THEMES IN OTHELLO

TRAGEDY AND THE TRAGIC HERO CONVENTIONS OF A TRAGEDY Tragic hero Person of noble standing (Othello) Fatal flaw (jealousy/ insecurity) Something rises up against him (Iago) Loss of reason (Irrational belief in Desdemona’s adultery) Redemption Apparent order in society Venice Civilised Social structure flawed (Desdemona against her father) Chaos Cyprus Poisoning of Othello Othello loses reason Realisation and Redemption Sacrifice (Desdemona killed) Tragic hero realises his mistake Asks for forgiveness Hero dies

VIRTUE VERSUS VICE DEFINITION OF THE WORDS THE VIRTUES IN THE PLAY CHARACTERS ASSOCIATED WITH VIRTUES OR WHO PORTRAY THEM THE VICES IN THE PLAY CHARACTERS ASSOCIATED WITH VICES OR WHO PORTRAY THEM ELIZABETHAN VIEW OF VIRTUE AND VICE Virtue : the quality of goodness, living a good life Vice: the quality of evil, harming or hurting others Loyalty, honesty, service, obedience, perseverance, keeping one’s word, harmlessness, devotion, love, honour Loyalty (Desdemona, Cassio, Emelia) honesty,(Cassio, Desdemona) service, (Cassio, Emelia) obedience, (Desdemona?) perseverance, (Desdemona, Cassio) keeping one’s word (Desdemona) Question: Does Othello have any virtues? Lying, jealousy, manipulation, maligning others, desire to harm, vengefulness, anger, hatred, infatuation, irresolute Lying, jealousy, manipulation, maligning others, desire to harm, vengefulness, anger, hatred, desire or lusting (Iago, Othello, Roderigo) For every virtue and for every vice there is a consequence

HONOUR AND DISHONOUR The quality of knowing and doing what is right, moral and good. Acclaim. Respect DEFINITION: WHO IS HONOURABLE? HOW IS HONOUR THWARTED? WHO IS DISHONOURABLE? MOTIVES FOR DISHONOUR HOW IS HONOUR REDEEMED? Desdemona to Othello. Her father? Othello? In the beginning. Emelia. Cassio? Iago destroys the reputation of Cassio as honourable. Poisons Othello and destroys his honour. Iago. Othello – does he lose his honour? Roderigo Iago: jealousy, evil nature. Roderigo – weak and shallow man who is controlled by his passions. Othello – beguiled by Othello. Emelia – lies to Desdemona Othello – kills himself, asks for pardon from Cassio. Emelia – dies for the truth.

POWER STRUGGLES WHO IS POWERFUL? HOW IS POWER MAINTAINED The hierarchy establishes power. Duke, senators Patriarchal society – men have authority over women (property) Military power – General , lieutenants. WHO IS POWERFUL? HOW IS POWER MAINTAINED THE MANIPULATION OF POWER HOW AND WHY DO CHARACTERS FALL FROM POWER HOW AND WHY DO CHARACTERS RISE IN POWER Tradition. Roles fixed and established. Who manipulates power- upsets the balance? Desdemona eloping – overturns her father’s power Iago works to . Othello : Manipulated and deceived by Iago. Why? Iago’s power of language and suggestion, his reputation, fortune plays against him and into the hands of Iago, his insecurity and jealousy, his lack of experience in love. Cassio. Iago Why? Iago is jealous of his promotion, Iago hates his “daily beauty” , he is a cog in Iago’s plan to destroy Othello. He has his own weakness- drinking. Iago – luck, exploitation of others, able to read characters and contexts well. Cassio – after Othello’s death he moves into his position. In line with the convention of a tragedy.

JUSTICE DEFINITION OF THE WORD ELIZABETHAN VIEW OF JUSTICE HOW DOES JUSTICE UNFOLD IN THE PLAY IS THERE INJUSTICE? Enactment of the law, the quality of being fair. There is a natural enactment of justice in the universe. Cause and effect. Wrong deeds will be followed by bad consequences. Good deeds will be rewarded. No one escapes from this chain of events. Look at the convention of a tragedy. Othello has a fatal flaw – he is led into madness and commits crimes in that madness. He pays for these crimes with his life. This needs to be so as he is the tragic hero. Desdemona betrays her father. He later dies of a broken heart. In Elizabethan terms her death, while being a sacrifice, is justified. Emelia dies because of her betrayal in stealing the handkerchief and lying to Desdemona later about its whereabouts. Cassio remains loyal so he is rewarded at the end. Roderigo dies because of his foolishness and his willingness to commit murder. On could argue against Desdemona and Emelia dying.

RACISM DEFINITION RACISM IN OTHELLO :THE CONCEPT OF DIFFERENCE /OTHER noun the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. "theories of racism" prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. DEFINITION RACISM IN OTHELLO :THE CONCEPT OF DIFFERENCE /OTHER IMAGERY OF BLACK/ WHITE CHARACTERS WHO SPEAK IN RACIAL TERMS Othello is seen as “different” – not from Venice, but he is esteemed because of his value as a general. Throughout the play black is used to symbolise evil and white goodness. Connotations of savagery with black people (Duke “Your son in law is far more fair than black”. However, not everyone shares that view – Brabantio will not allow the marriage, speaks of witchcraft and the union being “unnatural”/ Iago –extremely racist – black ram is tupping your white ewe/ Roderigo refers to “thick lips” / as Othello is exposed for the murder he is referred to a “slave” - prejudice that slaves are murderers.

LOVE WHAT KINDS OF LOVE ARE PORTRAYED IN THE PLAY? THE NATURE OF LOVE BETWEEN - OTHELLO AND DESDEMONA Tragic love Desdemona: Idealised love – The hero, warrior, pure, undying, long suffering, sacrificial Othello: captured by love, full of passion, superstitious, EMELIA AND IAGO Love of convenience Iago – cynical about love, uses his wife, sexual relationship, base, unequal terms, suspicious, jealous. Emelia- cynical about love, feels she needs to buy her husband’s favour. IAGO AND OTHELLO Othello – considers Iago his friend CASSIO AND OTHELLO CASSIO AND DESDEMONA CASSIO AND BIANCA DESDEMONA AND EMELIA RODERIGO AND DESDEMONA