In Othello, one of the most interesting enigmas is the relationship between the spoken language and knowledge (or lack their of) which eventually leads to the downfall of Othello. One might contend that Othello’s lack of understanding throughout the play derives itself from the powerful, toxic language of Iago, which poisons the otherwise sound, knowledgeable mind of Othello. One might be comfortable with the idea that language has such a powerful, direct effect on human beings and can be used to both obscure and enhance understanding. However, this belief which holds language as a powerful agent directly affecting human understanding, runs into a serious complication when one considers that the loving language of Desmona fail to enhance Othello’s knowledge although Iago successfully obscures it. Thus, the enigma rises, what is the role of language in affecting human understanding in Othello? In Othello, language is an opaque, ambigous, and powerless blank space that human beings fill with their deeply-rooted and incorrect skepticisms which are subsequently realized and inflamed, causing a rejection of their world, and an obscuring of their knowledge. In this manner, Shakespeare’s Othello can be interpreted as an assertion that skepticism (within Othello) is created within one by one’s own mind and that language can very easily worsen doubt and obscure knowledge but rarely enhances knowledge or instills certainty
Throughout Othello, language is an intrinsically empty and
The language and literary techniques used in William Shakespeare's Othello enrich the settings, plot, characters, and themes. Othello is a complex tragedy about good versus evil, loyalty, love, sexual jealousy, appearance versus reality, and intrigue, told in a first person point of view. The play takes place during the Renaissance in Venice, Italy and in Cyprus over three days. It is written in blank verse, usually unrhymed iambic pentameter. The protagonist, Othello, is a Moor well respected by senators for his valiant service in war and married to Desdemona, a Venetian woman. The play is entitled Othello and the plot and action encompass him, thus supporting his position of
In Othello, Shakespeare explores the relationship between words and events. Spoken thought, in the play, has all the power of action; speaking about an event will make that event become reality for those who hear - it will affect reality as if that event had taken place. Shakespeare demonstrates the power of words poignantly through Othello's monologues. Othello struggles with the reality that Iago creates for him. When Othello speaks, he reveals that he is unable to stop himself from carrying out acts that Iago's and his own words have prophesied and initiated. Othello's monologues further demonstrate that even the knowledge of the power of words cannot protect the characters from the
Literary works that explore core human experiences are able to retain their textual integrity through a range of contexts, despite the dynamic nature of prevalent social constructs and moral viewpoints. Playwright William Shakespeare whose works were originally composed during the Elizabethan era encompasses this idea, but they have been appropriated through different mediums, as the exploration of universal concepts is still relevant to contemporary responders. This is particularly evident in Shakespeare’s “Othello” (1603).
Shakespeare is known for his use of recurring themes throughout his work, including love, death and betrayal. These themes are present in his work of Othello. However, the most fundamental issue is jealousy. The lives of the characthers in Othello are ruined by jealousy from the beginning to the end of the play. The telling of the story is carried out by passion, jealousy, and death. Shakespeare’s Othello reveals devastating tragic inevitability, stunning psychological depth, and compelling poetic depth; the fragility and mysterious power of love, as well as demons of doubt, and how suspicion can be triggered by manipulative villain (Barthelemy 12).
The ideas of truth and perception are hard to differentiate in everyday life, making the real truth harder to seek. The main functions in Othello are perception and truth which is a person’s viewpoint or their interpretation of reality, and truth being what actually happens, and these facts can be easily manipulated. Othello, written by William Shakespeare, is a general who is constantly tormented between the false and real truth by Iago who skillfully manipulates him throughout the story. In Plato’s The Republic, he also talks about these themes, saying that the truth can be shaped by your view of reality and by stereotypes. In Othello, Shakespeare is saying that perception can easily alter the truth of others, making the truth harder to accept.
Shakespeare is the second most quoted writer in the English language – after the various writers of the Bible. Many of Shakespeare’s ideas for the play Othello came from a collection of tales written by Giraldi Cinthio. In Othello the character of Iago acts as the prominent main character throughout the play, even though he plays the role of the antagonist to the other central characters in the comedy Iago is the tragic hero. Shakespeare’s Othello was not just a translation of Cinthio’s version from Italian to English, but a transformation of the drama, changing the dynamic of the play. Shakespeare’s use of metaphors, the tragic hero and the actuality of the story led to Othello becoming an infamous piece of writing during the Renaissance. William Shakespeare’s Othello is a classic piece of British Literature because of its use of literary devices, intriguing plot and historical.
When pairs of texts are considered together, their universal themes and ideas lead to greater understanding, appreciation and insight of both the old and the new. The texts Othello, William Shakespeare (1600) and Othello, Geoffrey Sax (2001), ring true for this statement. Despite the differing contexts and ages, the universal themes of racism and betrayal bring new meaning to each of the texts. The primary meaning from the juxtaposition of the two is that of the human condition, and how the problems faced in the 17th century are faced in modern times.
People do idiotic things. No matter how hard you try and how careful you think you may be, you are bound to make mistakes sometime in your life. Whether it is as small as spelling a word wrong or to as large as causing someone or something's demise even though it may not entirely be their fault. In the Shakespearean play Othello, Iago is seen as a ruthless, power hungry man who wants to see Othello burn. Othello on the other hand appears to be a wise general who only has one weakness in particular: Desdemona. He is flat out head over heels for her which Iago uses to his advantage through the green eyed monster itself: jealousy. Jealousy is one of the main themes within the play, and plays a very important role in the tragic outcome where
Fear of cuckoldry is widely known theme in medieval and Renaissance English literature. Fear of cuckoldry was also a widespread fear in English society during those eras. Men often treated their wives as possessions. Once men and women married, divorce was almost impossible, especially since it was almost impossible to prove that one had been cuckolded. If one were cuckolded and one’s wife had another man’s child, one might spend decades taking care of that child and passing on one’s money and belongings to that child without ever knowing that one had been deceived. Unmarried women are seen as their fathers ' property and the play 's two marriages are marked by jealousy and cruelty. Most
Othello speaks to Iago in Act Three of the play saying, “certain, men should be what they seem” (3.3.131). This excerpt foreshadow events in which Othello will begin to question the actions and morality of Cassio and Desdemona, all orchestrated by Iago’s scheming nature. This is a very important concept to showcase because Othello devoutly loves Desdemona and trusts Cassio until conniving language from Iago causes him to think otherwise. Drawing on Shakespeare’s source story by Cinthio and other outside sources, textual information can be gathered to explore major concerns of “Othello”. Throughout this essay, I will present textual evidence from multiple sources examining the central concerns of the play, which include identity and revenge.
Good morning/afternoon year eleven. Today, I will be speaking about how the power of language is explored in Shakespeare’s “Othello” through the complex characters and their speeches throughout the play. Othello and Iago, the protagonist and antagonist, both have moments in which they use language to speak directly to the audience. They convince us to feel or think a certain way, despite the underlying truth in their speech. Iago’s speech in Act 1, Scene 1, Line 42, detailing his feelings towards Othello, and Othello’s speech at the beginning of Act 5, Scene 2, prior to murdering his wife Desdemona, both use language to convey a manipulated truth and intent. These speeches inflict emotions onto the audience, as though we are being spoken to and tricked just as the characters in the play are.
In Othello every character has their own personalities that makes them the person they are. In Othello there are characters that show true grit, a fixed mindset, and a growth mindset. Each characters are different which makes the book even more interesting. True grit means to endure and push through to do something better no matter what it takes. An example of grit is studying for a long period of time for a test and enduring the amount of work that must be completed. The definition of mindset is the established set of attitude held by someone. There are two other types of mindset as well. There is growth mindset and fixed mindset. Growth mindset is when the person isn 't
The role of language in Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest” is quite significant. To Miranda and Prospero the use of language is a means to knowing oneself. Caliban does not view language in the same light. Prospero taught Caliban to speak, but instead of creating the feeling of empowerment from language, Caliban reacts in insurrectionary manner. Language reminds him how different he is from Miranda and Prospero, and also how they have changed him. It also reminds him of how he was when he wasn’t a slave. He resents Prospero for “Civilising” him, because in doing so he took away his freedom.
Othello, a play that was written in 1604 by William Shakespeare, is an example of a type of story called a “tragedy.” Throughout the course of the work, Othello proves himself to be very easily misled, despite his heroic status. This causes him to lose his ability to make good judgments and decisions. Even though Othello had a reputation as a hero, he ends up being one of the most gullible characters in the play when he completely falls into the evil trap that Iago set for him. As the story unfolds Othello’s character evolves in an extremely tragic way as Iago manipulates him and leaves him to rot in his misery. Eventually, this leads to Othello’s suicide.
Critics have debated the significance of Othello’s race in terms of portraying his identity for a long time. The negative connotations of “blackness” have led to the creation of many racial constructs associated with the “Moor”; this denigration has infused the opinions of many critics, such as Albert Gerard, proposing that Othello’s “negroid physiognomy” reaches down to the “deepest levels of personality” and that he is a “barbarian”. However, many other critics like Edward Berry and Martin Orkin believe that colour is merely a “surface indicator” compared to the outward virtue of beneficence, defining identity. Beneficence could be defined by the will to practice good acts, in conjunction with the aversion of practicing evil, and the prevention and removal of evil.