Othello A-Level Revision PDF

‘OTHELLO’ A-LEVEL REVISION: CONTEXT: CRITIC’S QUOTES: Historical: F.R. Leavis: Set during a state of war, which enables chaos and passion § "Iago is not much more...

‘OTHELLO’ A-LEVEL REVISION: CONTEXT: CRITIC’S QUOTES: Historical: F.R. Leavis: Set during a state of war, which enables chaos and passion § "Iago is not much more than a necessary piece of to be unleashed and thus further perpetuate the downfalls dramatic mechanism" and demises of characters. § “The tragic protagonist was responsible for his own Written between 1602 – 1604 (17th century) downfall” The tragic hero’s downfall, demise and the destruction of § “Iago’s role is subordinate and merely ancillary” law and order against the backdrop of the Turkish conflict. Liz Lewis: Cultural: § “Her identity disappears as Othello’s jealousy becomes § Italy was associated with villainy, decadence and corruption – associated with revenge tragedies. more defined” § Venice was the embodiment of Western civilization, power § “Iago’s manipulation of Othello occurs because of the and culture. Symbolic of law, justice and order - hence the views on women the moor already possesses” characters are presented as noble and virtuous. § Cyprus: symbolic of disorder and chaos, but also the island R. Gibson: of love. § Othello "proved a significant symbol in the struggle for § During Renaissance, Venice was seen as a place of personal black emancipation" advancement - where you could better yourself- this is why § “Frequently deceitful and manipulative in order to gain Iago wants to advance through the ranks of the army. personal profit or pleasure” § Venice was also seen as a place of sensual pleasure- possibly chaos. Shakespeare presents Venice as a place Ania Loomba: where order goes into disorder: ideas of what's right and § Central conflict in Othello “is between the racism of a wrong and peoples' place and position in society. white patriarchy and the threat posed to it by both a § The Elizabethans believed in witchcraft and the black man and a white woman” supernatural. § Othello is a “victim of racial beliefs because he is an § Cyprus was a developing city - didn’t have many rules - so agent of misogynistic ones” Iago’s plans can take more effect as the legal and social structured are less established. A.C. Bradley: § Cyprus associated with isolation, hostility and conflict: “this § “helpless passivity…nature so sweet, love absolute” warlike isle”. In the 17th century was seen as the outpost of § Labelled Othello as ‘blameless’. Othello is noble, as he civilisation – hence Cyprus’ trouble mirrors the domestic ‘inspires passion of mingled love and pity’ which none trouble of Othello’s marriage. of Shakespeare’s other heroes aspire. § 'Othello's nature is all of one piece. His trust where he Social: § During the Renaissance/ Elizabethan Era, black people trusts is absoloute...Othello decides and acts were excluded from the white dominated society and a instantaneously." different race was seen as mysterious , dangerous and § Argues that Iago is motivated by pride, as he is in need threatening. Othello’s race forms the basis for Iago’s to prove “his power and superiority”. mistreatment of Othello. § Bradley states that tragedy doesn't only bring about § In the Renaissance, the view was held that Africans were "sympathy and pity, but admiration, terror and awe" descendants of Noah's son Ham, who was cursed by his Marilyn French: “Desdemona accepts her cultures dictum and father - it was therefore held that all Africans were an becomes “self-denying in the extreme” accursed race. Othello, as a black character, goes on a journey from respected hero to mad-driven, murdering, Willian Hazlitt: “We see into the hollowness of Iago’s heart” jealous husband. § Women had a traditional role - they were considered Sean McEvoy: “audience become complicit in Iago’s inferior to men, particularly socially and politically. intentions…share Iago’s delight” § Women were believed to be evil - tempt men into doing Leonard Tennenhouse: (about Emilia) “Her death is the silencing wrong. Is Desdemona the cause of Othello's downfall? Iago of a rebellious female voice” criticises women with his misogynistic perceptions. § The conflict of Othello presents the inability of different T.S. Elliot: “Othello is a “terrible exposure of human weakness” cultures to coincide during the 17th century. as he spends the final scene “endeavouring to escape reality” § During the Renaissance, assertive women were thought to be a threat to the social order, and hence all women in the Stephen Greenblatt: “Shakespeare’s characters are frequently play possess submissive, objectified and powerless roles. haunted by the sense that their identity has been lost or stolen” LINKS WITH OTHER TEXTS: PLAYWRIGHTS’S INTENTIONS: § The tragedy genre conventionally presents villains as cynical § Shakespeare challenges stereotypes and values of the atheists, who take advantage of others for their own needs. Renaissance era – Emilia overturns the stereotype of § King Lear: Ambitious Edmund exploits women in the same women being submissive, with little rights and no voice – way as Iago – sense of a revenge tragedy. Othello initially breaks the conventions of black people § Hamlet: Claudius poisons his brother and marries his widow, being perceived as dangerous, lustful predators. Gertrude – sense of sexual corruption. § Shakespeare utilises comedy to heighten the tragedy of the § Both Hamlet and Othello have an existential crisis, as the play and further mocks his characters through dramatic world they knew and trusted breaks down. irony, asides and soliloquies. § Like Hamlet, Othello takes revenge, yet on his wife for her § Shakespeare was fearful of extreme passions and hence supposed adultery, rather than for his father. jealousy and madness are the main themes of the play. § ‘Othello’ and ‘Hamlet’ are private tragedies about domestic § Shakespeare invites pity and pathos, as the tragic hero breakdown where tragic heroes are deceived by those sacrificed himself for the common man – modern tragedy. around them. § Shakespeare reveals a society corrupted by sexism, racism, § Claudius killed Hamlet’s father by pouring poison in his ear and immorality. just like Iago who metaphorically pours poison in people’s § Shakespeare puts trust and betrayal at the forefront of the ears because of his lies and manipulation. play as the characters cannot recognise evil. § Hamlet’s flaw is his constant thinking and inaction and § Shakespeare subverts the stereotype that black people Othello’s is his gullibility and trustworthiness. were only fit for slavery during the Renaissance in his § ‘Othello’ is I flounced by the conventions of Greek tragedy depiction of his noble Moor. § At the end of the play, Othello isn’t a story of racism or due to the inclusion of a clear conflict and the protagonist’s prejudice; it’s about the traits of envy and jealousy that can error of judgment. cross race and nationality. § In Titus Andronicus- Aaron the protagonist is black and he is synonymous with evil. However, Othello is different from this because is presented as a tragic hero whose downfall ASPECTS OF TRAGEDY: the audience can partly sympathise with. § Aaron shares similar villainy characteristics with Iago – § the type of the tragic text itself, whether it is classical and silences other characters and catalyses other’s downfalls about public figures, like Lear, or domestic and about and demises. Typical portrayal of black characters in representations of ordinary people, like Tess Renaissance plays – similar evil traits of Aaron in “Titus § the settings for the tragedy, both places and times Andronicus” Black people in Renaissance England were seen § the journey towards death of the protagonists, their flaws, to be mysterious and exotic. In 1590 Titus Andronicus, pride and folly, their blindness and insight, their discovery Shakespeare fulfilled the black stereotype in his and learning, their being a mix of good and evil characterization of Aaron as a villain. § the role of the tragic villain or opponent, who directly § Emilia is presented as a powerful woman just like Lady affects the fortune of the hero, who engages in a contest of Macbeth, yet with a strong moral compass unlike Lady power and is partly responsible for the hero’s demise Macbeth’s immorality. § the presence of fate, how the hero’s end is inevitable – § Common theme of witchcraft is also present in Macbeth. absent sense of control. § Macbeth becomes a monomaniac just like Othello. § how the behaviour of the hero affects the world around § Lady Macbeth inspires Macbeth and urges him on his quest him, creating chaos and affecting the lives of others for kingship. Iago does the same for Othello on his jealous § the significance of violence and revenge, humour and quest to stop Desdemona’s adultery. moments of happiness § Iago is a Machiavellian villain just like Richard III – no sense § the structural pattern of the text as it moves through of right and wrong. complication to catastrophe, from order to disorder, § Othello’s and Desdemona’s relationship mirrors the doomed through climax to resolution, from the prosperity and love of Romeo and Juliet and therefore Shakespeare happiness of the hero to the tragic end adheres to a sense of tragic inevitability, where happiness is § the use of plots and sub-plots eliminated. § the way that language is used to heighten the tragedy § Othello and Desdemona’s idealistic conceptions of love § ultimately how the tragedy affects the audience, acting as a could be compared to the naïve love of Hero and Claudio in commentary on the real world, moving the audience “Much Ado About Nothing”. through pity and fear to an understanding of the human § Role of women is similar to “Taming of the Shrew” of the condition. due to the concept of “serve, love and obey”. § Othello’s potential which is destroyed § The playwright plays on the Elizabethan patriarchal concept, § Significance of greed and ambition which is prevalent in all his other tragedies. § Significance of loss, love, suffering disguise and deception § Struggle of good + evil -tragic waste – Claudius + Hamlet die. § Victimhood - Treatment of female characters TRAGIC CONVENTIONS: LANGUAGE, STRUCTURE AND FORM: § The play begins with the tragic villain, Iago, which is § Iambic Pentameter, Blank Verse, Caesura, Rhyme, Hyper unconventional of tragedy, yet allows Shakespeare to syllabic lines, Alliteration, Consonance, Assonance, Prose, comment on how he becomes the main catalyst to Shared line, Soliloquy, Antithesis, Paradox, Literary allusion. Othello’s rapid mental deterioration, as the tragic hero is § Shakespeare frames much of Othello through the disturbed by Iago’s accusations. perspective of its antagonist, which amplifies the play’s § It is a tragedy of a fairly ordinary man with differences and dramatic tension and irony - first character we see onstage, subethnicities, where… and we initially sympathize with him, as he’s just been § Othello is domestic tragedy in which love is destroyed by passed over for a promotion, but this is quickly changed - hate, as Othello’s obsession with his masculine honour the only character with substantive asides and soliloquies, allows him to ‘fall’ under the influence of Iago, providing an insider perspective from which to view the perpetuating his destruction. unfolding events. § Othello’s tragic stature and pride, initial control and § The term 'honest' is repeated fifty-two times in the restraint are conventional of a tragic hero and therefore description of the villain, leaving the audience fearful of generate pity throughout the play – conventional of what danger such a misconception could cause. modern domestic tragedy. § The dramatic irony of the play derives largely from the § Othello’s hamartia becomes his outsider status, as he audience's knowledge of the villain's duplicity and Othello's cannot cope with what was accepted and thus, he lack of it - tragic protagonist’s obviousness to his villainy, perpetuates his own downfall due to his irrational makes the play somewhat farcical. behaviour which is based on his inherent drive. § The Switch between black verse and prose reflects the § Iago is conventionally driven by hate and obsession for duplicitous nature of Iago. revenge, allowing Shakespeare to portray his tragic villain § Othello’s blank verse mirrors his heroism and his prose as a malcontent. encapsulates the grand influence that Iago has on him. § Free will is insisted upon, as the protagonist must always be § The juxtaposition of appearance vs reality in the play able to back out of a situation or to redeem themselves, present the themes of evil and jealousy – Iago’s evil energy but always leads towards their inevitable doom. persists. § There is a sense of inevitability about Othello’s downfall as § The battle between good and evil is dramatized by using he arrives to Cyprus and declares he “feels to much joy”. images of light and dark - when he is on stage, the mood Shakespeare ominously foreshadows a tragic end – becomes darker, tension and suspense created. conventional of classical tragedies. § Scene 1 begins in media res – sense of anticipation for § The play ends with the death of numerous characters audience including the title character, the tragic protagonist who is § A3S3 becomes the play’s pivotal climax, as Othello switches admirable, but flawed, with the audience able to understand and sympathize with the character – in alliance from Desdemona to Iago - comical in sore aspect. conventional of classical tragedies. § Othello: emotive, heroic language, dignified blank verse, § Shakespeare presents a complex and exaggerated Imagery concerns sea or heavens – reflects propensity relationship between Desdemona and Othello in order to toward chaos/uncertainty, bombastic. accentuate the audience’s feeling of catharsis. § Yet, becomes fragmented and broken and he uses more § 3 unities of tragedy as posed by Aristotle, compresses the obscenities - prone to violent outbursts. play’s action into a short time frame, emphasizing Othello’s § Iago: Manipulative, manufactures expressions for rapid and sudden downfall. persuasive effect, Imagery is terse and dry, bestial images, § Othello does live in a flawed world but he is the one images of base physical functions, Images of money and ultimately responsible for his own downfall due to his trade, reflects the depravity of his mind. irrational actions – conventional of Greek tragedy. § Anti-Heroic Language – plain, direct, ironically understated. § Certainly, for a 21st century, the pathos of the play comes Iago remains in control of language throughout the play. He from how preventable, yet inevitable death is within the skilfully uses insinuations, subtle hints, questions and context of society and tragic structure of the play/plot. indirect accusations. § Ironically, Othello, an ethnic minority/racial outsider is § Othello’s language starts to become more depraved as his portrayed as a noble and civilised hero whilst Iago, a white jealousy grows – he then starts to use Iago’s imagery (e.g. man, as immoral and destructive – subverts stereotypes. bestial, diabolical) § It is the tension between Othello’s victimization at the § Both characters use images of war and soldiers – Othello hands of a foreign culture and his own willingness to sees the glory of war, Iago views war as an economic torment himself that makes him a tragic figure rather than venture. This shows Othello’s courage and idealism in simply Iago’s ridiculous puppet. contrast to Iago’s self-interested character. § A modern audience may ironically point out that § The play’s action is compressed, as typical for a tragedy, Desdemona asserts her power to be Othello, yet essentially into a short time frame, contributing to the claustrophobic becomes his possession. effect of tragedies.