Task 2

According to the article, where does the texts tragedy spring from?
misunderstanding and miscommunication.

How does Iago manipulate Othello?

Posing leading questions and withholding information, Iago manipulates Othello’s insecurities about his new marriage to Desdemona. Even though Iago uses arachnid imagery to describe his own plotting, Iago’s whisperings in fact transform Othello into a spider. Othello spins a ‘web’ from self-loathing and faulty logic.

The handkerchief

What two things does the article believe the handkerchief represents?

They were displayed as fashionable ornaments or ostentatiously dropped to prompt men gallantly to retrieve them. They were also exchanged symbolically as lovers’ gifts during courtship, and could even be used as evidence of a binding commitment to marriage if betrothal was contested.

What does the pattern on the handkerchief represent?

Its web-like pattern of the handkerchief gives it inflated meaning.

The Venetian ‘state of mind’

How does the play Othello characterise Venice?

It characterizes it similarly to how it was viewed by people at the time.

What did the Venetians have an appetite for?

the scandalous

How did John Leo view Africans and why is this a significant difference to Venetian's?

Joannes Leo’s casting of ‘the African’ as ‘most honest’ and ‘high minded’. It is a counterpoint to the Venetian desire for salacious statements.

War

Why does this section believe misunderstanding is inevitable?

Because there is a lot of miscommunication between the characters.

Gender

In the play, what do Venetian men have little grasp of?

the ‘true’ character of their womenfolk; men cannot see women for who they ‘really’ are

What is Emilia's function?

to go against the idea of what women should be like and bring the frustrations of women to attention

Summarise this section from a feminist perspective.

Men and women fail to understand each other and never really make the effort too as their attitudes are so internalised. Othello easily believes that Desdemona has been unfaithful because of social attitudes towards Venetian women ( that they were all promiscuous.) The only person in the play to openly challenge the way womens sexuality is viewed is Emilia who is frustrated that she is not listened to or understood.


'Let husbands know Their wives have sense like them; they see, and smell, And have their palates both for sweet and sour,
As husbands have. '

Critical approaches to Othello

What does Cinthio's collection of short stories explore?

explores the pros and cons of different kinds of love, especially within marriage. 

How does Shakespeare adapt Cinthio's tale in Othello?

Shakespeare’s  Iago is not driven by lust for Desdemona his motives are more ambiguous.Shakespeare introduces new characters,  Roderigo and Desdemona’s father Brabantio. He also refers directly to the Turks and Venetians.

Post colonialism

What is post colonialism?

It addresses the problems and consequences of the decolonization of a country.

What do post colonial readings focus on in the play?

It focuses on the plays representation of the Turks.

What real life event was the inspiration for the plays rising action?

Venice’s struggle during the 1570s with the Ottoman Empire for control of Cyprus.

Venice owned Cyprus from 1470 to 1569, but in 1571 Turkish forces seized the island. Later that year an alliance of Christian powers defeated the Turk in the battle of Lepanto.

How does the play undercut the Christian/Turkish binary?

 By making the play’s most villainous character a Venetian and its hero an outsider.

What are Brabantio and Desdemona fascinated by and why?

 Brabantio and Desdemona are fascinated by his strange stories. The Moor’s stories allow Desdemona to experience the delight found by many early modern readers in travel narratives that described the unexplored territories in Africa, the East and the New World.

New historicist reading: ‘far more fair than black’

What debate are new historicist critics currently having?

New historicist critics often debate whether or not race was a factor in early modern representations of non-English people.

What evidence is there that Othello was held in high esteem by other characters?

 Iago’s and Brabantio’s remarks in Act 1 exude what is today accepted as racism but the Duke’s pronouncement that Othello is ‘far more fair than black’ and Montano’s claim that ‘the man commands / Like a full soldier’ indicate the high esteem others have for him.

What references establish his liminal position in society?

References to Othello as black and a Moor, as well as his lack of understanding of Venetian customs, establish his liminal position in Venetian society.

Feminist reading: ‘a maiden never bold’

What is endogamous marriage?

Arranged marriage

What has changed in the audiences reading of the character of Desdemona since the plays original performances and the 20th century?

From the play’s earliest performances, audiences responded sympathetically to Desdemona’s struggle. After a 1610 production at Oxford, Henry Jackson recalled that Desdemona ‘entreated the pity of the spectators by her very countenance’ That changed in the late 20th century, however, when feminist critics underscored Desdemona’s initial independence and Emilia’s eventual strength, and outlined the ways both women – as well as the courtesan Bianca – were constrained by the male characters’ patriarchal suppositions.

What is the current feminist perspective on the play?

 That early modern England’s preoccupation with cuckoldry demonstrates a basic male insecurity about women’s sexuality.

Can you find evidence in the text to support this (include quotations)

Marxist reading: ‘’Tis the curse of service’

What are marxists critics concerned with?

concerned with the economic and psychological impact of early modern England’s hierarchical social system

What is the hierarchy (pecking order) in the play?

 The Duke and aristocratic members of the Venetian Senate give orders to Othello, who in turn commands his Lieutenant Cassio. Ensign Iago is subordinate to both. All three ostensibly serve out of loyalty to the state and for the status their military position brings, but they can be dismissed at the pleasure of their superiors

What have fuedal obligations of service been replaced with?

Capitalism

How many lines do Othello and Iago have?
Othello - 880
Iago- 1088

What is 'unusual' about this fact?
This is unusual as Othello is the protagonist of the play, the hero would usually be the most prominent 


What is the difference between a soliloquy and a monologue?
A monologue is a long speech during a conversation. A soliloquy is a character making a speech, usually when alone and sometimes directed at the audience.

What does the author believe is significant about how Shakespeare allocates these to both Iago and Othello?

Othello has only 2 soliloquy's in the play. Soliloquies create a bond between the character and the audience Iago has more soliloquies and therefore creates a stronger bond even though its not necessarily a positive one.Iago reveals his evil nature too the audience,he draws the audience in and the audience becomes complicit .

What is significant to the author about Iago's lines in Act1 Scene 3?
It adds to the tragedy of Othello because we know Iagos plot as he has told us but we are powerless to anything but watch the tragedy unfold.

What is unusual about the final act?
The scheming is now complete, the focus switched to Othello so that we can see the consequences of Iagos scheming. 

What does the author notice about Iago and Roderigo's interactions?
Iago dominates speech and uses skill full language to mock Roderigo whilst simultaneously using gaining him as an ally. Iago also reminds Roderigo in subtle ways that he is in charge.
At what points in the play does Block believe that Shakespeare uses prose intentionally?
When soldiers talk to each other , Iago speaks in prose when speaking to Cassio to appear a trustworthy fellow soldier.

Why does the author believe that verse reflects our true feelings?
The rhythm of iambic pentameter mimics a heartbeat.

What does the author believe is significant about Iago's use of iambic pentameter?
He uses it to deceive others to make them think he is emotional and sensitive. He uses it on Othello frequently making Iago appear honest and reasonable.

What does the author believe is Iago's final insult
Iago chooses to remain silent , Othello and the audience never find out Iago's motive.

Racism, Misogyny and Motiveless Malignity In Othello

What does Kiernan Ryan believe the play is a 'searing critique' of?
Racial and sexual injustice.

What evidence does Ryan provide to substantiate this view?
Because Desdemona and Othellos relationship falls apart due to ideas about race and sexuality that where ingrained into their society and therefore themselves. 

What does Ryan believe is Brabantio's main fear regarding Othello and Desdemona's relationship?
 Brabantio argues that treating inferiors as  equals means there’s nothing to stop the  underclass or  outcasts of society taking higher places and having power over us.

Which quotations are used to demonstrate that characters 'speech is infected with contempt for "the Moor"?
‘Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe’ 
‘the thick-lips'
'Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom / Of such a thing as thou' 
'Your son-in-law is far more fair than black’

What type of jealousy is shown to be the 'rule' in Venice?
Sexual jealousy 

What item does Ryan believe links the three couples?
The handkerchief 


Why does Ryan believe Iago is so successful in making Othello believe that Desdemona has been unfaithful?
Because Othello's insecurities are not only supported by Iago but by the society hes living in, he also shares a warped view of women and female sexuality with Iago and other men. 

Which two quotations does Ryan use to show this to be true?
 ‘I told him what I thought, and told no more / Than what he found himself was apt and true’
‘Demand me nothing; what you know, you know’

Summarise why Ryan believes that Iago DOES NOT possess 'motiveless malignity'.
He believes that Iago is not the fundamental or sole cause of the tragedy he just initiates it because Othello and Desdemona have made a mockery of the principles of social, sexual and racial hierarchy on which Iago's  identity and sense of self-worth depend , he creates a plot to put them back in the place he thinks they belong. Iago's flaws simply mirror the flaws in society. 

Othello Mock review

Othello is an honourable man and because of this he is admired and given a significant amount of status. The senate sent 'three several quests' to find Othello and its said that he has been 'hotly called for' by the Duke this emphasises Othello's importance to the Venetians. This adds to the tragedy of the play as he ultimately kills Desdemona because he believes its honourable to save other men from getting hurt by her, he almost sees it as if he is fulfilling his duty and taking back his military status by killing her both to protect honour  and the honour of future men. He sees killing Desdemona as another service to the state. But killing Desdemona marks his downfall and the loss of his honour.

“Desdemona is presented in the play as a sexual subject who hears and desires, and that desire is punished because the non-specular or non-phallic sexuality it displays is frightening and dangerous.”

Karen Newman: Femininity and the monstrous in Othello.

To what extent do you agree with this view? 

The only time Desdemona is spoken about by other characters is as a sexual object, Iago is crude about her and  Roderigo and Othello are obsessed with the idea of her. When Cassio innocently kisses her hand Iago sexualises it. Even though Desdemona is completely pure and cant even say the word 'whore' the male characters ignore this and create and over sexualised version of her to fit to their own ideas of what women are like. Because Desdemona cant understand thats shes being seen in this way she doesn't understand what  impression she creates by acting in certain way eg letting Cassio kiss her had or by asking Emilia to put the wedding sheets on the bed . The men in the play see her in a sexual way but when she actually acts like that she is punished for it, she is killed for having an affair that Othello has made up she has given up her life for him and adhered to everything he has told her to do but he still thinks that she is disloyal because he would rather listen to Iagos view of her than to Emilia - the person closest to her , because he already holds the view that women are deceitful . I don't think she's punished for being a promiscuous woman , I think she is killed for being an attractive woman that has been oversexualised by every man in the play to the point that its easier to kill her than to confront their own views about how they see women.

Desdemona and Emilia

What differences are there between Desdemona and Emilia?

Desdemona is a higher class and Emilia works for her this puts a social barrier in their relationship. Although they are close Emilia still has to fulfill her duties and obey Desdemona. Emilia is also a lot older than Desdemona, she is more wise and less niave and less passive towards her husband. They both have different attitudes towards men and love,Desdemona is more romantic whereas Emilia sees that it is flawed and unequal. 

Why do you think Emilia does not mention the handkerchief to Desdemona? Use what you hear in the video, as well as your own ideas. Consider the relationship between Iago and Emilia, as well as the relationship between Desdemona and Emilia.

Emilia doesn't mention the handkerchief to Desdemona because she sees it as a chance to make  her and Iagos relationship better. Emilia doesn't think the handkerchief is that important but she can see It is too Iago so sees it as an opportunity to gain his affection she doesn't think that it will have any large impact on Desdemona. Emilia and Desedemona also aren't very close its still a professional and unbalanced relationship it may seem an insignificant thing to tell Desdemona or it may make Emilia look unprofessional .