I stand on the stage where I had given my life’s blood
I love the stage
the drama that swirls center stage, in the wings and in the musty corners
my final role was Desdemona
That last night was my finest performance
“That death’s unnatural that kills for loving…”
If memory serves me well, Othello had been out of character that closing night
No ministrations could calm
When they removed Desdemona’s body, they were unable to revive me
“She severed her own bloom,” he calmly stated
Tonight “my love” I meet you upon life’s stage
I pass on bloodied thorn …
The photo prompt is shared by Sandra Crook (L’Amphitheatre des Trois Gauls, Lyon, France.) and opens the curtains for another week of Friday Fictioneers directed by Rochelle Wisoff Fields
Just for point of reference in the drama: “When they removed Desdemona’s body they were unable to revive me” “me” refers to the actress playing the part of Desdemona. Thus Desdemona and the actress died tragically that night at the hand of Othello.
penned in moon dust 
My goodness, this is very literary! Very classy, I must say. Impressive and tragic.
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The stage a place I am quite at home / this was fun
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Well a tragic hero is a poresn who is very gifted, and is good at many things, but is ultimately defeated, or has a downfall due to one major flaw, usually too much pride. If Othello is very gifted at multiple things, and suffers a downfall due to one bad trait/flaw, and if that flaw is pride, then he is a tragic hero to a great extent. If he only fulfills 2 or 1 of these things, he is only partially a tragic hero.
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I am not sure where Othello qualifies in the ‘hero’ part of your tribute. He is rather doomed from the start by the supposed demon he attributes to Desdemonia and fate of Iago. All heroes are flawed. It is how and when that flaw plays out that makes the narrative.
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Othello was actually my first Shakespearean experience, and I’ve loved it ever since. Your words were a lovely homage.
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Shakespeare is a favorite – always
Thanks Helena
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Once again you weave a fine verse for the visual prompt.
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thanks Charlie I dont know about you but I feel the verse
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Excellent, very dramatic.
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thanks to you for the great photo prompt
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Excellent! Another nod to the Bard.
janet
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thanks for your visit Janet 🙂 this was fun
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Wow! You took me there! 😀
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Great job doing Shakespeare! I could never attempt him since I don’t always “get” his intent. 😦
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Pass on bloodied thorn! That’s taking Shakespeare a bit too literally in one’s own life. Fascinating piece, dear Desdemona!
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I’m reminded of a book tour apaenrpace of Mark Caro, author of “The Foie Gras Wars,” that I went to. These days, of course, anyone who wants to be a Serious And Insightful Writer has to do the even-handed, Pollanesque “on the one hand, I wouldn’t want to be a duck being force fed, but on the other hand, I just ate some foie gras and it’s delicious and vegans are sanctimonious jerks” thing.
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“When they removed her body,”— is this the narrator. Should it be, when they removed my body” ?? I really like the pacing and tension. I like the distant view… well done.
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that was intentional. “Her” refers to Desdemona as a character “my body” refers to the corpse of the actress. Sorry for the need to read between the 100 word lines on that one
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No need to apologize; clearly I was slow on the uptake! 😉 Very good read.
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breathtaking.
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Dear Leslie,
I had the same question as talesfromthemotherland. I wondered if you meant “when they removed MY body.” For me it may be a lack of Shakespeare knowledge. 😉 Well done, graphically dramatic. From one Drama Queen to another…
Shalom,
Rochelle
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hmm think it’s more theater. On stage you would always refer to the character the actress is playing. The actress backstage wants you to know that she is dead as well as her character
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Somebody’s gotta set these guys straight, shseeh. Thanks for publishing this stuff!!! Is there any way that Lise can send the perpetrator a link to this gold medal? For educational purposes, a cold bucket of water, etc. Please, Lise!It is just plain rude that married or otherwise attached men use our online profiles to exercise their ego and craving. What I do on OKC is just immediately block em. I understand that supposedly open relationships (which to me seem to foster an inability to focus) are a pseudo-community out there, but it just grosses me out, when you consider how many germs live in people’s mouths Okay, I’ll stop :0
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Dear Leslie,
This was an ambitious and well executed (no pun….) story. You held us rapt with the intertwined stories and served up drama and homage all in one hundred well written words.
Aloha,
Doug
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Love how you mix reality and theater.. it’s a brilliant take.. remember seeing a movie that used Carmen the same way..
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This was the film http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085297/
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cool thanks Bjorn for the link 🙂
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The ancient stage has really stimulated your dramatic side – oh drama queen, and mine also. Yours is a lot more mysterious though…
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I realized how much I miss the theater and all the drama especially backstage -thanks
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The ghosts of actresses past! At least you did not choose the Scottish play.
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I love ghosts don’t you???
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Lovely piece and playing Desdemona is a role that never stops gaining sympathy for a doomed lover.
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very good written. I also used “Ohtello”, but totally different. The everlasting story of love and jealousy.
Liebe Grüße aus Deutschland
Carmen
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You wrote that with style! I thought I’d grasped the meaning, thanks for verifying.
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