Shakespeare's Othello: Context, Critics and more!

Shakespeare's Othello: Context, Critics and more!

1. Context

   • Cyprus
     • Main Setting
     • Located just south of Greece
     • Annexed by Venice in 1489
     • Conquered by Turks in 1571
   • Venice
     • Luxury and Culture
     • Women are beautiful and easy to love. Men are aggressive and hot tempered
     • Oligarchic City State
       • Power struture in which power rests with a small number of people
   • 'Moor
     • Trade routes expanding, Increased exposure to other cultures
       • Mauretania tribe from North Africa often refered to as 'Moor'
     • Vague Term
       • Could be a derogatory term
       • Could refer to liniage
   • Iago
     • Spanish Name
     • England and Spain are enimies at the time the play was written and preformed
       • Competition over colonization
   • Military
     • Prestigious Job- Dependent on Rank
       • General: Logical, Loyal, Brave, Trustworthy and Couragous
       • Lieutenant: 'Place Holder' same qualities as the General
         • Second In command
       • Ancient/ Ensign: Couragous, Loyal
         • Flag barer, Very important so that soilders know when they are in relation to the general and that the general is still alive and fighting
         • Third In command
   • Marriage
     • Patriarchal Society
     • Fathers Choose When and Who Daughters Marry
     • Men can leagally marry at 14yrs old, Women at 12yrs old (though it isn't recommended)
     • Suitors chosen based on Social and Economic Rank. Age is not a factor
     • Marriage for Love is foolish
     • Business transaction
   • Preformance
     • King's men
     • James I's Court 1604
     • 'Tragic Period'
   • Women
     • Two Strong women
       • Both Subvert typical Expectation
         • E.g Desdemona's Marriage
   • Inspiration
     • Italian Prose Tale from 1565
     • Italian Prose Tale from 1565
       • Cinthio
       • Giovanni Battista Giraldi
       • Similar plot BUT extra charcters and a millitary backdrop

2. Critics

   • Francois Laroque: Shakespeare's Festive World
     • 'Tug-of-War between the Forces of comedy and those of Tragedy'
   • Micheal C. Andrews: Honest Othello
     • The Handkerchief and its loss is very important.
       • Othello puts a lot of emphasis on its loss
       • Othello's jelousy reall peaks after it goes missing. He becomes a lot less resonable
     • Was Brabantio Right?
       • The Handkercheif was the first thing Othello Gave Desdemona
         • He does say it is magic!

3. Genre

   • Tragedy
     • Calamatous Outcome
     • Lots of Death
     • Public
     • Aristocracy
     • Extraordinary
     • Wonder and Pity
     • High Seriousness
   • Comedy
     • Happy Ending
     • No Deaths
     • Private
     • Middling Sort/ Class
     • Common
     • Dlight and Scorn
     • Trivial
   • Cross Genre's : Tragic Comedy
     • Revenge Tragedy
       • Othello as Revenger?
         • Imaginary Crime
         • No Impediment to Jusice
         • Belives acting with Nobility but isn't really
         • Revenge on himself.
       • Iago as Revenger?
         • Clear grievance but no real Crime or Impediment to Justice
         • revenge is very precise- motivation for breaking up Othello and Desdemona?
         • Petty Grievance
     • Othello's Hamartia
       • Marring someone younger/ white/ marriage in general?
       • Trusting Iago?
         • Who has up to this point been a loyal friend?
       • Not respecting Brabantio's wishes?
     • Anagnorisis
       • Unsatisfactory Ending: Everyone is Dead
       • Need to Conceal the Bodies
       • NOTHING IS LEARNT!
     • Plot elements that fit in a comedy
       • Witchcraft and Marriage
         • Midsummer Nights Dream