Othello Context Flashcards
Cinthio’s version
D = only named chara
Murdered by Moor
I = m evil than Ensign
Shakespeare has added m charas e.g., B - adds m depth to O’s situ - intensifies reasons for insecurity & why he is so easily manip
R adds m depth to I’s chara - shows how wide web of auth is
Class Difference
Watched by all classes - crude jokes appeal to less educated also mimic and undermine the main plot & provide comic relief from intensity of the plot
Psychology
Exploration of the psychology of charas = typical for the renaissance period in theatre
Othello’s portrayal
The fact O was written as a black chara by a white Jacobean man undermines his characterisation in the play it can be questioned how much of a stereotype he is and how much a genuine depiction of a black man. Alters perception of race
I’s refs to O as black are loaded with moral undertones as at the time white was linked to purity and innocence and black was viewed as the antithesis of this
Venice
Venice is a rare example of a contemp republican gov for OG audience = fascination with it among Renaissance viewer - end of the Tudor period approaching and not clear who would inherit so interest in alternatives forms of ruling
Venice viewed as an exciting exotic place and also of having a dangerous sense of otherworldliness it seemed alluring and magical - links to Africa and the Middle East - D’s interest in O’s life reflects this to an extent
Therefore Venice is an ideal place to project and explore English anxieties and preoccupations onto
Desdemona
Means ill fated
Renaissance Period
cultural movement which saw the flourishing of Latin and Ancient Greek Philosophies and knowledge in Western Europe
Shakespeare draws on these themes for example Greek and Roman Classical writing influenced his use of genre and references and he explored the psychology of his characters in depth
The blossoming of literature and culture can also be seen in his work as many words are recorded in writing for the first time in his plays
Cyprus
Setting the majority of the play in Cyprus made it seem more removed from the English audience geographically and symbolically making the environment more dangerous as the further the play is removed from Western Europe the more civilisation and honour breakdown
Race
Shakespeare uses Venice to explore the concerns and preoccupations of English society on interracial and intercultural interactions as we can assume the white Venetians’ treatment of Othello would mirror English people’s behaviour
It is not possible to define Othello’s race but we can assume ‘Moor’ refers to an Arab from North Africa but this is not important to the other characters in the play as they are aware of his otherness and so his specific origins are unimportant
The term ‘black’ was used to refer to morals as well as race and so Iago’s references to Othello are loaded with moral undertones
Dramatic Context
The general dramatic convention was the that Moors were menaces intent on destruction and when they appeared on stage they posed a threat to moral, social and political order
Othello’s character is very different from this as he begins a noble and honourable man therefore contrasting the stereotype
However there are echoes of the typical characterisation for example his quick jealous rage and the fact he murders Desdemona and innocent white women
Religion
Othello explore the relationship between Christians and Muslims in the late 16th Century against the backdrop of the wars between the Christian Republic of Venice and the Muslim Ottoman Empire
The original source for the play was set in Florence rather than Venice and so this choice was deliberate as the religious context is important because of Othello’s conversion from Islam to Christianity, this could be seen as heightening the characters’ distrust of Othello due to his Muslim background
Women & Marriage
Women were subordinates to men and they became their husbands’ possessions as soon as they were married
Fathers’ were expected to choose a husband for their daughters perhaps increasing Brabantio’s anger as this choice was taken from him
Despite Desdemona’s strong-willed nature and her insistence to plead Cassio’s case she is ultimately powerless to Othello’s anger
By the final act of the play Othello’s actions have so disrupted the order of society that Emilia can turn against patriarchal conventions and speak the truth
The reputation of Venice having sexual freedom could have influenced husbands’ quick assumption that their wives have cheated on them
