...Ryan Perrin Research Essay 12/12/13 Othello William Shakespeare’s Othello could be viewed as an allegory that represents the frailty of human reason and the ease as to which a person can manipulate rational thought through the utilization of skillful rhetoric and deception. In the essay Allegory and Irony in ‘Othello’ by Antoinette B. Dauber, she says “he [Shakespeare] is not committed to the maintenance of allegory, and so he freely dramatizes the internal weaknesses and external onslaughts that lead to its destruction.” The readers, or viewers of the play, then are meant to be able to apply the stories moral problems to everyday situations and realize the harm that can be done by using rhetoric and deception to manipulate others. Rhetoric, when used as a tool of deception, can lead others to come to “reasonable conclusions,” yet these conclusions may be based upon irrational reasons and emotion; which in turn makes such a conclusion irrational. In reality these irrational reasons are only as rational as a persuader can convince a person to believe. In Othello, Shakespeare shows that even in the minds of people that are most confident of themselves, there is a self-doubt that can be increasingly apparent by very simple means of ignition. Iago ignites, or maybe even re-ignites this self-doubt by leading Othello to believe that Desdemona would prefer Cassio over him, which could cause Othello to believe that he is not worthy of having Desdemona since he is black. This situation...
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...Othello Essay English 30-1 2.Why does Othello not investigate Iago’s accusation? Why does Othello not seek his own proof of Desdemona Betrayal? “A true friend stabs you in the front."- Oscar Wilde A True Friend ? In the play Othello, by Shakespeare, Othello does not investigate Iago’s accusations of Desdemona. Othello has known Iago longer then Desdemona, in which it can be assumed that Othello has a great trust in Iago over his wife. This trust could be the devastation of Othello believing Iago word over his wife Desdemona when accused of being unfaithful with Cassio. Iago always shows Othello his trust by making Othello believe that he is there for him. Iago does not only play with Othello’s mind by talking to him and lying to him, but Iago also play’s with other’s characters minds too. Iago is always trying to gain Othello trust so that he seems to be there for him giving Othello the sense of being “best friends”. Iago’s conversations with Othello always make him think about what Desdemona and what could she possibly be doing, but Othello loves Desdemona way too much. There for Othello always believes her, which is why Iago has to try to show Othello that Desdemona is not to be trusted, he then manipulates Othello by making him think that Desdemona is being false to him with Cassio. This is when Othello asks Iago to have Emilia, Iago’s wife to be Desdemona’s servant to watch after her, Iago tells Othello not to worry about it. However, Iago is not only playing...
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...Project Othello, the Invisible Wound, To Kill a Mockingbird July 30th 2014 By Eileen Harford Everyone has had a time in their life when they have misjudged a situation. Whether it was assuming someone took your pencil when it is actually in behind you ear, or assuming which character is the killer in our favorite movie, we all have misjudgements all the time in our lives. When was the last time you have mistaken a situation? The theme of false judgement demonstrated in the play “Othello” by Shakespeare, the short story “The Invisible Wound” by Karoly Kisfaludi, and the film “To Kill a Mockingbird”. In these three storylines, the author exhibits the theme of false judgment through a character of innocence that is poorly misjudged and ends tragically for them. Othello accuses his wife, Desdemona of adultery, while the unnamed protagonist in “The Invisible Wound” also inaccurately assumes his wife is cheating. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, the jury accuses Tom Robinson of a crime that he did not commit all because of the colour of his skin. Given the above, it is clear that these three story lines hold the same theme of an error in judgement occurring. Throughout the play, “Othello” by William Shakespeare, a few of the characters are condemned on untruthful information. Desdemona and Cassio are victims of poor judgement. Accusations towards Desdemona seem to be the most prominent to any reader – which all begin when Othello falls to Iago’s manipulation that causes Othello to poorly...
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...“Othello is the most domestic of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Its focus is not on the fall of a king, or the collapse of a nation… Rather it is about the end of a marriage and a husband’s murder of his wife. It is intimately concerned with the details of sexual jealousy.” (McLeish and Unwin) A production of Shakespeare’s “Othello”, was presented as “The Twisted Othello” at Bishop Anstey High School East auditorium on November 15th, Saturday. It was directed by Janieka Tudor and captured a new take on the Shakespearean classic. The play is centered on the eminent jealousy of Iago (Renaldo Briggs) directed to Micahel Cassio who had been promoted by Othello (Daniel Waldron). Iago, who coveted the position as Othello’s lieutenant; weaves an intricate web of lies around the ubiquitous and notorious ‘handkerchief’ and ensnares Desdemona (Mishael Martineaux), Othello (Waldron) , Rodriego( Tevin Butler) and other actors. Ultimately Iago (Briggs) plays on the green-eyed monster within Othello (Waldron) and causes his cataclysmic demise. In a review of ‘The Apologetics of Evil: The Case of Iago’ by Richard Raatzsch it is mentioned that, “Iago is memorable and exciting, and universally hated by audiences of ‘Othello’ …. Being cold, manipulative, and impervious to anything but his own perverse will.” (McGinn) In conjunction, at ‘The Twisted Othello’ Renaldo Briggs gave a resounding performance and a new finesse to the character of Iago. Briggs a student of Bishop Anstey Trinity College East...
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...ideal material for cinema in the early 20th century because the presence of Shakespeare on film raised the contemporary estimation of film. Almost all of his works have been adapted on screen in Hollywood and all other film industries. Hollywood has produced around 300 movies based on Shakespeare’s plays and characters. Films based on tragedies like Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet etc., have got very good response by the audience on the silver screen. In Bollywood also many directors adopted the work of Shakespeare. But Vishal Bhardwaj through his films showed that he is the true fan of Shakespeare and knows well how to do justice with the work of such a big writer on silver screen. His film Maqbool (2003) based on Macbeth, and Omkara (2006) based on Othello left very remarkable impression on audience’s hearts. Maqbool had its North American premiere at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival. Though the film failed to entice much of an audience during its theatrical run in India, critics were appreciative and Pankaj Kapoor went on to win a Film fare Award for Best Actor (Critics) and a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. While Othello showcased at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival along with a book on the making of Omkara. It was also selected to be screened at the Cairo International Film Festival, where Vishal Bhardwaj was awarded...
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...Bloom’s Classic Critical Views W i l l ia m Sha k e Sp e a r e Bloom's Classic Critical Views alfred, lord Tennyson Benjamin Franklin The Brontës Charles Dickens edgar allan poe Geoffrey Chaucer George eliot George Gordon, lord Byron henry David Thoreau herman melville Jane austen John Donne and the metaphysical poets John milton Jonathan Swift mark Twain mary Shelley Nathaniel hawthorne Oscar Wilde percy Shelley ralph Waldo emerson robert Browning Samuel Taylor Coleridge Stephen Crane Walt Whitman William Blake William Shakespeare William Wordsworth Bloom’s Classic Critical Views W i l l ia m Sha k e Sp e a r e Edited and with an Introduction by Sterling professor of the humanities Yale University harold Bloom Bloom’s Classic Critical Views: William Shakespeare 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...
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