The historie of the world : commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus

The historie of the world : commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus

book of natural history

These two extracts, taken from the same work, are both valuable and interesting indications of the social climate at the time Othello was written (the text from which it hails was apparently published two years before Othello is thought to have been written). When one considers how natural science affected the way people thought, and thus, the way literature developed during Shakespeare's era, it is paramount to understand the scientific paradigms of the given time period. In this particular passage, a clear link is drawn between the female menstrual cycle, and the natural phenomenon of death. Put otherwise, it is stated that if a woman who is undergoing what is now known as a 'period' were to come into contact with a plant, a fruit, an animal, or any given object, it would become poisoned and possibly die. The description of the effects of coming into contact with an 'infected' woman seem so far-fetched that it occurred to me that the entire text might be a purposeful exaggeration. However, given the fact that this text was considered to be scholarly at the time of its publication, I think it is safe to assume we can interpret it as face value. The wording of the extract: 'Let them in this estate handle any grasses, the will die upon it' is also revealing. It provides a (subtle) clue as to the intended readers of this text: men. The words 'let them' seem to introduce the assumption that it is a man's responsibility to ensure that women do not spread their monthly "illness". Later on, it reads that women's corpses face downwards, contrary to men's as if "Nature had provided to save their honestie and cover their shame..." This implies that the biological aspects of the female body are something to be shameful about, and strangely implies that there is a link between nature and mental/moral standing. Overall, these two passages are inherent to an understand of the dynamic between the sexes in Othello. Women, specifically Desdemona and Emilia are largely portrayed as the 'weaker' sex, as can be seen through their relationships and dynamics with the male characters. The content of this text appears to be evidence of the scientific paradigm that fuelled sexist undertones in Othello.

Pliny, the Elder

Photograph taken by me at Rose Library

London : Printed by Adam Islip

1601

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With permission from the Rose library.

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Text

English

Still image

QH41 .P55 FOLIO

17th century

Book

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