Is Othello a 'noble hero' brought down by 'a devil of motiveless malignity' or is Othello 'flawed and selfregarding' and brought down by a 'worldly realist'?
Is Othello a 'noble hero' brought down by 'a devil of motiveless malignity' or is Othello 'flawed and self regarding' and brought down by a 'worldly realist'? As is shown above, there have been many differentiating opinions of the two most inscrutable characters in Shakespeare's history. As both these characters never fully reveal their true selves or their motives, it has always been difficult to determine their disposition from just the play as a source. Yet, despite this many scholars have brought forward their suggestions for the nature of both Iago's and Othello's characters. One of the first examinations into the true characters of these players comes from the nineteenth century, proposed by the scholars Coleridge and Haditt. This suggestion was that Othello was the character of innocence, whilst Iago was the 'devil' ultimately responsible. From the first time and the first words we hear from Othello it is obvious to the audience that he has a natural patience with people, and seems to be a laidback character. His first line can be termed, as composed "Tis better as it is" is what Othello answers, when hearing that men have spoken bad words of him. Iago is the one to inform him of this and even suggests that he should fight them about it. Since these are Othello's first words it would be quite easy to determine that he is a peaceful man, and it could be considered
To what extent may any two of Shakespeare's political plays be described as 'representations of patriarchal misogyny' (Kathleen McLuskie)?
To what extent may any two of Shakespeare's political plays be described as 'representations of patriarchal misogyny' (Kathleen McLuskie)? Elizabethan and Jacobean society was resolutely hierarchical and patriarchal. Its structure was divinely ordained through the Great Chain of Being, with power emanating from God through to the monarch and the aristocracy, down to the ordinary man, who enjoyed private sovereignty over woman and the home. The dominant ideology was recapitulated in all spheres, the domestic microcosm aligning with the structure of the macrocosm. Although female inferiority was established upon a want of their biological and intellectual capacities, perhaps the most convincing justification for female subjugation was the seminal misogynistic account offered in Genesis. Not only does Genesis identify female moral fallibility with the fall of humanity, but offers the source of unstable and ambiguous interpretations of the woman as 'other'. Eve, created from the rib of Adam, constructs a dual reading of woman as both derivative creation (therefore less than man), and 'yet at once more than man since she is an overspill of Adam, created from a bone which was in excess of his needs'1. A misogynistic hatred of women normatively constitutes itself as a form of naming or categorisation which stresses and maintains gender differentiation by denigrating the female
'Othello'.
GCSE ENGLISH/ENGLISH LITERATURE-COURSEWORK 'Othello' The play 'Othello' was written in the 17th Century by William Shakespeare, at this time blacks were often seen as strange, mysterious and exotic. In the play Shakespeare breaks the stereotype; Othello, whom is black, has outstanding qualities and is the hero in many senses. Othello is a tragic play involving romance, love, murder and deceit. Through the use of imagery, characterization, language and his use of dramatic devices, Shakespeare illustrates the importance and effectiveness of Act Three Scene Three. In Act Three Scene Three, Cassio, having obtained Desdemona's promise of help, takes his leave- but not before Othello has seen him with Desdemona. Iago is quick to rouse Othello's qualms, and when Desdemona begins to plead for Cassio she finds little response from her husband. Iago renews his attack on the moor, whose trust in Desdemona begins to vacillate. When Desdemona drops her handkerchief it is picked up by Emilia, who, oblivious of what her husband plans to use it for, gives it to him. Othello returns and Iago continues to stimulate his jealousy, finally Othello is convinced. His trust in Desdemona is shattered, and he vows revenge. Iago promises assistance; in this the central scene of the play, Othello begins to lose control of the situation and Iago takes possession. During Act Three Scene
othello. DISCUSS THE DRAMATIC IMPACT OF ACT 1 SCENE 3 AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE PLAY AS A WHOLE
DISCUSS THE DRAMATIC IMPACT OF ACT 1 SCENE 3 AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE PLAY AS A WHOLE In this essay I shall discuss the importance of Act 1, Scene 3 to the play as a whole. 'Othello' is a classic play written by William Shakespeare in the 17th century. The play is about evil, betrayal, trust and demonstrates the society of the time. It also has a classic tragic ending much like 'Romeo and Juliet'. The main character is Othello, the only black character in the play. Desdemona, a white woman, gives up her family for her love for Othello. It seemed that the 'noble moor' had a perfect marriage. This perfect marriage and bond however is destroyed by Iago's deception and trickery. Iago's motives are that he wants revenge on Othello promoting Cassio over himself and through planting the seeds of suspicion into the moors mind his marriage dies and in its place jealousy and anger grows to the point of death. Iago is a deceiving, untrustworthy and evil character in the play. As a result of Iago's evil, not only Othello's but also other innocent lives are lost. Act 1 scene 3 opens with the Duke and the Senators in council, they are in a very important meeting about their enemy the "Turks". The first stage direction in Act 1 Scene 3 is 'set at a table with lights'. These candle lights are an indication that it is night time because during Shakespeare's time his plays were all
Othello - Examine the importance and effectiveness of Act III, scene 3, considering the significance in terms of plot, character, theme and dramatic power.
Examine the importance and effectiveness of Act III, scene 3, considering the significance in terms of plot, character, theme and dramatic power. Othello is one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, and was written in the early seventeenth century. The main character in the play is a man called Othello. He is a black General in the Venetian army who was originally brought from Africa on a slave ship. One of the other main characters in the play is a man called Iago who is supposed to be Othello's best friend. Iago becomes extremely jealous when Michael Cassio is chosen to be promoted and he is overlooked. Iago thinks he is much more suited to the job, and as we find out in this play Iago is willing to do anything to claim what he thinks is rightfully his. Iago is extremely cunning and wants revenge on Othello. Iago's first move is to reveal a secret to Brabantio (Venetian senator) by informing him of how his daughter Desdemona is secretly in a relationship with Othello and how at this moment are "making the beast with two backs" (1.1.116). This is an extremely crude and old term to say that Othello and Desdemona are having sex; Iago uses a lot a language like this throughout the play. Brabantio is astonished by what he has heard from Iago, and as a first instinct will see that Othello is punished for marrying his daughter without his permission. His theory is
Direct act 3 scene 3 of Othello.
English coursework July - August 2003 - Othello by William Shakespeare Sunday 25th May 2003 Front room 3.30pm Dear Diary, I have being asked to direct act 3 scene 3 of Othello written by William Shakespeare in the year 1603. The play was written in Elizabethan times and is therefore all in Old English as supposed to modern day. My job is to create a dramatic and powerful scene out of this act without altering the words or the story. In the course of Shakespeare's life he wrote thirty-eight plays each with their own remarkable tale and each still being read and studied by many to this day. Taken individually, several of them are among the world's finest written works though taken collectively; they establish Shakespeare as the foremost literary talent of the Elizabethan age. No other writer's plays and poetry have been produced so many times or in so many countries or translated into so many languages. Shakespeare's works can be divided into four categories, which he wrote during various periods of his life. He started of with comedies then histories then tragedies and finally romances; Othello comes under the tragedy category. Othello though a tragedy is a relationship story and brings to light issues associated with trust and honesty. The story is based upon a young lady called Desdemona and her husband Othello, and how their relationship and all that they have
Analyse the dramatic effect of the devices Iago uses in Act III Scene 3 to convince Othello of his wife’s infidelity. Who is to blame for the tragedy?
Amy Grammer Analyse the dramatic effect of the devices Iago uses in Act III Scene 3 to convince Othello of his wife's infidelity. Who is to blame for the tragedy? Shakespeare's tragedies of this kind are all based around the idea of the downfall of a hero whom the audience has had a chance to relate to. Othello is indeed heroic at the beginning of this play but would have been different in a major way from the ill-fated Hamlet or Macbeth to the Elizabethan audience. He was black. His was a race that was generally portrayed as inferior or evil in Elizabethan theatre and yet here was a Moor playing the hero, a well educated, dignified hero at that. But can a black man, however comfortably he seems to fit into society ever truly feel secure in a world dominated by white people? Will he always feel like an outsider? He is exploited by the virulent Iago who cleverly manipulates him in to believing he has been "cuckolded" and drives him to homicide and then suicide through the use of dramatic devices. In this essay I shall look at how Iago manages to convince Othello of his wife's infidelity in the pivotal scene of Act III Scene3. I will also consider who is to blame for the tragedy. Although it is easy to hate Iago and attach all the blame to him putting the other supposedly "good" characters on a pedestal I hold every important character in the plot at fault. It is only through
"Othello" act 3, scene 3.
"Othello" During act 3, scene 3, the full extent of Iago's evil flourish is realised as he proceeds to have a malignant and cancerous effect on Othello and his relationship with Desdemona. During this time, he also builds bridges with many of the other characters, before deceiving and betraying them. All of this makes him one of the most evil and wicked characters Shakespeare has ever created, but also, one of the most fascinating and intriguing. Act 3, scene 3 opens with Desdemona making a promise to Cassio who has jus lost his position as lieutenant because of Iago: "But I will have my Lord, and you again As friendly as you were." This statement shows the audience that Desdemona is a loyal and dedicated friend, but it is also signing her own death warrant. When Iago hears of her plans to reunite her husband and Cassio in the army after Cassio's street brawl, his evil and devilish plan begins to take form and unfold as he corrupts Desdemona's loyalty, and causes her friendship with Cassio to become immeasurably distorted. Not only does Iago ruin the lives of Othello and Desdemona, but he also tampers with people's thoughts and feelings. He does this in a number of ways throughout the scene. The main and most calculated is by taking short sentences and phrases and distorting and corrupting them, to give a totally different meaning. Desdemona's dedication is persistently
Discuss the dramatic impact of Act 1 Scene 3 and its importance to the whole play
Discuss the dramatic impact of Act 1 Scene 3 and its importance to the whole play Othello is a tragic play by Shakespeare, set in Venice during the Elizabethan time. It portrays the growth of unjustified jealousy in the noble protagonist, Othello, a Moor serving as a general in the Venetian army. The innocent object of his jealousy is his wife, Desdemona. In this domestic tragedy, Othello's evil lieutenant Iago draws him into mistaken jealousy in order to ruin him. Othello is destroyed partly through his gullibility and willingness to trust Iago and partly through the manipulations of this villain, who clearly enjoys the exercise of evildoing just as he hates the spectacle of goodness and happiness around him. At the end of the play, Othello comes to understand his terrible error; but as always in tragedy, that knowledge comes too late and he dies by his own hand in atonement for his error. In his final act of self-destruction, he becomes again and for a final time the defender of Venice and Venetian values. During the Shakespeare time, there was no electricity and therefore, the special effects that 'invigorate' up of a scene and which we take for granted these days, was not possible to do. This 'invigorating' up a scene attracts the audience's attention, which was very crucial for Shakespeare to embark on as his theatre was open, which meant that his audience could come
Othello and Iago - Who is the monster?
Shakespeare Coursework - Pre 1914 Play GCSE English / English Literature Othello and Iago - Who is the monster? In order to decipher who is the real monster, Othello or Iago, I must first gain a suitable knowledge of what a monster is. The Oxford Paperback Dictionary and Thesaurus defines a monster to be, 'an inhumanely wicked person.' The Webster's 1828 Dictionary interprets a monster as, 'one unnaturally wicked or mischievous.' This shows that concept of what a monster is has remained fairly constant over time. This leads me to believe that when Shakespeare was creating Othello his ideas as to what a monster was were similar to that of those today. In some ways the term monster can be linked to that of fairytales, examples of which include, Frankenstein and the Wicked Stepmother from Snow White. In some respects you could interpret Othello as a fairytale. Desdemona the pure, innocent princess completely loyal to her husband; Othello the courageous soldier protecting his wife and country from danger and finally Iago the machiavellian, mendacious evil ready to destroy the exuberance of those around him. It is with these thoughts in mind that I have no doubt that was Iago who was the monster. He had an evil around him that lacked motive and throughout the play he remained somewhat enigmatic, as the audience never seemed to discover his true reason for is hatred of
