Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Willow Song

The bulk of this post is taken from John Launer here.

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof
For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song ...
(Psalm 137)

The poore Soule sat sighing by a Sicamour tree,
Sing all a greene Willough:
Her hand on her bosome, her head on her knee,
Sing Willough, Willough, Willough,
The fresh Streames ran by her, and murmur’d her moanes,
Sing Willough &c.,
Her fast teares fell from her, and softened the stones,
Sing Willough, Willough, Willough ...(Othello, Act IV, scene 4)

I was sceptical that you could hang any kind of harp on a weeping willow, even if—as was presumably the case here—your instrument was more like a Welsh harp than a concert one. Of course, the passage is meant to be figurative rather than literal, and it has its counterpart in Psalm 126 when the exiles return to Zion with songs of joy.


A song of ascents.

1 When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.

2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."

3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev.

5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.


As it happens, willows (aravim in Hebrew) appear six or seven times in the bible, generally as ‘willows of the brook’. However, modern commentators seem to agree that the aravim mentioned in the Psalm 137 are not in fact willows at all but Populus euphratica.



This is a kind of poplar native to Iraq, apparently similar in some ways to our own black poplar. It has two different kinds of leaves—long pedunculated ones as well as deltoid ones—and this may explain why it was regarded as a willow. Poplars and willows are closely related anyway, and people in biblical times may not have distinguished one from the other. And who knows, maybe the psalm was written by a Jerusalemite who had never actually been to Babylon or looked at the trees there very closely.

Populus euphratica appears in only one other place in the bible, in the prophecies of Ezekiel. There it has a different name—tsaftsafah, which is thought to be onomatopoeic, echoing the characteristic rustling of the leaves. For Ezekiel, the tree symbolized the deep-rooted imperial power of Babylon. This certainly adds some poignancy to the image of hanging up your harp in despair.

However, if you look more closely at Desdemona's song, it leads to some more arboreal surprises and pleasures. For a start, the tree in the song, like the biblical one, cannot have been a weeping willow either. They were unknown in Europe until they were imported from China at the beginning of the eighteenth century: the Chinese connection is commemorated in the willow pattern plate, designed in 1779. Popular myth attributes the first weeping willow grown in Britain to Alexander Pope, who is said to have planted a budding wand from a basket containing figs that a Turkish lady admirer had given him. A later inhabitant of Pope's villa in Twickenham then cut it down, to deter tourists who came especially to gawp at it.

It was Linnaeus who gave the tree its Latin designation Salix babylonica, also on the mistaken assumption that it was the psalmist's tree. The English term ‘weeping willow’ was first used around the same time, presumably because of the psalm as well, although the description might be justified by the tree's drooping appearance alone. Ironically, most weeping willows nowadays are not the real thing, but a hardier hybrid with the native white willow Salix alba.



Which brings us, finally, to the sycamore, and the intriguing question of why the poor soul in Desdemona's song should sit by a sycamore but sing about willows. Part of the answer, apparently, is that the sycamore is not a sycamore either, or at least not the familiar Acer pseudoplatanus, or English maple, that we now mistakenly call a sycamore. Instead, the song refers to the mulberry fig, Ficus sycomorus, which appears many times in the bible as a symbol of rejuvenation, but seems, by Shakespeare's time, to have acquired an association with infidelity—not that anyone is suggesting for one moment that there is a link between the two.
The ironic contrast with Desdemona's position, as a faithful wife about to be murdered by a pathologically jealous husband, would probably not have been lost on the audience.
The Willow Song
The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree
Sing all a green willow
Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee:
Sing willow, willow, willow, willow!
Sing willow, willow, willow, willow!
My garland shall be;
Sing all a green willow, willow, willow, willow
Sing all a green willow
My garland shall be.
The fresh streams ran by her, and murmer'd her moans
Sing willow, willow, willow
Her salt tears fell from her and soft'ned the stones.
Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve
Sing willow, willow, willow
He was born to be fair, I to die for his love,
I call'd my love false love but what said he then?
Sing willow, willow, willow
If I court more women, you'll couch with more men.
They might also have understood why an encounter with a sycamore (which also sounds remarkably like ‘a sick Moor’, not to mention ‘a sick amour’) might lead a woman to bemoan her fate under a willow. Certainly, the association between willows, sadness, loss and weeping appears to have been fixed by then in the European mind, regardless of the botanical facts. But I won't harp on about that.
.
.
.

Our Willow, by the way, makes aspirin

Common Names: Willow
Latin Name: Salix spp.Parts Used: Bark, wood
Cultivation: Cuttings will root in moist soil. Start them where you want them to grow, as willows are difficult to transplant. Willows prefer soggy soil and full sun.
Cosmetic Uses: Decoctions of white willow bark make good facial astringents.
Magickal Uses: The willow tree is associated with the moon. Its wood is frequently used to make magick wands, and willow branches are used to bind a witch's besom. Use willow leaves in love mixtures, and carry them to guard against evil.
Medicinal Uses: Willow bark has been used for thousands of years to treat fevers and relieve the pain of headaches and arthritis. The bark contains salicin, the natural source of the chemicals used to make aspirin. It is also good for heartburn and digestive upsets (unlike aspirin, which can irritate your stomach).

31 comments:

  1. A very interesting post, thank you. I'm writing a thesis on Othello, trying to compare the original version to Vigny's French translation. Anyway, is there any relationship between Desdemona's Willow Song and the song included in Percy's Relicks of ancient Poetry?
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh ..... I love the weeping willow tree, it has to be my favourite tree!

    ReplyDelete
  3. We may give the writer his creative license, but there is
    a certain tension in urban areas that never completely
    lets up. While extremely functional, backpacks of this nature are not what you
    should to take along for a camping trip which
    requires you to hold more items. Where else can you get nature at its best, other than Garden city, Bangalore.


    my blog :: just click the up coming internet page

    ReplyDelete
  4. Once the game is 80% complete you will need to work on the sound.

    If you don’t have much skill in programming, but still think that creating and developing
    games is the most suitable for you, there are special courses that will give you training in graphic designing,
    game development, and computer animation. It's fast to build and play and will challenge your memory.

    my web blog; kostenlos spielen

    ReplyDelete
  5. The pc 2007 elite TV software is therefore legitimate software
    with over 3000 TV channels. There are hundreds of people working in foreign aid missions, expats, Peace Corps, and others in relief
    and business sectors. Many think that having
    thoughts of supposed happiness that will never come is futile
    and that they are only giving false hopes to those who
    need them the most.

    Check out my web site Read Alot more

    ReplyDelete
  6. This connectivity will allow you to easily transfer photos on to your laptop for storage.
    1MP resolution and you can be sure of high quality photos
    with it. At present these consumer reports are extremely valuable.


    Have a look at my blog post; Please click the up coming article

    ReplyDelete
  7. This idea would be perfectly done with camping, it allows a camper to acquire the utmost relaxation which is the basic objective of the activity.
    They have a sign up that they are closed for cleaning from 2PM to
    3PM - while at Buttermilk there is only one bathroom for the whole campground and
    I can see why they can't close it. There was no swimming at Buttermilk Falls during the week but the staff suggested we drive two miles to Treman State Park - and WOW what a swimming hole they have.

    Review my site :: alomodomedia.com/users/L..

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wallace explained the importance of nature by explaining the
    relationship between the Man and Nature. Once she moved 1931 to Krakow with her family, she lived and worked there since her
    death in February of last year. However, believe it or not poems about getting back together
    actually can be quite powerful when attracting your ex back into your life.

    ReplyDelete
  9. a Bruce Lee workout includes stretching, bending,
    running, dipping, kicking, jumping, traditional muscle building exercises, weight lifting, rope skipping,
    medicine ball handling, etc. Avocados- Although not my
    favorite, are high in fats, the good ones. Do not be tempted to lose weight as quickly
    as you can, because a crash diet will have you eating less
    than a thousand calories a day slowing down your metabolism.


    Feel free to surf to my weblog ... http://www.5-10kgabnehmen.de

    ReplyDelete
  10. In other trick taking games, players can take tricks on a number of kind of contract.
    Caution: when a hole is made in a can, there may be metallic edges
    that can cut one's mouth. You can only acquire a small amount of in-game money or gold, and cannot participate in the auction house, send mail, join guilds, or even whisper to someone unless someone whispers to you first.

    My web blog first day of summer

    ReplyDelete
  11. This idea would be perfectly done with camping, it
    allows a camper to acquire the utmost relaxation which is the basic objective of the
    activity. While extremely functional, backpacks of this nature are not what you should
    to take along for a camping trip which requires you to hold more items.
    There was no swimming at Buttermilk Falls during
    the week but the staff suggested we drive two miles to Treman State Park -
    and WOW what a swimming hole they have.

    Also visit my homepage: mouse click the Up coming webpage

    ReplyDelete
  12. If, at the end of this time period, the score is
    tied, there are two options the officials can take. All that energy is boxed in, amplified by the space.
    In addition, you can save the effort of coding the store functionality,
    virtual goods dependencies, billing interfaces and rewards.


    My webpage ... food lion

    ReplyDelete
  13. No longer does a music lover need to bother about traveling out of range when a fantastic song comes on over the vehicle radio.
    Often, long term schedules with a bit of breathing room work best.
    There are many websites that bring to people radio channels for their personal entertainment.


    Here is my blog post: http://www.wht.mmtr.or.jp

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have interviewed a few parents to attempt to understand what their true objection is with their child playing video games.
    The player who spins the coin is referred to as the spinner.
    The nature of Reddit's platform makes it possible -- through great and creative effort, it appears -- to give users a gift of the unexpected, rather than deriving humor from humiliation.

    my webpage ... amazing grace

    ReplyDelete
  15. It iis based on computer with electrographic sensor technology.
    However, every character in the game (even supporting players) should be presented in this same
    detail. But what happens when a player runs out of race tokens.


    Feel free to visit my web-site Homepage von Alexandria

    ReplyDelete
  16. "Worked All Zones Award" is the same concept with time zones.
    Much of your best players marketplaces in the united states are supervised.
    So, a custom direct application and route tracking can make it easier
    to you cut fuel cost, save visit time and wholesome delivery.


    Here is my website ... radio west cbc

    ReplyDelete
  17. Major follows some sports, primarily during the playoffs.

    The player who spins the coin is referred to as the spinner.
    In addition, you can save the effort of coding the
    store functionality, virtual goods dependencies, billing interfaces
    and rewards.

    Look into my web site: nebraska game and parks website ()

    ReplyDelete
  18. This idea would be perfectly done with camping, it allows a camper to acquire the utmost
    relaxation which is the basic objective of the activity.
    Also, bigger animals may flock to the campsites: foxes, badgers
    and in some areas even bears may come uninvited, attracted by the smell of
    food and leftovers. Where else can you get nature at its best, other than Garden
    city, Bangalore.

    Here is my weblog ... Wondering How To Prepare For A Camping Trip? Start Here!

    ReplyDelete
  19. This method of fishing also has a by-catch of non-target species such as sharks, dolphins,
    turtles, and other non-target fish species. Pay close attention to the mayflies, midges, and
    stoneflies in the area and try to match your flies to the
    size and type fish are biting on. The less there is between you and the ocean, the more intimate an experience you will have out at sea.


    Also visit my web-site :: click through the next web page

    ReplyDelete
  20. But with Nexus Radio the only settings you have to worry about are where you
    want to save your files and what file type you want to
    save it as. This means that everyone in the whole wide world
    can access this new kind of radio and you are assured that the programs as well as the list of radio stations you are listening to are all automatically updated.
    Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Duke Red Matter (Part One; CBS, 1956)'Abbott Stables's Duke Red is a thoroughbred destroyed over a serious injury in an accident, and Dollar
    (Bob Bailey)'asked to review a $65,000 insurance claim on the horse'smells trouble when the
    stable's business manager is dismissed after filing the claim, and its veterinarian may have destroyed the horse a little too swiftly.

    Feel free to visit my homepage ... Radio Control Car Kits

    ReplyDelete
  21. Try simple games and check how your internet connection
    is and then move on play more games. Aside from the obvious difficulties of pitching so brilliantly
    in such a high pressure situation, Larsen's feat is even more impressive when one considers that the Dodgers had four future Hall of Famers in their lineup: Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Pee Wee Reese. Harry Potter Hogwarts is one more entry into this new series of LEGO board games.

    Here is my webpage - visit this website

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sure, we still have traditional radio stations that do perfectly
    well with their traditional equipment, but increasingly, more and more users have shifted to the internet.
    Tens of thousands of people all across the United States are starting their own Internet radio shows - for free.
    Internet radio has gained immense popularity over the
    years.

    Visit my site internetradio aufnehmen

    ReplyDelete
  23. Similar to the cue ball that is shot in pools; this
    game involves coins and strikers that are essential to play carrom game.

    It combines RPG elements and strategy for a very interesting game where you must stop the
    rows of pirates ship from making their way down the
    river. t love the unself-conscious little boy or girl, the undaunted miniature explorer who moves
    with unbridled enthusiasm to experience life.

    my webpage Similar Internet Page - Www.Soundconvention.Com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Enjoying the service of Odyssey - Streaming
    - Radio is so easy. And once you have your own project that you want to promote,
    you must have considered the radio as one of
    the best alternatives to introduce your music to the crowds.
    But mostly BBC Radios 4 and 5 because, being speech orientated, they're more like what I do, so I can learn lots from them.

    my blog post radio flyer my 1st scooter with lights and sounds

    ReplyDelete
  25. I understand that those are the products designed by manufacturers to
    make them money and if they are endorsed by winning popular professionals, sales
    will be high. It combines RPG elements and strategy for a very interesting
    game where you must stop the rows of pirates ship from making
    their way down the river. t love the unself-conscious little boy or girl, the undaunted miniature explorer who moves
    with unbridled enthusiasm to experience life.

    my homepage relevant site

    ReplyDelete
  26. The internet is fueling the success of music because it can
    be listened to at any time of the day and anywhere in
    the world. Next, build a list of prospects and develop
    a relationship with those prospects on your list. You will need an outside antenna
    to get clear reception on your radio.

    my webpage; radio maryja torun

    ReplyDelete
  27. Though the levels look really simple, they are actually
    quite challenging. The player who spins the coin is referred to as the
    spinner. The tables used for this unique drinking game can in fact
    be purchased commercially.

    Here is my webpage ... http://familyovereverything.com/groups/speedy-systems-for-game-across-the-uk/ :
    : ::

    ReplyDelete
  28. For any kind of luxury item of consumption, MAD (Money,
    Authority and Desire) is required. So your personal, non-commercial, watercraft is exempt from a licensing requirement.
    What s more is that 2G phones can come in a tinier and slimmer package, even its batteries.



    my web blog ... العراق الحر radio liberty

    ReplyDelete
  29. Too many folks have already thrown away plenty of good money on nothing but useless
    salt tablets being shipped from South America. Vitamin
    B3 or also called as Niacin is important in weight loss because it is responsible for the regulation of thyroid hormones and also in sugar levels in the body.
    When you're about to start on your weight loss plan, it's a good idea to
    think about your end goal and chunk it down into smaller goals.



    Feel free to visit my weblog: http://www.exploreforestpark.
    com/index.php/member/42893/ ()

    ReplyDelete
  30. Signing up for the particular Wilton Process Redecorating Principles Study course is good for those
    people thinking of getting a jump in cake adorning. If no, then
    this article will completely guide you on making space cake.
    Since the machines can also cut logos, letters and signs, the cake creator
    can later also decorate the.

    Here is my blog; cake art party store (connectartist.com)

    ReplyDelete
  31. You have to give a tube radio at least 20 to 30 minutes just to warm
    up and then you decide what frequency you want to be
    on and load the plate and tune them up. Next, build a list of prospects and develop a relationship with those prospects on your list.
    Perfect for long trips and for up to date information on road conditions ahead.


    My blog post radio flyer my 1st scooter with lights and sounds *http://montesinairadio.org/index.php?option=com_easybookreloaded&controller=entry&Itemid=29*

    ReplyDelete