OTHELLO

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OTHELLO

• Some notes for MYEPart Duo

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OTHELLO

• Revision of Concepts

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Main concepts

• Tragedy the tragic hero and key assumptions
• Virtue
• The Malcontent
• Pride, Envy and Jealousy
• Subversion of Order
• Transgression
• Language imagery
• Developments to expect

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Tragedy

• Key elements of classic Greek tragedy
• Hero of noble birth and virtuous with admirable
  qualities
• Setting a single place and time where all
  action is focused
• Fate intervenes in form of unexpected events
  and outcomes
• Flaw usually in the heroic character, an
  imperfection which is identifiably human

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Tragedy how does Othello measure up?

• Hero The Moor, Othello is not of noble birth
  but is virtuous Valiant Othello I, iii, 49.
  He has great power in terms of reason and his
  ability to lead I am glad ont tis a worthy
  governor II, i, 30
• Setting essentially the setting for 4/5 of the
  play is Cyprus. Essentially, the action is
  compressed in terms of time to stretch across a
  single day (in Cyprus) following Othellos arrival

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Tragedy how does Othello measure up?

• Fate the most obvious role played by Fate is
  the storm that decimates the Turkish fleet. It
  also reappears (arguably) when Desdemona drops
  her handkerchief in Act III) in each case it
  seems that Iago is the primary beneficiary.
• Flaw all tragic heroes should have some quality
  that allows them to make an inappropriate
  judgement such as rashness, a fiery temper etc.
  Here we see Othello out of his humour from Act
  III onwards

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Is Othello a true tragedy?

• Shakespeare has gone beyond conventional limits
  by choosing Othello as his hero. However, his
  language gains him status on the stage (see Act I
  scene iii, 128 170 and Act II scene i, 178 -
  188)
• Events do not strictly fit the pattern of Time,
  Place and Action but there is a clear unity with
  no sub-plot to speak of.
• Othellos flaw is tragic and human and enables
  the audience to feel empathy.

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The Malcontent

• Iagos villainy is based upon the concept of the
  malcontent. He is embittered by being passed
  over for promotion in Act I and then experiences
  further feelings of hatred beyond normal levels
  during the play.
• Being a malcontent prevents him from seeing
  things at a moral level and therefore he cannot
  appreciate noble sentiments such as courtly love.

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The Malcontent

• We should bear in mind that the traditional view
  of the malcontent is a figure who brings about
  distasteful events but who eventually receives
  punishment. He is therefore a figure of moral
  interest.
• The malcontents progress through the play
  mirrors the dramatic structure

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Pride, Envy and Jealousy

• It is important to relate these qualities to
  character
• Othello initially associated with pride
• My services which I have done the signiory,
• Shall out-tongue his complaints. I, ii, 18-19
• Iago is linked at first to envy
• I know my price, I am worth no worse a place.
  I, i, 11
• he, sir, had th election
• And I of whom his eyes had seen the proof
• must be leed and calmed
• By debitor and creditor. I, I, 28-31

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Pride, Envy and Jealousy

• The emotion of jealousy first arises in a clear
  sense at the very end of Act II scene i with
  Iagos soliloquy and then again at the end of the
  Act
• Myself the while to draw the Moor apart,
• And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
• Soliciting his wife. II, iii, 375-377
• It is made more explicit in Act III
• Ironically, the first mention of the word comes
  from Iago himself
• I confess it is my natures plague
• To spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy
• Shapes faults that are not that your wisdom,
• From one that so imperfectly conceits,
• Would take no notice III, iii, 146-150

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Pride, Envy and Jealousy

• The primary speech associated with jealousy is
• beware my lord of jealousy
• It is the green eyed monster which doth mock
• The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in
  bliss
• who certain of his fate loves not his wronger,
• But O, what damned minutes tells he oer
• Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet fondly
  loves.
• III, iii, 163 169

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Jealousy

• By the close of Act III, the level of jealousy
  has risen to become blind jealousy
• Emilia Is not this man jealous?
• Des. I neer saw this before.
• Sure, theres some wonder in this handkerchief
• 
  III, iv, 93-94

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Subversion of order

• The Great Chain of Being
• As suggested previously, this is a medieval
  belief in a natural hierarchy. It is NOT
  something created by Shakespeare nor by the
  characters in Othello.
• The clearest example of this in Shakespeares
  language is
• Alas thrice-gentle Cassio!
• My advocation is not now in tune
• My lord is not my lord nor should I know him
• III, iv, 116 118

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Subversion of order

• It is clear that Iago is the agent of subversion
  but it is important to note that he is also in a
  state of blind envy and jealousy
• For I do suspect the lusty Moor
• Hath leaped into my seat. The thought whereof
• Doth like a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards
• And nothing can or shall content my soul
• Till I am evened with him wife for wife
• Or failing so, yet that I put the Moor
• At least into a jealousy so strong that judgment
  cannot cure. II, I, 289-296

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Subversion of order

• It is important to remember that there is the
  dramatic subversion carried out by Iago and also
  there a subversion of order in character.
• I am not what I am I, i, 65
• Virtue? A fig. Tis in ourselves that we are
  thus or thus I, iii, 318-319
• Reputation is an idle, and most false
  imposition oft got without merit, and lost
  without deserving. II, iii, 261-263
• And whats he then that says I play the
  villain? II, iii, 326
• My lord is not my lord nor should I know him,
• Were he in favour as in humour altered. III,
  iv, 118-119

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Transgression

• Key concept linked with natural order
• To transgress is to go against the natural, moral
  order
• Obvious Iago transgresses his role in society
  as Ancient (honourable post)
• Subtle Othello trangresses the social order of
  Venice, disrupts the life of a senator and
  marries outside his race

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Language and Imagery

• Students must be fully aware of the images of
• Disease and sickness
• Eating and consumption
• Acting and role-playing
• Art, charms and witchcraft
• Mercantilism
• In addition, you must be aware of the frequent
  references to honesty, virtue and reputation -
  the preoccupation with the place that an
  individual holds in society

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Further Developments

• Moving ahead, we should be aware in Act IV and V
  of developments in plot and character
• Othellos increasing level of jealousy driving
  him out of his mind (see Act IV, scene i)
• The dramatic conventions used to further Iagos
  plot (e.g. overheard conversations etc)
• The continued development of Desdemona as an
  Innocent.
• The use of Roderigo and the increasing levels of
  violence that Iago is prepared to employ.
• The development of the need for blood vengeance
  in Othello

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Recall Model Paragraph

• Introduction
• This is Venice, proclaims Senator Brabantio. His
  words sub-textually carry the implication that he
  is proud to be a citizen of a civilized,
  well-governed state. Othello has entered this
  sophisticated European world of Venice as a
  relatively unsophisticated outsider. At the
  commencement of the play, we as an audience see
  him as a man valued and honoured by those who
  matter in Venice. He enjoys a position of rare
  privilege at the very centre of the ceremonial
  and active life of his adopted State. Yet for all
  that, paradoxically, Othello is perceived as an
  outsider, and what acceptance he has is assured
  only as long as he abides by its unwritten yet
  inflexible social conventions.

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Recall Model Paragraph

• The choice of imagery, clearly meant to cause
  deep offence, as well as the crude form it takes,
  likening Othello to an animal known for its
  primitive brain and primitive sexual instincts is
  clearly intended to not only dehumanize but
  greatly distance Othello from Venetian culture.
  The imagery implicitly by its pointed focus on
  Desdemona as a white ewe serves through the use
  of colour contrast to call attention to the
  unsuitability of any such union. However, there
  is the further toxic insinuation that she is
  corrupting and debasing herself given as Iago
  (for his own convenience) sees as her higher and
  purer humanity through entering a sexual
  relationship with the Moor. Linguistically, the
  choice of verb tupping (given that tup is
  another term for the male of sheep, reinforces
  the perceived animality of African sexualty, and
  its employed use in its present tense form is
  tupping presses upon us and reinforces the
  prejudicial perception that engaging in the sex
  act is a principal preoccupation taking
  precedence over other more important priorities.

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Your Turn
For I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leaped into
my seat. The thought whereof Doth like a
poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards And nothing
can or shall content my soul Till I am evened
with him wife for wife Or failing so, yet that I
put the Moor At least into a jealousy so strong
that judgment cannot cure. II, I, 289-296

• Write a short analysis on the following extract,
  examining the dramatic presentation of Iago as a
  villain.
• Checklist
• Topic Sentence
• Identify technique
• Analyse effects
• Link to point