Projective identification in Othello and Verdi's Otello

Abstract

In this paper I explore how projective identification is depicted in Shakespeare's Othello (1603–4 [2006]) and in Verdi's Otello (1887). Both the play and the opera can be seen as studies in projection – in the evacuation into others of feelings that the subject finds unbearable, such as envious and jealous exclusion or unbearable sexual excitement. The essential issue is the same in both the play and the opera, which is that the very sight of love between Othello and Desdemona, or of contentment in anyone's mind, drives Iago mad with envy and jealousy, which he has to expel and project into others, particularly into Othello, who is susceptible to this attack because of his own narcissistic vulnerability. I take two episodes, which appear in both the play and the opera, to explore in detail how projective identification is represented both verbally and musically. I suggest that music, and words used musically, are particularly suited to conveying complex inter‐ and intra‐personal processes such as projective identification.

Translations of summary

Projektive Identifizierung in Othello und Verdis Otello

In diesem Beitrag untersuche ich, wie projektive Identifizierung in Shakespeares Othello (1603‐4 [2006]) und in Verdis Otello (1887) dargestellt wird. Man kann das Drama ebenso wie die Oper als Studien über Projektion verstehen – über die Auslagerung von Gefühlen wie neidischer und eifersüchtiger Ausgeschlossenheit oder überwältigender sexueller Erregung, die das Subjekt als unerträglich empfindet, in andere Menschen. Das Drama und die Oper behandeln dasselbe Thema: Der Anblick der Liebe zwischen Othello und Desdemona oder der Anblick innerer Zufriedenheit lässt Jago wahnsinnig vor Neid und Eifersucht werden; diese Gefühle muss er ausstoßen und in andere projizieren, allererst in Othello, den seine eigene narzisstische Verwundbarkeit zu einer leichten Beute macht. Ich greife zwei Episoden heraus, die sowohl im Drama als auch in der Oper enthalten sind, um detailliert zu untersuchen, wie projektive Identifizierung sprachlich und musikalisch dargestellt wird. Ich vertrete die Ansicht, dass Musik und Worte, in den Dienst der Musik gestellt, besonders gut geeignet sind, um komplexe inter‐ und intrapersonale Prozesse wie die projektive Identifizierung zu repräsentieren.

Identificación proyectiva en el Otelo de Shakespeare y en el de Verdi

Este artículo explora la manera en que se describe la identificación proyectiva en el Otelo de Shakespeare (1603.4[2006]) y en el de Verdi (1887). Tanto la obra teatral como la ópera pueden ser consideradas estudios sobre la proyección, es decir, la evacuación en otros de los sentimientos que el sujeto encuentra intolerables, tal como los de exclusión de los celos y la envidia, o la excitación sexual intolerable. El tema esencial en la obra teatral y en la ópera es el mismo: la sola vista del amor entre Otelo y Desdémona, o la alegría y satisfacción de alguien, hace que Yago enloquezca de envidia y celos, los cuales tiene que expulsar y proyectar en otros, particularmente en Otelo, susceptible de este ataque por su propia vulnerabilidad narcisista. El autor elige dos episodios, que aparecen tanto en la obra teatral como en la ópera, para explorar en detalle cómo se representa la identificación proyectiva tanto verbal como musicalmente. Asimismo, sugiere que la música y las palabras usadas musicalmente son particularmente adecuadas para transmitir complejos procesos inter e intrapersonales como la identificación proyectiva.

L'identification projective dans Othello de Shakespeare et Otello de Verdi

L'auteur de cet article explore le processus d'identification projective tel qu'il se déploie dans Othello, la pièce de Shakespeare (1603‐1604), et Otello, l'opéra de Verdi (1887). Ces œuvres peuvent être considérées l'une et l'autre comme une étude de la projection, à savoir l'expulsion par le sujet de sentiments insupportables, tels que l'envie, l'exclusion jalouse ou une excitation sexuelle intolérable, qu'il attribue à autrui. On retrouve ce thème essentiel dans la pièce comme dans l'opéra. Le lien amoureux entre Othello et Desdemona ou encore la joie d'autrui, rendent Iago fou d'envie et de jalousie. C'est ce sentiment qu'il rejette en le projetant sur les autres, et plus particulièrement sur Othello qui est sensible à ses attaques en raison de sa propre vulnérabilité narcissique. En m'étayant sur deux épisodes extraits de la pièce et de l'opéra, j'examine en détail la façon dont l'identification projective est représentée dans les mots et dans la musique. Je suggère l'idée que la musique et les mots utilisés musicalement sont particulièrement aptes à exprimer des processus interpersonnels et intrapersonnels aussi complexes que l'identification projective.

Identificazione proiettiva in Otello e nell'Otello di Verdi

Questo articolo serve ad esplorare il modo in cui l'identificazione proiettiva viene dipinta nell'Otello di Shakespeare (1603‐4 [2006]) e nell'Otello di Verdi (1887). Sia il dramma che l'opera si possono leggere come studii della proiezione – cioe' della evacuazione dentro altri di sentimenti che il soggetto non riesce a tollerare in se' stesso, come il sentirsi esclusi per invidia e gelosia o come un eccitamento sessuale insopportabile. Il problema essenziale e' il medesimo sia nel dramma che nell'opera, ed e' il fatto che la percezione dell'amore fra Otello e Desdemona, o quella di un appagamento nell'animo di chiunque altro, bastano a far impazzire Iago di invidia e di gelosia, sentimenti che egli viene spinto ad espellere ed a proiettare dentro ad altri, e in particolare dentro ad Otello, il quale e' predisposto a subire un tale assalto a causa della propria vulnerabilita' narcisistica.

Mi soffermo su due episodii, che appaiono sia nel dramma che nell'opera, per esplorare in maniera dettagliata il modo in cui l'identificazione proiettiva viene rappresentata sia in senso verbale che in senso musicale. Propongo che la musica, e che le parole impiegate in senso musicale, siano particolarmente adatte a rendere l'idea delle operazioni interpersonali ed intrapersonali complesse come quella dell'identificazione proiettiva.

Key words:

• music
• opera
• Othello
• Otello
• projective identification
• Shakespeare
• Verdi

Notes

1. Verdi (who had been an organist as a schoolboy) directs that if an organ is not available “an instrument should be used that is made of three or four pipes of low pitch in the timpani register which will be made to sound by a pair of hand‐operated bellows. This is very easy to construct and can be obtained from any organ‐builder. The producer should be advised that it is absolutely essential where no proper organ exists” (quoted in Budden, 1978, p. 338).

2. Otello references refer to the page and stave in the vocal score (Verdi, 1887a): the full score is Verdi, 1887a[1986].

3. Verdi, who owned a score of Tristan, had famously said that he could do everything that Wagner did, “and in less than a third of the time too” (Verdi in an interview in 1898–99, in Conati, 1984 [1981], p. 329).

4. (Urszene: first referred to in Freud, 1918, p. 43, but ‘primal scenes’ [Urszenen] were referred to in a letter to Fliess in 1897 (Freud, 1950b), and a ‘sexual scene’ is referred to in a previous letter of 1896 (Freud, 1950c).

5. Klein (1957, p. 182) discusses “the close connection between jealousy, greed and envy”.

6. Compare when he soliloquizes, as if addressing Desdemona, in Act V Scene 1: “Thy Bed lust‐stain'd, shall with Lusts blood bee spotted” (V. i. 37).

7. “I like to take music very seriously, and I consider it impermissible to compose something that I don't feel through and through. That would be like telling a lie, for the notes have just as precise a meaning as the words – perhaps they're even more precise” (Mendelssohn, letter to Henriette von Arnstein‐Perariah, July 1831, translated in Cooper, 2002.

8. See Rusbridger, 2008.

9. ‘Diatonic’ refers, in Western classical music, to music that uses the standard major and minor keys. It is sometimes contrasted with ‘chromatic’ music, which introduces notes from outside these scales.

10. This was an idea introduced later by Verdi, for the first Venice production in May 1887 (the premiere was in Milan in February).