Desdemona eloped (I.i. 198-206).
Desdemona eloped (I.i. 198-206).
First, a reader must understand the way gender was understood in Shakespeare’s time. “If we are going to insist in understanding the Elizabethan dramatic artifice, let us also insist in examining Othello according to the traditional values which Shakespeare has injected implicitly and explicitly into the play (Kirschbaum, 284).” This quote given by another author shows the importance of understanding the original texts. The original text, while maybe outdated, is still vital in understanding the culture and history behind the play. A student must understand the implications that Shakespeare originally intended to be understood by the audience. There are three main characters in the play. These women are Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca. These women all show true, strong affection to the main men in their lives.…
How does Shakespeare explore Elizabethan attitudes to women, race and transgression in the first three scenes of Othello?…
However, the motivation behind their deceit differs in each text. In Othello, the opening scene shows Iago talking lengthily with Roderigo about his dislike for Othello. He reveals his intentions to falsely appear loyal to him in order to gain his trust and manipulate him without being suspected. It should be noted that he also fails to use Othello by his name, referring to him as ‘he’, ‘the Moor’, ‘his Moorship’ and as a ‘Barbary horse, which show his disrespect for Othello and the grand magnitude of his malevolence.…
Iago has the ability to manipulate and hurt many characters for his personal gain throughout Othello. Iago uses flattery to Brabantio to stir bad emotions. Iago desires for Brabantio to seek out his daughter and separate her from “the Moor.” In order to achieve this, he must convince Brabantio of his honesty. Iago twists the truth and says to Brabantio, “I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs” (Shakespeare 5). Iago gives a sense of offense and rudeness, making Brabantio feel uncomfortable. Iago manipulates the situation and turns Brabantio feelings towards Othello bitter. Iago uses racist and animal imagery to relate to Othello, which he knows will stir anger in Brabantio. This…
Iago is manipulative and also very cunning however what led to his downfall is him underestimating others. He has a talent for understanding and manipulating people around him desires and that makes him both a powerful and a heavily admired character. Shakespeare display Iago as an evil character who’s willing to drag innocent character into his revenge- Roderigo, Desdemona and Emilia. Iago is able to hurt Othello deeply because he understands Othello so well and as the ply progress on seem to grow even closer to Othello as his revenge progresses. He frequently refers to Othello as the 'Moor´ this statement show…
You may be asking, how is a play set in a world of exploration and conquest still significant to a world of flaccid morals and technological advancements? The works of Shakespeare prove ongoing relevance over time through the utilisation of key ideas, characters and language. Through characterisation and the exploration of the notions of jealousy and racism in “Othello”, the guests at the national Shakespeare convention can gain insight on how the works of Shakespeare are as significant now as they ever have been.…
Since back in Shakespeare days, Moors were Arab Muslim or Spaniards that were looked down upon in society. They were treated like how the African American community was 70 years ago. Iago was a white man while Othello was a Moor. But Shakespeare never clearly stated what ethnicity Othello truly was. So the director of the movie had a chance to interpret Othello's ethnicity to where the audience can truly understand the emotions and symbolic meaning between Othello and Iago. So Othello is betrayed as an African American. The audience can really understand Iago's hatred since we know that the African Americans were treated really poorly back in our country. There use to be laws known as Jim Crow laws where blacks and whites were separated. When the African American community was allowed equal rights, many white Americans were upset with the outcome. Many white Americans went on lynching, hunting, and destroying many black communities. This information was than symbolized through Iago's character where we can see he's upset with Othello being able to be the same status or even better than his. We can even see how extremely jealous Iago is when we figure out Othello's military status is two ranks higher than…
Race is very important in the play. Othello was a moor. In simplest terms he was a man of color. His race is what set him apart from the other characters. Also Othello is the only character of color which automatically set him inside. Being that he is a military general (a position not offered to black men) a lot of the characters don’t like him, and a lot of characters described him negatively because to them he was just a moor. But others respect and admire him because of his accomplishments. Iago was not his biggest fan so of coarse he said things that were not meant to be nice. “Iago: Even now, now very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise; Awake the snorting citizens with the bell. Or else the devil will make a grandsire if you arise I say!” (Act 1, Scene 1) Here Iago is upset that a moor is with a white woman. So he tells Desdemona’s father about the relationship. But all throughout what he is saying he is making racial slurs. In response to this Desdemona’s father says “BRABANTIO: She, in spite of nature, Of years, of country, credit, every thing, To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on! It is a judgment maim'd and most imperfect That will confess perfection so could err Against all rules of nature.” (Act 1, Scene 3) which means he feels that Desdemona’s feelings for Othello is wrong. It is unnatural since he is black and she is white. Even Othello himself describes his color as being something bad at one point. “Othello: All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven. 'Tis gone. Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell! (Act 3, Scene 3) Throughout the play there are many comments as to Othello’s race. I personally think the whole play is based around two things his race in comparison to everyone else’s, and his race with Desdemona’s race because he is a “moor” and every one else is not. Well race and jealousy anyway but race is what stands out more.…
Ideas of discrimination and racism have also been reflected within the play through the characterisation of Othello. Described as having “thick lips” and a darker skin tone, the protagonist experiences a sense of isolation from society due to his evident difference in physical appearance.. By demonstrating ideas of separation in the play, the reader is poised to read it as a text that incorporates strong ideas of discrimination, both evident during Shakespeare’s time and our current society. This discriminating prejudice leads to the deterioration of Othello’s confidence, where he states ‘for I am black’and ‘unworthy of love’. Ideas of discrimination and racism becomes particularly apparent when Iago constantly addresses Othello as ‘The Moor’…
Jealousy is what got the worst side out of the strong, noble, great Othello. Throughout the play he totally transforms Othello into a different person. Making him feel like a monster. Iago manipulates Othello into believing that Cassio is having an affair with his wife, Desdemona, planting doubt and jealousy in him. Using his reputation as an honest man to his favor is how he gets Othello into believing all the lies that comes to his mind. Othello, like everybody else viewed Iago as the most honest man, not knowing that Iago hated him with a passion. “We've seen how Iago uses animal imagery in his racist diatribe against Othello, which is grounded in the idea that black men (and women) are inhuman.” (Shmoop Editorial Team). Iago doesn’t view…
William Shakespeare (26th April 1564 – 23rd April 1616) was an English poet, playwright and an actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the Bard of Avon. His extant works, including some collaboration, consist of 37 plays, 154 sonnets and two long narrative poems and few other verses. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.…
In many of Shakespeare’s plays he explores the ideas of racial tensions, Othello is an example of one of these plays. Othello’s racial background, although not entirely clear provides a platform for exploring ideas of racial conflict. He’s clearly an outsider to the Venetian society and of African descent, thus he’s is often subjected to racial stereotypes. When Iago first explains to Barbantio that his daughter is married to a Moor he says “…you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse…” (I.I.125), referring to Othello as an animal, “Barbary” is a region of Africa therefore implying Othello’s homeland. He also tells Brabantio “I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.” (I.I.129-131), Othello is once again compared to an animal, indicating that since he is of African descent he is not considered to be on the same level of respect as someone who born into the Venetian culture. He’s viewed as uncivilized because he cannot control his passions, these associations serve to perpetuate stereotypes of Africans and others of different ethnic identity. This also portrays Iago’s clever chose of words to alter Barbantio’s emotions, particularly knowing that Barbantio holds a racist viewpoint. A predominant fear during that time period was colored men sexually corrupting the white women of the Venetian society, which would explain why Othello’s relationship with Desdemona is described in…
Iago shows himself as a two faced person, he seems loyal and respectful toward Othello; however he is totally opposite person behind Othello’s back. “I hate the Moor.” This quotation given by Iago is short and simple, and straight to the point. Iago has hatred towards Othello due to the fact he had given Cassio the promotion that was rightfully his. Furthermore, Iago is manipulating everyone’s thoughts so he can gain the rank that was ‘taken’ from him.…
In Shakespeare’s Othello, the protagonist adopts an identity that conforms to Venetian society and defies racial expectations brought forth by his Venetian peers. His simplistic perception of himself as a Venetian man, unconcerned with racial stereotypes, conveys his noble virtues to be greater than that of his white Venetian counterparts’. However, Othello’s internalization of the racial prejudice, as instigated by Iago, is his ultimate demise. In the beginning of the play, Othello demonstrates an effective resistance against the racial stereotypes expressed by Brabantio. His use of poetic language and honorable military status greatly contrasts the black stereotypes that Brabantio thrusts at him. For instance, when Brabantio accuses Othello of stealing…
“Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniences they may for a time promise or produce, are in the sum of life obstacles to happiness. Those who profit by the cheat distrust the deceiver, and the act by which kindness is sought puts an end to confidence”(Johnson218).Iago’s motives for his actions may be jealousy, greed, paranoia , and even the simple fact of seeing if he can get away with it. Iago has built a reputation that yields its own gravity. If Shakespeare’s setting took place in America, Iago would be the American dream. He’s married, he is a sound soldier, has an affinity for people, and is always there to help someone in need. Iago is the typical role model. What society fails to realize is that Iago does noble acts when visible but it remains unknown as to what his true intentions are. Iago’s relationship with Othello is one that gives with the right hand and takes with the left. In the right hand, putting race aside, Iago looks up to Othello as a father: he desires his attention, always wants to be involved in his life, and is someone whose footsteps he’d like to follow. Then we have Iago’s left hand, which takes race into account, cannot stand Othello to the point that his very own existence is to become the poison that fills his lungs and the host of the illusion that clouds his mind. The relationship between them is almost incredulous. Iago literally wants to be everything for Othello, the good and the bad. For this reason I believe it vindicates Iago’s methods towards Cassio.…