Explore Othello characters, learn their roles, and explore an Othello character analysis to see how each character contributes to different themes. Like the Greek heroes, Othello can confront this fate only with the best of his humanity. A Christian Moor and general of the armies of Venice, Othello is an eloquent and physically powerful figure, respected by all those around him. Why does Iago hate Cassio? Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army. What reason does Iago give for his hatred of Othello? After many years on campaign, Othello has come to live in Venice, among the sophisticated people of the city. When Iago first informs Othello of Desdemona's alleged affair with his friend, Cassio, Othello becomes very emotional. Cassio functions mainly to move the plot forward by inadvertently becoming a pawn in Iago's plan. Shakespeare's Othello is a Moor, a Black man - indeed, one of the first Black heroes in English literature. Instant downloads of all 1748 LitChart PDFs Mere insinuations are enough to play on Othello's lack of self-confidence and drive him to ruin. Watch on. Othello is a man of contradiction: on the battlefield, he is a great leader, decisive in action, and well-respected by his peers, while within Venetian society, he acts with caution due to his status as a racial and cultural outsider. He narrates his military past, the glory and the pain, with eloquence, passion, and humility. Learn more about Shakespeare, his theater, and his plays from the experts behind our editions. On the field of battle Othello is skilled and triumphant; in the drawing room he is reluctant until Desdemona takes the lead and encourages him to tell his life story. The . Desdemona, a Venetian lady. Her anxiety about it increases when Othello asks her for it and then sternly rebukes her when she cannot produce it. In the dark streets of Cyprus, Roderigo attacks Cassio, who, uninjured, stabs Roderigo. He is one of the Venetians who arrive on Cyprus after Othellos victory, in his case bringing the news of Brabantios death. Desdemona anxiously waits for Othello. The Duke only speaks of him in terms of his achievements and his valor; Valiant Othello ( Act 1 Scene 3 Line 47). The main characters are Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Roderigo, Cassio, Emilia, and Brabantio. Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 177 Close reading of Shakespeare is not a new concept. Sometimes it can end up there. Latest answer posted April 07, 2021 at 11:18:50 AM. Use the Folger Method to teach Othello. Othello is a man riddled with internal conflict and contradictions. Angry at having been passed over by Othello for promotion to the rank of lieutenant, and also because he seems to enjoy creating mayhem for its read analysis of Iago Desdemona Under pressure, he makes an inspiring speech. Othello - Analysis - English Advanced Year 11 - Critical Study of "Character Analysis of Shakespeare's Othello." In Act One, Scene 3, Othello articulately describes how he won Desdemona's affection by telling his riveting adventure stories to her. Othello's black skin stands out in the pearly. Contact us Iago uses this and other ploysmisinterpreted conversations, insinuations, and a lost handkerchiefto convince Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are lovers. Roderigo In Othello; Character Analysis Play By Shakespeare Es Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Othello. Cassio leaves hastily in order to avoid speaking with Othello. Othello gives Iago the duty of conveying Desdemona to Cyprus. Cassio has found Desdemonas handkerchief in his room (placed there by Iago) and he asks Bianca to copy the embroidery work for him. InOthello, William Shakespeare creates powerful drama from a marriage between the exotic Moor Othello and the Venetian lady Desdemona that begins with elopement and mutual devotion and ends with jealous rage and death. Othello's Characters Analysis: Othello, Iago, Desdemona, & More Iago finds it easy to drive Othello to jealousy and think that Desdemona loves another man because he already feels that her love for him is too good to be true. Brabantio and his armed band come to seize Othello, who persuades Brabantio to accompany him to the duke, where Othello has been summoned and where Brabantio can present his case against Othello for his theft of Desdemona. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/othello-character-analysis-2984779. Othello is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare and was first performed in 1603. The duke and the senators discuss the movements of the Turkish fleet and conclude that its target is, indeed, Cyprus. Jamieson, Lee. Iago has only to push Othello to the belief that he has been betrayed, and Othello does the rest, judging, condemning, and executing Desdemona. Whenever they look at his black face, however brilliant a general he is, he knows the others are thinking "Yes, but he is not really one of us." Submissive, and at the same time rebellious, Desdemona is a delight to analyze. 4. The First Musician playing the pipes is quite willing to cease playing when paid to do so. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Find teaching resources and opportunities. Desdemona is asleep in bed when Othello enters. Character Analysis Of Othello - UKEssays.com He has courage, intelligence, the skill of command, and the respect of his troops. A skilled and powerful general from North Africa, Othello is both admired and rejected by society. How does Emilia help Iago? It encompasses elements of tragedies such as: It ends with the death of numerous characters including the title character. He knows not of the wretched racist remarks made about him behind his back. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. Emilia picks it up and gives it to Iago, who has often asked for it. An essay about how Shakespeares plays were published, Actor Adrian Lester walks us through big moments in his illustrious career, including Cheek by Jowls all-male As You Like It and Peter Brooks Hamlet.. Learn more about the play, its language, and its history from the experts behind our edition. The color of his skin sets him apart from the white Venetians, who view him with a mixture of awe and wariness. Iago continues to torment Othello with vivid descriptions of Desdemonas alleged sexual activity. A further theme for discussion may be appearance vs reality, as we observe the chain of events unfold and reach their grizzly end when Othello dives deep into the pit of desperation, despite a total lack of disloyalty on his wife's behalf. F1s version of the play is about 160 lines longer than Q1, with some of those lines clustering into distinct passages that do not have an equivalent in Q1. (one code per order). Updated on July 28, 2019. July 4, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 He sends news to the Venetian Senate of the Turkish advance towards the island. Find out whats on, read our latest stories, and learn how you can get involved. She has evoked the wrath of her doting father, Brabanzio, by marrying Othello without his permission. Above all else, this Othello character analysis reveals that Shakespeare's Othello has gravitas. His theater troupe was adopted by King James as the King's Men in 1603. Cite. In contrast to his courageous, aggressive demeanor on the battlefield, Othello is romantic. In this play, it is Iago's jealousy of Cassio and Othello that is his fatal flaw. Iago works his magic to slowly cut away at Othello's confidence and strength. Othello is a Moorish military commander who was serving as a general of the Venetian army in defence of Cyprus against invasion by Ottoman Turks.He has recently married Desdemona, a beautiful and wealthy . He shows his respect for others whenever he deals with others in worldly issues. The text published in the First Folio of 1623 seems to have been based on a version revised by Shakespeare himself that sticks close to the original almost line by line but introduces numerous . These are the words of a man who knows chaos and believes himself to have been rescued from it by love. Othello is the main character in William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name, a well-respected Moorish general in the Venetian army. Handling his personal life in the same manner as he would a battle, Othello cannot be seen to be cheated or to lose; if indeed Desdemona is being unfaithful, Othello prepares for battle. Shakespeare retired as a rich and prominent man to Stratford-upon-Avon in 1613, and died three years later. The Senate agrees to let her join Othello in Cyprus.In Cyprus, Iago continues to plot against Othello and Cassio. The next step in Iagos plan is to tell Othello that Desdemona supports Cassio because Cassio is her lover. (including. There, he is simply referred to as the Moor. Othello strikes Desdemona in Lodovicos presence, then rudely dismisses her, leaving in a jealous rage. In Othello,what makes Othello a loyal character? Othellos servant. However, once he makes a decision, he is again the military man, decisive in action. Although Othello knows Desdemona loves him, he lets Iago, a vengeful soldier, manipulate him into believing she's been unfaithful. Instead of confronting Desdemona or weighing Iago's accusations and circumstantial evidence with her love for him, Othello wrongly assumes she has been unfaithful. Othello sees Cassio as the man most Venetian women in Desdemona's position would like to marry and, therefore, as the man she would turn to if she ceased to love her husband. Othello Theme 1: Race. Log in here. He leads an intense life, swinging between triumph and dread. 3 Prominent Themes Found in William Shakespeare's 'Othello', Iago Character Analysis From Shakespeare's 'Othello', An Analysis of Shakespeare Characters Hermia and Her Father, Top 5 Female Villains in Shakespeare Plays, M.A., Theater Studies, Warwick University, B.A., Drama and English, DeMontfort University. $24.99 " This is for the reason that Othello's character exhibits what Aristotle refers to as the tragic flaw that ultimately caused his downfall. Iagos wife and Desdemonas attendant. About Shakespeare's Othello An introduction to the plot, themes, and characters in the play. Unfortunately, he is also a racial outsider, insecure about his Moorish background, emotionally out of control and nave. 3. Iago warns Othello about Brabantios anger, but Othello is confident in his own strength and in his love for Desdemona. Othello is Desdemona's husband and greatest love. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Ticket savings, great seats, and exclusive benefits, Our award-winning performances of Shakespeare, adaptations, and new works, Our early music ensemble Folger Consort and more, Our longstanding O.B. Lee Jamieson. "What are Othello's character traits?" Character List Othello The play's protagonist and hero. Shakespeare presented him as a collection of puzzles as he is an artist of evil. He is devoted to his beautiful wife and appears to be a flawless character; a man who has fought for nations, who commands the respect of his peers and his superiors, and who speaks with an eloquence far superior to his peers. An essay about Shakespeare and the time in which he lived, Shakespeares Theater Second Senator is part of the war council of Venice, and concludes that despite the disparity in numbers in the information they are receiving, the general message is clear and all that they need be concerned about. Foreshadowing Metaphors & Similes Questions & Answers Why does Iago hate Othello? Iago is a very modern character in that he has been diagnosed by critics as a psychopath or a sociopath, or an extreme narcissist. He is a confident military leader and a self-doubting member of society. Thanks to Iago's constant and convincing manipulation, Othello truly believes that the love of his life, Desdemona, has been unfaithful to him, and, in a fit of rage, seeing no other alternative, he kills her. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. Academically trained, he has had little if any real wartime experience. M.A. Major Themes - CliffsNotes What are some character traits of Cassio in the play Othello by William Shakespeare? Overwhelmed with his insecurities, Othello believes Iago's story and cannot control his jealousy. He possesses a free and open nature, which his ensign Iago uses to twist his love for his wife, Desdemona, into a powerful and destructive jealousy. What are possible motives for Iago's hatred of Othello? Othello | Folger Shakespeare Library In Othello, the major themes reflect the values and the motivations of characters.. Love. Othello is a Moorish (African) general in the Venetian army and an eloquent storyteller who is respected, but often treated as an outsider. on 50-99 accounts. He is bold, audacious, and fearless, and blissfully unaware of Iago's comments about him: ''Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe.'' Dive deep into the worlds largest Shakespeare collection and access primary sources from the early modern period. The daughter of the Venetian senator Brabanzio. Despite being an outsider on account of his race, he's risen to the top due to a combination of intelligence and outstanding ability. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. When she exits, Iago says that Cassios avoidance of Othello is suspicious and that Cassio may not be honorable, all the while insinuating that he, Iago, knows more than he is willing to say. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. About Shakespeares Othello Othello holds an important position of power and influence. Yet for all his evident success, Othello remains deeply insecure, and this proves to be his Achilles' heel. Why does Othello go to Cyprus? All rights reserved. Iago's fatal flaw of jealousy is the engine behind a series of manipulations that turn lover against lover, friend against friend, and wife against husband. Othello Study Guide | Literature Guide | LitCharts Then he becomes insecure and jealous and eventually kills his wife for a crime she did not commit.
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