The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice

1. The Tragedy of Othellothe Moor of Venice William Shakespeare

2. Themes • The reckless destruction of marriage by a villain • Money and materialism • Martial vs. marital • Words without practice

3. Othello, the play • A domestic tragedy • Unheard of scene during this time period • A bed on the stage • The audience is promised this from the beginning of the play • Othello is Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy • It is very straightforward with no subplots

4. Othello, the characters • Has the fewest characters of Shakespeare’s plays (13) • Only Othello and Iago matter • Everyone else is a secondary or stock character

5. Othello, the characters • Desdemona • Secondary • Just a tool for the 2 main characters • Emelia • A stock character • Wholly good • No character goes through greater change or falls further than Othello

6. Othello • The opposite of Iago • Foreign – considered a barbarian • Black or very dark-skinned • Not very composed or elegant in speech • An outsider who wants in • Has made it into society by his martial arts

7. Othello • Martially he is brilliant, maritally he is stupid • A brilliant military man – a general • Othello tries to make his actions universal – apply to all marriages – but they do not

8. Othello • Is noble in character but is not a thinker • He lives by his wills and craftiness • His instinct helps him, but he abandons his instinct and falls • Iago realizes Othello’s weakness, his lack of thinking, and manages to get Othello to think instead of feel and act • This is Othello’s downfall • Othello likes straightforward answers only • He is confused by difficult, unclear answers

9. Othello • Othello is a Moor • A man from Arabian region …or… • A man from Palestine to North Africa…or… • A man from Africa • Iago’s words describe an African (a black man), but the term Moor referred to anyone who was not European

10. Othello • Othello is at least twice Desdemona’s age and a different race • He is gifted in instinct and passion – not reason • His jealousy makes him think that Desdemona is cheating on him • No other of Shakespeare’s characters falls as far as Othello

11. Othello is … • Noble • Pure • Innocent • Beastly • Murderous

12. Iago • The strongest of Shakespeare’s villains • Considered one of the most developed villains in all of literature • 29 years old • Beautiful, handsome • A gentleman • What one would think of as a hero

13. Iago • Italian • Iago realizes Othello’s weakness and preys on it • He is under Othello in the army – Othello is his commander • Iago’s power at the end is because he does not tell why he does what he does • He is the only one with an answer but won’t tell

14. Cassio • From Florence, Italy • Gorgeous, beautiful, delicate • The ideal Florentine • Was cut on the leg by Iago • Means he can no longer be a soldier • His beauty is marred

15. Background • There were different connotations between the cities of Italy • Venice (Venetians) • Considered liars, gossips, deceivers, subtle • Were usually in banking • Florence • Known for its beauty, art, and living

16. Symbols • Handkerchief • Willow • Sword • Passion • Rose • Storm at sea