Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
OTHELLO

suitors, both on account OF her many virtuous
qualities and for her rich expectations But
among the suitors of hSr own cline and COM
plexion she saw none whom she could affect;
for this noble lady, who regarded the mind
more than the features Of men, with a singu-
larity rather to be admired than initiated, had
chosen for the object OF her affections Moor
a black whom her father loved, and often In
vited to his house.
Neither is Desdemona to be altogether con
demned for the unsuitableness of the person
whom she selected for her lover Batting that
Othello was black the noble Moor wanted goth
ing which might recommend him to the affec-
lions of the greatest lady. He was a soldier,
and brave one; and by bis conduct in bloody
wars against the Turks had risen to the rank
of general in the Venetian service, and was
esteemed and trusted by the State
He had been a traveller, and Desdemona las
is the manner of ladies' loved to hear him tell
the story of his adventures. which he would run
through from his earliest recollection; the bat
ties, sieges and encounters which he had passed
through; the perils he had been exposed to by
land and by water; his harbreadth escapes
when he had entered breach, or marched up
been taken prisoner by the insolent enemy and
sold to slavery; how he demeaned himself in
that state, and how he escaped; all these &C
counts, added to the narration of the strange
things he had seen in foreign countries, the
vast wildernesses and romantic caverns, the
quarries, the rocks and mountains, whose heads
are in the clouds; of the savage nations; the
cannbals who are man-eaters, and q race Of
people in Africa whose heads do grow beneath
their shoulders; these travellers stories would
SO enchain the attention of Desdemona, that if
she were called off at any time by household
affairs, she would despatch with all haste that
business, and return, and with a greedy ear
devour Ot1,c,lc's discourse. And once he took
ADVANTAGE Of plant hour and drew from her
-~~ err that he would tell her the whole story
of his life at large, of which she had heard so
much. but only by parts: to which he con
scented, and beguiled her Of many a tear, when
he spoke Of some distressful stroke which his
youth suffered.
His story being done, she gave him for his
pains a world of signs; she swore a pretty oath.
that it was all passing strange, and pitiful,
wondrous pitiful she wished (she said she
had not heard it, yet she wished that Heaven
thanked him, and told him, if he had friend
who loved her, he had only to teach him how
TO tell his story, and that would WOO her Upon
this hint, delivered not with more frankness
than modesty, accompanied with certain be-
witching prettiness and bushes which Othello
could not but understand, he spoke more
openly of his love- and in this golden oppOr-
tunity gained the consent Of the generous lady
Desdemona privately to marry him.
Neither Othellos color nor his fortune was
such that it could be hoped Brabantio would
ACCEPT him for son-in-aw. He had left his
daughter free: but he did expect that, as the
manner Of noble Venetian ladies was, she would
choose ere long a husband of senatorial rank
Of expectations: but in this he was de-
c,iveG: Tesdemona loved the Moor, though he
was black. and devoted her heart and fortunes
10 his valiant parts and qualities: so was her
heart subdued in an implicit devotion to the
man she had selected for a husband, that his
very color which to all but this discerning lady
would have proved an insurmountable objec-
ton was by her esteemed above all the white
skins and clear compilations of the young Vene-
tian nobility her suitOrs
Their marriage. which, though privately car
ried. could not long be kept secret came to
The ears of the old man. Brabantio, who APP
peared in a solemn council of the senate as an
accuser of the Moor Othello who by spells and
witchcraft the maintained) had seduced the al
fections Of the fair Desdemona TO marry him.
without the consent Of her father, and against
the obligations of hospitality.
At this juncture of time it happened that the
State Of Venice had immediate need of the ser
vices Of OtheIio news having arrived that the
Turks with mighty preparation had fitted out
n fleet which was bending its course to the
island Of Cyprus, with intent to regain that
strong post from the Venetians who then held
It: in this emergency the State turned its eyes
uDou O.heIlo who alone was deemed adequate
10 conduct the defense of Cyprus against the
Turks. So that Othello, now summoned before
ne senate. stood in their presence at once as
candidate for a great State employment, and
ps a culprit charged with offences which by the
laws of Venice we're made capital
The age and senatorial character of old Bra
hantio commanded a most patient hearing from
that grave assembly: but the incensed father
conducted his accusation with so much intern
-erance. producing Ikeihoods and allegations