...May 2013 Othello Humans are tend to behave a certain way, some people are more peaceful than others, everyone is different in a way, but there are times when human behavior can be change drastically from good to bad, when someone is influenced by another person, they tend to change the way they see or think about certain things, and as a result people change their personalities and behaviors. In Othello we can clearly see a change in personality and behavior from the main character who is Othello. He was transformed from a peaceful and well-spoken person, to a savage who end up killing his wife. In the play of Othello is easy to identify that “jealousy” is the main theme. Othello who is a general from the Venetian state is one of the most respected and well-spoken person in the play, In the first acts we can see that Othello is a faithful and powerful general who is married with Desdemona, she is the daughter of Brabantio, Brabantio is against the marriage of her daughter and Othello because of his skin color. Iago is the villain in the play who hates Othello because he was not promoted, and instead Othello decided to promote a young and inexperienced men named Cassio. Iago decide to seek revenge by manipulating everyone in the play. Iago devise a plan that will cause a tremendous amount of chaos. His plan is to lead Othello to believe that his wife, Desdemona has been cheating on him with another man. In Act Three we can see the drastic change of Othello personality...
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...downfall, including the part Iago and Desdemona play, and how the main character’s personality and actions affect the fate of the other characters. A point much contested by critics is how Shakespeare presents Othello himself: some, such as A.C. Bradley, hold the view that the General is a noble tragic hero, whereas F.R. Leavis would contradict this by claiming Othello to be a weak man whose fatal flaw is jealousy. Iago is a key instrument in Othello’s downfall and uses deception to plant the idea of Desdemona’s infidelity. He adroitly persuades Othello to accept this idea in a very short length of time. Shakespeare first uses Iago to develop the theme of perception when Iago hints at the topic of Desdemona’s supposed affair in 3:3. Iago then claims to have asked about Cassio ‘But for a satisfaction of my thought’. The idea of ‘thinking' is repeated many times after this, and is significant because of the way Shakespeare has the characters appear to perceive each other – for example how people see Iago, who is mentioned many times to be ‘honest’ – Othello even says ‘I know thou’rt full of love and honesty’ – and this dramatic irony allows him to successfully carry out his deception. The audience alone knows he is untrustworthy until late in the play, as he appears to be helping each character while actually stirring negativity between them. This ‘motiveless malignity’, as claimed by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, leads Othello to murder Desdemona. However, some would disagree with critics...
Words: 1743 - Pages: 7
...dependent on the corresponding culture and era. Shakespeare’s 1603 play, Othello, and Eugène Delacroix’s 1830 oil painting on canvas, Liberty Leading the People, are prime examples of texts that explore the importance of one’s self concept, particularly in fields of patriotism and sacrifice. Body paragraph 1 Actions of patriotism are often a foundation for one's honourability,...
Words: 821 - Pages: 4
...LITERARY THEMES IN OTHELLO The play, Othello, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, that circles around a man by the name Othello. He is a highly esteemed general in the service of Venice. Iago is Othello's ambitious friend. Othello promotes the Michael Cassio to the position of personal lieutenant and Iago is deadly jealous. Othello elopes with Desdemona, who a gentleman Roderigo, had once hoped to marry. Iago starts to plot against the newly wed couple. Desdemona is also the daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian senator, who considers the union theft of his property and is more than convinced that Othello used magic to get Desdemona to marry him. Othello becomes jealous and suspicious of Desdemona, as Iago has managed to poison his mind by convincing him that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. This is supported by Bianca, Cassio's significant other, being in possession of Desdemona's handkerchief, which Othello had given to Desdemona. Plots and murders ensue and Othello returns to the castle to kill his innocent wife. He then kills her on her marital bed. Emilia, Iago's wife and Desdemona's lady-in-waiting, tells Othello the truth about the scheming Iago. Othello wounds Iago and then proceeds to kill himself. Iago in turn, kills Emilia. A theme can be defined as the central topic, subject or concept that the author is trying to put across. The themes Shakespeare used in the play are as follows: 1. JEALOUSY Jealousy is a resentful and bitter feeling usually associated...
Words: 1989 - Pages: 8
...Hello and welcome to another episode of Othello Exposed, where we delve beneath the words and into the mind of Shakespeare to see the meaning behind his plays. As discussed in our recent episode The making of show, back in 1604 when Othello was first performed there were many racial ideologies towards black Africans–although they were not yet regarded as slaves, ‘the black race was considered inferior’ (shakespearetheater.org). Shakespeare was inspired and constantly looked to challenge his audience to reconsider cultural norms. Therefore, he wrote Othello, a play about a usurper whose hunger and craving for power eventually caused the downfall of the kingdom. This usurper, possibly the most fascinating character in the play, is known as Iago:...
Words: 1853 - Pages: 8
...Othello Notes Reputation/Honour Importance of the theme of Reputation / Honour in Othello: The significant theme of reputation and honour is portrayed frequently throughout the novel Othello. Many of the characters in the novel carefully consider the consequences of their thoughts and actions in regards to their reputation and honour, making sure that they appear noble even when their actions are irrational and selfish. Such an example is shown when Iago appears to be simply stating the obvious about Desdemona, instead of manipulating Othello to believe his own fears. Othello is dictated by his desire to live up to his reputation, achieved through years of being a general in Venice. Reputation, used in conjunction with jealousy and trust, provide the key elements which provoke Othello’s mental disintegration shown predominantly by language techniques, into a world of mistrust and assumption. It is logical to assume that Othello’s suicide was a consequence of his need to preserve any traces of reputation left from his dedicated work as a general; from the characteristics portrayed of Othello it is implied that the act of imprisonment would crush Othello – he would no longer be an honourable citizen. In a similar way to Othello’s suicide, Iago’s sudden and unpredicted vow of silence could be assumed to also be a form of self-preservation, manipulating other characters by preventing any more damage to his reputation by not accidentally admitting details of his ignobility. ...
Words: 8721 - Pages: 35
...The Concept of the Outsider Literature often persecutes the most vulnerable, a person who lacks support and therefore power within society. Described by Terry Eagleton for The Guardian as the “literary mainstream”; these characters are often referred to as the Outsider due to their exclusion from the community in which the text is set. The characters who are referred to as Outsiders can be portrayed in different ways; their initial exclusion from society can ultimately lead to a narrative of their acquisition of power throughout the text but similarly, can portray a story of their maintenance of the minimal power they have over the course of the text’s plot. However, this is not to argue that some Outsiders presented within literature do not have power over the course of the development of the text so, as a consequence, remain excluded from the society. In this case, the text would then be considered an exposition of the character’s experience from their position in society rather than the author’s attempt of trying to integrate their character into society through their work. Furthermore, the author themselves may be considered an Outsider through their own status in society; they command their readers to be Outsiders themselves within the novel. As well as to read and observe the narrative in order to emulate the same feeling within themselves, within the reader or to have a specific impact on the issues surrounding humanity at the time. The contrast in the ways in which...
Words: 7231 - Pages: 29
...Beso, Luiz Miguel B. BSE EN 2-1 Literature Students are asked to write literary analysis essays because this type of assignment encourages you to think about how and why a poem, short story, novel, or play was written. To successfully analyze literature, you’ll need to remember that authors make specific choices for particular reasons. Your essay should point out the author’s choices and attempt to explain their significance. Another way to look at a literary analysis is to consider a piece of literature from your own perspective. Rather than thinking about the author’s intentions, you can develop an argument based on any single term (or combination of terms) listed below. You’ll just need to use the original text to defend and explain your argument to the reader. Allegory - narrative form in which the characters are representative of some larger humanistic trait (i.e. greed, vanity, or bravery) and attempt to convey some larger lesson or meaning to life. Although allegory was originally and traditionally character based, modern allegories tend to parallel story and theme. William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily- the decline of the Old South Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde- man’s struggle to contain his inner primal instincts District 9- South African Apartheid X Men- the evils of prejudice Harry Potter- the dangers of seeking “racial purity” Character - representation of a person, place, or thing performing traditionally human activities...
Words: 2273 - Pages: 10
...Heroes & Villains in Literature The following essay is going to discuss and analyze heroes and villains in Literature. This essay is going to focus especially on three famous books written by William Shakespeare. The referring books are ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Othello’. In these three different novels, a great variety of stereotypes of heroes and villains can be appreciated. William Shakespeare was born on April 23rd 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. When he was four or five he began his education at the local petty school. He left the local grammar school when he was about fourteen and went to help in his father’s glove-making shop. When he was eighteen, he got married and by the time he was twenty-one, he was the father of three children. [1] At some time during the next seven years, he went to London and found employment in the theatre. When he was twenty-eight, he was already well enough known as an actor and playwright. He mostly lived and worked in London until his mid-forties, when he returned to his family and home in Stratford, where he remained in prosperous circumstances until his death on April 23rd 1616, his fifty-second birthday. [2] In the thirty seven plays that are his chief legacy to the world human nature is displayed in all its astonishing variety. [3] While Shakespeare caused much controversy, he also earned lavish praise and has profoundly impacted the world over in areas of literature, culture, art, theatre, and film and is considered...
Words: 2077 - Pages: 9
...Thebes, Oedipus thinks that he can outsmart the will that the gods have for him. However, the audience knows that one cannot run away from an oracle. The oracle will come true no matter what is done. Therefore, the hamartia of Oedipus is his belief that he can evade his oracle. Oedipus' anagnorisis, recognition, later comes when he is told that it was he who killed the former King Lauis and that he is, in fact, now married to his own mother. The city of Thebes had been searching for King Lauis' murderer in order to drive him out of Thebes to save the city from the plague. With this anagnorisis Oedipus is finally led to his peripeteia, or downfall. First of all, Oedipus is put to shame in front of his entire city because of his incestuous act of marrying his mother. But, more importantly, he realizes that he had not successfully avoided the oracle. In order to try to save himself he blinds himself. If he is not able to see the truth with his own eyes, he should not be able to enjoy the gift of sight. http://personal.monm.edu/ysample/aristotle.htm Oedipus follows ten of the points of Lord Raglan's Hero Pattern: Sophocles' Oedipus can be classified as a great tragic hero, both by looking at Aristotle's ideas of an Ideal Tragic Hero and by looking at The Hero Pattern given by Lord Raglan in The Hero: A study in Tradition, Myth and Dreams. His father is a king. Although Oedipus believes he is the son of the King of Corinth, Oedipus really is the son of the King...
Words: 3052 - Pages: 13
...Early European Theater • The writings of this period were primarily hymns, sermons and similar theologically oriented works. • Latin became a literary medium. • Major preserves of learning are the monasteries. • 8th century Europe returned to greater stability under the Carolingian kings. ➢ Charles Martel – defeated the Moslems at Tours in 732 AD, through his innovative use of armored horsemen as the principal military force, initiating the development of knighthood. ➢ Charlemagne – extended his realm into the Slavic territories and converting non- Christians on the way. Charlemagne was crowned by the Pope and pronounced him as the successor to Constantine. The scenario was the first attempt to establish the Holy Roman Empire. • Charlemagne’s death caused Europe to break into small units isolated from each other and from the world. • Moslem controlled the Mediterranean and the Vikings, still pagans, conquered the northern seas. Early Middle Ages • Life was relatively simple. • Feudalistic patterns were fully established. ➢ Manor (large estate)- headed by a noble man, assumed absolute authority over the peasants who worked his land collectively. ➢ Vassals – supplies the lords a specified number of knights upon demand and the lords in return were bound to protect their vassals. The Theater (500- 900 AD) • The theater revived during the early Middle Ages. • After the Western Roman...
Words: 7202 - Pages: 29
...She-Devil Introduction to Film She-Devil “I’ve worked so hard for! You’re bad mother, a lousy wife, a terrible cook! In fact, have you looked in a *mirror* recently?! I don’t even know you’re a woman. You know what you are? You’re a She-Devil!” I’m sure there many women how have seen She-Devil starring Rosanne Barr as Ruth Patchett, Ed Begley Jr. as Bob Pactchett and Meryl Streep as Mary Fisher said, “That couldn’t have been me.” The screenplay for the 1989 movie was written by Susan Seidelman, based on a novel by Fay Weldon. She-Devil tells the story of “a cunning and resourceful housewife vows revenge on her husband when he begins an affair with a wealthy romance novelist.” According to an unnamed source, to the movie received mixed reviews and was criticized the film for its tone. Both Barr and Streep were given positive feedback for their performances, however, Streep earned a Golden Globe Award nomination as Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy 1990. Even though some individuals may feel that the movie is one-side gender related. Recommending people to see this movie because this movie contains many positive/negative aspects of everyday life for both men and women. And this film can also help a couple that is having and want to fix things the "right" way. In She Devil, Ruth Patchett (Rosanna Barr) suspects her husband, Robert Patchett (Ed Begley Jr.) is having an affair after taking a very attractive novelist Mary Fisher (Meryl Streep) home from his accountant dinner...
Words: 2818 - Pages: 12
...G U I D E T E A C H E R’S A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE BY SOLOMON NORTHUP bY Jeanne M. McGlInn anD JaMes e. McGlInn 2 A Teacher’s Guide to Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup Table of Contents SYNOPSIS......................................................................................................................................3 ABOUT THE AUTHOR...............................................................................................................3 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY GUIDE............................................................................3 MEETING COMMON CORE STANDARDS.............................................................3 THE SLAVE NARRATIVE GENRE...............................................................................3 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW..........................................................................................................4 DURING READING.....................................................................................................................6 SYNTHESIZING DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.......................................................................9 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.......................................................................................................9 ACTIVITIES FOR USING THE FILM ADAPTATION........................................................ 11 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.....................................................................................
Words: 7281 - Pages: 30
...Copyright © 2010 Infobase Publishing Introduction © 2010 by Harold Bloom All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For more information contact: Bloom’s Literary Criticism An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data William Shakespeare / edited and with an introduction by Harold Bloom : Neil Heims, volume editor. p. cm. — (Bloom’s classic critical views) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60413-723-1 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4381-3425-3 (e-book) 1. Shakespeare, William, 1564–1616—Criticism and interpretation. I. Bloom, Harold. II. Heims, Neil. PR2976.W5352 2010 822.3'3—dc22 2010010067 Bloom’s Literary Criticism books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please...
Words: 239932 - Pages: 960
...A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF G EORG E B E R N A R D S HAW ’S PYGMALION By LAURA REIS MAYER BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA S E R I E S E D I T O R S JEANNE M. MCGLINN, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Asheville and W. GEIGER ELLIS, Ed.D., University of Georgia, Professor Emeritus 2 A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classics Edition of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion TABLE OF CONTENTS An Introduction .......................................................................................3 Synopsis of the Play .................................................................................3 Prereading Activities .................................................................................6 During Reading Activities ......................................................................13 After Reading Activities .........................................................................21 About the Author of this Guide .............................................................29 About the Editors of this Guide .............................................................29 Full List of Free Teacher's Guides...........................................................30 Click on a Classic ..................................................................................31 Copyright © 2007 by Penguin Group (USA) For additional teacher’s manuals, catalogs, or descriptive brochures, please email academic@penguin.com or write...
Words: 11837 - Pages: 48
