Introduction

To

Othello

By William Shakespeare

WHY DO WE STUDY OTHELLO?

What makes a great piece of literature?

1. Durability—It brings something to you each time you read it. This play has a complexity that does not get old.

Time WithstandingTopics in Othello

• Reputation• Jealousy• Revenge• Envy• Soulful Love• Betrayal

WHY DO WE STUDY OTHELLO?

What makes a great piece of literature?

2. It will hit you on an emotional level. Audience/readers will feel many different emotions toward the characters.

WHY DO WE STUDY OTHELLO?

What makes a great piece of literature?

3. Thematically, the ideas are important.

• Appearance vs. Reality

• Chaos vs. Control

• Balance

• Justice

• In Othello, the tragedy lies in Othello’s inability to stay balanced.

WHY DO WE STUDY OTHELLO?

What makes a great piece of literature?

4. Artfulness

• Beautifully constructed

• Simple Structure

• Based on duality

Black vs. White

Love vs. Hate

Chaos vs. Control

Good vs. Bad/Evil

Lies vs. Truth

Heaven vs. Hell

• Metaphors reflect characters.

Iago—metaphors = hell“I have’t! It is engend’red! Hell and night

Must bring this monstrous birth to world’s light.” (I, iii, l. 421-422)

Desdemona—Heaven, light

“The heavens forbid/But that our loves and comforts should increase/Even as our days do grow.” (II, i, l. 223-225)

• Extended metaphors

Treasure and loss of treasure

The birth of a monster (Iago’s plan)

• The Beauty of Classic/Perfect Forms

“The Renaissance Triangle” is the visual manifestation of the classical ideals of order, balance, and moderation, which together equal stability, seen in classical Renaissance art and architecture.

Triangles in Othello

The Women of OthelloBianca

Desdemona Emilia

Triangles in Othello

The Couples of OthelloOthello & Desdemona

Iago & Emilia Cassio & Bianca

Triangles in Othello

The Envy of the Minor CharactersBrabantio

Iago Roderigo

Triangles in Othello

The Transformation of Othello

Act I—Man in Control

Acts 3/4—Transformed Act 5—Tragic Othello

End of play—Back in control

• Irony

1. Iago--the biggest liar gives the audience/reader many truths. He also gives Cassio, Roderigo, and Othello good advice, yet he manipulates it to his evil purpose.

2. Desdemona—The sweetest, purest character is painted as a whore and liar.

3. Othello thinks Iago is a virtuous friend who is helping him. By the end of Act III, he is has been called “honest” 30 times!

4. Othello thinks he is being just and killing Desdemona for the good of others.

“Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.” (IV, ii, l. 6)

Envy vs. Jealousy

Envy—The state of discontent arising from one’s desire for the possessions or qualities of another person.

Envy vs. Jealousy

Jealousy—The state of discontent arising from a feeling that a third party threatens to take away what one has, or the third party is giving what the person wants to yet another third party.

Envy vs. Jealousy

• “There is a distinction between jealousy and envy. To envy is to want something which belongs to another person. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, his wife or his servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Envy vs. JealousyIn contrast, jealousy is the fear that something

which we possess will be taken away by another person. Although jealousy can apply to our jobs, our possessions, or our reputations, the word more often refers to anxiety which comes when we are afraid that the affections of a loved one might be lost to a rival. We fear that our mates, or perhaps our children, will be lured away by some other person, who, when compared to us, seems to be more attractive, capable, and successful.” –Dr. Gary Collins

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!It is the green-eyed monster, which

doth mockThe meat it feeds on.” (III, iii, l. 191-193)