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Othello context

Published on Nov 28, 2015

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1.

Context and Tragedy

in Shakespeare's 'Othello'
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2.

First performance by the King's Men on November 1, 1604, at the court of James I

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3.

Iago (villain)
causes the downfall of Othello (tragic hero)

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4.

Based on a short story by Cinthio Giambattista Giraldi (1504-1574)

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5.

Othello (the Moor)

  • General of Venetian army
  • Respected but an outsider
  • Secretly marries a Venetian (Desdemona) 
  • Experienced in war and travel
  • Inexperienced in love
  • Moor (North African)
  • Noble but flawed
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6.

Venice

The action begins in civilized 
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7.

In Act 2 setting changes to CYPRUS
Island
Isolated
Lawless
location for O's downfall

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8.

Venice & Venetians

  • Wealthy & powerful 
  • Commercialism & materialism
  • Civillized
  • Law structures in place
  • Corruption & conflict through competition
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9.

Attitudes to Moors in Elizabethan society

  • Arab/Berber peoples north Africa
  • Considered outsiders in Venice
  • Labelled as violent, lustful & uncivillized
  • Racial stereotyping common
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10.

Shakespeare lived and wrote

during the Renaissance (16th & 17th century)
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11.

Renaissance art

inspired by classical poetry & philosophy
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12.

Aristotle

tragedy is noble, serious & dignified
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13.

Aristotelian Tragedy

a genre with specific features...
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14.

A Tragic Hero

is introduced with a high status
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15.

Theatrical conventions for a tragic hero

  • Hear about him before seeing him
  • He has greatness/nobility
  • He has a tragic flaw
The protagonist is someone of high estate; a prince or a king. He is like us – perhaps a bit different in his level of nobility so that we can both identify with him and admire him as a man as well as respect him for his high estate.

(www.nosweatshakespeare.com)
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16.

JEALOUSY

is one of Othello's fatal flaws
The protagonist has a ‘tragic flaw’ in his character which makes him contribute to his own destruction. This can take the form of an obsession. The flaw is often part of his greatness but it also causes his downfall. The flaw causes the protagonist to make mistakes and misjudgments.

(www.nosweatshakespeare.com)
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17.

Innocence

is another of Othello's fatal flaws
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18.

A tragic hero

struggles with his flaw(s)
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19.

Isolation and wrath

the lonely path the tragic hero takes
The tragic hero's fatal flaw begins to alienate him from his supporters so that he becomes isolated. He begins to fall from his high level.

(www.nosweatshakespeare.com)
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20.

PERIPETEIA

A turning point/reversal of fortune (caused by Iago)
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21.

Anagnorisis

TH has a moment of self recognition ( but too late!)
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22.

TH makes one last attempt to restore his greatness (hubris)

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23.

Death

of the tragic hero
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24.

Catharsis

Audience's pity and fear is relieved
An important aspect is the suffering he undergoes, which the audience observes and identifies with. We experience ‘pity’ and ‘terror’ as we watch what seems to us an avoidable suffering. At the end the air is cleared by the restoration of the order that existed before the events of the story and we experience what Aristotle calls ‘catharsis’ – a feeling of relief and closure.

(www.nosweatshakespeare.com)
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25.

Morality play

The fall from innocence
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26.

Other interpretations

  • Aristotelian tragedy
  • Domestic tragedy
  • Psychological drama
  • Morality play (fall from innocence)
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Chloe Edwards