What is the play about? Othello themes include: * Jealousy (the sexual jealousy of Othello‚ and Iago’s professional envy of Cassio * Appearance versus reality (including honesty/dishonesty‚ loyalty/disloyalty) * Reputation * Public versus private concerns * Racism (including notions of alienation and belonging) Cultural materialist – Argues the play offers a subversive critique of the social and political beliefs of Shakespeare’s time e.g. racism and sexism seen as
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OTHELLO THEMES The incompatibility of military heroism and love; the danger of isolation- Othello is the perfect soldier‚ but his directness means he is unable to understand the subtleties of political life and affairs of the heart. Jealousy Jealousy 1: The play opens with a discussion of jealousy. Iago is upset because Othello selected Michael Cassio as his lieutenant. He is jealous of Cassio’s position both in the military and with Othello’s service. This initial jealousy is the catalyst
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Deception In Othello One may readily perceive the theme of Shakespeare’s "Othello" as deception. Deception appears many times in Othello‚ but in almost every incident the degree of deception is different. Deception is to "deceive another‚ illusion‚ or fraud" (Webster’s New World Pocket Dictionary 69)‚ which is seen as a wrongful act. However‚ deception may be used to protect someone from getting hurt therefore being used with good intentions. The very first act of deception is done by the
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Othello Othello is a Shakespearean play and a morality tale‚ which is set in Venice‚ Italy and represents the themes of race‚ death and at its very heart is the ‘green-eyed monster’: Jealousy. The character of Othello is insecure and naïve. His race‚ a major theme in the play‚ shows how Othello perceives himself as a rough outsider‚ though he is nothing of the sort and his skills are nevertheless powerful‚ his power being personified by the fact that he is always surrounded by people. In Act 1
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other. In William Shakespeare’s play Othello‚ he suggests otherwise. Both Desdemona and Emilia were killed by their husbands. The only girl left at the end of the play is Bianca‚ a prostitute. Marriage‚ while generally a positive concept‚ is fatal and dangerous in William Shakespeare’s play Othello. Both Desdemona and Othello were happy with their marriage until Iago purposely sabotaged it. He convinced Othello that Desdemona was cuckolding him. When Othello believed Iago’s lies and decided to kill
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Othello is the protagonist of the play; he is a highly respected general of the Venetian army. Othello is not a Venetian though; he is a moor‚ which means he is from North Africa. This puts Othello in a very unusual position; he is one of the most important people in the Venetian army and very respected but is also an outsider because he is a black man. I perceive Othello’s character at this point in the play to be Naïve‚ honorable and honest; he really has nothing to hide. His naïveté’s will cause
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The Green-Eyed Monster In William Shakespeare’s Othello‚ the power of jealousy dominates the play; at first‚ it’s Iago who is stricken with jealousy‚ when Othello appoints Cassio as his new lieutenant. Iago states‚ “And I‚ of whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes‚ at Cyprus‚ and on other grounds…must be beleed and calmed by debitor and creditor‚”(I.i.29-32) after finding out he will be an ancient instead of a lieutenant. These words he has spoken show jealousy on his part because he wanted
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Manipulation In Othello we see what jealousy and pride can do to a man and to what extent they will go to satisfy their inner demons. Many a man has fallen prey to the lies of a quick tongue‚ as well as the humiliation that comes with their confidence and pride. It is hard to say exactly what drives any one man to his dire actions‚ but one can assume that his temper‚ pride or honor was the starting spark that led to a fire. Tell me‚ what drives a man to use others to achieve his goals? In Othello many things
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I am not what I am Iago is quite possibly one of the best examples of evil in literature. He is not merely manipulative as other "bad guys". Iago also brings the interesting aspect of truthinto it all. He quite literally tells the best lies using mostly the truth. What can we callhim? Whether it be the devil‚ Satan‚ Beelzebub‚ Lucifer or Moloch‚ these words representthe very same idea: pure evil. Not the terrible creature from beyond‚ or anything quite so mundane as
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William Shakespeare’s play “Othello” a man named Iago hates and is jealous of the protagonist Othello because Othello has not promoted him to position of Lietunant‚ so he decides to try and kill Othello. However‚ he first convinces Roderigo to help him because Roderigo is in love with Othello’s wife Desdemona and Iago promises that he can get him together with Desdemona. With Roderigo’s help‚ Iago is able to plot a series of events which eventually leads to convincing Othello that Desdemona is having
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