Critics Flashcards
What does Ania Loomba say about Othello becoming a victim of racist beliefs?
‘Othello is a victim of racial beliefs precisely because he becomes an agent of misogynistic ones”
What does AC Bradley say about Othello’s fate?
‘His fate affects the welfare of a whole nation or empire; and when he falls suddenly from the height of earthy greatness to dust, his fall produces a sense of contrast, of the powerlessness of man”
What does Hugh Quarshire say about the play and Iago?
“It may be Othello’s tragedy, but it is Iago’s play”
What does Kiernan Ryan say about Iago’s devious stratagem?
“Iago’s devious stratagem works so well because it reflects his victims’ own beliefs, confirms their suspicions and fulfils their expectations”
What does Ania Loomba say about Emilia and Iago’s relationship?
“At first, she is blindly loyal to him, but as the play progresses, she begins to see him for who he really is, and this realisation ultimately leads to her downfall”
What does David McInnis say about Roderigo and Iago’s relationship?
“Iago and Roderigo’s relationship is more than just a cruel game of cat and mouse; it is also a darkly comic commentary on the absurdity of human desire and the lengths we will go to achieve it”
What does Stephen Greenbelt say about Othello?
“Othello’s identity depends upon a constant performance”
How does A.C Bradley describe madness in the character of Othello?
“In Othello, we are shown … the tremendous power of guilt to shake the foundations of human reason and drive men to madness and despair”
How does Sarah Brown describe the male gaze as affecting Desdemona?
“Desdemona is often seen as a victim of the male gaze in Othello, objectified by the male characters who project their desires and fears onto her”
How does A.C Bradley describe Desdemona’s loyalty to Othello?
“Loyalty is her most distinctive quality. Though it leads to her death, she is in constant devotion to Othello, to the point of worship”
How does Susan Snyder suggest Emilia’s disillusionment within Venetian society?
“Emilia’s response to Iago has a subversive dimension, for she is not only the wife who defies her husband and reveals his plot; she is also a woman who defies her gender stereotypes by using her wit to expose his malice”
How does Carolyn ASP describe Emilia as Desdemona’s foil?
“She is worldly where Desdemona is naive, cynical where Desdemona is idealistic, and critical where Desdemona is uncritical”
How does Bianca portray sexual independence in the view of Marianne Novy?
“she is a provocative reminder of the inadequacy of conventional gender roles and the threats to male authority inherent in any kind of female empowerment”
How does Andrew Scott portray alcohol as a weakness in the play for Cassio and morality?
“Cassio’s alcoholism not only serves as a plot device but also as a metaphor for his moral and emotional weakness, as well as a symbol of the general moral decay in the play”
How does Ania Loomba view Emilia and Desdemona’s relationship as defiance to the patriarchy?
“Emilia is one of the few voices of rebellion against the patriarchal status quo in the play, and in her alliance with Desdemona she offers a model of female solidarity that stands stark contrast to the male betrayals that surround them”
