Antony & Cleopatra VS Othello!
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On first thought, this assertion is essentially true; Othello is
portrayed to be only a domestic tragedy whereas the lives of Antony
and Cleopatra intertwine with key events in history. However, this
statement doesn’t do either of these plays any justice. Othello
deals with universal issues that are still hugely important in todays
society, and Antony and Cleopatra is at it’s most powerful when we
experience the intensity and consequences of love between two
individuals. The two plays contrast widely in setting, structure and
plot, but deep in the heart of them both is the crucial theme that
links them together-love.
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
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There is no doubt that Othello is a tale of revenge and jealousy, but
we can see that the central theme of love plays a huge role. Right
from the opening scenes of the play, Shakespeare makes it crystal
clear to us how pure the love between Othello and Desdemona truly is
in a variety of clever ways. Othello frequently displays nothing but
utmost love and respect towards his “soul’s joy!” Desdemona and is
ss
quite at ease to share his feelings and prove his love for her to the
ss
others. For example, when he tells us, that he would,
"Climb hills of seas
Olympus-high, and duck again as low
as hell's from heaven."
Don’t use centring
– try to use same
layout as in text
This emphasises the extent of his love, as he is not normally one to
Or to use
speak metaphorically, whereas here, he tries his best to explain how
hyperbole
– unlike
he really feels.

some we know!
We can see that this love is mutual also, as Desdemona betrays her
father to marry Othello. At this time, it was frowned upon, and
There is
somewhat forbidden for two individuals of such severly different
textual evidence
cultural backgrounds to marry. This highlights how much she wants to of this disapproval
Do you just
be with Othello when she is willing to tarnish her reputaion and hurtin both plays!
ignore
spellchecker? her father.
Throughout the course of the play, the power of their love is
condemned many times by several people, but yet they fight it and
remain together.
This parallels closely to the love of Antony and Cleopatra as they What is
are both from contrasting walks of life and it is also frowned upon frowned on
and who by?
by many important figures in the play.

?
Evidence
always helps.
We see that Antony is so absorbed in his love for Cleopatra that he
betrays his wife and deserts his duties without giving it a second
thought.
These actions taken to pursue love are slightly more drastic than
those in Othello, and this could be said to illustrate the fact that
Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy on a much bigger scale than
Othello.
Regardless of the contrast between the scales of events in the two
plays, it is absolutely clear that both Othello and Antony are
affected by love in similar ways.
 Good point –
you need to prove
it though.
Antony’s actions
here cause
international
warfare that tears
the Roman
Republic apart!
 What is this saying about the nature of
in these
plays though?
Antony and Othello are portrayed totragedy
us to
be great,
strong characters
who are relied upon by many others, but, in the plays, we really only
ever see them when they’re at their weakest – impulsive and
irrational.
What has
This causes them to do foolish things that they would never even
made them this
way?
consider doing previously. Shakespeare makes it extremely clear to us
that Othello wouldn’t be susceptible to Iago’s manipulations if he
wasn’t so madly in love with Desdemona, as before, we knew that he
was a strong willed man who could overcome nearly anything. As Iago
tells us, QUOTE! But, as the play progresses, we can see his shocking
transformation from sensible, loving husband to an insanely jealous
killer.
?
NNP
It is important
that Iago tells us
this (assuming
you find a
suitable quote!)
– even though
Iago hates
Othello, he
cannot help but
sing his praises.
NNP

Antony is shown many a time to let his heart rule his head without
thinking of the harm he is doing and the consequences he will have to
face.
An obvious example of this is when he tells Caesar that he will fightOr you could
quote
at sea with him. This is utterly foolish of him as he has no real
experience of fighting at sea and Cleopatra’s ships are half as goodEnobarbus
counselling
as Caesars. QUOTE!
against fighting
at sea – or
bringing Cleo
along.
This highlights not only the fact that they have no real chance of
winning, and that even the most loyal of people are beginning to lose
faith in Antony as he is completely blinded by his love and lust for
Cleopatra.
One of the interesting things about the love shared between the
couples in both of the plays, is that their social status has nothing
to do with how they feel about one another – It can be said that
their relationships are universal to all of us.

NNP
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However, one of the sharpest contrasts between Othello and Antony and
Cleopatra is the way in which their love is poisoned.
Unlike Othello, Antony and Cleopatra’s love is in no way poisoned by
a third party - It is they themselves that cause the harm. Their love
is fueled by blind passion and neither of the two is able to see how
bad they really are for eachother.
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Essentially, it is obvious that due to the difference in the scale of
events in each of the plays, Antony and Cleopatra is always thought
to be the more important of the two tragedies. However, in my
opinion, the power of love between the couples rises above the events
and is of greater importance. Therefore, as the love in both plays is
so intense and meaningful, I feel that it is fair to say that both
plays are of the same significance.
You’re arguing
about slightly
the wrong thing
here. Remember
to focus on the
You have
nature of
established that
tragedy in these
O is brought
Even though both plays are similar in a variety of ways, there is no two plays.
down by spite
Also – has far
denying that the structures contrast a great deal. In Antony and
of third party
larger cast than
while A&C are Cleopatra, Shakespeare has created a very loose structure where the
O and jumps
destroyed by
erratically from
acts and scenes vary in length. It may be said that this has to be
excess of
one location to
passion or wider done to a certain extent in order to incorporate the important
another –
historical
historical events. The hectic structure reflects clearly on the chaos sometimes
events. I would
delivering
only
You’re
making
of their relationship and the sheer scale of events. In Othello,
continue on this
or
two
lines
points in
however, the structure is extremely different as it is very tight andgood
vein;
Rome
before
here
but it’s
all
highlighting the controlled and reflects on the meticulous planning of Iago. Also, thea bit
jumping
back to
too vague
importance of
Egypt
.
some
structure is driven by Iago’s lust for revenge and he is portrayed – give
Iago and
examples of
to be, by Shakespeare, a much more important character than Othello. what
looking at
Comparative
you mean
structure only to After all, it is him who triggers the whole chain of events, and in byuse
ofor loose
tight
explore how it
soliloquy?
structure. Give
emphasises this the end causes the tragedy. Not only is Iago the catalyst for the
us some Iago
events, but Shakespeare also uses him very cleverly to give us an
difference
quotes!
between the two insight into what is actually going to happen in the play. Iago is in
tragedies.

NNP
nearly every scene, and those that he isn’t in, we see clearly his
treacherous influence.

In Antony and Cleopatra, we are given no clues what so ever by
Shakespeare and throughout the play, we never know what either Antony
or Cleopatra are thinking. This therefore creates tension on what we
actually know, whereas in Othello, dramatic irony is abundant and it
is this that creates the majority of the suspense.
Whole
paragraph
is too
vague!
This again could be said to convey the fact that Antony and Cleopatra
is the greater of the two tragedies as the tension created in the
play actually relies on the world events, not the manipulation of a
third party.
Whole
paragraph
is too
wrong!
You will
create a
greater air of
professional
detachment if
you use we or
the audience.
From reading both Othello and Antony and Cleoptra I have learnt a
number of things, primarily that love can corrupt and ultimately
destroy even the purest of people. Whether done by a third party or
the individuals themselves, love can be poisoned. If the love shared
between the couples in both plays was not so important, it would be
very fair to state that Antony and Cleopatra is the greater of the
two tragedies. However, in my opinion, the key theme of love in the
plays has a much greater significance than the other themes.
Therefore, I feel that it is fair to say that both plays are equal.
Some good, intelligent criticism. Did I only count one quote though?
What is the nature of the tragedies? Shakespeare’s audiences
expected to see great people brought low by their own faults. This
works for A&C who give in to unbridled passion – we are all
susceptible to lust though so despite their royal trappings, their
tragedy does seem a fairly universal one. Despite its deceptively
simple plot, Othello is in many ways the more complex tragedy. O is
a general but not a ruler, he is also an outsider so he is of lower
status than most tragic heroes, further, is it his own faults that
bring him low? Trust and love are generally considered virtues but
these are the weaknesses that Iago exploits in him.
I look forwards to seeing this enhanced and completed essay on
Friday!
But what does
this say about
the nature of
the tragedies?