Othello - Edexcel English Literature A Level

Othello

The eponymous tragic hero of the play.

Characteristics of Othello

Othello is a combination of opposites. He is a "Black" character, but he has a perfect soul, he is known as the "noble moor" thanks to his high status, breaking the stereotypes that were held in the 17th century. By the end of the play, Othello embodies most of the stereotypical traits given to him, thanks to Iago.

He doesn't get jealous easily, but when he does it is because of Iago's master deception, and Othello loses it. Othello is a romantic figure, he has very poetic language himself, which is often overlooked by Iago's speeches.

Social and Historical Context

1603 - Elizabeth dies. James I becomes king of England. He was the first monarch to unite England and Scotland.

1604 - The first performance of Othello took place.

1605 - The gunpowder plot - the houses of parliament was blown up.

This was a colour prejudiced society. England was only just becoming more aware of other races. Pale was "the epitome" of beauty. Black stood for sin, filth, evil and the devil.

No moor characters had ever been given such a big role within a play during the 17th century.

"Tragedy is to some an idea of prosperity for a time that ends in wretchedness."

Geoffrey Chaucer

"Othello is the most painfully exciting and the most terrible" [of all of the Shakespeare plays]

A.C Bradley - features extremes such as pity, fear, sympathy and revultion.

"credulous fool" [referring to Othello]

Muir

"Othello yields with extraordinary promptness to suggestion"

Leavis

Elements of a Traditional Greek Tragedy

The main features of this are generally; Catharsis, Anagnorisis, Hubris, Harmatia. The unities can also apply in tragedies.

Catharsis

Pure relief from strong emotions - the status quo is returned, giving the audience room to breathe. In Othello, this is the moment when Iago is found out.

Anagnorisis

A moment in the play when a character makes a critical discovery. In Othello, this is when Emilia puts together the pieces of Iago's plan.

Hubris

Excessive pride or self-confidence. In the case of Othello, these characteristics belong to Iago.

Harmatia

A fatal flaw leading to the downfall of the tragic hero/heroine. In the case of Othello, Othello's fatal flaw is that he is too trusting.

The Unities

In a Greek generic drama, the play is set over the same time, place and has the same plot with no subplots. Othello breaks these, but it still works as a play.

Who Is the First Character We Meet In Othello?

Iago - he is the most important character in the play.

Act One - The Exposition

The audience learns the setting (the time and place), the characters are developed and a conflict is introduced. In Othello, this is the audience learning of Othello's past.

Act Two - The Rising Action

The action of this act leads the audience to the climax. It is common for complications to arise, or for the protagonist to encounter obstacles. In the play, this is Othello being sent to defend Cyprus, and Iago plotting.

Act Three - The Climax

The turning point of the play. It is characterised by the highest amount of suspense. In the play, this is Iago planting the handkerchief.

Act Four - Falling Action

Opposite of Act Two. In this, the story is coming to an end. In the play this is Othello killing Desdemona.

Act Five

Denouncement or Resolution - the final outcome of the drama, the subject matter is revealed, and sometimes a moral or lesson is learned. In the play this is when Othello kills himself and Iago is taken away to be tortured.

A Tragic Hero

The downfall of a highly respected and righteous man. The audience should feel pity and fear at the decline of the great man into sin and disgrace.

Hamlet In Relation To Othello

Hamlet was the forerunner to Othello, a practice run so to speak. They have similarities such as the style, diction and versification, as well as ideas and phrases that are repeated. The heroes of both are exceptionally noble and truthful but endure shook of terrible disillusionment, however, the decline and destruction is more powerful in the play Othello.

What Is the First Word That Iago Says In the Play?

"S'blood!" - God's blood. This is very blasphemous. As an audience, we live vicariously through Iago, we enjoy his evil, but his recklessness is his downfall.

Iago

The antagonist of the play.

Characteristics of Iago

He is a sophisticated and fully developed character. He isn't just the embodiment of evil, but of human failings generally. He is evil and claims he is motivated by jealousy, poor perceptions of others, devaluing human lives, greed, hatred and prejudice. He is very disloyal, he only works for himself. He is a very persuasive character.

Desdemona

The loving wife of Othello.

Characteristics of Desdemona

She embodies "good" characteristics in order to be liked by the audience. She appears sickly sweet to a modern 21st Century audience, but this was so a 17th Century audience could empathise with her, as the wife was a hard character to sympathise with.

Despite her virtuous nature, she did marry without her father's consent, planting the seed of doubt in Othello's mind that she could lie or be manipulative, or cheat. Her faithfulness is shown by her refusual to tell Emilia that Othello killed her, she blames herself.

She is a fairly consistent character throughout, her speeches are mature and controlled. Her niavety allows her own faith to be corrupted.

Bianca

Her name means "white" which often has pure connotations, however, she is a prostitute in this story.

Roderigo

A minor character in Othello. His function is to illuminate Iago's character. He acts as the comic relief, a puppet for Iago. His reluctance to attack Cassio does suggest some mortal standings. He never escapes Iago's persuasion.

What Destroy's Othello?

HIS MIND - He is not observant or interpretative. His emotions excite him and tend to overwhelm his common sense.

HIS BACKGROUND - He has little knowledge of civilised society. He has a lack of understanding of European (specifically Venetian) women.

HE IS HIGHLY PASSIONATE - Lodovico says "Is this the nature/Whom passion could not shake? Whose solid virtue/ The shot of accident nor dart of chance/Could neither graze nor pierce?"

Othello trusts too much, this is his fatal flaw. He does not hesitate or think his actions through. His emotions are all consuming.

How Does Othello Reclaim His Honour?

He accepts responsibility for his actions. His suicide is in line with honourable and traditional greek tragedies. Othello did kill, therefore, in line with 17th-century beliefs, he should do.

Structure Creating Tension

The conflict of the story begins quite late within the play. When it does start, it advances without pauses and accelerates until the tragic conclusion. There is very little relief from the pace.

The Influence of Accident

Iago's skills are extraordinary but so is his luck - plot manipulation plays a role as well, such as when Desdemona drops the handkerchief, when Cassio blunders to Othello and Bianca arriving at just the right time.

Shakespeare succeeds in harmonising these chances so they are believable and smooth.

The Double Time Scheme

Othello's mental decline happens very quickly, as does the collapse of Othello's marriage to Desdemona. Iago also moves quickly to keep his manipulations and evolving plots secret.

Simultaneously, the characters make comments about how slowly time is moving.

Mark Scheme Assessment Objectives

AO1 - Articulate

AO2 - Analyse

AO3 - Context

AO5 - Differing Interpretations (critics)

Iago's Actions After He Is Caught

This is the last time Iago speaks - he refuses to explain his actions, he doesn't float as he didn't get away with it. Othello and the audience are left pretty clueless to his motives.

His power of his words has gone. Perhaps Iago recognises that his motives were valueless and an explanation will achieve nothing. He may not want to provide the satisfaction of catharsis.

If Iago had confessed in front of the other characters he would have purged his sins and been forgiven by god - this is prevented from happening, which is cathartic in itself. It would have been bad from a 17th century audience perspective if he had confessed, he would become less of a villain. Instead, his secret will destroy him rather than others.

Fourth Wall

When a character speaks directly to the audience - Iago does this a lot.

A.C Bradley Quote

"The great tragedies never proceed immediately to a conclusion."

Act 1 Scene 1 Langauge Analysis

- Iago starts by encouraging Roderigo to speak to Brabantio, he uses 7 imperatives as an act of persuasion.

- Lots of references to death & poison, a recurring motif. "Plague" "poison his delight" - oxymoron.

- The repetition of "thieves" - triple. Makes Brabantio worry about Desdemona.

- When Brabantio appears, he is on the balcony - a higher level to symbolically represent the class structure, Brabantio is of a higher class.

- "an old black ram is topping your white ewe." - old implies his age, black implies racism, ram is animalistic which is often with Iago's language, white ewe - pure. It involves crude imagery, leaving out the fact that Othello is married to Desdemona.

"Thou art a villain"

Said by Brabantio to Iago in Act 1 Scene 1. He can't see Iago because it's dark, but he sees the truths of Iago perfectly, unlike those who see him in the light and call him "honest Iago."

Roderigo's Feelings for Desdemona

Her "duty, beauty, wit and fortunes." - this order shows that Roderigo had genuine feelings about Desdemona, he put her characteristics above her fortune.