Othello By William Shakespeare.

Othello By William Shakespeare.

 

Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603. It is based on the story Un Capitano Moro by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565. 

 

 

First Perfomance : - 1 November 1604

Playwright : William Shakespeare

Characters : Iago, Desdemona, Cassio, Othello, Brabantio, Roderigo, etc...

 

 

Othello as Tragic Hero

 

1.  The traditional tragic hero must be extraordinary in rank and deed – “of high estate,” “great reputation and prosperity.”

                Othello is a highly successful general in the Venetian army with many heroic adventures in his past.

2.  A Tragic Flaw – “Hamartia”

                A tragic flaw is the personality trait or fated mistake that leads to a tragic hero’s downfall. Iago identifies Othello’s tragic flaw at the end of Act 1.Othello is gullible, a trait Iago exploits as Othello “thinks men honest that but seem to be so.”

   

 Outside elements cooperate in the hero’s fall.

                First, consider the role of Iago in Othello’s downfall.  But consider other forces that conspire against him: bad luck with the loss of the handkerchief and Bianca’s arrival with the handkerchief, Desdemona’s naiveté, and more.

                How do Othello’s foreignness and race, the importance of which is signaled by the title of the play, affect his relationships with the other characters?  How does being a Moor in Venice affect his own confidence and sense of security?  How does Iago use Othello’s foreignness in his plotting?

4.  Recognition – “Anagnorisis”

                Othello experiences recognition or “anagnorisis,” as he not only learns the specific truth about his wife’s good nature and Iago’s evil plotting, but he also learns about the complexity of human nature, human emotion, and the world itself.

5). Willingness to Suffer

              Othello serves as his own judge, jury, and executioner.  Is he fair to himself at the end of play?  Does he depict himself accurately in his self-delivered eulogy ?

The Most vital role in this action of important that of plot mover.

                                               

 

At the beginning of the play, Othello and Desdemona demonstrate a pure love, untouched by base impulses.

 

In contrast, the speeches of Roderigo, Iago, Emilia, and Bianca consider love in sexual terms, not as a spiritual union.  Iago has numerous references to bestial sexuality – see Act 1.1, when he informs Brabantio of Desdemona’s elopement.

 

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