Histrio-Mastix : the players scourge, or, actors tragaedie : divided into two parts...

Histrio-Mastix : the players scourge, or, actors tragaedie : divided into two parts...

Book detailing the "unlawfulness" of staged performances

These extracts, taken from the same text, provide a viewpoint into an interesting mentality at the time Othello was published. The author of the book claims that plays are not only immoral, but inherently unlawful if they include (among many other things) the "womans part" or any "putting on of Womans apparel", which evidently refers to the Shakespearean tradition of crossdressing. The reasons given for these bold claim of illegality are based exclusively on religious principles, and the Prynne very clearly establishes stage performance as an antithesis of religion ("[people] almost crowd one another to death ... choosing rather to fill the Theatre than the Church"). This provides valuable insight into the political climate at the time the play was written, and that the separation between church and state in 17th century England was practically non-existent.

However, what is perhaps the most interesting quality that the texts author considers to be illegal is "lustfull ." One of the major themes in the play is sexuality, and Shakespeare constructs Othello largely as a sexual being. In fact, one of the most resonant quotes in the play, spoken by Iago, refers directly to this idea: "We have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts - whereof I take this that you call love to be a sect, or scion." (1.3.372) In light of Prynne's text, this quote accomplishes two things. Firstly, it establishes Iago, with his contempt of all that is sexual, as a possible symbol of the antiquated mindset that prevailed within England in the 17th century. Finally, its very presence reveals the discrepancy between the themes within Othello and the social and cultural paradigms at the time, and the backlash that Shakespeare likely faced for publishing such an audacious and revolutionary work.

Prynne, William

Photograph taken by me at the Rose library.

London : Printed by E. A. and W. I. i.e. Edward Allde, Augustine Mathewes, Thomas Cotes and William Jones for Michael Sparke

1633

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

Subject
book of natural history

Description
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.

Creator
Pliny, the Elder

Source
Photograph taken by me at Rose Library

Publisher
London : Printed by Adam Islip

Date
1601

Contributor
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Rights
With permission from the Rose library.

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Text

English

Still image

1633 PRYN

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