othello critics Flashcards
Shakespearean Tragedy
David Scott Kastan
Chaucer, who was seemingly the first to use the word tragedy, defines the inescapable trajectory of the tragic action, but not its cause.
For Shakespeare the uncertainty is the point of tragedy - characters believe they have an understanding of the world around them, which is torn down throughout he play, and therefore the characters struggle to reconstruct a new coherent worldview.
The play centres around the emotions of the struggle rather than the theoretical truth of the worldview.
Tragedy is the genre of uncompensated suffering.
Serves to reveal the deeper truths about human suffering and real life tragedies
The Pleasure of Tragedy
A. D. Nuttall
Questions of why tragedy gives watchers/readers pleasure
In tragic theatre, suffering and death as matters of grief and fear, which in turn becomes a source of entertainment for watchers.
Radical problem : if people go repeatedly to watch such suffering, they must enjoy it in some way, which makes its disturbing nature a mode of pleasure
Pleasure doesn’t need to be acknowledged consciously (shouldn’t have to be thinking ‘i’m enjoying this’) - pleasure can be invoked while the mind is preoccupied with pain
These days plays are more likely to be praised for their ability to make viewers uncomfortable/emotionally disturbed
The Shakespearean Tragic Hero
A. C. Bradley
Tragedy is the story of one person (the ‘hero’) or at most the hero and heroine
In a romantic tragedy the heroine is as much part of the story as the heroine is
Story always leads up to the death of the hero, while also depicting the struggles/troubles of the heros life that precede the death - is not a tragedy without the suffering which in itslef should contrast to previous happiness and glory
The suffering will affect the other characters around him
Should include a total reversal of fortune - hero will start off in a position of high degree (king, prince, leader etc.) and become powerless which makes the fall from greatness seem even more dramatic - hero is also always conscious of the high position throughout his downfall
Tragedy and Madness
Maynard Mack
Hero’s second phase - madness
madness is often seen as a form of divine punishment, but brings along with it the freedom to speak the truth, which resembles Shakespeares use of his ‘mad’ characters to express his views about and criticize society, which he himself would not have been able to do without getting in trouble
argues that while madness allows freedom of speech, the insights will often be dismissed as fiction or nonsense
The Portrayal of Iago
E. A. J. Honigmann
His humour is distinctive - it intends to cause pain or show his superiority
He appeals to us as he is the only character with humour
Emilia’s love is his downfall as he has never felt that emotions (love, loyalty etc.) towards/from anyone
He is good at short term tactics, bad at long term strategy
The audience doesn’t necessarily think about the crimes itself but instead about the ambition and activities leading up to it
The Character of Othello
F. R. Lewis
Othello, Race and Society
Ania Loomba
Iago’s manipulations are effective because Othello is predisposed o believing the inherent duplicity of women, and the fragility of a relationship between a white woman and a black woman
Othello is a victim of racial beliefs because he becomes a believer of misogynistic ones (willing to believe about others what other believe about him so easily)
Black people were seen to be bestial and hideous, highly emotional, irrational and prone to anger and jealousy
Venice was seen as an ideal republic and hub for international trade, an open but ordered society
Othellos status and use makes people regard him less harshly, but they are still willing to believe the stereotypes especially when he messes up
Provokes questions whether the play promotes a tolerant society or issues a warning to open societies who let in ‘outsiders’
