Othello William Shakespeare Essay

* William Shakespeare created iodine of his most famous plays Othello to investigate in an influential humankindner the unrelenting issues of racial secernment and gender equility. Based on the tale Un Capitano Moro (The Moorish Captain) by Giovanni Cinthio, Othello was written during the epoch of 1603. Due to the actions of Othello, in the midst of a sm every(prenominal) cast, there is an geographic expedition of sexual jealousy, and thus this play has earned a title of a domestic tragedy. * In this, the utmost scene depicts how the tragic fighter aircraft Othello acquiesces to his incurable shortcoming and reaches his cessation.The fore work outable ending is cathartic for the audience to experience catharsis, as they experience a passionate feeling of trepidation and pity. Shakespeare shows how he is able to contrastiveiate an intelligences personality in the unchanging pecking order of his society. * This was achieved through the Turkish invasion in Cyprus where the Ve netians fought purely for national identity. Intertwined in the play, the Machiavellian character of Iago brings a certain rise to chaos and blurs out alone the lines between appearance and truth.Saying this, by Shakespeares intense use of language, the emotional engaging nett scene, brings stick out a certain order giving light to issues of truth, lean and female insubordination and defining the central protagonist. Context * Written between 1601 and 1604, Othellos context is based around the eras of the Elizabethan and Jacobean epochs of English history. Between the two different periods, the Renaissance ideologies are greatly encompassed. These ideologies are that of a ethnical movement occurring end-to-end Europe in the 14th to the 17th centuries.In the crux of this era, a deep intelligence of characters and issues in Othello may perhaps be attained from the initial actions of the play, being set in superstar of the foremost cities of the Italian Renaissance. Moreover, this period to a fault brought with it the Protestant Reformation which was commenced by Martin Luther which viewed the refusal of medieval Christian values. The Protestant theology believed that Gods divine plan of rational and moral logic was constant passim society one which developed in the unchallengeable hierarchy.* The Chain of Being was the reason for such order whereby it relegate all beings to ones rightful place and purpose in the universe. To preserve such a harmony, people had to develop reason and intellect to rule their emotions. In difference to such strict array, the Renaissance also gave rise to Humanism. Pico Della Mirandola here declared that one could be bring as low as an animal or through intellect and imagination become equivalent to God, at least in understanding1, which I believe may have shaped Shakespeares traditional thinking in Othello.* The selection of using a black tragic attack aircraft was indeed controversial, and furthermore those Blackamoors i n Shakespeares previous dramas were without a doubt wicked. This is exemplified through Aaron in Titus Andronicus where this drama exclaimed If one good deed in all my life I did, I do repent it to my very soul(Act 5, Scene 3). Due to the conflict with Spain during the Elizabethan period, Blackamoors arrived in England and were reduced to servants or slaves. consequently it is obvious that the audience of the era would have seen Othellos superior military position as a serve rebellion to natural order.* Nevertheless, although the importance of race in Othello, it is essential that the audience recognises that the play is created primarily for the concern with class and subordination rather than forceful racism. The historical and geographical setting also plays a major influence in bringing different amounts of symbolism to the play. Venice was seen as a locus of Christian culture, rational order, culture and prosperity. It was also linked with tipsiness as it was the birthplace of Niccolo Machiavelli.Moreover, the city was at the forefront of the battle, between the Christians and the Turks who were seen as malicious, barbaric infidels. * The conflict was move to the island of Cyprus in 1570 which was a place isolated from civilisation and allie with Aphrodite, the goddess of love- and thus deemed a place of wild infatuation. Therefore we can see how this setting is able to show Othellos inner conflict and dichotomy of identities between the civilised and the barbaric, the Christian and the Pagan, the good and the evil within himself. foot 1 Women * According to the time that the play was written in and the general hierarchy within Venetian society men hold all the power and women are considered to be of low intellect. Yet it is the women that speak the most sense throughout the play and it is also the women that are able to trust otherwise characters in the play. for each one woman represents a different social level, Desdemona being the highest and B ianca being of the lowest. Each sexual relationship in the play provokes more or less jealousy between the couple.* Bianca does non appear in the play as much as the other female characters yet her presence is key to the death of Desdemona as well as other play themes. Iago often refers to her as a prostitute, A put up wife that by selling her commits, Buys herself bread and clothes. She has fallen in love with Cassio, yet he does not speak of his returned affection for her due to his desire for status, and her social standing would affect this dramatically. She is the jealous partner in this relationship and expresses this when Cassio produces Desdemonas handkerchief, which Iago has planted in Cassios room.* As Iagos wife and Desdemonas lady in waiting genus Emilia helps link Iagos plan. It was she whom supplied the Desdemonas handkerchief for Iago. This helps Iago distort Othellos views about Desdemonas fidelity. It is interesting that she does not headspring Iago too much wh en she gives him the handkerchief, it could be considered that this illustrates female competency to trust in the play. However she also remains ignorant of the entire plot until the end, when her life comes to an crisp ending, at the hands of her husband, Iago. She often failed to think before saying and performing some action.This, without much thought, uncovers her husbands plan, but she fails to consider the consequences for herself. This is very different to her husband, who seems to plan out every word in order to get the right response. It is apparent that this is quite an unhappy marriage, made clearer through their dissimilar personalities. She has some(prenominal) honorable qualities such as her honesty in addition to her loyalty towards Desdemona. Iago does not treat her like his wife until he requires something this shows this marriage was purely one in order to gain status among piers.* Throughout the play Desdemona is a symbol of innocence and helplessness. However on first encounter with her she appears to be be on and quite perceptive of dismantlets around her. Iago often tells Othello that she is unfaithful. It seems that she refuses to accept what is happening. Her views are impartial. She has a tendency to be sympathetic towards other peoples situations, like Cassio. This also further inspired Othellos jealousy when Iago pointed out they were speaking in privacy. She often pays attention to other peoples thoughts yet remains cynical if they differ to her own.She has a loyalty to her husbands in all aspects of life, whether it is mental or physical. If Desdemona had been an emotional void then Iago would not have succeeded in his plan. This would have meant that she would not have lied to Othello about losing the handkerchief, which she did so as not to hurt his feelings. However Othello sees this as an attempt to deceive him and conceal the alleged truth about her affair with Cassio. so far her final words, indicate that she blames her death on herself, and not her jealous husband. * Othello was indeed a tragedy, in which out of the three women that are introduced, only one survived.Although the women were all rational in thought and trusting, their trust was often misplaced, in gentlemen like Iago. As well as this regardless of their intellect and contemplation of events around them (in some cases) this was not enough for them to rise up in society, as women had no opinion in the time of the play. Although Shakespeare undertook many modern day ideas, he did not do this for a modern day society, as it would not have allowed so many events to occur, and it would not have been considered realistic by the viewing public. Theme 2 Appearance vs Reality.* When we are able to see the hidden truth in the closing scene of Othello, the distinct battle between appearance and reality is concluded, giving a clear exposure to the understanding of all the characters and issues of the play. Notably, productions of Othello during the Elizabethan epoch would have used a white actor as the protagonist, and disguised their skin with black makeup. * This ultimately emphasises the immense difference between external appearances and the internal reality, whereby the obvious dishonesty of the white Iago is juxtaposed with a fundamentally dignify black Othello.This is further promoted by the lines of the Duke in Act 1, who confirms that If virtue no delighted beauty lack/ Your son-in-law is far more fair than black. * Iago has the ability to clearly identity the fraud of appearances as also he is the most likely to lie, he gains a trust from all characters in the play which concludes as being fatal to Othello. Iago further says I am not what I am, as he is able to put on a evade honesty in society and only tells of his wickedness in soliloquy with the audience.* Thus wickedness allows Iago to affect the thinking of Othello and moreover creating a crude flesh that Cassio did topher, hence believing his obscure r easoning and logic and making Othello take this as the truth leading to his disastrous endings. The soubriquet of Honest Iago is continually reiterated by Othello, Cassio and Desdemona hence it is cynically mocking those he wanted to deceive. Moreover, in the closing scene, the truth is slowly revealed as Iago is finally revealed as the villain who he is seen by the audience throughout the whole play.* Although, in the final resolution to neer speak word, Shakespeare is able to penetrate the message of the very swart and inevitable human nature which Iago represents.Actions made by Othello are depended on the characters ability to not see things. He is able to blame and prosecute Desdemona even though he never witnessed her so called unlawful act against him, and Emilia- although she does witness Othellos extreme anger and sadness over the loss of the handkerchief- she does not justly see what her husband has done to cause this. * Thus it is obvious to see how the importance of t he eye stunt womanry in the final scene as it helps to ground a material realisation of the actual fatal truth.Once Othello has committed his own suicide, Iago is invited by Lodovico to Look on the tragic loading of this bed/ This is thy work. The purpose poisons sight, let it be hid. * Formerly, Iago poisoned Othello by pouring this pestilence into his ear. Conversely, it is as though Shakespeare is parodying the heroes need for ocular proof, as it ends as the eye which receives the poison with the man himself Othello being a part of the ordinary ending for a Shakespearean play, a horrific massacre.We then gain an understanding from the conclusiveness of death a certain reality and moral implication on issues of truth within the final scene. * Furthermore, it is only a given that Emilia protects Desdemona as the sweetest thing that ere did kidnap up eye, followed by Othello confirming his own wifes truthful innocence by declaring of her look that This look of thine will hurl m y soul from heaven. Hence in the closing scene of the play, Shakespeare uses both visual and auditory imagery to show the difference between appearance and reality and raise our understanding of the character Othello.Theme 3 Order and Chaos * The final scene, due to Elizabethan context, brings to place the restitution of order which helps to reunite the characters with concerns they have detained throughout the play. All Shakespearean plays depict a hierarchic society to maintain the cosmic laws of God. * A great amount of torment in the 17th vitamin C came from this Great Chain of Being, as a disturbance of this order possibly would force the world into great chaos, one which out does any of the kind. Othello is given two roles in this, one as the creator of chaos, and the other, the protector of order.Being held at high regard as the military general gave him the label of a hero and defender of Venetian civilisation. * However, due to his race and colour, Othello also was seen t o be threatening the white authority of the state. Much the same of the island of Cyprus, Othello was colonised by Venice, and used, however never fully becomes a Venetian. * With social fears of miscegenation, Othellos position as an outsider was forced upon him, and hence by Brabantios repulsion at the harsh image of a black ram tupping your white ewe.Yet, like all Shakespearean plays, order is restored in the final scene. In this scene, Othello is able to re-establish himself as a rattling(a) soldier through his suicide, by getting rid of the barbaric Turkish enemy. Through the uses of chaos and order, it represents the battle between Christians and Infidels. In the closing scene of Othello, Emilia reiterates play the swan/ and die in music. * This natural imagery says that it is possible that the laws of nature or religion are extremely powerful in society.This belief is further exemplified through the religious turmoil of the previous century, as Protestants were harshly perse cuted under the rulings of Queen Mary I. * Thus, it is obvious how religious devotion unploughed world order. We can further link Othellos character to black magic and a pagan history through items such as the handkerchief, illustrating the swage of the unknown to the Venetians. This is further linked with Christopher Marlowes, Doctor Faustus who is able to create a sense of overthrow through his associations with the devil.Saying this, at the ending of Othello, Shakespeare verifies that chaos and disorder can occupy the microcosm of an individual. * As Othello states Perdition catch my soul/ But I do love thee and when I love thee not/ Chaos is come again, we can see how he foreshadows an expression of self chaos at the loss of Desdemonas love. Next to the temptation scene of Act 3, we see how Othello succumbs to the green eyed monster of pure jealously brought on through Iagos evil mind games. * This extremely powerful human emotion releases the fauna hidden in Othello.This ca n greatly be seen in the breakdown of his language which has been his tool to command order throughout the whole play typical of his contextual authority. He cries Pish Noses, ears,/and lips. Ist possible? Confess-handkerchief O/devil , illustrating his confused mind and disorderly insecurity over Desdemonas fidelity. However, as the play closes, Shakespeare leads Othello back to person order. * In killing himself to die upon a kiss, Othello is able to seal his bond with his sweet and innocent wife, Desdemona and eventually dies in an act of love.Ultimately, the final scene of Othello, illustrates to the audience the utmost importance of the restoration of order, in terms of both social structure and the individual. Conclusion The final scene of Shakespeares Othello, offers us a sometimes erratic, emotion and foreseeable series of events. However this type of ending is extremely effective. It is in agreement with various traditional Aristotelian tragedies by the way it involves an i ntense feeling of pity and fear for the audiences entertainment.Moreover, the exaggerated ending of the play brings intensity and incites the readers to look upon the nature of the characters in the various issues amongst the play. Mainly, in the final scene, we see the flaws of the tragic hero, the Machiavellian disposition of Iago, the way women are seen and positioned in Shakespearian context and lastly the necessity of order aft(prenominal) the use of chaotic dimensions. Ultimately, the various emotions and thoughts put upon the audience in this final scene of the play Othello, helps promote and illustrate how it is one of Shakespeares most fascinate and controversial plays.