Shakespeare's Othello: Context, Critics and more!

Context
1. Cyprus
  1. Main Setting
  2. Located just south of Greece
  3. Annexed by Venice in 1489
  4. Conquered by Turks in 1571
2. Venice
  1. Luxury and Culture
  2. Women are beautiful and easy to love. Men are aggressive and hot tempered
  3. Oligarchic City State
    1. Power struture in which power rests with a small number of people
3. 'Moor
  1. Trade routes expanding, Increased exposure to other cultures
    1. Mauretania tribe from North Africa often refered to as 'Moor'
  2. Vague Term
    1. Could be a derogatory term
    2. Could refer to liniage
4. Iago
  1. Spanish Name
  2. England and Spain are enimies at the time the play was written and preformed
    1. Competition over colonization
5. Military
  1. Prestigious Job- Dependent on Rank
    1. General: Logical, Loyal, Brave, Trustworthy and Couragous
    2. Lieutenant: 'Place Holder' same qualities as the General
      1. Second In command
    3. Ancient/ Ensign: Couragous, Loyal
      1. Flag barer, Very important so that soilders know when they are in relation to the general and that the general is still alive and fighting
      2. Third In command
6. Marriage
  1. Patriarchal Society
  2. Fathers Choose When and Who Daughters Marry
  3. Men can leagally marry at 14yrs old, Women at 12yrs old (though it isn't recommended)
  4. Suitors chosen based on Social and Economic Rank. Age is not a factor
  5. Marriage for Love is foolish
  6. Business transaction
7. Preformance
  1. King's men
  2. James I's Court 1604
  3. 'Tragic Period'
8. Women
  1. Two Strong women
    1. Both Subvert typical Expectation
      1. E.g Desdemona's Marriage
9. Inspiration
  1. Italian Prose Tale from 1565
  2. Italian Prose Tale from 1565
    1. Cinthio
    2. Giovanni Battista Giraldi
    3. Similar plot BUT extra charcters and a millitary backdrop
Critics
1. Francois Laroque: Shakespeare's Festive World
  1. 'Tug-of-War between the Forces of comedy and those of Tragedy'
2. Micheal C. Andrews: Honest Othello
  1. The Handkerchief and its loss is very important.
    1. Othello puts a lot of emphasis on its loss
    2. Othello's jelousy reall peaks after it goes missing. He becomes a lot less resonable
  2. Was Brabantio Right?
    1. The Handkercheif was the first thing Othello Gave Desdemona
      1. He does say it is magic!
Genre
1. Tragedy
  1. Calamatous Outcome
  2. Lots of Death
  3. Public
  4. Aristocracy
  5. Extraordinary
  6. Wonder and Pity
  7. High Seriousness
2. Comedy
  1. Happy Ending
  2. No Deaths
  3. Private
  4. Middling Sort/ Class
  5. Common
  6. Dlight and Scorn
  7. Trivial
3. Cross Genre's : Tragic Comedy
  1. Revenge Tragedy
    1. Othello as Revenger?
      1. Imaginary Crime
      2. No Impediment to Jusice
      3. Belives acting with Nobility but isn't really
      4. Revenge on himself.
    2. Iago as Revenger?
      1. Clear grievance but no real Crime or Impediment to Justice
      2. revenge is very precise- motivation for breaking up Othello and Desdemona?
      3. Petty Grievance
  2. Othello's Hamartia
    1. Marring someone younger/ white/ marriage in general?
    2. Trusting Iago?
      1. Who has up to this point been a loyal friend?
    3. Not respecting Brabantio's wishes?
  3. Anagnorisis
    1. Unsatisfactory Ending: Everyone is Dead
    2. Need to Conceal the Bodies
    3. NOTHING IS LEARNT!
  4. Plot elements that fit in a comedy
    1. Witchcraft and Marriage
      1. Midsummer Nights Dream

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