Othello is one of Shakespeare's classics, this play has many oddities and puzzles. It roots into love, deception and jealousy. Also it clearly questions the debate of; can different cultures inter-wind without colliding? in addition, Othello has vivid racism, sexism, manipulation and savagery within civilisation. This play is set in Venice, Italy but due to circumstances all of the characters move to Cyprus.
Othello is written between 1601-1604, the level of intensity and drama obviously indicated that he devoted a lot of time and effort into this play. The likely hood of him writing Othello in London is very high. He moved to London in 1587 and quickly got recognised by the higher society of London. People whose only form of entertainment appreciated him in the theatre . He became an established writer by 1590 and made his own playwright by 1592. Towards the end of his life he returned to his home town, Stratford-upon-Avon and proudly brought the second biggest house which he rumoured he dreamed about when he was a child.
The play starts in a Venetian street but ultimately moves to Cyprus and remains there 'till the end. There are various motives in the shifting of the play. The physical differences contributes to the fact that Venice and Cyprus are very different. Venice is metropolitan, whereas Cyprus is an underdeveloped city. Similarly, Venice is the colonizer and Cyprus is the colonized. Cyprus is an island covered with water from all the four sides, whereas Venice has water running in the city in form of various canals.
The plot of this play is based on a North African 'Moor', Othello, who is also the important general. He is powerful and put in charge of Cyprus by the government to . Desdemona who he has ‘wooe...
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...t and only spoke too. However on some occasions she brakes this stereotype by speaking up to her father for example; ''Nor I: I would not there reside to put my father: impatient thoughts''. On a contradictory note she speaks so ever politely to her husband, ''My Lord''. But she was accused of sleeping with Cassio she denied these accusations with strong will.
Iago is quite possibly one of the best examples of evil in literature. He is not merely manipulative as other "bad guys". Iago also brings the interesting aspect of truth into it all. He quite literally tells the best lies using mostly the truth. Whether it be the devil, Satan, Beelzebub, Lucifer or Moloch, these words represent the very same idea: pure evil. He is a very two-faced character Beelzebub, Lucifer or Moloch, these words represent the very same idea: pure evil. He is a very two-faced character
come from and also the underlying racism and sexism throughout the play is inherent in Venice. An example of this is Brabantio. although he welcomes Othello ('Her father loved me, oft invited me'). into his home, there is a distinct difference between treating Othello. as an interesting novelty, and displaying a pseudo.
Dual Nature of Characters in Othello Many of the characters in Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello, are duplicitous to the extent that how. they are perceived in public is not how they behave in private. The perception of the public plays.
"Othello." The English Review 15.3 (2005): 15. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 8 May 2014. .
William Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Othello” shows how a manipulative villain can create chaos within a society. The play was written around the year 1603 and takes place in Venice Italy before it is repositioned to Cyprus. This Shakespearean tragedy shows the effects of jealousy, love, desire, betrayal and passion in a society with an imbalance of power in a race, gender, and social position.
In the production “O” the main character’s position in society does not truly capture the same importance as it did in Othello. The life of a war leader seems much more influential than that of a basketball star’s life in high school. The drama that comes with being on the high school basketball team lacks the responsibility that Othello has. Othello has a well-known reputation for being able to handle himself in many situations emotionally and physically, which may be the reason the Duke of Venice chose him individually to lead the war in the foreign land of Cyprus. This being such a huge obligation for Othello, it created tension for the audience, especially one at the time of this plays creation. As the war breaks out between Venice and Turkey, things seem to be extremely tense within the characters, especially, Othello. Between the defeat of the Turkish and Cassio’s drunken fight, the recently captured Island of Cyprus and the venetians look overwhelmed with a lot of explosive emotions. Othello’s responsibility in the war creates an easy way for the audience to emphasize with the pressures his character faces.
Iago is not really evil or the vice character he is the misunderstood and wonderful character who can only be seen through a certain lens before it all goes back to black and white and good and evil fights one another for the main stage again. Shakespeare pulled many themes into this story but in all truth I believe that Iago is true main character, not Othello or Cassio, but Iago with all of his problems and vices, he is the truest expression of being human. Works Cited Rosenberg, Marvin. “In Defense of Iago.” Shakespeare Quarterly.
The European Renaissance forever changed the life of the contemporary individual. Explosive advancements in education, technology, and trade broadened geographic and mental horizons; however, in England these developments were paired with population crises of poverty and unemployment. In addition, the increased interaction with foreign cultures fomented by various commercial and diplomatic engagements gave rise to apprehension in English sensibility. Eventually, Christian England would attempt to reshape these ‘strangers’ in their image and modern racial tensions sprung forth. Recursion of the trope of race, under the guise of blackness, heathenry, or even femininity occurs extensively in literary tradition, and especially within Shakespeare’s oeuvre. “There exists in all literature an archetypal figure who escapes both poles of the classic definition – appearing sometimes as hero, sometimes as villain, sometimes as clown…[he] has been named variously the ‘shadow,’ the ‘other,’ the ‘alien,’ the ‘outsider,’ the ‘stranger.’” It is with this borderline figure, mired in ambiguity, that this investigation is concerned: primarily with the stranger as the Moor in Othello, the Welsh in Henry IV, Part 1, and the woman in both.
There are many, many ways that a reader can observe and analyse Iago, but most can agree that he is not a very good or nice person by any means whatsoever. He is a conniving coward who is a very jealous person and wants to have all of the power that he can get his hands on, no matter what the cost, unless the cost is his own life of course.
Othello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is “Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?”
“I asked her to wear something revealing, so she showed up in a prophet's toga.”(CITE) Jarod Kintz’s words are an example of miscommunication, or failure to comprehend meaning. In this case, it is implied that one person misunderstood the message of another, but incomprehension also applies to problems other than falsely interpreted requests. Incomprehension can occur when people misinterpret another’s words or intentions, or when a person misreads situations or events. The outcome described in Kintz’s quote is unexpected and unintended, but there are instances of incomprehension that have consequences of greater severity. Perhaps a classic tragedy with a high body count falls under these parameters.
In Act three, Scene three, Desdemona agrees to speak to Othello in Cassio’s behalf) As Desdemona and Cassio discuss Cassio’s loss of rank and trust in Othello’s eyes. Iago brings to Othello’s attention the discussion taking place between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago knowing full well why the discussion is happening. Iago hints the pair seems to be spending a lot of time together. Iago plants the seed of doubt in Othello’s mind Othello begins to ponder the idea of whether Iago suspicions are true.
Othello, a play by William Shakespeare, takes place in Venice during the invasion of the island of Cyprus by the Turks. The protagonist of the story, Othello, is a newlywed, Moorish general with a very gullible nature. The antagonist of the story is Iago, an officer under Othello who wishes to be promoted to lieutenant, but the position was given to the young and attractive Cassio. Other major characters in the play are Desdemona, Othello's wife who is accused of having an affair with Cassio. In addition, there are Roderigo, a Venetian who is deeply in love with Desdemona; and Emilia (Iago's wife) who could have prevented the death of Desdemona.
Othello is the tragedy, and, incidentally, the name of a Moor who serves as a general in the Italian military. He spends the first act of Shakespeare’s play in Venice, but is ordered shortly to Cyprus to fight the Turkish invasion. His journey isn’t officially noticeable at all in the play. One moment he’s defending himself in the Senate of Venice, the next he’s in Cyprus, taking credit for being victorious in a battle the storms fought for him against the Turks. The story unravels from there. His soon-to-be-lieutenant, Iago, whispers in his ear about his wife, Desdemona, and the unforgivable crime of adultery, throwing Othello’s orderly world to the winds of fate.
The Tragedy of Othello William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, from the sixteenth century is an excellent example of Renaissance humanism. “A poet of unparalleled genius, Shakespeare emerged during the golden age of England under the rule of Elizabeth I.”(Fiero 3:98) He produced comedies, tragedies, romances and histories. According to Webster’s pocket dictionary, a tragedy is defined as a form of drama in which the protagonist comes to a disaster, as through a flaw in character, and in which the ending is usually marked by pity or sorrow. I would like to concentrate on the character Iago and the theme of deceit.
Iago’s magnificent intelligence and superiority make him a very intriguing character. Iago is not just any villain that comes into a town, with a black cape and knife that scares everyone, he destroys and “kills” by using creative tactics that could only be thought of by someone who is brilliant. He deceives, strategizes, and twists the truth with amazing ease. Iago maintains his on point intelligence by staying completely unconflicted about being evil. Iago is completely committed as he states, “[He will] turn her virtue into pitch, / And… make the net / That shall enmesh them all” (II. Ii. 366-368). Iago is considered a cross between God and the Devil, as shown in the, “Divinity of Hell!” (!!. ii. 356)