Othello

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Othello
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William Shakespeare1604
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Tragedy

• First performed November 1, 1604 for King James
  I.
• Written during Shakespeares great tragic period
  (Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth)
• Shakespearean tragedy involves human character
  above all else. It is the fall of one person
  the Hero who is of a high degree in society,
  with his fate affecting the welfare of the whole
  nation.

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What is the tragedy?

• A tale of suffering and calamity that leads up to
  and includes the death of the hero
• His misery is exceptional as it extends beyond
  him to the whole environment
• The heros fall, which is caused by some evil
  force, contrasts the powerlessness of man in the
  face of the caprice of Fate

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Where does it come from?

• The tragedy issues from conflict, either between
  persons or groups or forces within the heros
  soul
• The calamities of tragedy proceed from the
  actions of men tragedy being caused by a series
  of deeds leading to a catastrophe

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The Tragic Hero

• He is a man of noble character and is depicted
  as somewhat larger than life. The events of the
  play must happen to a conspicuous person, and
  they are contrasted with his previous happiness
  or glory
• The character of the tragic hero must be complex
  because the tragedy lies, not in his death which
  is looked on as a relief or escape, but in his
  life.

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Hamartia or Tragic Flaw

• The main source of the tragic situation is moral
  evil which reveals itself in defects of character
  irresolution (Hamlet), ambition (Macbeth),
  jealousy (Othello), rashness (Lear).
• The evil may grow worse and infect the entire
  figure of the leading figure (Macbeth) or it may
  become better and purge itself by suffering (Lear)

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Tragic Flaw continued

• What continues to motivate the tragic hero is
  generally his basic goodness and the tragic
  situation is ironic because the tragedy largely
  stems from the depiction of the waste of this
  good
• The tragic flaw is not always a simple one ,
  although the evil is more often than not
  identified with one flaw

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Catharsis

• Through the fall of the tragic hero and the
  events of the tragedy, the audience is able to
  experience catharsis.
• Catharsis is a purging of emotion (usually pity)
  by vicariously experiencing the events of the
  play
• Due to the universal themes of Shakespeares
  plays (love, hate, jealousy, revenge, etc) a
  connection between a character, event or theme is
  almost guaranteed

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The Play Othello

• The play is set against the backdrop of the wars
  between Venice and Turkey from the latter part of
  the sixteenth century
• The island of Cyprus, the major setting for the
  play, became subservient to Venice in 1471
• Cyprus was attacked by the Turks in 1570 and
  conquered the following year

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Sources

• The History of the Turks by Richard Knolles
  (1603) and the Italian tale by Giovanni Battista
  Giraldi Cinzio
• Both stories deal with the character Othello and
  work with similar themes
• Shakespeare added characters and took the minor
  character of the ancient and created one of his
  greatest villains in Iago

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The Moor

• The origin of Othellos roots are unsure as he
  could have been of African or Arabic descent
• Moorish characters are evident in other
  Shakespearian plays (Titus Andronicus) but none
  as heroic as Othello.
• Although loved by most, the stereotypical racism
  in the play that looms below the surface is
  clearly shown by Iago

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Themes

• Illusion vs. reality truth vs. falsehood
• Evil masquerading as good
• Friendship and betrayal
• Destruction of jealousy unchecked passion
• Loyalty, trust vs. treachery
• Prejudice
• Love and Hate

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Characters

• Othello- General, husband to Desdemona
• Desdemona Othellos wife, daughter of
  Brabantio
• Iago ancient to Othello
• Brabantio Senator, father of Desdemona
• Cassio Othellos lieutenant
• Roderigo pawn of Iago, fromer suitor of
  Desdemona
• Emilia wife of Iago, Desdemonas lady