
realize that, and is choosing not to give that fear greater importance, he also
expresses his fear of getting caught, and feeling guilty, and how things will
play out.
The earliest of the mature soliloquies occur in Julius Caesar where Shakespeare develops Brutus
as a forerunner of Hamlet: the self-critical and honest man struggling to do
what’s right in unpropitious circumstances. Hamlet’s seven soliloquies, and the
single major soliloquy of Claudius in Hamlet can all be described as ‘a
search for a difficult sincerity’, and represent Shakespeare’s most extended
study of the workings of the human mind; it is not until the novels of
Dostoyevsky that a character’s inner self is examined with such power, discrimination
and technical skill.
Shakespeare’s soliloquies are written in blank verse of
unparalleled variety, invention and rhythmic flexibility, suggestive of the
rapidly changing moods of their speakers. Often, it is through vivid and
memorable imagery that an individual registers his unique take on the world:
Hamlet’s perception of Elsinore as ‘an unweeded garden that grows to seed’, the
frantically deluded Leontes who feels he has ‘drunk and seen the spider’, the
self-dramatising murderer, Othello ‘Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse’
or Antony’s transcendent vision of his afterlife with Cleopatra: ‘Where souls
do couch on flowers, we’ll hand in hand, And with our sprightly port make the
ghosts gaze’.
The most famous Shakespeare soliloquies (and indeed, the
most famous soliloquys in the English language) are found in three of his plays – Hamlet , Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet . For example, perhaps the best
known opening line to a Shakespeare soliloquy is “to be or not to be”, from Hamlet. According to Times Literary Supplement, “Amply demonstrates why
Shakespeare's soliloquies deserve attention, not only as dramatic instruments
within the plays themselves, but as exceptional literary phenomena, with a
heritage of their own.”
In case you werenÕt 100% sure, a soliloquy is the act
of a character speaking their thoughts aloud, often when theyÕre by themselves but sometimes with
others around. Soliloquys (or soliloquies – you can spell them both ways)
differ from monolgues in that the words spoken are thoughts only, and no other
characters can hear them. This compares to monolgues which are simply long
speeches by a character (read an in-depth article on soliloquies vs
monologues). Shakespeare frequently makes use of both soliloquys and monolgues
in his plays.
Chapter
–Two
2.1
Use of Soliloquies in Shakespeare’s Hamlet :
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet,
is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare at an uncertain date between 1599
and 1602. Set in Denmark, the play dramatises the revenge Prince Hamlet is called to wreak upon his uncle, Claudius, by the ghost of Hamlet's father, King Hamlet. Claudius had murdered his own brother and seized the throne, also marrying his deceased brother's widow. Hamlet is
Shakespeare's longest play, and is considered among the most powerful and
influential works of world literature, with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling
and adaptation by others". It was one of Shakespeare's most popular works
during his lifetime, and still ranks among his most performed,
topping the performance list of the Royal
Shakespeare Company
and its predecessors in Stratford-upon-Avon since 1879. It has been
described as "the world's most filmed story after Cinderella".
Hamlet, the main character of William
Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, is one of the most complex characters ever created.
His intricacy can be seen in the amount of soliloquies he speaks throughout the
play. Each one of Hamlet’s soliloquies reveals his innermost thoughts and gives
the reader or audience insight as to what he is feeling at that time. Hamlet’s
quartet of soliloquies illustrates how Hamlet is initially indecisive, but
eventually makes a decision to take revenge against his uncle.
There are seven soliloquy in 'Hamlet' out of which four
made by Hamlet are most well-known.Their dramatic significance lies in this
that they revel the inner workings of Hamlet's mind. Several conflicting
theories have been put forward to explain the contradictory trends in Hamlet's
sharacter but the mystery of his personality, for they are the spontaneous
outbursts of his inmost thoughts and feelings.
A soliloquy is a speech that a character gives when on stage that reveals
his/her inner most feelings to the audience. Hamlet has several soliloquies in
the play and Clauidus has one. In act I scene ii Hamlet has his first soliloquy
where he expresses his feelings about his father's death and his mother's quick
marriage. He states that he is so upset that he would end his life if it where
not a crime against God to do so. He also expresses his anger towards his
mother, and he calls all women weak.
In act II scene ii after the actors perform their monologue about Priam
and Hecuba, Hamlet has another soliloquy. In this soliloquy he expresses the
fact that he is upset with himself for not taking action to avenge his father.
He comments on the fact that the actor is able to cry over Hecuba, someone he
doesn't even know, but he has not done anything to avenge his own father's
death. He also comments on needing proof because he is not entirely sure the
ghost is not a spirit sent to drag him into Hell. Hamlet decides to use the
play, The Mouse Trap, to identify the king's guilt.
In act III scene ii Hamlet contemplates life and death in his famous
"To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy. He contemplates whether it is better
to live in this world with all the pain, suffering, rudeness and sadness or end
one's life. He talks about death as a long sleep. He also says that people
don't choose death because it is unknown what happens when one dies. He states
that people are afraid of the unknown.
In act III scene iii Claudius has a solioquy when he tries to pray.
Clauidus admits that he killed his brother, the former king, but he knows his
prayers will not go to Heaven because of his actions and his greed. He does not
want to give back any of the things he has received because of the killing -the
queen, the crown, his power.
Finally, in act IV scene iv Hamlet has his final soliloquy. In this
soliloquy Hamlet comments on the fact that Fortinbras has put an army together
to fight and gain a small piece of land. Hamlet is again upset with himself for
not taking action to avenge his father's murder. He can't believe that
Fortinbras has spent so much time and energy to gain a small piece of land and
he has not done anything to avenge his father -a cause that is very important
to him. At the end of the soliloquy Hamlet
2.1.1 Analysis of Hamlet's Soliloquies:
In Hamlet’s first soliloquy he shows
that he is angry with his mother and upset over his father’s death. In
this soliloquy he is mad at himself for waiting so long to take action to
avenge his father’s death. Throughout this speech Hamlet is expressing
self-hatred and scorn. In his self rage he says, “I am pigeon livered and lack
gall”. Hamlet also compares himself to the actor who was able to become so
emotional about something insignificant and wonders why he does not have that
kind of passion about something as important as his father’s death. By the end
of the soliloquy Hamlet has developed a plan to begin taking action against his
uncle, Claudius.
"To be or
not to be--that is the question..." Many people incorrectly interpret
those famous words of Hamlet's, not knowing the true meaning or background
behind his speech. In his soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates whether or not he
should take it upon himself to act accordingly to his uncle's/step-father's
crime against his own father. However, later on in the play, Hamlet realizes
Fortinbras' resolve and his quest for victory. By witnessing Fortinbras and his
actions, Hamlet comes to realize that he has no inner struggle and sees the
actions that he must take in order to bring inner peace to himself and avenge
his father's murder.
In his most famous soliloquy, Hamlet ponders whether he should take action against his "sea of troubles" and seek revenge for his father's death or live with the pain of his father's murder. Hamlet's weakness is later illustrated when he passes up the opportunity to kill Claudius by rationalizing that he has made peace with God, therefore sending him to Heaven if he were to be slain. In addition to his proposal of vengeance, he also contemplates whether it is better to stay alive or commit suicide. "To die, to sleep--/No more--and by a sleep to say we end/The heartache and the thousand natural shocks/That flash is heir to--'tis a consummation/Devoutly to be wished" (III,i,68-71). If he were to sleep, he feels that all his troubles would vanish, and this would not be such a bad thing. However, he says that if he were to sleep, he might have disturbing dreams while in slumber which would be wholly undesirable. Hamlet knows that what he wishes to do to his uncle is sinful and wrong, but it is this train of thought that leaves him in a state of anxiety. This soliloquy portrays Hamlet as a sort of coward because he can not act upon his own emotions and desires. In order to escape his heartache, he cowardly thinks about killing himself. Nevertheless, Hamlet's resolve makes a dramatic turn by the time he recites his soliloquy of Act IV, Scene iv.
In his last
soliloquy, it is obvious that Hamlet's state of mind has gone through a
metamorphosis. Unlike his "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Hamlet
knows how much of a coward he has been and illustrates this in his final
soliloquy by comparing himself to Fortinbras.
By Hamlet’s
third soliloquy he still has not taken action to avenge his father’s death and
hates everyone around him, including himself. He begins his soliloquy with the
famous line “To be, or not to be?” With this line Hamlet is asking whether is
it better to be alive or to be dead. In this soliloquy Hamlet contemplates
suicide and discusses the trials of life. He wishes not to have to deal with
the hardships of life, but realizes that he is not brave enough to take his own
life. Not only is he, like most humans, afraid of the unknown, but he is also
afraid of committing a sin and damning his soul. At the end of his third soliloquy
Hamlet has yet to do as his father’s ghost told him and Hamlet is still angry
with himself for being such a coward.
The soliloquies from Hamlet below are extracts from the
full modern English Hamlet ebook, along with a modern English
translation. Reading through the original Hamlet soliloquy followed by a modern
version and should help you to understand what each Hamlet soliloquy is about:
O, that this too too solid flesh would melt (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 1
Scene2)
O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 2 Scene 2)
To be, or not to be (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 3 Scene 1)
Oh my offence is rank, it smells to heaven (Spoken by Claudius, Act 3
Scene 3)
Now might I do it pat (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 3 Scene 3)
How all occasions do inform against me (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 4 Scene 4)
2.1.2
Use of Soliloquies in Shakespeare’s Othello :
Othello (The Tragedy of Othello, the
Moor of Venice) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in
1603. It is based on the story Un Capitano Moro ("A Moorish
Captain") by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565.[2] The story revolves around its two central characters: Othello, a Moorish
general in the Venetian army and his unfaithful ensign, Iago. Given its varied and enduring themes of racism, love, jealousy,
betrayal, revenge and repentance, Othello is still often performed in
professional and community theatre alike, and has been the source for numerous
operatic, film, and literary adaptations.
2.1.3 Use of Soliloquy in Othello :
The
soliloquies in Othello are all important. But some critics have objected that
in this play all the important soliloquies have been given to a villain, and a
villain is never likely to admit his villainy to himself. But Iago’s
soliloquies are essential because he is a complex character and it would be
quite confusing if he does not reveal his motives, aims and objects through his
soliloquies. Soliloquy
is an important part of the dialogue of Shakespeare's Othello, like that of
most other great tragedies of his. In Othello the soliloquy serves many
functions like revelation of secrets, development of character and plot,
foreshadowing and dramatization, and the addition of the poetic element at
climactic points in the play.
In Othello, soliloquy is used mainly for the revelation of
secret plans and conspiracies of lago. lago is involved in soliloquy for ten
times in the play, and each time he plans how to destroy the life and happiness
of others by thinking out loud to himself. He also describes himself as "I
am not what I am" or his philosophy of life as the "divinity of
hell" in his soliloquies. This helps Shakespeare portray his character
more easily.
Another function of lago's soliloquy also seems to be
dramatic. To the simple audience of Shakespeare, it would be rather difficult
to understand all the cunning conspiracies of lago if he were not made to speak
out his plans aloud. Besides, we also find it easy to follow the development of
the drama when the manipulator discloses his future plan of villainy. This also
of course adds to the suspense and dramatic tension in the drama.
As usual, the soliloquy of Othello is a poetic or a
meditative element which exposes the deeper private side of the character's
minds. Othello is involved in a soliloquy just before he kills his wife. That
soliloquy is very poetic: he says that he will smell the rose for the last time
on its tree and that it will not be possible to plant the flower back to its
branch; indeed, he is emotive and excited, and also unknowingly right.
Othello's soliloquy here is a means of giving expression to the complex state
of his mind and feelings, as he is struggling with a problem of great
importance. We find much emotional intensity in this 'meditation' over the
weighty issue of having to murder his wife.
In short, the soliloquy of Othello serves the poetic
functions of exposing psychologically and thematically significant material.
The dark and dangerous evils of the mind of Iago and the storms in the mind of
Othello could not have been so effectively revealed without their soliloquies,
and their characters would not have been so powerfully delineated without their
involving mind-searching soliloquies.
The last scene of Shakespeare's 'Othello' begins with a long
soliloquy from Othello himself. In this speech, Othello fancies himself a
tragic hero, but really he's just a murderer and a bit of an idiot.
2.1.4 Othello's Soliloquy :
At this point in Shakespeare's Othello, Desdemona is
sleeping innocently in her bed, where her husband has sent her like a naughty
child. Othello comes in with a lantern and launches into a speech. In a play,
when a character talks to himself on stage while none of the other characters
can hear him, it is called a soliloquy. That's what we have here.
The reason for this soliloquy is that Othello has some
things to work out with himself - he comes into this room expressly to kill
Desdemona, but he has some pesky little reservations about committing murder
that he needs to overcome. He begins by convincing himself she deserves it:
'…it is the cause, my soul.' Here he is reminding himself that the 'cause' of
Desdemona's death is her (alleged) adultery, not his desire to smother her with
a pillow out of revenge.
2.1.5 Othello's Soliloquy Analysis:
Othello manages to convince himself not only that he isn't
to blame for Desdemona's death but also that he will be somewhat of a hero for
killing her: 'Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.' It's like he
feels he's taking one for the team in killing his wife. He has so distorted his
own view of things that he no longer sees this as a fulfillment of his own
personal revenge, but now he believes he is doing humanity a favor by killing
her.
Furthermore, while admiring her beauty, Othello laments, 'O
balmy breath, that dost almost persuade Justice to break her sword!' This
implies Othello believes that in plotting Desdemona's murder he's wielding
Justice's sword. The view he is taking here is that he has this just and
virtuous task to do (murdering his own wife), and it is hard. He views his
pangs of conscience not for what they are but as temptations away from the
'right' course of action.
Like in Shakespeare's other famous play, Hamlet,
Othello contemplates some of the same life and death questions that plague
Hamlet. Let's take a look at these lines:
'Put out the light, and then put out
the light:
Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,
I know not where is that Promethean heat
That can thy light relume. When I have plucked thy rose,
I cannot give it vital growth again;
Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,
I know not where is that Promethean heat
That can thy light relume. When I have plucked thy rose,
I cannot give it vital growth again;
It needs must wither'
Othello is supposed to be holding a lantern as he speaks.
When he says 'put out the light, and then put out the light,' the first 'light'
is his lantern, which he will extinguish. The second 'light' is Desdemona's
life, which he also intends to extinguish. He then goes on to reflect that,
while he can relight his lantern, he will not be able to bring Desdemona back
to life. Instead of being like the lantern, she is like a rose which, once
plucked, cannot be put back onto the plant. Desdemona, like the rose, 'needs
must wither.'
Sadly, these deep thoughts about life and death don't sway
Othello from his course. He admires Desdemona's 'whiter skin...smooth as
monumental alabaster' and her beautiful form and her lovely smell---and then
resolves to kill her. 'Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee and
love thee after.' Loving the dead person once you've killed her doesn't purge
the crime of murder...but Othello seems to think it does!
2.1.6 Important
Soliloquies in Othello:
You'll discover numerous soliloquies in Othello, due to the fact that
they assisted Shakespeare establish and own the plot and the character
appropriately. For instance, when Iago pronounces words such as "I am not
exactly what I am", it displays the honesty of the character, it assists
to highlight the intricacy of his figure in this play, and to provoke wider
understanding of the dramatic predicament.
In Act I, Scene iii and Act II, Scene I, it can easily be seen exactly
what Iago's self-interest is and how the misinterpretation of scenarios has led
him to the choice about the requirement of vengeance, and finally to nearly
clinical fixation. These soliloquies expose Iago's intentions, and frustrating
desire to take revenge by controlling Othello and taking advantage of Othello's
open nature.
In Act I, Scene iii, 393, the soliloquy "I know his trumpet"
delivered by Iago where "his" relates to Othello, clarifies that Iago
knows the weak points of Othello, and he intends to utilize his jealousy versus
Othello himself. He does this by misinforming Othello about his Desdemona
having an affair with Cassio, a worthy lieutenant under Othello's command and a
buddy of Desdemona. As the story plays along, the audience realizes that Lago
is enjoying his complete satisfaction for vengeance, which can be seen in his
soliloquy in Act II, Scene iii. In this soliloquy, the audience then gets to
know Iago's developing plan and how quickly it has actually been for him to use
Cassio and Roderigo for his wicked obtain.
In Act III, Scene iii; we can see how Othello has actually been crippled
by Iago's deceit when he utilizes the soliloquy, "for I am black,"
which shows his insecurities and doubts. Listening to this dramatic speech, we
can see that Othello has a hard time over his faith in his wife, Desdemona.
In Act V, Scene ii, it can be plainly perceived how Iago's deceptiveness
has actually led Othello to believing that his other half has actually been
having an affair with Cassio behind his back. The idea of being tricked was so
striking that Othello chose to eliminate the love of his life. Verbally, in the
"betray more males" soliloquy, Othello describes his decision not
with the allusions to his love or pain, however with the intention to avoid
Desdemona from deceiving other male. Till now there are hot conversations
around the honesty of those claims.
Nevertheless, in the last soliloquies, "so sweet was ne'er so
fatal" and "oculus proof", it is confirmed that Othello has
actually been defeated by the over-riding impacts and misleading control of
Lago. Shakespeare, known for his soliloquies, uses them to make sure that the
audience understands exactly what's happening with the plot and to keep them
informed about the character's objective, which is what has made his plays so
interesting to check out.
Without the use of these soliloquies, it would have been practically
impossible to let the audience know exactly what's happening inside of the
terrible hero's' soul, without interfering with the characters or play.
By now, you should have pretty good idea on how you must start and how an
analytical essay on Othello must be composed. However naturally, you do not
wish to write some mediocre paper, you wish to compose something that can catch
the attention of your professor or teacher, and leave him astonished.
Othello’s speech of Act III, Scene iii, represents the
dramatic and psychological tipping point of the play. Up until this point
characterised as a sturdy, stentorian nobleman, brave warrior, and devoted
husband, from here we witness Othello’s murderous intent build and his
personality disintegrate. Othello’s leaps of rhetoric reveal his most private,
powerful anxieties, his vanities as a private man and public figure. All of
these coalesce to create a foundation of credulity for Desdemona’s betrayal,
pointing the way forward to his ultimate undoing. Many of the play’s core
motifs, recurring ideas, concepts, images and figurations, are furthered in
this speech, and open the way for subsequent events.
Othello’s
single true soliloquy (Granville-Barker, 1969) opens with the most ironic of
statements, that is, his reckoning of Iago’s trustworthiness: “This fellow's of
exceeding honesty, / And knows all qualities with a learned spirit / Of human
dealings.” It is a central irony, this constant use of the word ‘honest’ and
its attachment to Iago, of whom “every moral attribute applied to him by anyone
in the play is ironic finger pointing to the truth of its opposite” (Spivack
1958). This motif is entwined with Desdemona’s perceived lack of honesty, she
and Iago being dualistic opposites in the work – Desdemona, honest, angelic,
but not believed; Iago, dishonest, devilish, readily believed.
Othello’s
appraisal is, however, correct. Iago does know all qualities of human dealings.
It’s the fashion in which he uses this knowledge that Othello is mistaken
about. Iago faultlessly identifies every point of character he can take
advantage of. He can establish an assumption of trust, as he has already
succeeded in with Roderigo and now Othello himself. Take his avowal, earlier in
the same scene: “Men should be what they seem.” This is Iago, exactly the type
of man he is warning against, dispelling suspicion of it, whilst simultaneously
inferring the presence of others who are not “what they seem.” He warns against
jealousy, “the green-eyed monster, which doth mock / the meat it feeds on”,
being precisely the emotion he is trying to spark. Such is the method with
which he has woven his way into the mind of his quarry, and Othello’s unwitting
acknowledgement of his power reflects his skill.
Othello’s
next thought is not to weigh the evidence and likelihood of Desdemona’s
infidelity, but to contemplate his response to it as if he was a hawk-trainer
releasing a half-wild bird “to prey at fortune”. His figuration of Desdemona as
a half-wild hawk which, when unable to respond to “training”, ought to be
released, flung away, contains both a desperate tenderness – “Though her jesses
were my dear heart-strings” establishes the intensity of his attachment to her
– and also a surprising, if short-lived, openness to the idea of letting her go
her merry way.
The theme of
sexuality as animalism is rife throughout the play, commencing in Iago’s
fervent images – “The beast with two backs” (I, i), and so forth. When, a few
lines later, Othello will cry out, “O curse of marriage that we can call these
delicate creatures ours / And not their appetites!”, his sexual anxiety is laid
bare, the notion that whilst a man is considered master of the female, there is
an element of the female – their capacity for sexual pleasure – that is beyond
the mastery of a man. The juxtaposition of “delicate” with “creatures” and
“appetites” is the ironic fulcrum. The war between the ideal and the base that
is the anxiety of the characters and the meat of the play. The concept of the
woman as something not quite human is ingrained here as earlier in the hawk
metaphor. Desdemona is “delicate” like a dove or moth, yet also a rapacious
beast of “appetite”.
Othello
segues into a series of stark, painful suppositions as to why Desdemona may
betray him. That he is “black, / And (has) not those soft parts of conversation
/ That chamberers have” encapsulates his lack of easy social grace, his
unfamiliarity, as a foreigner, with the finer points of language, his
awkwardness as a black man in a white world, his being not as accomplished in
seduction as the boudoir panderers of Venice. That he has “declined / Into the
vale of years”, his age greater than Desdemona’s. His swift self-correction, “–
yet that’s not much –”, fails to dull the bite of these concise lines, which
confirm his panic. Though such aspects of his and Desdemona’s relationship have
been drawn out by others – by Brabantio in the first act, by Iago constantly –
this is virtually the first admission by Othello, that he shares these
apprehensions.
The perfect
Venetian maiden, a role as defined by Brabantio and others, supposedly
submissive and sublimely ethereal in her thoughts and deportment, is one
Desdemona had self-consciously violated in her marriage to Othello. Female idealisation
is not merely a social form, but a virtual philosophy, a religion. As Brabantio
testifies, when he describes Desdemona as having been “of spirit so still and
quiet that her motion / Blushed at herself”
(I, iii),
she had always fulfilled this role, and continues to after her singular lapse,
a lapse inspired by powerful love. The unresolved issue in Othello and
Desdemona’s marriage, that, as Brabantio warns, “She has deceived her father,
and may thee,” (I, iii), is the single social breach by which Iago leverages
his whole plot. The fact that Desdemona was so impressed by his character, that
she could be inspired to escape, however temporarily, her social expectations,
might serve for a more truly secure personality than Othello’s as proof of love.
Yet it is instead for Othello’s insecure self a goad. Living as he does by the
values of European civilisation, Othello is idealist turned misogynist
(Granville-Barker, 1969), inherently confused then by a “maiden never so bold”
being his wife, because it seems to contradict a set of values presented as
inherent truths. Here, “we watch a culture reach the limits of its capacity and
then snap.” (Long, 1976)
From sexual
anxiety it is a short leap to intense sexual jealousy. “She’s gone. I am
abused, and my relief must be to loathe her”, is embarrassing in its
peevishness. The transfiguration of Desdemona is answered by Othello’s own, in
the image of wishing himself a toad squirming in a dungeon rather than be a
cuckold. Here is an increasing urgency and disgust in the animal metaphors. To
the utterly base reduction in “the forkèd plague” of being a cuckold, Othello’s
masculine pride asserts itself and refuses such a reduction. He sees himself in
a situation that is “the plague of great ones”, whose relationships,
supposedly, are placed under greater, more complex stresses than ordinary
men’s. He is “simple, romantic, and – here is the chink in his armour – more
than a little vain” (Speight, 1977). This powerful vanity in Othello is
inseparable from his social and sexual anxiety. His feeling that Desdemona only
loves him for his being a “great” man, rather than a wit or a nimble young
lover, means the worst agony conceivable to him is part and parcel with his
status, which has both won him and lost him his wife. This double-bind thinking
entraps Othello.
It is within
Othello’s fault-riven psyche that the concepts of this Christian Europe, with
its admiration for purity, fairness, courtly idealism, and nature in its pagan
framing filled with dirt, squalor, sex, colour, are at war. Othello is a living
contradiction, by the standards he is presented with. A coloured man, defender
of white Christian Europe from the infidel Turks. An aging, unhandsome male
married to a fair young woman. A non-intellectual warrior without a war to
fight, instead contending with politics, administration, and devious plotting.
Othello is an outsider, whilst he conflates Desdemona with her status. She is
inseparable from the state of Venice, being a Senator’s daughter, and also from
the image of Christian purity.
This hints
at an explanation for the vehemence of Othello’s jealousy. If he is rejected by
Desdemona, he is also rejected by his new home and his religion. All of his
assumed identities are threatened. If one of his ideals is tested, all are
endangered.
His final
declaration, delivered upon seeing Desdemona enter, seems a disavowal of
suspicion, and yet, there is a type of extremism encoded here that is
ultimately catastrophic. His idealisation has reached the apogee of “heaven mocks
itself!” If Desdemona is unfaithful, then heaven itself is a joke. Othello’s
idealisation of Desdemona as the incarnation of heaven is, then, entwined with
his murder of his angelic wife, his own collapse as a Christian man, and
self-extermination as an “infidel dog” (V, ii). Whereas Desdemona, dutiful in
heading to her death, achieves the status of martyr, as Emilia confirms in her
cry at the climax, “O, the more angel she, / And you the blacker devil!”
So this is
Othello at the crux of his own tragedy. Aghast, torn by self-doubt and now
doubt in his wife. A man, desperate to believe in the ideals of his adopted
society, infected by Iago, who loathes all ideals. Though he concludes with a
disavowal of credulity, he is already utterly prepared to believe in the
possibility as Desdemona’s unfaithfulness. Iago has prepared the stage, but
Othello will enact the war within himself upon it, and end in a savage
catharsis.
2.3 Use of Soliloquies
in Shakespeare’s King Lear :
King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It depicts the gradual descent into
madness of the title character, after he disposes of his kingdom by giving
bequests to two of his three daughters egged on by their continual flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. Derived from the
legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological pre-Roman Celtic king, the play has been widely adapted for the stage
and motion pictures, with the title role coveted by many of the world's most
accomplished actors.
Certain plays and characters, namely Hamlet, often match soliloquies with the
character's personality. In King Lear, Shakespeare rarely does that. Lear's "Blow,
winds, and crack your cheeks!" monologue in Act III, Scene 2 is considered
a soliloquy because he is not conversing with Fool. Rather, he is addressing
the winds and other elements, and in many respects describing his interior
state.
Here I stand, your slave—
A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man.
Edmund's "Thou, nature" speech in Act I, Scene 2, with its
concluding line, "Now, gods, stand up for bastards!" is another well
known soliloquy.
While Goneril and Cordelia have monologues, those are not soliloquies.
2.3.1 Edmund's soliloquy in King Lear :
Since accessteacher used Act III, scene 3 and you did not
specify which soliloquy, I shall talk about his first one which begins Act I,
scene 2. In the beginning of the play, Glouchester and Kent are chatting
and his father makes rude jokes about his inception. Edmond is there but
says nothing. It is at the beginning of the second scene that Edmond tells
us how he really feels. I had the privilege of being in a workshop conducted by
Cicely Berry, the head of voice for the Royal Shakespeare Company where we
worked on this speech.
First, she asked us to free associate the word nature and we
responded with beauty in nature. She then asked us about nature in the
negative and we responded with things like severe storms, floods, earthquakes,
etc. She then asked us which nature Edmond was calling his goddess.
She then asked us to think of something in modern society which would
make a person an outcast. The best we could come up with was AIDS.
As she explained it to us, being a bastard in that world meant being an
outcast. A good example of this is Glouchester's attiude toward him
especially compared to Edgar.
Being illegitmate brands him and to demonstrate this, she choose one of
the young men in the group to repeat over and over until she told him to
stop, the lines about being branded a bastard. She then approached
two other young men and a young woman to whom she gave her pen
then whispered her instructions to them.
These three people approached the other person and the two men grabbed
him and wrestled him to the floor and the girl straddled his chest and using
the reverse side of the pen, began to "brand" his forehead with the
word bastard. Throughout it all he continued to repeat the given lines
but once they wrestled him to the floor, his voice became angry. She
stopped the excerise and asked him to say the lines and he was extremely
convincing.
Edmond is an angry young man but he knows that to "win" he must
outsmart his father and brother.
2.3.2 Analysis of King Lear’s Soliloquies:
Shakespeare’s
King Lear includes more
soliloquies than other works of him. King Lear as a tragedy displays the
downfall of the protagonist, King Lear, because of some inherent defects in his
character. However, in the play the first soliloquy is spoken by Edmund, an
illegitimate son to Gloucester. The soliloquy is spoken soon after the King’s
distribution of his properties between the two elder daughters, Goneril and
Regan, on their exposure of love for their father while Cordelia, the youngest
daughter is misunderstood and left empty-handed as she has not been able to
satiate the ears of her old but unwise father who is very fond of flattery. She
says that she loves her Majesty according to her bond – no more nor less. Such
an expression has enraged King Lear, father to her. Afterwards, Edmund’s
self-revealing soliloquy, spoken with winning vigour and replete with wit
appeals to the modern mind. If one is not perceptive, he may find himself
agreeing with him, just as some find themselves admiring the Satan of Milton’s
Paradise Lost, Book I, with his eloquent declaration of personal liberty.
Morality is largely a matter of time and geography. Today, many would agree
with Edmund that custom or tradition should be ignored. Certainly any fair-minded
person would like to see all individuals, either legitimate or illegitimate by
birth, judged in terms of their own abilities and performances. What must be
recognised is that Edmund’s words reveal his flat rejection of moral law and an
endorsement of the law of the jungle. The goddess Nature whom he invokes is not
the traditional nature, whose law informs much of the action in Act I, Scene I.
That law makes possible a beneficent, reasonable, harmonious order throughout
the universe. The phrases “plague of custom” and “curiosity of nations” very
well sum up natural law as he sees it: these are no more than artificial
constraints imposed upon society, rather than the recognition of a sacred bond
of human relations.
His goddess
of Nature is not immoral rather amoral. For Edmund, it is animal vitality alone
which determines superiority or inferiority. From this point of view indeed
“the lusty stealth of nature” may create adulterously a more worthy issue than
can the “dull, tired bed of marriage.” Edmund takes his place, along with
Shakespeare’s Richard III and Iago, as one of the Machiavellian villains who
elevate will above reason in determining his course of action and thus are
guilty of a great perversion of the idealistic Renaissance moral theory. In addition
to that, Edmund appears in the play with a plan of conspiracy against his
brother, Edgar, because Edmund has not received the same recognition from
society which Edgar as a legitimate child receives and he can no longer accept
the insults he often encounters. He throws a set of questions to society
constructed out of artificiality as: “Why bastard? Wherefore base? / .
. . My mind as generous, and my
shape as true / As honest madam’s issue? Why brand they us / With base? With
baseness? Bastardy? – base, base?” (1:2:6,8-10). His final words as “I grow, I
prosper” reveal his real character and intensions.
Soon after
Gloucester’s advice to Edmund to find out the rogue, Edmund speaks out that:
“This is the excellent foppery of the world, that when we are sick in fortune,”
(1:2:111-12). In the soliloquy, he says that this is the extraordinary folly of
the world that when we suffer misfortunes as the result of our own excessive
self-indulgence we blame the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky for it as
if we were villains by compulsion or tools by an order from above; rogues,
thieves and traitors by being born under the influence of particular stars or
drunkards, liars and adulterers by the influence of the planets – as if all the
evil that we do is by the will of God. In what a clever way man tries to shift
his own responsibilities by attributing his wicked nature to the stars and
planets. It is all nonsense. He adds that he is a crafty fellow even if the
purest star, the most virginal star in heaven was in the ascendant at his
birth. The speech unearths his evil heart he has possessed at birth.
In the following
soliloquy, Edgar, son to Gloucester, has heard himself proclaimed a criminal or
an outlaw who has escaped capture by hiding himself in a hollow tree. To save
his life, he will grime his face and body with filth, cloth himself only in a
blanket and thus he has disguised as a Bedlam beggar and he has been searched
everywhere. So he says: “No port is free; no place; / that guard and most
unusual vigilance, / Does not attend my taking” (2:3:3-5). In addition to that,
the scene conveys urgency and gives some impression of Kent’s time in the
stocks. It also represents the first real speech from Edgar, who hitherto has
simply been manipulated.
Now, at
last, he acts. The nature of his plight and the forthrightness of his
revelation engage the sympathy of the audience. He explains his intention to
disguise himself as Kent has done at the opening of Act I, Scene IV. Here an
audience’s involvement is enhanced by being ‘in the know’ about disguise; there
is the appreciation of ironies and double meanings in many contexts as well as
the satisfaction of being aware of facts and situations hidden from some of the
characters. He has disguised himself as a Bedlam lunatic because the
extremeness, the filth and the demented ranting offer the best chance of
escaping detection. The underlying significance is that Edgar’s presence in a
wood, his talk of vulnerability and exposure, lodge in our minds an image of
the bleak and comfortless out-of-doors into which Lear is to be thrust; and his
assumed role as Poor Tom prepares us for the actual derangement of Lear and the
final words of him echo the theme of ‘nothing’, the annihilation of selfhood.
For Edgar, this represents an escape route; for Lear, it will be part of
harrowing process of self-discovery.
The
soliloquy spoken by King Lear, the protagonist of the tragic play, we squirm
with Lear as he turns to the detested Goneril, revaluing her allowance of fifty
knights, still measuring love in material terms. So far has he fallen, but now
the momentum is irresistible and Regan supplies the final thrust: “What need
one?” Trapped between them, Lear’s cry of grief beginning: “O! reason not the
need” traces in microcosm the pattern of his breakdown. Actually, it is not
just so many knights that King Lear needs: it is sincere love, understanding,
tolerance and mercy which his daughters in their fine array, deny him.
Beginning in lucidity with observations on human need and identity, he slumps
into broken recognition of his plight, a king no longer: “You see me here, you
Gods, a poor old man, / As full of grief as age; wretched in both!”
(2:4:298-299). Having begged for patience, he now prays for ‘noble anger’ and
he desperately wants to be mighty, but can only weep even as he denies it. Now
disabused of any lingering hope in his daughters, ‘you unnatural hags’
represents his first attack on them both. Like a tearful child, he threatens to
take revenge, but is not sure how. As he denies again the tears that scald his
eyes, the first rumblings of the storm symbolise the tempest within. Thus is
his suffering projected on a more than human scale. We note the recurring image
of shattering in: “. . . this heart / Shall break into a hundred
thousand flaws” (2:4:310-311) and tremble with him that this breaking –
certainly, now – will include his mind: “O Fool! I shall go man.”
When King
Lear asks his daughter, Regan for the shelter of his knights, she directly
declines the proposal of him and calls her father an obstinate person like his
knights and she adds that they including her father should be taught a lesson
only by the injuries they suffer by their folly. She also adds that the knights
with the king are dangerous and he is misguided by them too. He is excessively
hurt at such treatment from his daughters, Goneril and Regan. So he goes out in
the stormy night. Here the outer storm in the play symbolises the distressed
heart of the king. The ungratefulness of the two daughters to the king induces
a great storm in his heart. So he requests the stormy wind to blow and urges
them to destroy everything. He says: “Blow, wind, and crack you cheeks! rage!
blow! / . . . Till
you have drench’d our steeples, drown’d the cocks! / Strike flat the thick
rotundity o’ th’ world! / . . . That makes ingrateful man!” (3:2: 1,2,7,9).
However, there is a stark contrast here with the broken old man who has
stumbled from the stage at the end of Act II. Now Lear is a frenzied grandeur
which arises partly from the extremeness of his situation, and the rage with
which he confronts it and partly from the violent verbs that characterise his
opening speech: ‘blow’, ‘crack’, ‘rage’, ‘spout’, ‘drench’d’, ‘drown’d’,
‘cleaving’, ‘shaking’, ‘strike’, ‘crack’, ‘spill’ and so on. The words and
images must be seen as well as heard: the churches under water, oaks cracked
open, the searing of a frail and aged head, the pillaging of nature’s seed
store. Such is Lear’s loathing of a world which has racked him although his
passion for annihilation is universal; there is no doubting the personal
anguish of ‘ingrateful man’. For this reason, Lear soon after the soliloquy
declares that he is more sinned against sinning. The treatment of his elder
daughters is so cruel that he cannot help calling them the unnatural hags.
There is an
evil plan which is made to put the king to death and the plan is overheard by
Gloucester, father to Edgar and Edmund. He requests Kent to take him to Dover
where they will get both welcome and shelter. Just after the incident, a
soliloquy is spoken by Edgar who has disguised himself as Tom. Through it, he
expresses his inner sorrows and sufferings he has encountered like the king. He
says that when we see our superiors enduring the same hardship that we
ourselves suffer from, we do not suffer so acutely from our miseries. The man
who is alone in his sorrow suffers most and his mind broods over the happiness
and freedom he has lost. But when he has companies in grief, much of his
suffering is lightened. Therefore he says: “When grief hath mates and bearing
fellowship. / How light and portable my pain seems now, / When that which makes
me bend makes the king bow; / He childed as I fathered!” (3:6:110-13).
He compares
his sufferings to the sufferings of King Lear. Edgar is deprived of his
father’s inheritance because of the conspiracy of Edmund against him but his
father, Gloucester, like King Lear cannot distinguish between crudeness and
purity accordingly Edmund and Edgar and does the same mistakes like King Lear
by disowning his legitimate son. Now he is very unhappy and always remains in
fear of being detected. He adds that he will keep an eye on the events that are
taking place around him and also says that he will not reveal himself until the
accusations are proved to be false and the proof of his innocence will help him
to reconcile with his father and win back his love.
Edmund in
this soliloquy is in a fix and delivers his dilemma of mind: “Which of them
shall I take? / Both? One? Or neither? Neither can be enjoyed / If both remain
alive. To take the widow / Exasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril;”
(5:1:67-71). He is very indecisive in the soliloquy and he cannot decide what
to do now. He describes here that he has sworn his love to both the sisters and
each is suspicious of the other, as the person who has once bitten by a snake
is always afraid of snakes. He cannot decide whom he should marry and asks if
he should marry both the sisters or none of them. He adds that he cannot enjoy
the love of either as long as both of them are alive. Now he arguing with his
mind that if he marries whose husband is dead, Goneril will be mad with
jealousy and as long as Goneril’s husband lives, he can never be able to attain
her. In the meantime, he will use the authority of her husband for carrying on
the battle and when that is over, let Goneril, who wants to get rid of her
husband, plan his death. As for the mercy which he intends to show to Lear and
Cordelia, well, when the battle is over and they will be his prisoners and he
will never have the chance to show them any mercy. He further adds that he must
defend his position and now waste time in empty discussion.
In
concluding the elaborate discussion on the major soliloquies, we come to lean
that most of the characters in the four tragedies as Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth
and King Lear reveal their heart when they are engaged in a soliloquy. In
Hamlet, through his soliloquies, the heart of Hamlet is left open to the
audience that he is very thoughtful before taking any decision. He hits upon
plans one after another but his hesitant mind does not allow him to execute his
deed. And in Othello, Iago’s soliloquies are much highlighted so that his
mysterious character is revealed to the reader or the audience. He overtakes
Mosca in villainy and greed a character from Volpone and Dr. Tamkin a character
from Seize the Day by Saul Bellow. In Macbeth, the protagonist and his wife’s
hearts are go exposed to the audience that Macbeth at first is a very loyal
person and very close to King Duncan but his heart is polluted by his wife, who
is very ambitious and can do anything like Iago for the sake of his interest.
She insists
her husband on his committing murder of the king as prophesised by the three
witches at the beginning of the play. She can be regarded one of the witches in
physical shape who pressurises her husband to murder King Duncan. Finally, in
King Lear, some major characters are found to be involved in soliloquies which
also open their hearts to the audience. In the play Edmund’s criminal self is
disclosed as he is found involved in plotting against his brother and he is
also responsible for his father’s lost of sight. What he does to him is very
cruel whereas King Lear is very shocked at the misconduct of his elder
daughters whom he believe to be reliable, responsible, loving and caring but he
is wrong. Again through the soliloquy of Edgar we come to know that he is an
innocent brother to Edmund and son to Gloucester. He compares his fate with the
fate of King Lear. Here we come to learn that both of them are sinned against
than sinning. Thus, through the soliloquies above discussed reveal the hearts
of the characters concerned. Actually, a soliloquy is used in a drama or play
or film to expose the hearts of the characters involved because in them there
is no scope of showing inner thought of a character if it is not told loudly
and directed to the audience and thus it helps progress the plot of a play or
drama.
2.4 Use of Soliloquies
in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar :
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (First Folio title: The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar) is a
history play and tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in
1599. It is one of several plays written by Shakespeare based on true events
from Roman history, which also include Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra. Although the play is named Julius
Caesar, Brutus speaks more than four times as many
lines as the title character; and the central psychological drama of the play
focuses on Brutus' struggle between the conflicting demands of honour, patriotism, and friendship.
2.4.1 Example of a Soliloquy in "Julius Caesar :
One example of a soliloquy in William Shakespeare's play "Julius
Caesar" is found in Act II Scene 1 in lines 10 through 34. It is delivered
by the character Brutus, one of the key conspirators in Caesar's death.
Brutus is alone in his orchard. He reveals that he knows Caesar must die.
It is obvious that Caesar is to be crowned king, and Brutus believes that
receiving this power is likely to change Caesar for the worse.
In his speech, Brutus speaks of how, once a person has climbed a ladder,
he often turns against those he has passed while climbing. At the end of the
soliloquy, Brutus concludes that the prospect of Caesar's rise to power is a
danger that must be averted by his death.
2.4.2
Three important soliloquies in Julius Caesar :
Julius
Caesar by Shakespeare is a powerful play which human emotions, love, hatred and
other baser qualities finely etched out on the characters of the play. The
whole play revolves around the popularity of Caesar and the so called
nationalist putting an end to CaesarÕs life only to be
killed by the people who loved Caesar. Cassius capitalizes on the feelings of
Brutus who had begun to think that Caesar was becoming arrogant and might grow
into tyrant. In the soliloquy of Cassius his evil plans to make Brutus believe
that the country was in danger are evident. Cassius knew that Caesar loved
Brutus and that Brutus would not take any cruel step against Caesar whom he
hated. So he decides to put anonymous letters through the window into BrutusÕ
house. This he feels would inspire Brutus to rise against Caesar and kill him.
This soliloquy is very pertinent in this play because it results in Brutus
becoming anti Caesar.
Another
soliloquy in this play by Shakespeare is the one by Brutus who is putting forth
his reasons for killing Caesar. Brutus is proving his point by stating that he
had no personal grievance against Caesar. Taking into consideration the way
Caesar was becoming tyrannical he deserved to be killed. Brutus feels that with
power Caesar would be ruled by emotions than reasons and such a leadership
would spoil the spirit of Republic of Rome. Caesar, according to Brutus would
forget the path he treads to reach the top, dictate and misuse his power. So
Brutus wanted to kill Caesar before he reached such heights. It is compared to
killing a dangerous serpent in the egg itself. This soliloquy is significant as
it exposes the true motive of Brutus in planning to kill Caesar. The same
Brutus declared to the people ÒNot that I loved Caesar less, but
that I loved Rome moreÓ after killing Caesar.
The
soliloquy by Mark Antony is heart rending and it shows AntonyÕs
love for Caesar. He weeps over the dead Caesar and asks for pardon that he was
still very mild with the butchers of Caesar. All that he could do was curse the
hands that killed Caesar. He vows over the mutilated Caesar that there would be
civil strife creating havoc in the nation. He curses that the limbs of the
murderers would be damaged. He also feels that the spirit of Caesar would take
revenge on the people who cheated on him. His words of condemnation is very strong,
he says the stench of the foul work is rising above the earth and was to end
with civil war. His prophecy comes true we learn; rather he initiates this and
finally takes his revenge after ensuring that Brutus and Cassius die a cruel
death.
2.4.3 Brutus Soliloquy :
Marcus Brutus has many admirable qualities. He is forthright,
honest, sensitive, and intelligent. On the other hand, Brutus also
displays character flaws that create problems for the assassins. In Act II,
Scene i, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Brutus makes his decision after
much contemplation and inner turmoil. In his soliloquy in his garden,
Brutus explains his decision.
The scene takes place early in the morning on the Ides of March.
Brutus talks through his decision to join the conspiracy.
Brutus begins by saying that he has no personal problems with
Caesar. [Unlike Cassius, Brutus has been a friend of Caesar.] His concerns are
for the welfare of the Roman citizens. Caesar wants to be crowned emperor
of Rome. Brutus wonders what how that would change Caesar.
Brutus gives an analogy:
He compares Caesar to a poisonous snake that one might
encounter in the day. The smart person would avoid the snake. If
Caesar is crowned, he might become like the snake, poisonous. Caesar
could misuse his power. He might no longer have compassion for the people if he
gains too much authority. Brutus admits that he has never seen that
side of Caesar. He seems always the same and and his not usually swayed in this
thinking by his emotions.
Brutus uses a second analogy:
When a person is at the bottom of the ladder of success, he turns his
face toward the top and works to climb the ladder. However, when he
achieves the top most rung of the ladder, the person might turn his back on
those who helped him along the way. He may look to the heavens rather
than those who are beneath him.
Caesar might do this. He could forget those who have helped him in
the senate. If this is a possibility, then it must be prevented. There is the
argument. He is not at that stage, but if he is given power, he
might.
Brutus uses the third analogy:
And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg
Which hatch’d would as his kind grow mischievous,
And kill him in the shell.
He compares Caesar to a snake in the egg. If it hatches, there is a
chance that it might sting someone. So before the snake hatches, kill it
in the egg.
Brutus has made his decision. Kill Caesar for the things that he
might do. He does not know of anything that Caesar has done yet. To
prevent the possibility of Caesar becoming too powerful, kill him before he
misuses his power.
As soon as he has made his decision, the conspirators come to make sure
that Brutus is joining them. Everything is in place for the assassination to
take place on this day.
2.4.4 Antony’s Soliloquy In Julius Caesar:
Analysis of Antony's Soliloquy in Julius Caesar Antony's soliloquy shows
a prediction of a destructive civil war, which will be provoked by Caesar's
assassination, by using dark imagery, defenselessness’ symbolism along with
menial paradoxes and a superstitious oxymoron. This commentary will examine the
use of these literary devices to support Antony's presumption of a civil
conflict. In Antony's soliloquy, dark images of violence and resurrection are
used to foreshadow a civil war. Antony appeals to the shocking violence of way
by comparing it to mothers being pleasured by their children’s' deaths during
the civil war. He states that "mothers shall but smile when they
behold/Their infants quartered with the hands of war." (267 - 68) By using
this image of mothers rejoicing in their children’s' death, Antony establishes
that morality is altered. In the event of war, Roman mothers deviate from
typical maternal traditions and forcefully sacrifice their children to
contribute to war and the betterment of Rome. This alteration puts the Romans
in a state of immorality which will lead them to irrational behaviour and a
civil war. Antony also depicts a violent image of an extensive conflict that
"Shall cumber all parts of Italy./Blood and destruction shall be so in
use" (263 - 65) This image of a chaotic bloodbath reflects the immensely destructive
nature of the civil war. Antony also uses resurrection imagery by visually
describing the civil war's brutal nature beckoning corpses to reanimate and
plead to be buried at the sight of the chaos. "That this foul deed shall
smell above the earth/With carrion men groaning for burial." (274 - 75)
The image of corpse recreating and begging for re - burial establishes that
resurrected individuals will rather die than to live a second life in this
chaotic civil war. In Antony's soliloquy, various forms of dark imagery instill
his belief of a civil war. Throughout his soliloquy, Antony also uses defenselessness’
symbolism to predict the civil war. He initially begins his soliloquy by using
the blood symbol of a "bleeding piece of earth" (254) to associate
Caesar's corpse with the consequential civil war. Caesar's status as a Roman
leader makes him a representation of the Roman people. Therefore his death
foreshadows the inevitable deaths of Roman people in a civil war. Along with
blood symbolism, he also uses ruin symbolism.
2.4.5 Inner Turmoil Expressed in Brutus’ Soliloquy :
Brutus is torn
between his love for Rome and his friendship with Caesar. However, Brutus fears
that Caesar’s tyranny after enthroning will cause harm to Rome and return Rome
to dictatorship. In the end, Brutus chooses his obligation to Rome over Caesar.
Brutus' soliloquy reflects on his internal conflict between his love for Caesar
and his fear of Caesar's power and ambition in which Brutus eventually resolves
to kill Caesar. Brutus’ affection towards Caesar makes him hesitate to kill
Caesar. Brutus’ sorrow towards the idea of the conspiracy contributes to his
disinclination of killing Caesar. Brutus has deep affection for Caesar, however
he is pressured to eliminate Caesar because of his sense of duty to protect
Rome, “And for my part/ I know no personal cause to spurn at him/ But for the
general.”(2.1.10-12) Brutus effectively uses the tone of helplessness to evoke
pathos in the audience. The atmosphere of sympathy establishes Brutus’ unwillingness
to kill Caesar. Furthermore, Brutus avoids the usage of Caesar’s name, as he
feels shameful when convincing himself to kill Caesar. Brutus repeatedly uses
third person pronoun ---- “he”. Instead of using Caesar’s name, Brutus,
consciously or unconsciously, replaces it with a pronoun. Brutus’ diction
establishes his awareness of his talk of the conspiracy against his best
friend.
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