Othello: The Moor of Venice

1. Othello: The Moor of Venice

2. The Play Itself

3. Principal source is a story by Giovanni Battista Giraldi aka Cinthio • In his story, only 1 character was named • Desdemona which means unlucky • First performed on November 1, 1604 by the King’s Men • Othello usually played by white men in “black face” • 1943 first black actor to play Othello in the US • Numerous versions • “O”, 2000 (only black student (stereotypical basketball player) falls in love with rich, white girl) • Timeless • Othello is a civilized outsider worthy of empathy. He is only a “villain” because of his difference • Othello, Washington • As streets named Macbeth and Hamlet

4. Language of Othello • Separation of words commonly found together • Blank Verse – except when it isn’t • Repitition

5. Puns/ Metaphors Puns • Blood = both family and passion • Abused (x8) = deluded, deceived, violated, injured • Complexion = both temperament and skin color • Honest (x40+) = truthfulness and a social inferior • With women Honest means “chaste” *I will let you figure out the dirty puns Metaphors • Animals, animals, animals

6. Tragedy A drama of a solemn and dignified quality that typically depicts the development of a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force, such as fate, circumstance, or society, and reaches a mournful or ruinous conclusion.

7. Hamartia/Tragic flaw: a defect in the protagonist that brings about his or her downfall. Hubris: derived from the Greek word hybris, means “excessive pride.” In Greek tragedy, hubris is often viewed as the flaw that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero.

8. Tragic hero The main character of great importance to his state or culture and who is conventionally of noble birth and high social station, the ruler or an important leader in his society. The moral health of the state is identified with, and dependent on, that of its ruler, and so the tragic hero’s story is also that of his state. Such heroes are mixed characters, neither thoroughly good or thoroughly evil, yet “better” or “greater” than the rest of us in the sense that they are of higher than ordinary moral worth and social significance.

9. Othello – A Shakespearean Tragedy • Othello is a Shakespearean Tragedy • It encompasses elements of tragedies such as: • It ends with the death of numerous characters including the title character • The protagonist is admirable, but flawed, with the audience able to understand and sympathise with the character. • The protagonist is capable of both good and evil • Free will is insisted upon – the protagonist must always be able to back out of a situation or to redeem themselves – but always towards their inevitable doom.

10. THE CULTURE OF THE TIME

11. Order • There was a clear social order according to birth • Proper order of “great chain of being” • If the order was broken everyone and everything was upset • Foreigners upset the “order”

12. Marriages were arranged, usually for wealth Women had a lower social status The husband, in the accepted role as head of the household, gives moral direction to his wife and children--who sit obediently listening. The Wife’s Status

13. The men in “Othello” have differing views of women – from Othello who idolizes his wife (Desdemona) to Iago who sees love as "merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will“. The attitudes of the audience at the time are likely to have been varied too. In the Elizabethan times there was a long and well established tradition in the Church of what we would now call misogyny – women were distrusted simply because they were women. At the time it was assumed that women would cheat – it was part of their nature! Evil Women!

14. Any man whose wife cheated on him (without his knowledge) was known as a cuckold. The word derives from “cuckoo” – the bird known for laying their eggs in another’s nest. It was highly undesirable to be considered a cuckold. All of the community would find out about it and it was considered a public humiliation. Cuckolds were often described as having horns – a hangover from the days when a cuckold was forced to parade around his town wearing antlers as a sign of his wife’s infidelity. The Cuckold

15. Setting

16. Geography • Othello takes place in two countries: • Venice • Cyprus • The Republic of Venice existed from 727-1797. • It is located in present-day Italy.

17. http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcitaly.htm

18. Setting • Venice controlled the island of Cyprus from 1489-1570. • The island was a place for commerce and a good location for the Venetian fleet in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. • Cyprus was lost to the Turks in 1571.

19. h http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eu.htm

20. Venetians • Most are noblemen and women (Brabantio, Desdemona, Roderigo) • Also, there are the nobles’ servants (Emilia) • Some are soldiers (Othello, Cassio, Iago) • Others are part of Venetian government (the Duke)

21. Moors • Nomadic people of the northern shores of Africa, originally the inhabitants of Mauretania • Converted to Islam in the 8th century • Invaded Spain in 711 and dominated until the 11th century • had great dynasties up until 1492, when the last of their cities was conquered by Spain • virtually exterminated by Spain during the Inquisition (late 1400s-1820)

22. Moors (cont’d) • Othello is a Moor • Discriminated against because of his race • Black? • Arab/Berber • Othello has been accepted in some ways because he is a Christian and a military genius • According to Venetian law, the army general was required to be a foreigner • Yet his marriage to Desdemona reflects the prevailing view toward interracial marriage.

23. Characters

24. Othello • Strong dynamic character • Tragic Hero • Powerful leader • Well respected • Easy to relate to • Excellent speaker • Wins Desdemona • Virtuous to a fault • Great sense of moral virtue • Loves “too much” • Trusts “too much” • Excitable • Naïve about women • Strict code of honor works for and against him • FOREIGNER

25. Othello’s Insecurities • FOREIGNER • Not always comfortable in noble circles • Prefers the battlefield • Older than Desdemona

26. Iago • Static character • Corrupt/evil • 28 year old Venetian • Married to Emilia • “ancient” – low ranking officer • Lying (pun intended) • Called “honest” by all the characters (x15) • Works through insinuation (planting seeds)

27. Iago • Manipulates all the characters • Plays on each character’s weakness • Uses them to complete his scheme against Othello • Pretends to speak with “good intentions” • Interesting note: his name is a shortened version of Santiago/Saint James • St. James of Spain was known as the Moor Killer

28. Iago’s Motives • Loves evil just to see people suffer • Revenge against Othello • Naming Cassio as lieutenant • Othello and Emilia? • Jealousy • Cassio • Othello

29. Ultimate Iago • Epitome of Deception • “I am not what I am” (1,1,60) • Anti Christ • Eden/Snake • God said “I am what I am” • Amoral person with no standards • Intelligent/Intuitive character able to manipulate others through his or her weakness • Egotist • Malcontent/Cynic • Shows contempt/bitterness for all conventional standards of decency • Dishonesty, sexuality, arrogance

30. Desdemona • Young, sheltered, naïve, innocent • Lovely, sophisticated, gentle, courageous • Captivated by Othello and his adventures • Dutiful Elizabethan wife • Unusual for a wife to accompany her husband on military business. • Disobedient? By Elizabethan standards! • Pushy/Nagging? By Elizabethan standards! • Guilty of loving Othello too much!

31. Desdemona • Notice differences in how she speaks to the different men in her life • Father • Iago • Othello • Risks her husband’s anger to argue for Cassio • Inspired devotion in Emilia that E is willing to die for • Won’t betray Othello on her deathbed

32. Cassio • Dynamic • Attractive • Loyal • Impatient and rash in the beginning • Used by Iago in his schemes • Goodness wins out • Awarded with control of Cyprus • Will bring order!

33. Emilia • Dynamic • Coarse “the ills we do, their ills instruct us to” • Distrustful of men but loyal to Iago at first • Cynical • BUT – Emilia’s goodness is shown when she reveals Iago and his actions • Dies to save Desdemona’s name • The only character Iago underestimates

34. Roderigo • Static • Wealthy fool used by Iago for $$ • In “love” with Desdemona

35. Themes, Symbols, Motifs, Imagery

36. Themes • Jealousy • Blindness/Darkness vs. Sight • Honesty • Pride • Betrayal • Good vs. Evil • Gender/Gender Roles • Marriage • Race • Manipulation • Hate • Self Identity/Knowledge

37. Symbols/Motifs/Imagery • Animals • Jealousy Imagery • The Handkerchief • The Devil • Magic • Plants/Gardening

38. Conventions

39. Foil • Othello to Iago • Cassio to Othello • Desdemona to Emilia

40. Soliloquy Device used to give the audience insight into the character’s thoughts (aside – spoken by facing the audience) • Iago 1.6.374 ff • Iago 2.1.280 ff • Iago 2.3.324 ff • Othello 3.2.260 ff • Othello 5.2.1 ff

41. Conflict • External • War • Venice vs. Ottoman Empire/Turkey • Iago vs everyone • Brabantio vs Desdemona • Emilia vs men • Internal • Othello • Bianca • Roderigo

42. Dramatic Irony • Iago • Honesty • Plan • Othello believing Iago • The Handkerchief