Othello Critics

Shakespearean tragedy

Shakespearean tragedy

David Kastan - “the idea of tragedy as the fall from prosperity to wretchedness"“ “the genre of uncompensated suffering

Tragedy

Nigel Smith - “The tragedy grows out of desire complicated by a status difference” “the consequences of transgression in a world which was governed by divine justice”

Othello as an outsider

Ania Loomba - “Othello, ‘the Moor of Venice’ is a Moor who cannot fully become a part of Venice”

Act 3, Scene 3

Frank Kermode - “pivotal scene of the play,” “the dialogue moves from a preoccupation with ‘thinking’ to a focus on ‘seeing’” (ocular proof)

Othello’s Language

W.H. Clemen - “Othello’s fantasy is filled with images of repulsive animals… Iago’s endeavour to undermine and poison Othello’s imagination by his own gloomy and low conceptions has been successful.”

Diabolical imagery

S.L. Bethell - “The theme of hell originates with him and is passed to Othello later as Iago succeeds in dominating his mind.” Diabolical imagery throughout the play:

Act One - Iago 8, Othello 0,

Act Two - Iago 6, Othello 1,

Act Three - Iago 3, Othello 9,

Act Four - Iago 1, Othello 10,

Act Five - Iago 0, Othello 6.

Othello’s imagery

Fintan O’Toole - “Othello starts to take on Iago’s characteristic imagery and style of speech” “He starts to turn people to animals in his imagery… appeal to the devil and fill his speech with diabolical images of Desdemona.” “In Act 4, Scene 1, Othello’s grand verse breaks down into jagged, disordered, prose. Iago’s prose becomes triumphant verse.”