Wednesday, Jan. 21Wednesday, Jan. 21

A little contextA little context Character of IagoCharacter of Iago Character of OthelloCharacter of Othello

What Brabantio suspects What Brabantio suspects What Othello saysWhat Othello says

Character of DesdemonaCharacter of Desdemona BreakBreak Tragedy and Great Chain of Being in Tragedy and Great Chain of Being in

OthelloOthello 2:45-3:00 Choose groups for acting!!2:45-3:00 Choose groups for acting!! 3:00 3:00 MacbethMacbeth

Historical & Social ContextHistorical & Social Context

What do you know already (since many of What do you know already (since many of you have read you have read OthelloOthello before)? before)?

Source book: Cinthio’s Source book: Cinthio’s Hundred StoriesHundred Stories ““There once lived in Venice a Moor, who was a There once lived in Venice a Moor, who was a

very valiant and handsome person . . “very valiant and handsome person . . “ Historical clash of Christian vs. Muslim (the Historical clash of Christian vs. Muslim (the

Turk)Turk) Venice and its powerVenice and its power

-- East & West (route to Crusades) -- East & West (route to Crusades) Venice as named for Venus (prostitutes)Venice as named for Venus (prostitutes)

People of African descent in People of African descent in LondonLondon

People were so fascinated with Moors People were so fascinated with Moors that Queen Elizabeth and her ladies that Queen Elizabeth and her ladies had a party at which they all wore had a party at which they all wore black make-up to be “Ethiopes”black make-up to be “Ethiopes”

Mistress (sonnets) dark-skinned woman Mistress (sonnets) dark-skinned woman of Venetian originof Venetian origin

Many people of African descent in Many people of African descent in LondonLondonLucy Negro (dancer)Lucy Negro (dancer)Servants, musicians, dancers, entertainersServants, musicians, dancers, entertainers

Dark LadyDark Lady

Characters in Characters in OthelloOthello

Iago 1.1.148-178Iago 1.1.148-178 Othello 1.2.80-100 Othello 1.2.80-100

and 1.3.148-196and 1.3.148-196 Desdemona Desdemona

1.3.207-2181.3.207-218

TragedyTragedy

Shakespeare’s Four Greatest Tragedies:Shakespeare’s Four Greatest Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, MacbethHamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth Shakespeare was “on a roll” at this time, also writingShakespeare was “on a roll” at this time, also writing

Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Much Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Much Ado About Nothing, Ado About Nothing, and and Twelfth Night Twelfth Night (plus several (plus several more) all within four years: 1599-1603more) all within four years: 1599-1603

The tragedies are amazingly different from each other, The tragedies are amazingly different from each other, partly because he uses sources for each one, but the partly because he uses sources for each one, but the “amazingly” comes partly because it’s difficult to see “amazingly” comes partly because it’s difficult to see repetition in character, lines, or even structurerepetition in character, lines, or even structure

Writers sometimes will put the plays into the category of Writers sometimes will put the plays into the category of the 7 Wonders of the World (the Pyramids of Egypt, the the 7 Wonders of the World (the Pyramids of Egypt, the works of Shakespeare, . . . ) because we wonder: works of Shakespeare, . . . ) because we wonder: “Where did the language, the characters, the intricate “Where did the language, the characters, the intricate patterning, come from?”patterning, come from?”

Apply Handout to Apply Handout to OthelloOthello, Act , Act 11

What elements of Act 1 are like a comedy?What elements of Act 1 are like a comedy? ““It is particularly fearful to watch someone It is particularly fearful to watch someone

fall from a position of high rank or power.”fall from a position of high rank or power.” ““The tragic hero is typically on top of the The tragic hero is typically on top of the

wheel of fortune, halfway between human wheel of fortune, halfway between human society on the ground and the something society on the ground and the something greater in the sky.”greater in the sky.”

““Tragedy is much concerned with the Tragedy is much concerned with the breaking up of the family . . . “breaking up of the family . . . “

““Tragedy . . . supplies social and Tragedy . . . supplies social and psychological explanations for psychological explanations for catastrophe”catastrophe”

For Monday, Jan. 26For Monday, Jan. 26

Read Acts 2 and 3Read Acts 2 and 3Look for these themes:Look for these themes:

Light and dark (sun and eclipse)Light and dark (sun and eclipse)HandkerchiefHandkerchiefActing/ performance (meta-theater)Acting/ performance (meta-theater)