Announcement!

Hey guys just a heads up Mrs German is doing a reading session in the library tomorrow morning.

Desdemona Character Analysis.

Desdemona

Desdemona is a more plausible, well-rounded figure than much criticism has given her credit for. Arguments that see Desdemona as stereotypically weak and submissive ignore the conviction and authority of her first speech (“My noble father, / I do perceive here a divided duty” [I.iii.179–180]) and her terse fury after Othello strikes her (“I have not deserved this” [IV.i.236]). Similarly, critics who argue that Desdemona’s slightly bizarre bawdy jesting with Iago in Act II, scene i, is either an interpolation not written by Shakespeare or a mere vulgarity ignore the fact that Desdemona is young, sexual, and recently married. She later displays the same chiding, almost mischievous wit in Act III, scene iii, lines 61–84, when she attempts to persuade Othello to forgive Cassio.

Desdemona is at times a submissive character, most notably in her willingness to take credit for her own murder. In response to Emilia’s question, “O, who hath done this deed?” Desdemona’s final words are, “Nobody, I myself. Farewell. / Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell” (V.ii.133–134). The play, then, depicts Desdemona contradictorily as a self-effacing, faithful wife and as a bold, independent personality. This contradiction may be intentional, meant to portray the way Desdemona herself feels after defending her choice of marriage to her father in Act I, scene iii, and then almost immediately being put in the position of defending her fidelity to her husband. She begins the play as a supremely independent person, but midway through she must struggle against all odds to convince Othello that she is not too independent. The manner in which Desdemona is murdered—smothered by a pillow in a bed covered in her wedding sheets—is symbolic: she is literally suffocated beneath the demands put on her fidelity. Since her first lines, Desdemona has seemed capable of meeting or even rising above those demands. In the end, Othello stifles the speech that made Desdemona so powerful.

Tragically, Desdemona is apparently aware of her imminent death. She, not Othello, asks Emilia to put her wedding sheets on the bed, and she asks Emilia to bury her in these sheets should she die first. The last time we see Desdemona before she awakens to find Othello standing over her with murder in his eyes, she sings a song she learned from her mother’s maid: “She was in love; and he proved mad / And did forsake her. She had a song of willow. / . . . / And she died singing it. That song tonight / Will not go from my mind” (IV.iii.27–30). Like the audience, Desdemona seems able only to watch as her husband is driven insane with jealousy. Though she maintains to the end that she is “guiltless,” Desdemona also forgives her husband (V.ii.133). Her forgiveness of Othello may help the audience to forgive him as well.

Othello Character Analysis

Othello

Beginning with the opening lines of the play, Othello remains at a distance from much of the action that concerns and affects him. Roderigo and Iago refer ambiguously to a “he” or “him” for much of the first scene. When they begin to specify whom they are talking about, especially once they stand beneath Brabanzio’s window, they do so with racial epithets, not names. These include “the Moor” (I.i.57), “the thick-lips” (I.i.66), “an old black ram” (I.i.88), and “a Barbary horse” (I.i.113). Although Othello appears at the beginning of the second scene, we do not hear his name until well into Act I, scene iii (I.iii.48). Later, Othello’s will be the last of the three ships to arrive at Cyprus in Act II, scene i; Othello will stand apart while Cassio and Iago supposedly discuss Desdemona in Act IV, scene i; and Othello will assume that Cassio is dead without being present when the fight takes place in Act V, scene i. Othello’s status as an outsider may be the reason he is such easy prey for Iago.

Although Othello is a cultural and racial outsider in Venice, his skill as a soldier and leader is nevertheless valuable and necessary to the state, and he is an integral part of Venetian civic society. He is in great demand by the duke and senate, as evidenced by Cassio’s comment that the senate “sent about three several quests” to look for Othello (I.ii.46). The Venetian government trusts Othello enough to put him in full martial and political command of Cyprus; indeed, in his dying speech, Othello reminds the Venetians of the “service” he has done their state (V.ii.348).

Those who consider Othello their social and civic peer, such as Desdemona and Brabanzio, nevertheless seem drawn to him because of his exotic qualities. Othello admits as much when he tells the duke about his friendship with Brabanzio. He says, -“[Desdemona’s] father loved me, oft invited me, / Still questioned me the story of my life / From year to year” (I.iii.127–129). -Othello is also able to captivate his peers with his speech. The duke’s reply to Othello’s speech about how he wooed Desdemona with his tales of adventure is: “I think this tale would win my daughter too” (I.iii.170).

Othello sometimes makes a point of presenting himself as an outsider, whether because he recognizes his exotic appeal or because he is self-conscious of and defensive about his difference from other Venetians. For example, in spite of his obvious eloquence in Act I, scene iii, he protests, “Rude am I in my speech, / And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace” (I.iii.81–82). While Othello is never rude in his speech, he does allow his eloquence to suffer as he is put under increasing strain by Iago’s plots. In the final moments of the play, Othello regains his composure and, once again, seduces both his onstage and offstage audiences with his words. The speech that precedes his suicide is a tale that could woo almost anyone. It is the tension between Othello’s victimization at the hands of a foreign culture and his own willingness to torment himself that makes him a tragic figure rather than simply Iago’s ridiculous puppet.

Iago Character Analysis

Iago

Possibly the most heinous villain in Shakespeare, Iago is fascinating for his most terrible characteristic: his utter lack of convincing motivation for his actions. In the first scene, he claims to be angry at Othello for having passed him over for the position of lieutenant (I.i. 7–32). At the end of Act I, scene iii, Iago says he thinks Othello may have slept with his wife, Emilia: “It is thought abroad that ’twixt my sheets / He has done my office” (I.iii.369–370). Iago mentions this suspicion again at the end of Act II, scene i, explaining that he lusts after Desdemona because he wants to get even with Othello “wife for wife” (II.i.286). None of these claims seems to adequately explain Iago’s deep hatred of Othello, and Iago’s lack of motivation—or his inability or unwillingness to express his true motivation—makes his actions all the more terrifying. He is willing to take revenge on anyone—Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Roderigo, even Emilia—at the slightest provocation and enjoys the pain and damage he causes.

Iago is often funny, especially in his scenes with the foolish Roderigo, which serve as a showcase of Iago’s manipulative -abilities. He seems almost to wink at the audience as he revels in his own skill. As entertained spectators, we find ourselves on Iago’s side when he is with Roderigo, but the interactions between the two also reveal a streak of cowardice in Iago—a cowardice that becomes manifest in the final scene, when Iago kills his own wife (V.ii.231–242).

Iago’s murder of Emilia could also stem from the general hatred of women that he displays. Some readers have suggested that Iago’s true, underlying motive for persecuting Othello is his homosexual love for the general. He certainly seems to take great pleasure in preventing Othello from enjoying marital happiness, and he expresses his love for Othello frequently and effusively.

It is Iago’s talent for understanding and manipulating the desires of those around him that makes him both a powerful and a compelling figure. Iago is able to take the handkerchief from Emilia and know that he can deflect her questions; he is able to tell Othello of the handkerchief and know that Othello will not doubt him; he is able to tell the audience, “And what’s he then that says I play the villain,” and know that it will laugh as though he were a clown (II.iii.310). Though the most inveterate liar, Iago inspires all of the play’s characters the trait that is most lethal to Othello: trust.

Quiz

I don't know if this is helpful but if you guys are looking for a quiz this one gives a good overview of the story to help you remember the important events.

http://www.goodreads.com/quizzes/8292-othello-by-william-shakespeare

Most Likely Essay Questions (according to most revision sites)

Controversy about key characters - Othello, Iago, Desdemona

Relevance of minor characters - e.g. Emilia, Bianca, The Duke, Roderigo, Brabantio, Lodovico, Montano

Key themes and issues - race, jealousy, love, judgement, black and white

Setting and social context of the action - Venice, Cyprus, prevailing social attitudes

Individual scenes and their significance to the play as a whole

Reality and appearance

Enlarge image

The contrast between what is reality and theappearance of something is also used by Shakespeare. There are many references to it, with Iago saying that 'Men should be what they seem' (and Iago is clearly not what he seems), to Othello asking for 'ocular proof' or proof that he can see. Of course, what Othello actually sees isn't what he thinks it is. So when he sees and hears Cassio talking about Desdemona, Cassio is actually talking about another woman.

Othello also believes the story about Cassio wiping his beard on the valuable handkerchief. The only 'proof' is Iago's word, which is a lie. Othello is fooled in other ways too - he hears a scream and then assumes Cassio is dead, but he is only injured. However, the most important difference between reality and appearance is that Othello continues to think that Iago is of 'exceeding honesty', but everyone in the audience knows this isn't the case.

Blank verse

Another way of looking at the language of Othello is to examine the lines. Many of them are written in blank verse, so they have ten syllables which are organised in five pairs. The first syllable is weak, the second stronger. So if we look at a typical line, we traditionally show the weak or unstressed syllable with an 'x' above it and the stressed syllable with an '/' above it:

    x    /    x    /    x    /    x    /    x    /

What wound did ev - er heal but by de - grees

(In this example, the words 'ever' and 'degrees' are split up to reflect the two syllables)

Reading it like this, we can hear an obvious beat. We can also see that the key words tend to be stronger, and just hearing these we can still make some sense of the line (wound - heal - by - (de)grees). If we only have the unstressed syllables, there is very little we can understand (What - did - er- but - de). Using this technique, you can sometimes see what Shakespeare might be trying to emphasize. It also provides a structure to the play - it holds things together and we can even anticipate where an actor will finish speaking.

It also means that when the pattern changes, there might be a reason for this. For instance, important characters tend to use this verse form a lot, but less important ones never use it. Iago is different - he switches around, and tends to stop using verse when he is telling his secrets to us.

Context

To put Othello into perspective, you'll need to know a little about William Shakespeare and why the play is still so popular over 400 years after it was first performed.

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford upon Avon in 1564. His father sold gloves and became an important person in the town. William, one of eight children, was the eldest son and was probably educated at the local grammar school. He married when he was only 18 and his wife, Anne Hathaway, was eight years older than him. They had two girls and a boy (who died aged 11).

Nobody knows how Shakespeare began to write or when he entered the theatre, but we know that he became a leading member of the theatre troupe known as 'The Lord Chamberlain's Men'. The company proved very popular and later, when King James I granted them the right to perform at his court, the troupe became known as 'The King's Men'. Shakespeare wrote over 30 plays for 'The King's Men', making it the most important theatre company in the country, and he often wrote parts for particular actors. He was very successful and wealthy in his time, and his work has remained very popular ever since.

The popularity of Othello

Othello is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. There are all sorts of reasons for this but perhaps the main one is that the basic story still strikes a chord with modern audiences. We see what happens when a man, Iago, is passed over for promotion. He is determined to get revenge and starts to manipulate everyone around him. Iago's general, Othello, is tortured by jealousy and one small item, a missing handkerchief, leads to distrust, broken friendships, murder and suicide.

The play's themes also seem very up to date - they cover all sorts of things, like the role of women, love, jealousy, ambition and betrayal. However, perhaps the most challenging theme from the play is race - Othello is black and has married a white woman. There are lots of references to this and Shakespeare shows how complex the situation was even in his lifetime.

Othello has been filmed a number of times and adapted for stage in all sorts of ways. For instance, there have been versions set in the police force in London, versions starring jazz musicians, an opera and even a version which reverses the traditional roles, with Othello played by a white actor and the other roles played by black actors.

English Review Othello Article

Critics and Other Interpretations.

Critics from the past:
Thomas Rymer was one of the play’s earliest critics; he produced a commentary on the play in A Short View of Tragedy (1693). His writing is available here: http://www.angelfire.com/oh5/spycee/rymer.html


You will notice his negative tone and almost complete condemnation of the play.
Dr Johnson, on the other hand, had nothing but praise for the play. In his preface in 1765 he wrote: ‘... are such proofs of Shakespeare’s skill in human nature, as, I suppose, it is vain to seek in any modern writer.’ http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/j/johnson/samuel/preface/othello.html

In the nineteenth century Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote an essay on the play, referring to Iago as, ‘a being next to devil,’: http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/essays/othello_essay.htm 

More recent critics:
I have tried to find some recent critics interpretations of Othello but most have been put under copy write I have however found several books that may be of use.

Marilyn French wrote Shakespeare's Division of Experience (London: Abacus, 1982). An extract is available here:
http://www.idehist.uu.se/distans/ilmh/Ren/sh-othello-french.htm

Lisa Jardine discusses the role of Desdemona, and the way in which she is trapped by a masculine world, in her book Still Harping on Daughters, 1983.

In his 1986 book, Power on Display, Leonard Tennenhouse explores the violence against female characters in plays of the time and links it to politics.

In Ania Loomba’s work, Gender, Race, Renaissance Drama (1987), she discusses both gender and race.

Karen Newman explored both issues of race and sexuality in a 1987 chapter in the book Shakespeare Reproduced: The Text in History and Ideology. 

Quote Bank

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock

The meat it feeds on.” 

“How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees? 

Iago” 

“The robb'd that smiles, steals something from the thief; He robs himself that spends a bootless grief.” 

“Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.(Iago, Act II, scene iii)” 

“Rude am I in my speech, And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace.” 

“Tis within ourselves that we are thus or thus” 

“She lov'd me for the dangers I had pass'd,
And I lov'd her that she did pity them”

“Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come
again.”

“Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls:
Who steals my purse steals trash; ’tis something, nothing;
’twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.”

Character images

Iago

Othello

Desdemona

Emilia

Roderigo

Cassio

Lecture - Shakespeare's Tragic Hero