Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It’s a cool, funny way to discover new book bloggers, meet new people and find new followers. (This weeks featured are Hands and Home and Me, My Shelf and I.
This week’s question is: Talk about the book that most changed or influenced your life (was it a book that turned you from an average to avid reader, did it help you deal with a particularly difficult situation, does it bring you comfort every time you read it?).
It’s been a while since I did my last Follow Friday, but this week’s question definitely caught my attention and I couldn’t resistso… Here we go! ๐
I was 14 when I started reading Shakespeare and I was almost 15 when I read “Othello”. For me it still remains the most powerful, passionate, hypnotic book ever and I remember the first time I read it like it was yesterday… My mind was completely absorbed with the story, I didn’t know how to put this book down, my heart was throbbing with such magnetic words until it came the part that made me cry and changed something in me… From then on I wanted to be lost in my dreams and a deep wish formed in me, writing, a wish that never left me…
DESDEMONA
Who’s there? Othello?
OTHELLO
Ay, Desdemona.
DESDEMONA
Will you come to bed, my lord?
OTHELLO
Have you pray’d tonight, Desdemona?
DESDEMONA
Ay, my lord.
OTHELLO
If you bethink yourself of any crime Unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace, Solicit for it straight.
DESDEMONA
Alas, my lord, what do you mean by that?
OTHELLO
Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by: I would not kill thy unprepared spirit; No; heaven forfend! I would not kill thy soul.
DESDEMONA
Talk you of killing?
OTHELLO
Ay, I do.
DESDEMONA
Then heaven Have mercy on me!
OTHELLO
Amen, with all my heart!
DESDEMONA
If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.
OTHELLO
Humh!
DESDEMONA
And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then When your eyes roll so: why I should fear I know not, Since guiltiness I know not; but yet I feel I fear.
OTHELLO
Think on thy sins.
DESDEMONA
They are loves I bear to you.
OTHELLO
Ay, and for that thou diest.
About Silvia
Through her creativity and blogging, Silvia has met people from different industries and collaborated with them on various projects over the years. Her strong passion for reading and her fascination for different cultures and languages have led her to develop a keen interest in the East-Asian continent. Off to see her? Follow the colourful book road . . . โก
Wow, great pick! I didn't get into shakespeare that young or even now, but I can understand completely being absorbed in a story!
Here's my FF!
I love those kind of books now, they really are beautiful! Although, at 14-15, I so wouldn't have appreciated any of it. Sad but true. Very cool that you did, S! ๐
GFC follower! I read Romeo and Juliet at 12 and LOVED it. It should have been my pick. I've read it so many times I almost have the entire play memorized! Even played Juliet in high school. In college last semester I took a theatre course and we read Othello. Fabulous play with some really controversial themes!
Amanda
Hippies, Beauty, and Books. Oh My!
New follower! ๐ Shakespeare is a great choice! Although I've never actually read Othello. I think my favourite is The Tempest.
(If you're interested in visiting my FF post: http://skyink.net/?p=2520)
I found it so hard getting into the Shakespearean language, but I guess once you get into it its really interesting and beautiful!
Thanks for visiting and following my blog! I'm following yours as well.
I remember reading Othello back in high school. The language style is tricky at first, but then you go with the flow and realize it is quite a story.
April @ My Shelf Confessions
What a beautiful blog. New follower. Very interesting choices. Come visit me over at Livre De Amour-Books of Love Blog.
Old follower stopping by. Can't beat the Bard. Richard II and Hamlet are the ones that stick with me the most.
Hopping through. So impressive that you loved Othello that much. I wish I had read more Shakespeare.
My Hop