Sing all a green willow; See in text (Act V - Scene II). Remove your thought; it doth abuse your bosom. Context. The Turks, their Ottoman Empire, and their Islamic culture and heritage yield both the crisis that sets Othello in motion and layers of meaning which reinforce the play's themes and imagery. This is especially prevalent when Iago states ‘the old black ram tupping the white ewe.’ The adjective old gives way to the idea that Othello is haggard- an unattractive use of imagery. Social and Historical Context of Othello Superstition, magic and Madness Spirits of good and evil were in close proximity creating a balance in their lives Othello is often shown to have "enchanted" Desdemona, as if he has used magic to make her fall in love with him because that is the only way an interracial relationship could exist At the same time, they can be challenging to directly teach to students and … Hide Show resource information. 2. The Fascinating Stage History of Othello According to the Accounts of the Master of the Revels (published in 1842), Othello was performed in 1604. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Shakespearean tragedy was revived with leading actors such as Thomas Betterton and Barton Booth playing the role of Othello. Sing willow, willow, willow; It assumes that a text cannot be understood without the context of the point in history in which it was created/written about and the study of … STUDY. Context Elizabethan Era (Elizabeth I, 1558-1603) General • Othello was written after 1601 and before 1604 and was therefore created in the last years of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. Othello brings us closer to an understanding of Greek tragedy than any other of Shakespeare's plays. "I learned it in England, where indeed they are most(70) The duke and senate are discussing the islands of Cyprus and Rhodes in this scene. If any wretch have put this in your head, Shakespeare's Othello is set in Venice and Cyprus, but the Venetian society's fear of cultural difference, manifested in its racism, may be viewed as an indicator of Elizabethan England's concern to maintain its cultural identity in the face of extensive exploration and initial colonization of the New World. Shakespeare set Othello against the epic backdrop of an ongoing religious conflict between Christian Republic of Venice and the Muslim Ottoman Empire. Othello’s real defect (or at least the real defect in Iago’s mind and plan) is the Moor’s insecurity over his appearance. What is the meaning of Othello's expression "goats and monkeys!" Historical Context of Othello. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. "green-eyed monster..." that they speak i' the nose thus?..." Leo was a black man who had been brought up in Barbary. Iago plays upon this when the reminds Othello that Desdemona “seemed to shake and fear your looks” (III.iii.207), and that he is not “of her own clime, complexion, and degree” (III.iii.230). View all Topics . Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,(45) There are also significant differences in the length of time over which the drama takes place, details of setting, and characters’ actions. Just hoping to give you a general understanding of these concepts. Using Critical Lenses to Analyze Othello: Historical, Cultural and Feminist Context November 12th, 2014. Othello – Context. She deconstructs the widely accepted double standard that expects women to be entirely chaste and pure. Hallowmas Day, being the first of November, a play in the banqueting house at Whitehall called The Moor of Venice. Othello is set amidst these wars, particularly the 1570 Turkish invasion of Cypress. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Podcast View all Podcast ... His season opened with Othello (“considerable discrimination and effect,” said the Coventry Herald) and was a great success. Shakespeare was also familiar with fifteenth and early sixteenth century accounts of wars between Venice and Turkey, during which time Venice regained temporary control of Cyprus. Shakespeare’s source material for the plot was Giraldi Cinthio's Hecatommithi, published in 1565. Podcast. Remember; William Shakespeare. Discuss the importance of race in Othello. (15) Warning: I am not a history teacher, so some of my details are only single sourced. This passage represents a note of clarity and truth amidst the sea of confusion. For if she be not honest, chaste, and true, Last Updated on July 22, 2020, by eNotes Editorial. Spell. 10 months ago. "the Moor..." His play is based on a 1565 story by Italian writer Cinthio Giraldi called The Moorish Captain. Terms in this set (14) The Moors, basics-From north Africa. The jealous Iago plans for the removal of … Historical and Literary Context for William Shakespeare's Othello. Commentators have also suggested that Pliny’s Natural History provided Shakespeare with details to enhance Othello’s exotic adventures and his alien origins. Women had few legal rights. The bloodstains on the sheets would serve as proof of the bride’s preserved virginity. • It was then performed in the Jacobean Era (James I). Othello – Context . The play tells the story of a powerful general of the Venetian army, Othello, whose life and marriage are ruined by a conniving, deceitful, and envious soldier, Iago. May be suitable for KS5. In regards to historical context, Shakespeare’s work was written to question common beliefs, assumptions and politics upon which Elizabethan Society was founded (in a true renaissance way!). Dudaeva/Shutterstock Although questions were being asked about the social hierarchy, women remained in subordinate roles, their lives controlled by patriarchy during the Renaissance. Learn all about Othello, ask questions, and get the answers you need. Sing willow, willow, willow” "Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse More on Astronomy; The Renaissance; Theatrical context. They give a starting point for viewing the piece in a different way and thinking deeply about it. See in text (Act I - Scene III). The exercise of authority; The faith setting of Shakespeare’s plays; The nature of humanity; Astronomy and astrology. Should yawn at alteration...." The Othello Historical & Literary Context chapter of this Othello Study Guide course is the most efficient way to study the background of Shakespeare's famous tragedy. In each of his plays, one can find both serious meditations and dirty jokes. It was a tradition in Elizabethan times for a newlywed couple to display their bedsheets in public. 0/9 unlocked Women in Othello. Shakespeare’s plays are a blend of high and low sensibilities. Assertive women were considered a threat to the social order. Othello is possibly the most famous literary exploration of the warping powers of jealousy and suspicion. Aldridge’s performance made a deep impression in America and abroad. And it … As Othello reflects, the “affrighted globe/Should yawn at alteration.” The alteration—or change—Othello speaks of is Desdemona’s death. Find full texts with expert analysis in our extensive library. Got it! Created by. Context: Cassio, lieutenant to Othello, the noble Moor of Venice, has gained the position that Iago, ensign to Othello, had hoped for. Gravity. potent in potting...." Most significantly, when Othello was first written and performed, the African slave trade was just beginning to be known and practiced in London, and this too is part of the play's ancestry. Powerpoint teaching resource for Othello's social and historical context. Emilia is bold enough to challenge Othello on his assumptions despite his position of authority. Othello's military setting not only factors into Iago's motivation and Othello's gullibility, it provides the means for Iago to carry out his machinations and the environment that smoothes his way. Iago claims to hate Othello because Othello has passed him over for promotion and slept with his wife, Emilia, but a third motive for his behavior is, perhaps, one that he does not or cannot explicitly state: the motive to preserve the racial and cultural identity of his society. Lay on my bed my wedding sheets. The question of Othello’s race is also up for debate. However, there is a rich historical background behind the tragedy that must be considered for a deeper understanding of the book. Othello Historical Context. Maybe Iago takes his being passed over for promotion to extremes—but maybe not. In Othello Shakespeare represents a society in many ways fundamentally different from his own, and rather than minimizing or obscuring these differences he explores them in a politically creative way. In Cinthio's story, Cassio is married and his wife is a prominent character. However natural a Black Othello seems, at that time, it was a novelty to audiences for whom the tradition of a Berber chieftain went virtually unchallenged. In contrast, the First Quarto contains about 13 lines or partial lines not found in the First Folio. Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe • It was then performed in the Jacobean Era (James I). There is a great deal of debate amongst Shakespeare scholars as to the precise meaning of “Moor.” In some instances, the term has been used to describe natives of the region that is now Morocco and Algeria; in others, it has referred to anyone of Arab origin. This line is either a reference to this story or evidence of an intended character that Shakespeare either never wrote or removed from the plot. Brabantio believes that Othello has caused her to stray from such perfection by using magic potions and witchcraft to sway her affections. Emilia’s comments reveal a great deal about Elizabethan society and remain relevant to this day. Her salt tears fell from her, and soften'd the stones”— Historical Context of Othello . But in another sense, perhaps he cannot articulate his motives because they are the deep and unidentified racist feelings of his society in general. Othello is a play that asks us to examine the position of women in society, since it explores issues such as: clandestine marriage, accusations of adultery, and it includes three different social classes of women. If any wretch have put this in your head, See in text (Act IV - Scene III). Elizabethan intolerance of other cultures. | Yet from its first staging to the present, Othello has also been among the few Shakespearean plays to be repeatedly staged to enthusiastic audiences, not only … considering possible differences between contemporary and current readings of Othello 2. Cinematic versions of Othello are impressive, as is Orson Welles’ 1952 interpretation, which has been described as “one of the screen’s sublime achievements” by Vincent Canby of The New York Times. What he loves is the construction of Desdemona as the "perfect" woman, a perfection of sensibilities that must not be allowed to err. Despite the differences, textual commentators generally agree that the folio edition was printed from a copy of the First Quarto, together with corrections and additions from some reliable manuscript, such as an acting company prompt-book. Or, perhaps, Iago is motivated by his own more personal feelings of racism (rather than his society's), which come to the fore as Iago deals with the fact that his superior is a Black man. Learning Labs Consulting “Critical lenses” can help to support students independent analysis of texts. Othello Historical Context William Shakespeare This Study Guide consists of approximately 158 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Othello. Sarah_Judd. Shakespeare derived Othello’s plot from a short narrative in Giraldi Cinthio’s Gli Hecatommithi (1565), but set his play within the context of Venice’s struggle during the 1570s with the Ottoman Empire for control of Cyprus, the eastern Mediterranean island that overlooked the shipping lanes between Europe and trading centres in the East. The Turk and the Moor, two traditional symbols of cultural values different from those of Western culture, threaten Venetian society but may be read as the embodiments of Elizabethan England's fear that its cultural values will be lost through colonization and the intermingling of different cultural values. Last Updated on July 22, 2020, by eNotes Editorial. John Gielgud’s portrayal of “the disintegration of [Othello’s] character was traced with immense power and excellent variety.” Iago’s role as played by Christopher Plummer and Ian McKellen has been acclaimed. Info on King&'s Men, The Globe and the play. When Iago's schemes have been revealed by Emilia, he is encouraged by the others to reveal his motives. Remember; Let nobody blame him; his scorn I approve Browse Library, Teacher Memberships STUDY. Cyprus, a small island off the coast of Greece, was a profitable location for trade and had been under the influence of Venice since Caterina Cornaro, a Venetian noblewoman, ma… PLAY. Sing all a green willow must be my garland. As a ‘modern’ reader and with regards to historical context, one can understand why Shakespeare’s Othello challenges the ‘norms’ of society. See in text (Act III - Scene III). Hits Assessment Objective for context for Controlled Assessment. Racism and woman's unchecked sexuality are themes that resonate throughout the play and ignite the most confusion and fear when they are conceptualized as the offspring of a union between Desdemona and Othello. Othello- Historical Context. Hark, who is't that knocks?..." The fresh streams ran by her, and murmur'd her moans; Already a member? Shakespeare & his ambiguous literature allows for many opportunities of discussion! Means Black in Greek. "yet do they all confirm 3.4. sf02. Historical Context of Othello From the eleventh to the fifteenth century, Catholics battled to re-conquer Spain from the Islamic Arabs and Berbers, or Moors, who had successfully occupied it since the 900s. Historical Context and Race in Othello. However, there is a rich historical background behind the tragedy that must be considered for a deeper understanding of the book. Account; Donate; What’s on; Menu. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. The events of Othello take place around the year 1500, when the Venetian and Ottoman empires were in conflict over the cities, islands, and ports of the Mediterranean. Religious/ philosophical context. The play takes place in Cyprus, which was a Venetian outpost that was attacked and conquered by Turkey in 1571; Venice was hence at war with Turkey, and war rages throughout most of the play; And call thy husband hither...." Some scholars suggest that the term “Moor” was used in Elizabethan times to denote all black Africans, while others point out that many Moors technically would have been of European ethnicity. Indeed, Emilia has never seen any signs of infidelity because there are none. Like many of Shakespeare’s plays, Othello is set in Italy. In the same way, the depiction of Desdemona as the flower of Venetian society, the ideal of virtuous fidelity, is perhaps less a description of Venetian gender expectations than it is a depiction of woman designed to allay English fears that miscegenation (procreation between a man and a woman of different races) would threaten the order and culture of English society. "Prithee, tonight Word Count: 640. 0.0 / 5. "I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest, English Language & Literature; Othello; A2/A-level; Edexcel; Created by: lanahall; Created on: 06-10-15 08:56; General Information. These debates have played themselves out in stagings of the play: the role of Othello has been filled by actors of various races, including white actors in blackface. See in text (Act IV - Scene II). Desdemona wishes to show Othello their bedsheets to remind him of her chastity. Let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse! Nay, that's not next. The sharp, nasal tone of the instruments sounds similar to that of a man whose nose is affected by syphilis. Othello is a tragedy written by the big dog of English theater himself: Billy Shakespeare. It has even been suggested by Geoffrey Bullough that Shakespeare consulted John Pory’s translation of Leo Africanus’ A Geographical History of Africa, which distinguishes between Moors of northern and southern Africa and characterizes both groups as candid and unaffected, but prone to jealousy. In the nineteenth century, Edmund Kean was described by Samuel Taylor Coleridge as having brought “flashes of lightning” to the interpretation of Shakespeare. Shakespeare attended grammar school, but his formal education proceeded no further. May be suitable for KS5. General – Othello is the General of the Venetian army. Othello is a great general, a man who has won the honor of a people who might otherwise scorn him by his astounding military successes on their behalf. The primary source text that inspired Othello is Giraldi Cinthio's 1565 Hecatommithi. Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,(45) The context of Othello. Context Activities; Language Activities; Performance Activities; Theme Activities; Shakespeares Globe. A cuckolded man (a man whose wife is cheating on him) faced both social humiliation and ruined credit. The plot of a tragedy must follow the chain of events leading to a character’s fall . in 4.1.243 of Othello? Within Othello, Shakespeare questions the meaning behind heroism and admirability in the context of a Venetian society, in which the play is set. Although Iago takes it upon himself to repair the grievous cultural rupture caused by the marriage of Desdemona and Othello, he is not alone. What Are The Social Historical And Cultural Context Of Othello. PLAY. Test. It was a common practice of playwrights at the time to borrow or lift plot ideas from other preexisting stories, and Shakespeare was no exception to the rule. "Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, The earliest recorded performance of the play was that by the King’s Men “in the Banketinge house at Whit Hall” on November 1, 1604. These are metaphors calculated to alarm Brabantio and arouse his most primal fears. Powerpoint teaching resource for Othello's social and historical context. As some people in Shakespeare's time may have felt, and as some people in modern times may feel, the society that fails to limit the sexual activity of women runs the risk of losing a paternal identification—we can never be certain who the father is in cases of infidelity—but also losing cultural identity in miscegenation. And just as we are well aware of the racism in our own society, it may be that Shakespeare was writing about the racism in his own society, not just the racism in the Venetian society depicted in the play. Othello Historical & Literary Context Introduction to Renaissance Literature: Characterizing Authors and Works 11:40 Introduction to Shakespeare: Life and Works 16:45 Abel el-Ouahed ben Messaod; Abd el-Ouahen fen Messaoud ; Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud; Abel el-Ouahem ben … To Emilia, such an expectation is unrealistic, for “there’s no man happy” regardless of a woman’s supposed virtue. 2 Othello is set against the backdrop of the wars between Venice and Turkey that raged in the latter part of the sixteenth century. The Moorish Ambassador and the Banishment of Africans. Since no translation of this work is known to have appeared before 1753, scholars believe that Shakespeare either read the work in its original Italian, or that he was familiar with a French translation of Cinthio’s tales, published in 1585 by Gabriel Chappuys. Social and Historical Context of Othello. See in text (Act I - Scene I). One of the stories in the volume concerns an unnamed Moor of Venice, his new bride “Disdimona,” and his villainous Ensign. But Othello is not only a great fighter; he is also a great speaker. Beginning in 1423, Venice fought against the Ottoman Empire over various holdings in the Adriatic Sea. Have You Not Read of Some Such Thing? The most recent interpretation of Othello is a film that includes Laurence Fishburne as Othello and Kenneth Branagh as Iago. Sing willow, willow, willow; Othello is an influential piece of art because it brings both cultural and historical value. This would certainly seem to be the perfect opportunity to reveal his anger at the loss of promotion and his jealous suspicions of Othello. The story from the collection dealing with “The Unfaithfulness of Husbands and Wives” provides an ideal place for an Elizabethan dramatist to look for a plot. (15) What excites fear and pity in the modern reader is an identification with Othello's frailty and the suspicion that those unstoppable forces are produced by the fears and ignorance in society. Historical Q&As . While he wins the honor of the Venetians because of his victories, he wins the love of Desdemona because of his enrapturing stories. English Literature; Othello; A2/A-level; Edexcel; Created by: Kate McGowan; Created on: 14-09-17 22:56; What was the racial stereotype of black men in the 1600s? Sing willow, willow, willow” Learn more. 4 Patriarchy Renaissance women were subordinate to men and were ruled by them. Othello was first performed by the King's Men at the court of Kind James I on November 1st 1604. During the Renaissance many believed black people were fit only to be slaves. The play is set in the 16th century, at a time when Venice was in constant conflict with the Ottoman Empire over control of the Adriatic and eastern Mediterranean. First seen in England in the writings of Sir Thomas Moor and Sir Thomas Wyatt. Hide Show resource information.