His successful profession brings him high status in Venice, but his foreign origins and color separate him from those with whom he lives and works. PASS Othello with ease. for a group? Moor or less? 4.772093023255814 83 reviews. Othello Critics and Critical Approaches A-Level English Literature Roderigo, however, calls him "thick-lips" (1.1.65-6), suggesting that he may come from further south on the African continent. Find the quotes you need to support your Othello essay, or refresh your memory of the playby reading these key quotes. You can view our. Whenever characters such as Iago feel jealousy, fear, or simple hatred toward Othello, they give vent to their feelings by using racist slurs. Othello A-Level: Critics Flashcards | Quizlet Contact us She cannot retaliate even in speech; no, not even in silent feeling, Desdemona made a very specific decision to marry this man that makes her in some ways extremely strong, an active participant in the drama, rather than an insipid feeble girl., describes Desdemona as the ideal Renaissance woman, pious, modest, and obedient the picture that is constructed is an idealised one and yet, as soon as we see her, she proves herself to be assertive, sexually liberated and witty., Desdemonas spirit, clarity, and realism do not desert her entirely in the latter half of the play as many critics and performances imply., the motive-hunting of motiveless malignity, suggests that it is Iagos repressed desire for Othello that is the real reason for his actions, suggests on Othello, the stuff of which he is made begins to deteriorate and show himself unfit., Othello must not be considered as a negro, but as a high and chivalrous Moorish chief, describes Othello and Iago as implicit in the other, Not easily jealous is the most appalling bit of self-deception. 20% OTHELLO Critics A Level English Literature | Teaching Resources It is a quiet moment, but a hugely significant one. How does Othello see himself? "Women and Men in Othello: 'what should such a fool / Do with so good a woman'." Shakespeare Studies 10 (1977): 133-58. It might be read as a last attempt by Emilia to save Desdemona from her self-destructive 'feminine' passivity' - Penny Gay, feminist critic, 'Barbarywas in love, and he she loved proved mad and did forsake her: she had a song of 'willow'; it express'd her fortuneshe died singing it', 'have not we affections,desires for spot, and fragility, as men have? For much of the play, Othello resists, ignores, or seems indifferent to the racism that dogs him. First performed around 1604, the play is also a pioneering exploration of racial prejudice. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. But in Act IV, he crumbles. It marks a turning point: Othello has fallen victim to the same racist logic (or illogic) that rules the thinking of people such as Iago and Roderigo. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Wed love to have you back! Iago hopes to disgust Brabanzio with this animal imagery and with the contrast between Othellos Blackness and Desdemonas whiteness. In Elizabethan England, the term "Moor" could be used to refer to a wide range of non-European persons, including black Africans, North Africans, Arabs, and even Indians. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. You may either corroborate or challenge this critic - it is often quite fun to counter the critic and open up a literary debate. T.S Eliot argues Othello is a 'criminal. Tes Global Ltd is Key Facts about Othello Full Title: The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice When Written: c. 1603 Where Written: England When Published: 1622 Literary Period: The Renaissance Genre: Tragedy Setting: Venice and Cyprus Climax: The murder of Desdemona, by Othello Antagonist: Iago Extra Credit for Othello Moor or less? Revision can be challenging to say the least, but these resources have been designed to make it enjoyable and 'easy'. Resources have been thoroughly researched and put together in order to contain optimum detail and apprehension. Q2-Explore the dramatic presentation of Emilia in the play. View all Critical approaches to Othello | The British Library "Tragedy is primarily one of jealousy", Loomba: "Venice was repeatedly pictured as a city full of whores", Provide 4 critical comments on appearance vs reality, Loomba: Othello has "a capacity for tenderness as well as a propensity to violence", Provide 5 critical comments on characters who are outsiders, Loomba: "Othello is a victim of racial beliefs precisely because he becomes an agent of misogynistic ones", Vaughan: "Like the liminal island of Cyprus, [Othello] is caught in the middle", O'Toole: "Iago's brilliance lies not in what he puts into Othello's mind, but what he draws out of it", John Bayley: "Desdemona is as much imprisoned in her assumption of love as is Othello in his", Provide 3 critical comments on Othello and Desdemona's relationship, John Bayley: "Desdemona is as much imprisoned in her assumption of love as is Othello in his" Study Guides, Why does Othello care about Desdemonas handkerchief. Approaches include: feminist, marxist, new-historicist, post-colonial, psychoanalytical and formalist. Available He was an immediate success: Shakespeare soon became the most popular playwright of the day as well as a part-owner of the Globe Theater. After telling othello of stories about cassio and desdemonas love life he makes up a story about desdemona giving cassio her handkerchief. Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in Othello, from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more. Character List. Virginia Mason Vaughan discusses four recent critical approaches: feminist, new historicist, marxist and post-colonial. In the next lines, Othello compares himself to a toad living in a dungeon, as if he has begun to suspect that his Blackness makes him a loathsome animal, somehow less than human. 16-Page Highly Detailed Critical Analysis document (PDF/Word included) exploring every single character, theme and critical interpretations over the years in the play. Neely, Carol Thomas. When Iago tells Brabanzio that an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe, he demeans a passionate and loving relationship between two intelligent adults by characterizing Othello as a mindless rutting animal who has soiled the pure Desdemona with his lust. Geoffrey Sax 2001) Ira Aldridge is the only actor of African heritage to have played Othello in Europe in the 19th century, and he did so several times. Video: Racism in Othello. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% 104 0 obj <> endobj Philip III of Spain expelled 300,000 "Moriscos" from the Iberian (Spanish) peninsula not long after Shakespeare finished, Shakespeare's primary source for Othello was, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Dont have an account? Like Iago, other Venetians resort to racial slurs to deal with their own feelings of inferiority or powerlessness. He is endeavouring to escape realitybyadopting an aesthetic rather than a moral attitudehe has ceased to think about Desdemona and is thinking about himself' - T S Elliot, 'Speak of me asone that loved not wisely but too well', 'in AleppoWhere a TurkBeat a Venetian and traduced [insulted] the state, I took by the throat the circumsised dog, and smote him, thus', '[Othello is] a near schizophrenic hero' - Ania Loomba, 'in AleppoWhere a TurkBeat a Venetian and traduced [insulted] the state, I took by the throat the circumsised dog, and smote him, thus'. Instant PDF downloads. Go further in your study of Othellowith background information, movie adaptations, and links to the best resources around the web. Othello: CRITICS OPINIONS. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. This critical quote bank has quotes on Othello, Iago, Desdemona, Women, Tragedy and more. Essay: Too Gentle: Jealousy and Class in Othello. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. A long list of critics for each character / theme, so that you can easily decide which critic and critical approach suits you best for your revision without having to do the EXTENSIVE research involved in categorising the critics. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. calls Othello's final speech a "terrible exposure of human . Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch. 5 1 review. Sometimes it can end up there. Othello is also accused of other soul destroying sins; murder, despair and entering into a compact with the devil (Iago). Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. You'll also receive an email with the link. 0 Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! A post-colonial critique of the play considers the way in which Othello's race is portrayed, and considers the hero's 'outsider' status in a white world. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. I have included a **quote bank** with analysis beside each quote, as well as a **critical quote bank**. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Contact us Tes Global Ltd is Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Recent views Othello: Advanced - York Notes eZba:|qR%gHimJyaO$#8>1xl`dyQaemR?bHZ0eED"MGfX5` )10R3;v Othello Scene Summaries with Quotes AQA English Literature A-level Othello Critical Views A05 Othello Critics Othello Character Analysis Othello Key Themes: Race and Colour Othello Notes Shakespeare Critical Anthology Othello - A2 - Critical Quotes Othello Revision - Context, Scene Summaries, Literary Criticism, Practice Paragraphs Throughout Othello, the audience is presented with different relationships - Emilia and Iago as well as Othello and Desdemona. for a group? boys. First performed around 1604, the play is also a pioneering exploration of racial prejudice. 132 0 obj <>/Encrypt 105 0 R/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<29498E6B48029A4091C3B3364DE7A179>]/Index[104 62]/Info 103 0 R/Length 122/Prev 633683/Root 106 0 R/Size 166/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. Shakespeare's father was a glove-maker, and Shakespeare received no more than a grammar school education. Explore a plot summary, list of characters, and important quotes. PDF Context - Othello - AQA English Literature A-level - PMT thello'. Subscribe now. Shakespeare shifts the action from Venice to Cyprus. All boards. You can find notes and guides for it below. Your rating is required to reflect your happiness. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE. (including. Othello is "understandably human - but he is not greatly noble". creating and saving your own notes as you read. Othello A-Level: Critics Provide 4 critical comments on femininity Click the card to flip Loomba: "Othello is predisposed to believing his pronouncements about the inherent duplicity of women" "Venice was repeatedly pictured as a city full of whores" French: "two kinds of women, one being superhuman, totally virtuous."