Shakespeare’s “Othello”

(1564-1616)

Shakespeare

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Actor and playwright

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Formed his own theatrical company

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Built the Globe Theatre

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Stockholder

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Greatest plays produced here

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Burned in 1613

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During performance of Henry 8th - cannon went off

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Enclosed space with partial roof Seated as many as 2500 3 galleries of seats around 3 sides Platform stage extending from rear wall Groundlings Intimate atmosphere

Globe Theatre

The Old Globe Theatre replica, which opened in Balboa Park, Sandiego, 1935

http://www.sandiegohistory.org/timeline/timeline3.htm

Conventions of Elizabethan Drama

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Trapdoors

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Inner stage

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Upper stage

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Simple scenery

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Elaborate costumes

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Female roles by males

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Elaborate sound effects

Shakespeare’s Greatness

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Deep understanding of human nature

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Knowledge in a wide variety of subjects

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Influence on language

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Freely experimented with grammar, vocabulary

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Created words: click this link to see some

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http://shakespeare.about.com/library/weekly/aa042400a.htm

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Originated phrases

A Note on Reading Shakespeare

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Keep track of characters from list

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Poetic language - read slowly & carefully

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Pay attention to the annotations

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Listen to recording; read summary; view a video

http://www.tumblebooks.com/talkingbooks/full_book.asp?ProductID=831

Othello, the Moor of Venice

(page 1263)

Plot: Identify which conflicts occur in the play and where.

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Person vs. person

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Person vs. self

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Person vs. environment

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Person vs. God

Plot: Identify movement

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Exposition

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Complication

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Climax

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Denouement

Setting: Venice and Cyprus

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Is the setting natural or artificial?

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Is it hostile or friendly?

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Is it limited to one place?

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Shakespeare clearly breaks with Aristotle’s classical unities in this play: one plot, one location, over 24-hours.

Time of Play 

Othello elopes with Desdemona; same night takes ship for Cyprus

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Cassio is disgraced 1st night after arrival in Cyprus

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Desdemona is killed 2nd night in Cyprus

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The play spans 3 days, two locations, and has multiple plots.

Characterization

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Antagonist = Iago

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Protagonist = Othello

Characterization: Iago

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Ambitious Envious of Cassio’s promotionSexually jealous of Othello and Cassio

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Greedy

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Deceitful

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Lustful

Laurence Olivier as

Iago

www.peopleplayuk.org.uk

Iago

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Intelligent

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Cunning

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Capable of tempting and controlling characters around him

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Villain without conscience

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Diabolically evil while appearing to be honest, trustworthy

Iago

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Reduces human nature to its least attractive traits

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Coarse, blunt

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Suspicious view of human nature allows him to locate weakness in others and encourage its dominance of whole personality

Iago’s Techniques for Deception

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Instigates others to act

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Pretends to speak only out of the best motives

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Works through insinuation rather than through explicit lies

Othello

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Greatness

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Tragic hero

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Virtues carried to excess

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Loves “too well”

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Trusts - too much

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Great sense of moral virtue punishes sin

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Sensitive nature - vivid fantasies

Othello

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“Free and open nature”

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“Constant, loving, noble nature”

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Energetic

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Desire for perfection

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Trusting

Othello’s Insecurities

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HIS BLACKNESS

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A Moor (North Africa)

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Negative stereotyping by other characters

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Lascivious

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Unnatural mate for white woman

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Practitioner of black magic

Othello’s Insecurities

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HIS LACK OF SOPHISTICATION

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Not a native of Venice

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At home on battlefield, not in sophisticated Venetian society

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Lacks self-confidence

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Trusts Iago’s view

Othello’s Insecurities

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HIS AGE

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Older than Desdemona

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Iago plays on this insecurity

Desdemona

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Admirable

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Self-contained

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Speaks forcefully and to the point when she confronts her father

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Speaks playfully with Iago while waiting for Othello’s ship

Desdemona

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Is known for her innocence, purity

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Can plead for Cassio - but not for herself

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Dutiful, obedient

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Can be regarded as model Elizabethan wife

Symbol: dramatic irony

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All the characters believe in Iago’s honesty.

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Othello believes in Desdemona’s guilt.

Confidant(e) - serves a major character as a friend

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Emilia is confidante to Desdemona

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Iago is confidant to Roderigo

Foil - illuminates a more important character

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Emilia and Bianca are foils to Desdemona

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Cassio and Iago are foils to Othello

Theme

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Human nature is easily manipulated. Jealousy is like a disease. Humans can have a terribly dark and cunning side.