The Othello Session
handout
Wednesday 22 January 14
oT h ello ’ s
source
Wednesday 22 January 14
“Un Capitano Moro” (A Moorish Captain)
by Cinthio from his book of stories
Gli Hecatommithi written in 1565
“The Tragedy of Othello,
the Moor of Venice”
by William Shakespeare
written in 1603
Wednesday 22 January 14
Main differences between Cinthio’s Tale
and Shakespeare’s Othello (1)
1 - In Cinthio’s tale The Evil Officer (Iago)
has a son. While Desdemona is holding this
son The Evil Officer steals the hankie.
2 - In Cinthio’s tale There is no Roderigo to
manipulate and no Bianca to take hankie from
the Brave Captain (Cassio)
Wednesday 22 January 14
Main differences between Cinthio’s Tale
and Shakespeare’s Othello (2)
3 - In Cinthio’s tale Othello pays The Evil
Officer (Iago) to kill the Brave Captain
(Cassio).
4 - In Cinthio’s tale Othello doesnt kill
anyb o dy. The Evi l O fficer (Iago) ki l l s
Desdemona. Othello is falsely accused by The
Evil Officer (Iago) and killed by Desdemona’s
family. The Evil Officer (Iago) dies after torture
for another false accusation.
Wednesday 22 January 14
themes analysed in the show
- RACISM
- Appearance vs. reality
- jealousy
- Manipulation
Wednesday 22 January 14
F i r s t theme : R a c i s m
1 - how is racism embedded in our language?
2 - what were the racial ideas existing in shakespeare’s day?
Wednesday 22 January 14
1 - how is racism embedded in our language? :
black
white
darkness
sons of darkness (demons)
dark thoughts
black hearted
black sheep
blackmail
blacklist
black magic
black market
the dark side (star wars)
light
sons of light (angels)
to enlighten
illumination
white dress (innocence / virginity)
whiter than white (honesty)
fair (a synonym of white)
white magic
a white lie
gandalf the white (lotr)
DUKE
“ If virtue no delighted beauty lack,
You son-in-law is far more fair than black.” (I, iii, 289-290)
Wednesday 22 January 14
2 -What were the racial ideas existing in Shakespeare’s
day? (1) :
“...the divell the shape of a black moore, and as he
saith, he used to appear to Mawd Cruse”
Reginald Scott, The Disco very of Witchcraft, 1584
“Whomsoever they find but talking with their wives
they presently go about to murther them…by reason
of jealousie…”
John Leo’s History and Description of Africa
(trans. 1600; Othello was written in 1603-04)
“…it would be something monstrous to conceive
this beauti ful Venetian girl falling in love with
a veritable negro.” Samuel Taylor Coleridge,
Lectures and Notes on Shakespeare, 1812
Wednesday 22 January 14
2 -What were the racial ideas existing in Shakespeare’s
day? (2 - about Witchcra ft) :
BRABANTIO
“Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her!
For I’ll refer me to all things of sense,
If she in chains of magic were not bound
(Act I, Sc ii, 63 - 65)
BRABANTIO
“She is abused, stol'n from me, and corrupted
By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks.
...Sans witchcra ft could not.” (Act I, Sc iii, 60 - 64)
OTHELLO
“This only is the witchcra ft I have used”
(Act I, Sc iii, 169)
Wednesday 22 January 14
jAnus:
Roman god of beginnings
and transitions, doors
and time. he is depicted with two faces.
the name of the month of january
(beginning of the year) comes from him.
Wednesday 22 January 14
CLINK!
Wednesday 22 January 14
s e c o n d theme: appearance vs. reality
1 - what characters in the play are led by iago to misunderstand
what they see and how?
2 - which is the only character that truly is what they appear to be
in the play?
3 - what are the rhetorical devices used to introduce this theme in
the play?
Wednesday 22 January 14
1 - What cha racters i n the play a re led by Iago
to m i su nderstand what they s e e and how?
IAGO about OTHELLO:
"The Moor is of a free and open nature
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so" (Act 2 Sc i, 391-2)
IAGO about RODERIGO:
“Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:
For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane,
If I would time expend with such a snipe...” (Act 1 Sc iii, 355-357)
Wednesday 22 January 14
2 - Which i s the on ly cha racter that tru ly i s
what they app e a r to b e i n the play?
ANSWER:
CUASIMODA (I f you watched ou r
show then you know who we m e an!)
Wednesday 22 January 14
3 - WHAT ARE THE RHETORICAL DEVICES USES TO
INTRODUCE THE THEME OF APPEARANCE VS. REALITY?
IRONY: Irony is as a contrast, between reality (what is) and appearance (what seems to be).
DRAMATIC IRONY: When information is
given to the audience but not to some of the
characters:
SITUATIONAL IRONY: When the
result of an action is contrary to the
desired or expected effect:
OTHELLO
EMILIA
Cassio, my lord, hath killed a young Venetian
Called Roderigo.
Honest Iago, that look'st dead with grieving
(Act 2, Sc iii, 150)
CASSIO
Good night,
honest Iago. (Act 2, Sc iii, 283)
VERBAL IRONY: A contrast between
what a character says and what he
clearly means.
IAGO
O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
(Act 3, Sc iii.192)
Wednesday 22 January 14
OTHELLO
Roderigo killed? And Cassio killed!
EMILIA
No, Cassio is not killed.
OTHELLO
Not Cassio killed! Then murder’s out of tune,
And sweet revenge grows harsh. (Act 5, Sc ii, 114-113)
“The Green-Eyed
Monster” Theme:
Jealousy
Wednesday 22 January 14
SOME QUOTATIONS ON
JEALOUSY FROM THE PLAY
IAGO
“I hate the Moor:
And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets
He has done my office...” (Act I, Sc iii, 323 - 325)
IAGO
“For that I do suspect the lusty Moor
Hath leap'd into my seat; the thought whereof
Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards;
...yet that I put the Moor
At least into a jealousy so strong
That judgment cannot cure.” (Act II, Sc i, 220-227)
Wednesday 22 January 14
third THEME: jealousy
1 - explain in modern terms the following two quotes.
2 - how does shakespeare use poison as imagery to represent
jealousy?
3 - what is the symbolism of the handkerchief in relation to this
theme?
Wednesday 22 January 14
1 - Expla i n i n m o dern term s thes e quotes:
QUOTE 1: IAGO
Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on. (Act 3, Sc,iii, 170-172)
Explanation: - Green: Greek belief that Jealousy produce too much bile in the
body turning the jealous person to a greenish colour. -- “...doth mock the meat it feeds on”: Jealousy makes people hate the person
they love.
QUOTE 2: EMILIA
But jealous souls will not be answer'd so;
They are not ever jealous for the cause,
But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster
Begot upon itself, born on itself. (Act 3, Sc iV, 147-150)
Explanation: Jealous people dont need a reason to be jealous, they just are.
Jealousy feeds itself.
Wednesday 22 January 14
2 - How does Shakespeare use Poison as imagery to represent Jealousy?
Verbal Uses: (simple metaphor)
1 - IAGO: “Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight” (Act 1, Sc i, 68)
2 - IAGO:
“...the thought whereof
Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards” (Act 2, Sc II, i, 296-297)
Linking Jealousy and Manipulation:
3 - IAGO: “I'll pour this pestilence into his ear,” (Act 2, Sc iii, 356)
4 - IAGO:
“The Moor already changes with my poison.
Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons” (Act 3, Sc iii, 325-327)
Real use of poison
(Irony in that Iago -the real poisoner- offers an alternative way of killing Desdemona)
5 - OTHELLO:
“Get me some poison, Iago; this night...”
IAGO Do it not with poison, strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated”. (Act 4, Sc i, 204-208)
Wednesday 22 January 14
3- What is the symbolism of the
handkerchief in relation to this theme?
OTHELLO
She told her, while she kept it, 'Twould make her amiable and subdue my father Entirely to her love, but if she lost it Or made gift of it, my father's eye Should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt After new fancies. (Act 3, Sc iv, 55-63)
“The worms were hallow'd that did breed the silk; And it was dyed in mummy which the skilful Conserv'd of maidens' hearts.” (Act 3, Sc iv, 69-75)
The Handkerchief represents Desdemona’s virginity and fidelity (connection
with the blood of virgins that made the red-pattern on it).
The Handkerchief works as one of the biggest ironies in the play: It was
originally given to Desdemona as a pledge of Othello’s love but later
becomes a symbol of The Moor’s insecurity, lack of trust and jealousy.
Wednesday 22 January 14
theme 4:
manipulation
Wednesday 22 January 14
the
game game
Wednesday 22 January 14
CHESS
Wednesday 22 January 14
THE WHOLE PLAY CAN BE SEEN AS
A GAME OF CHESS PLAYED BY IAGO
1 - IAGO TRIES TO ACHIEVE POWER BY PLAYING
ON THE OPPONENT’S WEAKNESSES, SAME AS
IN CHESS.
2 - O T H E L LO WO U L D B E T H E K I NG ,
DESDEMONA THE QUEEN, CASSIO THE KNIGHT,
IAGO HIMSELF A BISHOP, EMILIA, RODERIGO,
BIANCA COULD BE PAWNS, THE NOBLES, THE
DUKE WOULD BE THE TOWER, THE ROOK.
3 - I AG O MOV E S TH E PI EC E S TH ROUGH
MANIPULATION. HE THINKS A FEW MOVES IN
ADVANCE, HE CAN IMPROVISE IF THINGS DONT
GO ACCORDING TO PLAN, HIS STRATEGY
INVOLVES SEVERAL PIECES AND HE CONSIDERS
THE PROS AND CONS OF SACRIFICING PIECES.
Wednesday 22 January 14
reversi
Wednesday 22 January 14
Wednesday 22 January 14
IAGO
Cassio
roderigo
the honorable cassio fights with roderigo
and is exposed by iago to othello
Wednesday 22 January 14
IAGO
Cassio
roderigo
cassio looses his reputation
Wednesday 22 January 14
Cassio
desdemona
IAGO
an ‘affair’ is suggested between the chaste
desdemona and the now disreputed cassio by iago
Wednesday 22 January 14
Cassio
desdemona
IAGO
in othello’s eyes desdemona has betrayed
him by being unfaithful to him
Wednesday 22 January 14
desdemona
IAGO
othello
Cassio
when the affair is ‘proved’ othello’s jealousy and
the fear to loose his reputation become impossible
to control
Wednesday 22 January 14
desdemona
IAGO
othello
Cassio
by killing desdemona othello seals his destiny and
fulfills the prejudice towards black men
existing back in those days.
Wednesday 22 January 14