So the lines are getting pretty good. I should be in good shape by the time rehearsals start. It's time to start looking at Cassio as a character in greater detail.
Now one thing that I need to remember in crafting a character is that my choices need to come from the text. Often, you'll see actors just start to come up with characters choices based on their initial readings of the play without really digging into the script. This often leads to characters that don't necessarily mesh with the demands of the text. Who cares what my grand concept for Cassio is if it isn't informed by the text? You see this all the time in bad acting... someone makes a character choice that clearly goes against what the script says the character needs to be. BLEH
So, for me, the first thing I do is look at what the text says about Cassio. Now Shakespeare didn't write some detailed report about Cassio's personality... or did he? I actually say he did... and the people that report the information are the characters in the play. Playwrights do this all of the time.
One of the first things I like to do in crafting a character is to see how the playwright chooses to have the character describe himself and how the playwright chooses to have other characters describe the character.
Tonight I read the play highlighting any spot where I characterize myself or where others characterize me. Now, it's tricky with Othello because this play has a lot of Iago lying in it, but this process should still reveal some things. It will be interesting to see what attributes of Cassio, Iago chooses to use for his schemes. (I'm pulling these lines from the folio so there will be some crazy spellings of words.)
Amazingly enough... we get a detailed description from Iago within the first 38 lines of the play about Cassio:
Forsooth, a great Arithmatician,
One Michaell Cassio, a Florentine,
(A Fellow almost damn'd in a faire Wife)
That never set a Squadron in the Field,
Nor the devision of a Battaile knowes
More than a Spinster.
Mere pratle (without practise)
Is all his Souldiership.
So that's a real nice start for this exercise.
HOW CASSIO DESCRIBES HIMSELF:
As he kisses Iago's wife - 'Tis my breeding
That gives me this bold show of Curtesie.
About drinking - I have very poor
and unhappie Braines for drinking. I could well wish
Curtesie would invent some other Custome of entertainment.
I am infortunate in the infirmity, and
dare not taske my weakeness with any more.
About religion - I hope to be saved.
About having drunk too much - I am not drunke now:
I can stand well enough and I speake well enough.
When Othello questions him on the drinking - I cannot speake.
About losing his position - I have lost my reputation. I have lost the immortal part of
myself and what remains is bestiall.
About asking Othello for his position back - I will rather sue to be despis'd, then to deceive
so good a Commander, with so slight, so drunken and so
indiscreet an Officer.
About the incident - (I) frankly despise my selfe.
I am desperate of my Fortunes if they check me.
On talking to Othello about getting his job back - I am very ill at ease,
unfit for mine owne purposes.
On Othello - I, with all the office of my heart
Intirely honour (Othello)
About the last week - I have this while with leaden thoughts been pressed
About Bianca being around him near Othello's place - I do attend here on the Generall,
And thinke it no addition nor my wish
To have him see me woman'd.
About Bianca - Not that I love you not.
About wanting his position back - want even kills me
About Bianca - I must leave her company
When he is attacked - I am maym'd for ever
I am spoyl'd, undone by villians
My legge is cut in two
About Othello thinking Cassio slept with Desdemona - Deere Generall, I never gave you cause.
HOW CASSIO IS DESCRIBED BY OTHERS (with who says it):
Othello - Friend
Iago - A proper man.
Iago - He hath a person, and a smooth dispose
To be suspected: fram'd to make women false.
Gentlemen - Though he speake of comfort
Touching the Turkish losse, yet he lookes sadly,
And praye the Moore be safe;
Montano - Good Lieutenant
Desdemona - Valiant Cassio
Iago - He takes her by the palm... it had beene better you had not kiss'd your three fingers so oft which now againe you are most apt to play the Sir, in. Very good: well kiss'd and excellent Curtsie:
Iago - Yet againe, your fingers to your lippes" (obviously Cassio has some character gesture that involves the kissing of his fingers)
Iago - A knave very voluble: no further conscionable then in putting on the meere forme of Civill and Humaine seeming for the better compasse of his salt and most hidden loose Affection... A slipper and a subtle knave, a finder of occasion: that he's an eye can stampe, and counterfeit Advantages, though true Advantage never present it selfe. A divelish knave: besides, the knave is handsome, young: and hath all those requisites in him, that folly and green mindes (young women) look after. A pestilent compleat knave, and the woman hath found him already.
Iago about Cassio and Desdemona - They met so neere with their lippes taht their breathes embrac'd together.
Iago - disciplined
Iago about Cassio's lack of ability to handle liquor - he's rash and very sodaine in Choller: and happely may strike at you, provoke him that he may.
Iago - That Cassio loves (Desdemona), I do well beleev't.
Iago - I fear Cassio with my Night-Cape (wife) too.
Othello - Good Michael
Iago on Cassio drinking: If I can fasten but one Cup upon him
With that which he hath drunk to night alreadie,
He'l be as full of Quarrell, and offence
As my yong Mistris dogge.
Iago on Cassio's drinking: He's a Soldier, fit to stand by Caesar,
And give direction. And but to see his vice,
'Tis to his vertue, a just Equinox,
The one as long as the other.
(there are a few other things Iago says about how much Cassio drinks... not sure yet how many are actually true though... Iago lies and embellishes a lot... but Cassio is, indeed, a nasty drunk.)
Montano - good Lieutenant
Montano - you're drunk
Iago - good Lieutenant.
Iago - swift of foot
Iago - good Lieutenant... I think, you think I love you. (Cassio agrees with this)
Emilia - (Othello) loves you.
Desdemona - Good Cassio
Desdemona - You do love my lord. You have known him long...
Iago - he would steal away so guilty-like
Desdemona - a man that languishes in your displeasure.
Desdemona to Othello - For if he be not one that truly loves you,
That erres in Ignorance, and not in Cunning...
Desdemona - so humbled
Desdemona - he's penitent
Desdemona to Othello about how Cassio helped Othello win Desdemona's hand -
Michael Cassio,
That came a wooing with you? and so many a time
(When I have spoke of you dispraisingly)
Hath taken your part....
We then learn that Cassio often would act as an inbetween for Othello and Desdemona.
Othello - Honest
Othello - He was of my Counsaile,
Of the whole course of wooing;
Iago - I think that he is honest.
Iago - Cassio's an honest man.
Iago - Cassio's my worthy Friend
Iago - tis fit that Cassio have his Place;
For sure he filles it up with great ability;
Desdemona - Good Cassio
Desdemona - Thrice-gentle Cassio
Bianca - Friend Cassio
Bianca - you do not love me
Iago about talking to Cassio about Bianca - He, when he hears of her, cannot restraine
From the excesse of Laughter...
And he shall smile....
Poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and light behaviours
Othello - he laughs
Othello - he denies it faintly: and laughes it out.
Iago - he laughed
Iago - if Cassio do remaine,
He hath a dayly beauty in his life,
That makes me ugly:
Iago - Herre's Cassio hurt by villians
Bianca - deere Cassio... sweet Cassio
Bianca - he faints.
Iago - good Cassio
Emilia - Good Cassio
Iago - Poore Cassio
Desdemona - I... never loved Cassio
Desdemona - he is betray'd
Lodovico - Cassio rules in Cyprus.
AND FINALLY... Cassio is listed in the list of characters as "an Honourable Lieutenant"
___________________________________________________________________________
So... why should I come up with all of MY ideas for who and what Cassio is, without looking at all of these clues that Shakespeare gave me? There is a lot of great stuff here. Now that it is all typed out in one place, I'll look at it in greater detail next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment