Othello: Context

Which real worlds military conflict is referenced in Othello?

The conflict between the Venetian Republic and the Ottoman Empire

What was the significance of Cyprus in Othello?

Cyprus was a strategic military outpost under Venetian rule, threatened by the Ottomans

How was race viewed in Elizabethan England?

Black people were often viewed as outsiders or “others”

What were Elizabethan stereotypes against black people?

That Africans are only Fit to be slaves and were manifestations of the devil

What role did gender play in Othello?

Women were expected to be obedient, passive and domestic

What were attitudes towards marriage in Shakespeare’s time?

Marriages were often arranged, and women were expected to be obedient to their husbands

What literary genre does Othello belong to?

Tragedy

What is the main source Shakespeare used for Othello?

Un Capitano Moro (The Moorish Captain) by Giraldi Cinthio

What changes in Shakespeare make from Cinthio’s story?

The Moor was given a name, the ensign’s motivations are ambiguous, the ensign faces punishment

Why did Shakespeare change details from Cinthio’s story?

To make Othello more tragic, deepen Iago’s villainy, create more dramatic conflict

Who was Nicollo Machiavelli?

A Renaissance political thinker who wrote The Prince which promoted cunning, deceit and manipulation as key to gaining power

How is Iago a Machiavellian villain?

He is manipulative and strategic: using cunning rather than physical force to achieve goals and exploiting others weaknesses

What is a Vice character in medieval renaissance drama?

A stock figure from morality plays, often representing pure evil and trickery- engaging directly with the audience

How does Iago resemble a Vice character?

Delights in causing destruction, directly shares his schemes with the audience in soliloquy’s, deceives others through false friendship