OTHELLO
Historical context
Geography
Othello takes place in two countries:
– Venice, Italy
– Cyprus
The Republic of Venice existed from
727-1797.
– It is located in present-day Italy.
http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcitaly.htm
Geography (cont’d)
Venice controlled the island of Cyprus
from 1489-1570.
– The island was a place for commerce
and a good location for the Venetian
fleet in the eastern part of the
Mediterranean Sea.
Cyprus was lost to the Turks in 1571.
Cyprus is located east of Italy, in the
Mediterranean Sea. It is just south of Turkey.
http://geography.about.com/library/cia/nccyprus.htm
h
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eu.htm
Geography in the Play Othello
Othello is asked to help defend
Cyprus against the Ottoman Turks.
Desdemona accompanies Othello to
Cyprus.
– It is unusual that a woman would go with
her husband on military business.
Types of People in Othello
Venetians
– Most are noblemen and women
(Brabantio, Desdemona, Roderigo)
– Also, there are the nobles’ servants
(Emilia)
– Some are soldiers (Othello, Cassio,
Iago)
– Others are part of Venetian government
(the Duke)
Types of People (cont’d)
Moors
–Black nomadic people of the
northern shores of Africa, originally
the inhabitants of Mauretania
–Converted to Islam in the 8th
century
Moors (cont’d)
–Invaded Spain in 711 and
dominated until the 11th century
–had great dynasties up until 1492,
when the last of their cities was
conquered by Spain
–virtually exterminated by Spain
during the Inquisition (late 1400s1820)
Moors (cont’d)
Othello is a Moor
– Discriminated against because of his race
(black)
– Othello has been accepted in some ways
because he is a Christian and a military
genius
– Yet his marriage to Desdemona reflects the
prevailing view toward interracial marriage.
Works Cited
Chronological History of Cyprus. 2001. Ege
Universitesi. 9 Feb. 2005 <http://bornova
.ege.edu.tr/~ncyprus/cyp1.html>.
Derhak, Dean. Muslim Spain and European Culture.
2000. Muslim Spain and European Culture. 9 Feb.
2005 <http://www.xmission.com/~dderhak/
index/moors.htm>.
Shakespeare, William. Othello. New York: Putnam,
Inc.1963.
The Venetian Period in Cyprus. 2001. Ege
Universitesi. 9 Feb. 2005 <http://bornova
.ege.edu.tr/~ncyprus/venedik.html>.