Background to Othello

THE THEME TOPICS

Othello

Jealousy…

Hypocrisy… Passion…

Prejudice…

Revenge…

THE PLOT

Othello is a general, a military leader, in Venice hundreds of years ago.

But he is an outsider because he is from another country—and of another race.

When Othello secretly marries the young, beautiful and noble Desdemona,

her father, Brabantio, wants Othello to be arrested.

But Desdemona loves Othello and doesn’t care that he is an outsider.

At the same time, the men in the army under Othello can’t be trusted.

Cassio means well but is open to bad influences.

Iago pretends to be Othello’s friend, but secretly resents him for passing him over for promotion.

Iago is determined to get revenge.

He decides to attack Othello in his most vulnerable spot…

his love for Desdemona.

Will Othello be able to see through Iago’s schemes?

Or will jealousy and revenge turn to murder?

PREDICT

TERMS TO KNOW

Important Dramatic TermsTragedy: 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.

Important Dramatic TermsTragic 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.

OthelloOthello – A Shakespearean – A Shakespearean TragedyTragedy

OthelloOthello is a Shakespearean Tragedy. is a Shakespearean Tragedy.It encompasses elements of tragedies such It encompasses elements of tragedies such as:as:

It ends with the It ends with the deathsdeaths of numerous characters. of numerous characters. The protagonist is admirable, but The protagonist is admirable, but flawedflawed, with , with

the audience able to understand and sympathize the audience able to understand and sympathize with the character.with the character.

The protagonist is capable of The protagonist is capable of both good and evilboth good and evil.. Free will Free will is insisted upon – the protagonist must is insisted upon – the protagonist must

always be able to back out of a situation or to always be able to back out of a situation or to redeem themselves – but always towards their redeem themselves – but always towards their inevitable doom.inevitable doom.

Important Dramatic Terms 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.

Important Dramatic TermsSuch 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.

THE SETTING

Setting

Setting (time) · Late sixteenth century, during the wars between Venice and Turkey

Setting (place) · Venice in Act I; the island of Cyprus thereafter

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

http://geography.about.com/library/cia/nccyprus.htm

Cyprus is located east of Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea. It is just south of Turkey.

THE CHARACTERS

Types of People in OthelloVenetians

Most are noblemen and women (Brabantio, Desdemona, Roderigo)

Also, there are the nobles’ servants (Emilia)

Some are soldiers (Cassio, Iago)Others are part of Venetian

government (the Duke)

Types of People (cont’d)Moors (Othello)

Black nomadic people of the northern shores of Africa, originally the inhabitants of Mauretania

Converted to Islam in the 8th century

Moors (cont’d)Invaded Spain in 711 and dominated until the 11th century

They had great dynasties up until 1492, when the last of their cities was conquered by Spain.

They virtually exterminated by Spain during the Inquisition (late 1400s-1820)

Moors (cont’d)Othello is a Moor

Discriminated against because of his race (black)

Othello has been accepted in some ways because he is a Christian and a military genius

Yet his marriage to Desdemona reflects the prevailing view toward interracial marriage.

IagoIago Iago is one of Iago is one of

Shakespeare’s most Shakespeare’s most sinister sinister villainsvillains, often considered so , often considered so because of the unique trust because of the unique trust Othello puts in him, which Othello puts in him, which he betrays while he betrays while maintaining his reputation maintaining his reputation of honesty and dedication.of honesty and dedication.

Shakespeare Shakespeare contrastscontrasts Iago Iago with Othello’s nobility and with Othello’s nobility and integrity.integrity.

Iago is a Iago is a malcontentmalcontent – he – he has a bitter and cyncial has a bitter and cyncial view of the world around view of the world around him.him.

The name Iago is a The name Iago is a shortened version of the shortened version of the Spanish name “Santiago” Spanish name “Santiago” or “St James”. or “St James”.

Saint James of Spain was Saint James of Spain was also known as “St James also known as “St James the the Moor KillerMoor Killer” which ” which seems appropriate within seems appropriate within the play.the play.

THE CULTURE OF THE TIME

The Wife’s StatusThe Wife’s Status

A typical wife receiving her A typical wife receiving her instructioninstruction

The husband, in The husband, in the accepted role the accepted role as head of the as head of the household, gives household, gives moral direction moral direction to to his wife and his wife and children--who sit children--who sit obedientlyobediently listening. listening.

Evil Women!Evil Women! The men in The men in

“Othello” have differing “Othello” have differing views of women – from views of women – from Othello who Othello who idolizes his idolizes his wife wife (Desdemona) to (Desdemona) to Iago who sees love as Iago who sees love as "merely a "merely a lustlust of the of the blood and a blood and a permissionpermission of the will“.of the will“.

The attitudes of the The attitudes of the audience at the time audience at the time are likely to have been are likely to have been varied too.varied too.

In the Elizabethan In the Elizabethan times there was a long times there was a long and well established and well established tradition in the Church of tradition in the Church of what we would now call what we would now call misogynymisogyny – women were – women were distrusted simply distrusted simply because they were because they were women. women.

At the time it was At the time it was assumedassumed that women that women would cheat – it was part would cheat – it was part of their of their naturenature!!

The CuckoldThe Cuckold Any man whose Any man whose

wife wife cheatedcheated on him on him ((withoutwithout his knowledge) his knowledge) was known as a cuckold.was known as a cuckold.

The word derives from The word derives from ““cuckoocuckoo” – the bird ” – the bird known for laying their known for laying their eggs in another’s nest.eggs in another’s nest.

It was It was highly highly undesirable undesirable to be to be considered a cuckold.considered a cuckold.

All of the community All of the community would find out about it would find out about it and it was considered a and it was considered a public humiliationpublic humiliation..

Cuckolds were often Cuckolds were often described as having described as having horns – a hangover from horns – a hangover from the days when a cuckold the days when a cuckold was forced to parade was forced to parade around his town around his town wearing wearing antlers antlers as a sign of his as a sign of his wife’s infidelity.wife’s infidelity.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT

JealousyJealousy Jealousy was viewed as somethingJealousy was viewed as something irrational irrational

and linked to the deadly sin of and linked to the deadly sin of envyenvy.. It was viewed as a sudden It was viewed as a sudden infectioninfection against against

which there was which there was no prevention or cureno prevention or cure.. It was thought of as eroding trust and it It was thought of as eroding trust and it

dissolved the bonds dissolved the bonds holding together holding together marriages, families and social frameworks.marriages, families and social frameworks.

Being jealous could let in Being jealous could let in evil and chaos evil and chaos and and it was a state greatly it was a state greatly feared feared by by Shakespeare’s audiences.Shakespeare’s audiences.

TaskTaskOn the following slide are some lines On the following slide are some lines

spoken by, or about, various spoken by, or about, various characters in the play – consider characters in the play – consider what you think each quotation what you think each quotation reveals about the person reveals about the person speaking/being spoken about and speaking/being spoken about and what they are like as a character.what they are like as a character.

1)1) Iago - describing Othello: “loving his own Iago - describing Othello: “loving his own pride and purposes”pride and purposes”

2)2) Iago - speaking about his relationship Iago - speaking about his relationship with Othello: “I follow him to serve my with Othello: “I follow him to serve my turn upon him”turn upon him”

3)3) Iago - speaking about himself: “I am not Iago - speaking about himself: “I am not what I am”.what I am”.

4)4) Othello - speaking about himself: “My Othello - speaking about himself: “My parts, my title and my perfect soul shall parts, my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly”manifest me rightly”

5)5) Othello - about Iago: “A man he is of Othello - about Iago: “A man he is of honesty and trust”.honesty and trust”.

Quotations on Deception – Do Quotations on Deception – Do you agree?you agree?

““We are never deceived; we deceive We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves.” ourselves.”

““Deception is a cruel act... It often has many Deception is a cruel act... It often has many players on different stages that corrode the players on different stages that corrode the

soul.” soul.”

““IIt's better to get something worthwhile done t's better to get something worthwhile done using using deceptiondeception than to fail to get than to fail to get

something worthwhile done using truth.”something worthwhile done using truth.”

““Truth lives on in the midst of Truth lives on in the midst of deceptiondeception” ”

Today’s society - TASKToday’s society - TASKThink about the Think about the cultural rules that you cultural rules that you live by.live by.

Look at the questions Look at the questions opposite and opposite and discuss/make notes.discuss/make notes.

What rules dictate the What rules dictate the behaviour of young men behaviour of young men and women in and women in relationships today?relationships today?

What are the things What are the things “nice girls” just don’t do?“nice girls” just don’t do?

What are the things What are the things “nice boys” just don’t “nice boys” just don’t do?do?

What do you think the What do you think the consequences are of consequences are of breaking these rules?breaking these rules?