Essay #1; Theme Song for Othello

Adam Capriola English 1021 – 173 Mrs. Flocco 2/28/07 Essay #1; Theme Song for Othello

I feel that the song “K05-0564” by Kid Dynamite effectively portrays the emotions of envy, betrayal, deceit, and regret strewn throughout Shakespeare’s Othello. It is a frantic, fast paced song lasting under 2 minutes, which is much like the pace of Othello. Othello regresses from a stable, powerful man into a fickle, vulnerable lunatic over the course of only a few days.

The song is about the singer not being able to trust his girlfriend and putting an end to their relationship. This basically mirrors the feelings and actions of Othello, though Othello literally puts an “end” to his relationship with Desdemona. Specifically, the lyrics of this song echo how

Othello feels about Desdemona as he is being brainwashed by Iago. The lyrics also describe regret, which Othello feels when he is “forced” to take Desdemona’s life. Finally, the song also talks about being controlled and manipulated, which is what Iago does to all the characters in the play.

The first stanza of “K05-0564” talks about not being able to depend on someone when that person should be counted on. When Othello marries Desdemona, he expects that they are to be faithful to each other, as should any husband and wife. Also considering Othello’s power and stature, it is makes it even more unlikely Desdemona would cheat on him. This is why he does not believe Iago when he first tries to plant the seeds of envy into Othello’s head. Othello says,

“I do not think but Desdemona’s honest” (3.3.225). But later on, Othello is fully convinced by

Iago that Desdemona betrayed him. Lines 3 and 4, “I feel like a fool because I believed in you. /

I compared the likes of you to the things I do,” echo how Othello feels betrayed. He thought very highly of Desdemona, but once Iago gets the thought of Cassio and Desdemona together, there is no changing his thinking. Othello says, “Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned tonight, for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand.

O, the world hath not a sweeter creature! She might lie by an emperor’s side and command him tasks” (4.1.183-187). This shows how Othello still does consider Desdemona a beautiful person and how he puts her on his level, but that she cannot be trusted.

Stanza two of “K05-0564” relates to the betrayal felt by Othello. Line 5, “Then the bother builds, I go through it at times,” could be the way Othello feels as Iago builds jealousy.

Othello gets only slightly worried when Iago begins to set his plan in motion, as he is a strong man and is not easily swayed by his emotions. When Iago first tries to talk to Othello about

Desdemona and Cassio, Othello says, “No, Iago; I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove; and on the proof there is no but this; away at once with love or jealousy” (3.3.189-192). Othello wants proof before he believes anything. Over time however, Iago’s words get to Othello. The following line in the song, “You’d think I’d be used to it, but I don’t have the mind”, could show how Othello has become vulnerable to Iago’s tactics. Iago’s consistent efforts to create jealousy and envy in Othello have succeeded. This is the point where Othello has fallen into Iago’s trap and is now under his control. Othello is overtaken by emotion at one point and falls into a trance. Iago says, “Work on. My med’cine works! Thus credulous fools are caught, and many worthy and chaste dames even thus, all guiltless, meet reproach” (4.1.46-49). This is where Iago knows he has control of Othello and his ability to reason is gone. This is very out of character for Othello to lose control.

Lines 7 through 9 of the song, “…to deal with your deceit / or wallow at the feet / of empty promises or its royalty,” could describe Othello not being able to trust Desdemona anymore. It does not matter what she says to him at one point, Othello will not listen to her. Othello confronts Desdemona and says, “Come, swear it, damn thyself; lest, being like one of heaven, the devils themselves should fear to seize thee. Therefore be double-damned: swear thou art honest” (4.2.34-37). Desdemona responds saying she is truthful, but Othello does not believe her. It too late for him to change his mind about her. The lines in the song could also be interpreted as relating to the deceit of Iago. They are all simply pawns in his master plan, especially Roderigo and Cassio. They are given “empty promises” by Iago, and these words are along the lines of what they might say to him if they were to realize they were being used.

The chorus of “K05-0564” could describe Othello’s feelings after killing Desdemona.

Lines 11 and 12, “I only needed you to be there for me. / I just wanted you to stop taking advantage of me,” can show Othello’s sorrow while and after taking Desdemona’s life. These lines makes it sound like he was forced to kill Desdemona, which is also shown in the play.

Before Othello kills Desdemona, he says, “O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade justice to break her sword. One more, one more! Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee, and love thee after. One more, and that’s the last. So sweet was ne’er so fatal. I must weep, but they are cruel tears. This sorrow’s heavenly; it strikes where it doth love” (5.2.16-22). These lines show how Othello still loves Desdemona, but he is going to kill her anyway. He acts almost if he has to kill her, like he has no choice. Lines 13 and 14 in the song, “Now, I’m not coming around anymore. / You can call it fucked up if you want,” could show how far Othello has fallen. These lines show that he knows it was wrong to kill Desdemona, but he was so jealous he had to do the deed. Othello was so caught up in envy that he lost his ability to reason.

The next stanza could be used to describe Iago’s feelings toward the whole situation.

Lines 16 and 17, “I don’t care, I don’t need to be the better man. / I’m sorry if it’s not the decent thing to do,” accurately shows how Iago feels during about the whole situation. When devising his plan, Iago says, “Two things are to be done: my wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;

I’ll set her on; myself awhile to draw the Moor apart and bring him jump when he may Cassio find soliciting his wife. Ay, that’s the way! Dull not device by coldness and delay” (2.3.383-

388). This shows how he is only there to help himself. He does not care if other people are hurt, as long as he gets what he wants. The last line in this stanza, “Talk about it, maybe someday you’ll see the truth,” could be Iago hinting to everyone that if they were less like him, they could have avoided their fates. All the characters in Othello look out mainly for themselves, just like

Iago, except he is craftier than them. The jealousy and envy Iago puts in everyone’s mind causes them to be cautious of each other, and therefore not figure out Iago was controlling each one of them.

The last stanza could be interpreted as Othello giving advice after everything is over.

Lines 19 to 21, “There’s one thing that I know. / Friends, they come and go. / A lesson learned in life and I have you to owe,” can be interpreted as Othello regretting killing Desdemona because he knows that he cannot trust most people, but he Desdemona was one person he could depend on. She was one of the only people in the play that was truthful. When Cassio tells him he did not cheat with Desdemona, Othello says, “…speak of one that loved not wisely, but too well; of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought, perplexed the extreme; of one whose hand, like the base Judean, threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe…” (5.2.339-344). Othello kills himself after realizing how badly he messed up. He knows he was lucky to have Desdemona and he should have cherished and trusted her. Line 22 of the song, “I’m growing everyday and fools get in the way,” describes how Iago got in his way with his relationship with Desdemona. Without

Iago in the picture, Othello and Desdemona most likely would have had a happy relationship.

However, their relationship is ruined by Iago and his pawns Roderigo and Cassio. The last line, “If I whistle loud will you come and play?,” could be perceived as one last desperation by

Othello to say he is sorry to Desdemona. He knows she is gone and his emotions got the best of him. “K05-0564” – Kid Dynamite

When you say you will it really means you might. When you don't come through I shut up, it may start a fight. I feel like such a fool cause I believed in you. I compared the likes of you to the things I do.

Then the bother builds, I go through it at times. 5 You'd think I'd be used to it, but I don't have the mind to deal with your deceit or wallow at the feet of empty promises or its royalty.

I never asked you to change. 10 I only needed you to be there for me. I just wanted you to stop taking advantage of me. Now, I'm not coming around anymore. You can call it fucked up if you want.

Smile if you will, a mile, if you can. 15 I don't care, I don't need to be the better man. I'm sorry if it's not the decent thing to do. Talk about it, maybe someday you'll see the truth.

There's one thing that I know. Friends, they come and go. 20 A lesson learned in life and I have you to owe. I'm growing everyday and fools get in the way. If I whistle loud will you come and play?

I never asked you to change. I only needed you to be there for me. 25 I just wanted you to stop taking advantage of me. Now, I'm not coming around anymore. You can call it fucked up if you want.