Othello

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Othello

• By William Shakespeare

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Key Facts

• Full title Othello
• Type of Work Play
• Genre Tragic drama, historical drama
• First Performed by the Kings Men at the Court
  of King James I November 1, 1604

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About the play

• Othello is set against the backdrop of the wars
  between Venice and Turkey that raged in the
  latter part of the sixteenth century. Cyprus,
  which is the setting for most of the action, was
  a Venetian outpost attacked by the Turks in 1570
  and conquered the following year.

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About the Play Continued

• Othello begins on a street in Venice, in the
  midst of an argument between Roderigo, a rich
  man, and Iago. Roderigo has been paying Iago to
  help him in his suit to Desdemona. But Roderigo
  has just learned that Desdemona has married
  Othello, a general whom Iago begrudgingly serves
  as ensign. Iago says he hates Othello, who
  recently passed him over for the position of
  lieutenant in favor of the inexperienced soldier
  Michael Cassio.

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Themes in the Play

• The Incompatibility of Military Heroism Love
• The Danger of Isolation

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Motifs in the Play

• Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or
  literary devices that can help to develop and
  inform the texts major themes.
• Sight and Blindness
• Plants
• Animals
• Hell, Demons and Monsters

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Symbols in the Play

• Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or
  colors used to represent abstract ideas or
  concepts.
• The Handkerchief
• The song Willow

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Significant Terms

• Tragedy a form of drama usually involving a
  conflict between a character and some higher
  power, such as the law, the gods, fate, or
  society.
• Blank verse a verse form consisting of unrhymed
  lines of iambic pentameter.
• Prose the ordinary language people use in
  speaking or writing
• Pun the humorous use of a word or phrase to
  suggest two or more meanings at the same time.

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Significant Terms Continued

• Soliloquy speech, usually lengthy, in which a
  character, alone on stage, expresses his or her
  thoughts aloud.
• Conflict
• 1. External dispute between the
  protagonist and another character or nature
  
• 2. Internal occurs when the protagonist
  struggles within himself or herself

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A few more terms

• Foil A foil character is either one who is in
  most ways opposite to the main character or
  nearly the same as the main character.
• Anachronism A thing out of its time. A problem
  in historical fiction in that a writer may make
  reference to an invention or custom that was not
  known in the period in which his or her story is
  set.

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The last of the terms

• Situational irony The discrepancy between what
  is expected and what actually happens.
• Verbal irony A character says the opposite of
  what he or she means.
• Dramatic irony Dramatic irony is most effective
  when characters make fateful choices based on
  information the reader realizes is incorrect.

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Introducing? Who Can You Become?The Cast of
Othello

• Othello- The plays protagonist and hero. A
  Christian Moor and general of the armies of
  Venice.
• Desdemona- The daughter of the Venetian senator
  Brabanzio. Desdemona and Othello are secretly
  married before the play begins.
• Iago- Othellos ensign (ancient or standard
  bearer) and the villain of the play.

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The Cast of Othello Continued

• Michael Cassio - Othellos Lieutenant. His high
  position is resented by Iago.
• Emilia - Iagos wife and Desdemonas attendant.
  Distrusts her husband and is attached to
  Desdemona.
• Roderigo - A jealous suitor of Desdemona. Young,
  rich and foolish.
• Bianca - A prostitute in Cyprus.

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The Cast of Othello Continued

• Brabanzio - Desdemonas father. He feels betrayed
  that the General married his daughter in secret.
• Duke of Venice - Official authority of Venice.
  The Duke has great respect for Othello.
• Montano - The governor of Cyprus before Othello.
  
• Lodovico - One of Brabanzios kinsmen.
• Graziano - Another of Brabanzios kinsmen.
• Clown - Othellos servant. Look to him for puns.