• Why is OTHELLO still performed?… studied?…
appropriated?... discussed?....???
• Are the events in the play even relevant in today’s
world?
• How do the characters sustain their ‘timeless’
appeal?
• Have the values, attitudes and beliefs (explored in
the play) changed during the last 400 years?
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• Agreement
• Harmony
• The way it
“fits”
together
Clear
Rational
Consistent
Reasonable
Believable
relevant
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Method
Play
Script
Structure
construction
O The unity of a text; its coherent use of form and
language to produce an integrated whole in terms of
meaning and value. (p 100)
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Language features
Literary devices
Dramatic techniques
Style
Register
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Believable
Realistic
No inconsistent actions or
reactions
Complete narrative
Everything “fits” and makes
sense – even the
ambiguous bits 
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Ideas and their importance
Worthiness of knowing the
characters
Relevance of the actions
and consequences
Merit
usefulness
O the features and elements of a text =
O Language features
O Poetic devices
O Structure
O Social/cultural values, beliefs and attitudes
O Religious vs secular laws
O The symbolism of the handkerchief
O Elizabethan (religious conflict) values and context
O Contrasting images / characters
O Characterisation
O Dramatic techniques
• Consistent and
“realistic & human”
characters
O the extent to which it may
possess an overall unity =
• Believable sequence
(and consequences) of
events
– when they’re all
put together..
How important are
all these things…
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Language features
Poetic devices
Structure
Themes / events / settings
Values, beliefs and attitudes
Religious symbolism and laws
Elizabethan (religious conflict)
values and context
The symbolism of the
handeerchief
contrasting images / characters
Characterisation
Dramatic techniques…
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• Relevant & “timeless”
values, attitudes,
beliefs and issues
…in giving
the play
its…
• Valid, interesting,
controversial and
ongoing appeal to
different audiences,
directors and actors
So…
O Literary students and academics – people who are
educated and “cultured” – people who like to go to the
theatre – English teachers – historians – play and film
directors – actors – and, other people who like to argue
over what things (texts) “really” mean – all these people
- they all…
…LUUUUUURRRRVE TO ARGUE… (and sound very intelligent)
ABOUT WHAT THEY EACH THINK ABOUT
THE “REAL”, TRUE NATURE OF
THE CHARACTERS AND EVENTS IN OTHELLO!!!
In simple 21st-Century-teenage, non-board-of-studies,
non-English-syllabus-jargon and plain-English-terms…
Think of Shakespeare’s OTHELLO as being the
cause of arguments between readers (-- audiences
– directors – and, actors) in the same way that 21st
Century texts cause you to “argue” with a friend (or
frenemy) about things like:
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Sparks “discussions” / arguments /
debates about things like:
O The book is so much more
“believable” and powerful
than the film
O The film is not consistent
with the book!
O Katniss seems like a total
b*%@ in the film – whereas,
in the book, that’s not her
character at all!
O Team Peter!!!… tots 
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Sparks “discussions” / arguments / debates about things
like:
O Kristen Stewart is a hopeless actress and is nothing like
how Bella should be portrayed!
O Team Edward!
O All the characters are so superficial and one-dimensional!!
None of them are believable at all!
O I hate how all the supporting characters (especially the
teenagers) are so stereotyped and “predictable”…
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OTHELLO… ???
Shakespeare uses dramatic and language techniques to make responders develop and
form their own opinions, reactions and conclusions about the “true” nature
(interpretation) of:
• The characters: their “true” natures
and individual agendas;
It would seem that Shakespeare has
deliberately and carefully
• the MOTIVATIONS of the events;
written the play
• the consequences of the events;
so that the “truth” is ambiguous…
this ambiguity is the thing that ensures that
• the conflict between values and the
human “flaws”;
you – and other readers - actors – directors –
artists – students…
• The social and cultural divisions
• the sexual desires, relationships and
conflicts among the characters;
• Etc… etc… etc…
…will continue to “argue” about the play for a
long time to come!
This is the thing… that ensures its lasting
appeal!
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A writer needs to have DEEP INSIGHT AND HIGHLY-DEVELOPED
SKILL in:
O language
O narrative structure
O characterisation
O motifs
O lexical chains
O imagery
O irony – juxtaposition – connotation – metaphor and symbolism…
etc…
to be able to successfully develop numerous of levels of ambiguity
(and certainty of “truth”) in the characters and their relationships.
If a composer is NOT highly skilled in this aspects of writing– the
text will have NO textual integrity!
The text will just be undeveloped, confusing, and/or un-believable!
Which means no-one would even bother discussing it…
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