Othello - Shakespeare

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Br. joins him to put his before the Duke wrong counteti il Chamber • Br. repeats his accusations against Oth., Oth. claims that he won Des.'s love by telling her the story of his life →> Des. confirms this and professes her love and allegiance to him military mission to defend Cyprus • Duke sees the case settled ->sends Oth. on a • Des. asks permission to accompany her husband • Rod. is dejected about the outcome and wants to drown himself →→ lago consoles him, saying that he'd undermine the marriage by convincing Oth. that Des betrays him with Cassio Human dilemas Othello Act II: storm rages, delaying the arrival of the Venetians on Cyprus • Oth makes it to the island with the news that the Turkish fleet has been wrecked in the sea • lago tells Rod that Des will soon become tired of Oth and is already showing interest in Cassio → lago wants Rod to provoke Cassio into a fight which will disgrace & eventually eliminate him Venetians gather to celebrate the destruction of Turkish fleet → lago gets Cassio drunk · Cassio insults Roderigo and injures Montano Oth. is disgusted and removes him from his position • lago advises desperate Cos. to ask Des. for help to regain Othello's favour (to make Oth jealous) Act II: with help of Emilia, Cassio gets access to Des., she nises to speak with oth on his behalf • Cas. leaves quickly when Othello returns bc he does not want to meet him right now ->> • Des. speaks to Of asking him to take Cassio back, but Othello hesitates → Othello's suspision rouses insinuating that Des. is having an affair with the deposed lieutenant (Othello begins to doubt his wife's loyalty, but keeps it secret from her and develops a headache) hall in the castle William Shakespeare - 1603 . • Desd. drops her handkerchief oth has gifted her → lago gets hold of it through his wife Emilia puts it in Cassio's room kindles Oth's jealousy by telling him that he heard Ca. fantasise in his dream about his love for D. and that has seen Cas. in posession D.'s handkerchief • Othello vows → When Othello asks Des. for her handkerchief, she is unable to present it revenge & makes lago his lieutenant =>0th. is upset and becomes angry and unkind. Jealousy has taken hold of him ·Cas asks his mistress Bianca to copy the embroidery on the handkerchief he found (doesn't know its D's) Act IV: •0th suspects Des. the handkerchief to her new lover gave missing • lago torments Oth further tells him Cas spent a night with Des. →> Othello briefly looses consciousness • Cas enters and lago asks him to come back later for a conversation • when Oth. recovers, lago asks him to hide nearby & listen to Cassio's report about his affair with D. • Cassio describes his relationship with Bianca! in a light-hearted & joking manner →0th is enraged • Bianca enters give Cassio the handkerchief back → further proof for Oth of his wife's infidelity • lago offers to kill Cas for Oth and suggests that he should strangle his wife in bed • Desd.+ Lodovico enter, who announces that Oth is commanded home & Cas. should take his place in Cyprus as Des. expresses her: about this development, assuming that it will end the hostility btw. 0th + Cas, 0th slaps her • later Oth calls her a whore, tells her to wait for him and send Emilia joy away • lago has persuaded Rod. that he has to kill Cassio if he wants a chance of las only Cas's death will prevent 0th & D. departure from the island) D. over Human dilemas winning Othello Act I: lago instructs Rod to ambush Cas • as (as is seriously injured, lago pretends to take revenge for him and stabs Rod. • Oth has decided to kill Des. to bring about justice → Although Des professes her innocence, • asserting she only loved Oth. Oth stifles her erstickt • Emilia comes in to report on Rod's death and discovers the dying Desd. • Oth claims he killed Des because he had proof of her infidelity from lago • Emilia tells him Des never loved anybody but Oth, who did not derseve her love & raises alarm • When Emilia discloses that her husband was behind this evil plot, lago kills her Oth fries to kill lago, who to manages escape, but is recaptured wounded Cassio is carried on the scene and explains how the handkerchief came into his possession • Oth realises his terrible mistake and, kissing the dead Desdemona, stabs himself • lago is to be tried and executed William Shakespeare - 1603 ▸lago's manipulation - Othellomakes him believe that D. betrays him with Cassio • makes everything appear like Cas & Des. are secretly in love - Roderigo pretends to be a loyal friend → convinces him to kill Desc. (thankful for lago's help) money and feelings to set against Cassio, make Cas. drunk to loose his job - Cassio: persuades him to ask Des. for help to regain Oth. trust uses his - Emilia just wants his love & attention, lago uses her to get hold of handkerchief main events the handkerchief is nowhere to be found → announcement of marriage to Brabantio in Venice lago starts his intrigues 2 in Cyprus Othello expresses his mistrust in Desd. loyality →slaps her (3) appears in Bianca's hands →→wants lago dead lage Rod. stabs death of Desdemona →Emilia realises lagos guilt Human dilemas Othello CHARACTERS ► Othello • Christian Moor protagonist & hero of the play . gentle, eloquent and physically powerful bc of noble qualities, Iwon the love of Desdemona highly respected and honoured by Duke, his officers and ppl in Venice (brave + reliable general) • urgently needed in his military function to defence Cyprus • having darker skin not socially accepted as a person for lago • becomes easy prey ▸ : William Shakespeare - 1603 -> : (there fore kept his marriage bc he is an outsider & stranger in the Italian town • lago • antagonist & villain of the play personification of evil ruthless cynic · married to Emilia • has a low opinion of human nature and uses the weakness of the people around him (Roderigo's lust for Desdemona, Cassio's concerns about his reputation, Othello's jealousy) →deceives and manipulates them • hates Othello bc he promoted Cassio over him → takes his revenge by contriving a plan to alienate Desd. & Othello • with his lies, turns Othello's love for Desd. into blind jealousy (stripping him of his gentle & noble nature and destroying his integrity disrespects makes everyone trust him . • Desdemona · Othello's wife, daughter of Venetian senator Brabantio women secret) • knows the marriage will not meet with the approval of her father & Venetian society • defends her choice and stands firm in her allegiance to Othello • adultery is unimaginable for her → surprised by Othello's suspicions + violent behaviour • up to last moment, professes her innocence → •falls victim to Ot. leaten ир ▸ Cassio • highly educated young man from florence, promoted to Othello's lieutenant • bookkeeper, well-versed in statistics, but inexperienced in combat (in lago's view) becomes object of lago's plan when he spreads the word that C. has an affair with D. destroys Cassio's reputation by involving him in a drunken brawl => dismissal as lieutnant - waiting ▸ Emilia• lago's wife, Desd. loyal lady-in- • knows about lago's malign nature, without realising she assists lago in contriving his plot . • after discovering D. death, reveals lago's deceitful manoeuver and boldly confronts lago Roderigo young, vich, naïve: pays lago to help him wim D. attention Bianca prostitute, in love with Cassio by jealousy) (does not treat her the same way) Human dilemas Othello William Shakespeare - 1603 THE MES ► Character tragedy - downfall of the protagonist is due to a fault, a flaw, in his character Jealousy Othello's faults, gullibility and excessive jealousy. he is a tragic character, bc he is basically a gentle & noble man, but he fails to see. cause the tragic development and outcome through lago's net of lies →he is naïve and therefore susceptible to lago's ploys, trust in lago increases → trust in his wife decreases - jealousy, the green-ey'd monster" IIII, 3) which lago has brought to life, leads him astray - In the end, Oth. is completely convinced of D.'s guilt + believes that it is his duty to kill Des. in order to bring justice and restore order - when it is too late, he realises that he has been manipulated and is completely heart-broken, feels deep pain . · Roderigo is jealous of Othello and Cassio (both allegedly slept with Des) • lago is jealous of Cassio's promotion → wants revenge on Othello • honour and reputation - lago begins his intrigue when feels discriminated and insufficiently honoured → lago asserts that a person's good name /reputation, is more valuable than any worldly possessions - he appeals to Oth. not to let his honour be tarnished by Cassio's affair with Desdemona for Cassio, honour & reputation are of overall importance after his involvement in the nightly brawl, while he was drunk, feels ashamed & humiliated and implores lago to help him restore his reputation - for him, reputation is "the immortal part " (1,3) which distinguishes man from animal a life without reputation is not worth living in light of ancient concept of honour & reputation, train of thought might be easier to reconstruct : power & ambition -power between genders, class, race, ethnic groups Othello is ambitious for his relationship with Desd. -Cassio tries to get his job back after loosing it ambition is used as a metaphor for bad events to happen Human dilemas • prejudices men have to protect their wives - strong and insensitive - smarter than must work to earn money ▸ prejudices women → property/ possesions of men - expected to fulfil husband's desires for privilege - sex object (men use abusive terms) -> - Othello (Desd. "transported" to (ypr.) of marriage only there to reproduce - victims of society → socially inferior + biologically weaker to men ->>> forced to follow social norms of perfect women (clean, soft-mouthed, devoted, beautiful, shy) need to get married inequality in marriage not to be trusted (0th. has no trust in Desd. loyalty) - William Shakespeare - 1603 ►racial prejudice · Venetians appreciate and respect oth as a competent military leader, call for his help when a general is needed • However, racial prejudice is very much alive in Venice examples: => Othello's background and the colour of his skin make him an outsider (Rod. & lago refer to him disparagingly the match of the Venetian noble girl to the "lascivious Moor" is a disgrace and thus totally unacceptable. - men are responsible for behaviour of their wives - women -heroic not well-educated (II, 1) only person free of prejudice and accepts Oth as equal is Des. → trusts him and loves him deeply she is so devoted to her husband that she places him first, even before her parents. has a "begrimed and black" face - described as lustful (1,3), as former barbarian (1,3) → dehumanised doesn't have soft skills in talking (I, 1) Desdemona's blood line will be "filthy" if she has a child with Oth. (II, 1) - "the Moor" ; "thick lips" (I,^); "the devil" (I,^) (III, 3) - is accused of having charmed Desd. to love him (II, 2) Human dilemas Othello ► love as a reason for hatred → • marriage btw Desdemona & Othello - love each other without witchcraft, but bc of Oth's tales of adventure - marriage despite damaging the relationship btw Des. and her father Brabantio • Desdemona as representation for pure love and innocence → loves Oth. despite him being abusive and mean → • blames herself for her own death jealousy Oth's love for Des. jealousy fuels hatred, he still loves her, rage is stronger in this crucial moment • Roderigo's love for Desd. → further shows destructive effects of jealousy William Shakespeare - 1603 ► heroism . · Othello-hero of war → • protects Venice - not a man of words, but of actions - stands up for his love for D. · Emilia - believes women deserve rights & respect -dies like a martyr - reveals lago's intrigues - protects D. :- • Desdemona ► anti-heroism - lago : manipulates everyone by portraying himself as a hero - - stands ▶ ->> for Othello and for her love for him ир appearance reality -lago says that Cas fantasized about De. in his sleep + he heard of Cassio's posession of handkerchief • Cas. did not talk about Des. + lago placed the handkerchief in Cassio's room → -lago says Cassio said that he spent a night with Desd. he did not -lago wants Oth. to listen to his convo with Cassio → to learn about Desd's affair - tries to help Cassio get his job back. → the convo is about Bianca's & Cassio's relationship - Cassio's screams make Oth. believe lago killed Cassio Cassio is only injured by Rod. (However, his misinterpretations make 0th kill Desdemona ► expectations outcome - lago believes that he becomes lieutenant → Cassio gets the job - Rod. trusts lago to win Dis love + lago only uses R. to infuriate Cassio -Desd. thinks Oth. is just exhausted from his job wants to murder her bc of jealousy Human dilemas Sonnets (dt: Sonett) ▸ a special kind of poem 14 lines, 10 syllables, fixed rhyme scheme (wrote ca. 154) 1-126-air youth sequence 127-152- dark lady sequence. young handsome men (Italian) Petrarchan Sonett octave (8 lines) : introduces a problem /conflict sestet (6 lines) solution of problem problem: war, religion, writing / misses John Milton solution: free, brave souls return to old behaviors stop being selfish (English) Shakespearean Sonnet explores romantic love /relationship William Shakespeare 3 quatrains with alternate rhyme +Arhyming couplet abab cdcd efef gg problem => 14 lines Solution typical metre: iambic pentameter (like human heartbeat → Jambus) 5 unstressed 5 stressed analysis form/content alternate rhyme: ABAB enclosed rhyme : ABBA interpretation has meaning interpretate meaning rhyming couplet: AA rhyming triplet: AAA monorhyme AAAA... eye rhyme eg.: come + home enjambment: run-on lines • Shakespeare's women (De. "transported to (ypr.) of - property / possesions of men - expected to fulfil husband's desires for privilege - sex object (men use abusive terms) • victims of society → socially inferior to men →> forced to follow social norms of perfect women (clean, soft-mouthed, devoted, beautiful, shy) - inferior to men, biologically weaker, need to get married →> une quality in marriage Desdemona-everything marriage a man wants in a wife beautiful, devoted (hingebungsvoll) - Othello cannot believe D. married him - remains firm in her love for him - Skp. shows the distrust men have for women →still bonded to stereotypes & society : Emilia: - doubts lago but is an obedient wife to him (pleases his fantasies) -profoundly critical of men -cynical & intelligent - thinks independently but does not have the - `n the end, exposes her husband's trearchy -argues for & blames husbands for the issue is a William Shakespeare courage equality in marriage, balanced rights for women Bianca: -is exploited by Cassio (of her feelings, attention, etc.) - is sleeping with men to earn playwright! to also express Shakespeare LANGUAGE: Middle English (today: Early Modern English) many rhymes, very old-fashioned, random words, made use of strong imagery for insults it Human dilemas