Interpretations of the play by various critics over the centuries have usually revealed much more about the critic, and the prejudices of his era, than about the play itself. Strictly speaking, Desdemona simply hasn’t had enough time to have spent “stolen hours of lust” with Cassio. His downfall is all the more dramatic because it apparently takes place over a matter of mere hours, and scholars sometimes refer to the play as having a “double time frame,” because the action seems to occur almost in parallel universes. Under Iago’s influence, Othello plummets rapidly from utter belief in Desdemona’s love and fidelity to total distrust, based on the scantiest of circumstantial evidence. Certainly Othello is not alone in being deceived by Iago, who is described by many characters as “honest Iago.” But Othello’s extreme susceptibility to Iago’s villainous suggestions reveals at best a profound insecurity about himself, and at worst an internalized racism that Iago seizes upon.
The central question of the play that both performers and readers must try to answer is whether Iago plants ideas in Othello’s head or merely nurtures ideas that are already there. In the end, Othello can never hope to be anything other than an outsider in Venetian society and once transferred to Cyprus, he easily falls prey to the machinations of Iago. The Duke and the council, mindful of Othello’s military prowess and the fact that Venice needs him, override the opposition to the marriage, but more out of self-interest than out of any sense of fairness. Yet in marrying Desdemona, Othello is seen by many influential Venetians as having gone too far. When the play opens, the Venetian state is deeply indebted to Othello for his successful battles against the Turks and their efforts to control Cyprus. Venice was a famously diverse and cosmopolitan city-state, and Shakespeare’s Othello has achieved significant power and influence because of his outstanding abilities as a general. Of the four major Shakespearean tragedies, Othello is, in many respects, the most richly poetic and no character employs more beautiful language than Othello himself, the so-called “Moor of Venice.” But Shakespeare, characteristically, changes the focus of the story, rendering it much more complex and nuanced through the power of his own beautiful dramatic language. As is the case with virtually all of Shakespeare’s plays, the plot of Othello was not invented by Shakespeare its source is a story written by an Italian author named Giraldi Cinthio that was published in Venice in 1565. William Shakespeare’s Othello has long been considered to be one of the playwright’s four greatest tragedies. Special introduction by Alvin Kernan, Princeton University Member ofĬataloging source DLC 1564-1616 Shakespeare, William Dewey number 822.3/3 Index no index present LC call number PR2829 LC item number. This book contains information on the source from which Shakespeare derived "Othello"-selections from Giraldi Cinthio's "Hecatommithi".
#SHAKESPEARE OTHELLO PLUS#
Language eng Summary Unique features include an extensive overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater by the general editor of Signet Classic Shakespeare series, plus a special introduction to the play by the editor Sylvan Barnet, Tufts University. Othello (Fictitious character) - Drama.Label Othello Title Othello Statement of responsibility William Shakespeare Creator
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