Passion Pleasure Pain: A study of passion and reason in Othello According to Aristotle – a Classical biologist and philosopher – he believed that Catharsis draws out pity and fear in all tragedies. Many of the readers drew themselves to feel clarification‚ purification‚ and purgation‚ which were caused‚ by passion and reason. His theory plays out in most tragedies especially in Othello. Shakespeare captured many different themes in this play – one of them being passion and reason. The balance
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century Venice‚ Othello‚ by William Shakespeare‚ explores the idea of an outsider from the very beginning of the play. Shakespeare uses Othello‚ a black army general‚ to explore the relationship of an outsider in high Venetian society using a variety of approaches. The reader sees characters consistently referring to Othello in derogatory and demeaning terms‚ as well as frequent implications that Othello is scarcely human. Further exploration of an outsider in society comes from Othello himself‚ as he
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The Beast in Shakespeare’s “Othello” "What is left when honor is lost?" This question‚ asked by Publilius Syrus‚ a known writer of the Ancient Rome during the times of Caesar‚ serves as a basis for the struggle between Othello and Iago. Both men are engaged in a battle over Othello’s honor. Iago is intent on destroying Othello’s sense of honor and reducing him to a bestial state. Iago views Othello as a beast masquerading in warrior’s dress. He wants to return Othello to what he believes to be his
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William Shakespeare’s character‚ Othello‚ testifies to the fact that everyone‚ no matter their rank in society‚ can be made vulnerable when they are brought to questioning their sense of self. As a person matures and enters into adulthood‚ they take on many different types of responsibilities as a functioning part of society. Society characterizes its members based on how effectively they deal with their responsibilities‚ and furthermore an individual’s identity and sense of self derive in part
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Shakespeare introduces Othello in the first half of the play as “valiant” and “noble” (qtd)‚ where the adjectives of courage and moral principles deter the Elizabethan notion that black people are treacherous and villainous (qtd). To add to that‚ the Duke of Venice “straight employ[s] [Othello] against the general enemy Ottoman” (1.3.49-50). Here The preposition “against” directs Othello’s martial body as the hero in Venetian society rather than the enemy for now. The respect for Othello as a black general
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Shakespeare’s play “Othello” both challenges and reflects the values and beliefs of his Elizabethan context. To please his audience Shakespeare’s presentation of Venetian society replicates English society and therefore the audience is positioned to see the Venetians as upholding English Christian beliefs. Yet Shakespeare also challenges Elizabethan audience’s perception of ethnicity and race through the characterisation of Othello as being foreign in appearance but having status in the armed forces
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In Shakespeare’s play “Othello” the character Othello is presented as an outsider to the events that are taking place amongst the other characters. He was excluded from what the truth holds and this caused his downfall‚ along with his jealous nature and stubbornness. To make things worse Iago’s cunning plans captures Othello into a downward spiral to his defeat. The sense of irony involved is regarded as a highly important technique that is repeated through out the play. As a stubborn and decisive
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dimensional characters. This gives an insight to the mind of how we perceive and interact with the world. Analysis of the text ‘Othello’ and its connectivity of characters discern themes such as betrayal‚ reputation and a patriarchal society‚ accompanied by unique contextual values. It is these abstract ideas which seek to explain the human condition and thus remain intriguing to a modern viewer. Betrayal dictates the course of the play and is most prominent in that of Iago and Othello. The twist
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OTHELLO ESSAY “O‚ beware‚ my lord‚ of jealousy! / It is the green-eyed monster‚ which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on” (Shakespeare III. iii. 195-197). Everyone has the capacity for jealousy. It can change how people think as well as how they act. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare‚ jealousy is nurtured within the minds of multiple characters‚ and this jealousy is what ignites the want to make multiple misconceptions arise in order to create havoc and inflict suffering upon others and
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protagonist Othello and the villain‚ Iago‚ we see many different ways in which Shakespeare uses structure and language to explore control. In terms of language‚ Shakespeare uses repetition at the beginning of the passage between Othello and Iago. Everytime Othello poses a question‚ Iago retaliates by simply repeating the question back to Othello‚ for example‚ "Is he not honest?"‚ "Honest my Lord?". By using this repetition‚ Iago asserts his control over not only the conversation but also Othello. This
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