Madison's Commonplace Blog

 The first time I read this phrase, I did a double-take and look at the footnote to understand the meaning. Toby refers to the sadness that has "plagued" Olivia with the passing of her brother, and then says, "I am sure care's an enemy to life." The meaning of the word "care" here isn't the same as we might use it today; it is synonymous with "sorrow" in this case. Essentially, Toby is explaining that sorrow prevents us from the happiness that we hope to find in life. However, I have to disagree. Dwelling on sadness and sorrow is not  healthy - certainly we should do what we can to keep an optimistic attitude and look for the good things in life. However, without sorrow, we would never be able to experience the happiness and joy that we so desperately seek in this life. We learn this in the scriptures: there must  be an opposition in all things, because without the bad we would never appreciate the good. The moments in my life that have s...

 When Othello arrives safely at Cyprus, his joy at seeing Desdemona, and her joy at him in return is quite a happy scene. As they call out and run to each other, Othello cheerfully says, "If after every tempest come such calms, may the winds blow till they have wakened death" (2.1.201-02). The contrast between Othello's fear during his dangerous travel to Cyprus and the joy he feels at seeing Desdemona once again is one that makes Othello appreciate his wife more than he would have if his journey had been perfectly smooth. This idea of valuing something more when it is lost (or almost lost) is found in both Othello  and Much Ado About Nothing , and yet these plays conclude with completely opposite endings. It seems almost like they demonstrate this idea in reversed ways from one another: in Much Ado About Nothing , Cassio does not appreciate his love for Hero until he thinks she is dead, but then is joyful when he finds out she is no. In Othello , Othello knows his love f...

 This line comes from dialogue between Emilia and Desdemona in Othello . They are discussing Othello's recent and unexpected anger towards Desdemona, but even as the two discuss the idea of how Desdemona might have been better off if she had never seen Othello, Desdemona expresses that she still loves Othello: "My love doth so approve him/That even in his stubbornness, his cheeks, his frowns... have grace and favor in them" (4.3.20-22). Even though Othello has hurt Desdemona for something that she is not even guilty for, Desdemona cannot forget her love for him, because she truly loves him. I think this shows a critical difference between Othello and Desdemona; Othello, believing Desdemona to be unfaithful only because of rumor, acts brashly and rudely towards Desdemona. Desdemona, on the other hand, has a substantial, tangible reason to be angry and upset towards Othello, and yet the love she has for him doesn't simply diminish as a result of his anger. I think this ...