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Othello, the Moor of Venice WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare
• born in 16th century
• English poet, playwright and actor
• Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British theatre
(English Renaissance or the Early Modern
Period)
• a founding member of The Lord Chamberlain’s
Men - The King’s Men
• 38 plays, 2 narrative poems, 154 sonnets, and a
variety of other poems
• Titus Andronicus, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet -
tragedy
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Comedy of " W E K N O W W H AT W E A R E ,
Errors - comedy B U T K N O W N O T W H AT W E

• legacy - First Folio M AY B E . "

 Othello, the Moor of Venice

• written and published in 17th century

• tragedy in five acts
• jealousy, deception, racial prejudice
• classical tragedy (Aristotelian
interpretation of the form)
- hamartia, perepeteia
• Seneca's model – Othelo, Hamlet, King
Lear
• shifting from verse to prose
1 8 4 6 O T H E L L O P L AY B I L L
 • Venice (multicultural city,
diversity of ethnicities and
religions), Cyprus

• war with the Ottoman empire,

between 1570 and 1573

• characters: Othello, Desdemona,

Iago,
Cassio, Emilia, Roderigo, Braban
Setting, zio, Bianca, Montano, Ludovico,
Duke of

characters Venice, Graziano, Clown

Summary
• Act I. - Iago bears a grudge against Othello for overlooking Iago for a
lieutenant position and instead choosing Michael Cassio, Brabantio disowns
Desdemona, and she chooses to go with Othello on his campaign to Cyprus
traveling in the care of Lieutenant Cassio and with Emilia, Iago's wife.

• Act II. - storms at sea have dispersed the Turkish fleet, Othello is angered
by the fight during the celebration night and blames Cassio, stripping him of
his recently conferred officer status.

• Act III. - Desdemona agrees to help Cassio, Iago has sown seeds of jealousy
in Othello’s mind, Emilia takes Desdemona's handkerchief and Iago places it
where Cassio would find it.

• Act IV. - Iago encourages Othello to listen in on, and misinterpret, part of a
conversation between Cassio and his mistress, Othello send Iago to kill
Cassio "O, B E WA R E , M Y L O R D , O F
.
• Act V. - Iago wounds Cassio, Othello smothers Desdemona, Emilia betrays
J E A L O U S Y; I T I S T H E G R E E N -
Iago, and he kills her too, Othello wounds Iago and commits suicide, Cassio EYED MONSTER.."
becomes Governor of Cyprus.
— OTHELLO, ACT 3 SCENE 3
 Character analysis

• Othello - protagonist, a Christian Moor, general of the

armies of Venice, eloquent and physically powerful figure,
respected by all those around him, easy prey to insecurities

• Desdemona - daughter of the Venetian senator

Brabanzio, stereotypically pure and meek, determined and
self-possessed

• Iago – antagonist,obsessive, delight in manipulation and

destruction

• Cassio - young and inexperienced soldier, whose high

position is much resented by Iago, truly devoted to Othello
Themes "SHE LOVED ME FOR THE DANGERS
I H A D PA S S E D ,
A ND I LOV E D H E R TH AT S H E DID
PITY THEM."

the incompatibility of military heroism & love

"THEN MUST YOU SPEAK
OF ONE THAT LOVE D NOT WISELY
BUT TOO WELL."
the danger of isolation (territorial and racial)

jealousy

deception and treachery

justice
 Dictionary
1. agnise - be fully aware or cognizant of "GOOD NAME IN MAN AND WOMAN,
DEAR MY LORD,
2. affined - closely related IS TH E IM M E DIAT E JE W E L OF
THEIR SOULS.
3. englut - overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself WHO STEALS MY PURSE
STEALS TRASH. 'TIS SOMETHING,
4. beshrew - wish harm or evil upon NOTHING:
' T WA S M I N E , ’ T I S H I S , A N D H A S
5. forfend - prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening B E E N S L AV E T O T H O U S A N D S .
B UT H E TH AT F ILC H E S F R OM M E M Y
6. importune - beg persistently and urgently GOOD NAME
R OB S ME OF THAT WHIC H NOT
7. handkerchief - a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or ENRICHES HIM
nose AND MAKES ME POOR INDEED."

8. beguile - attract; cause to be enamored - IAGO

9. sequester - keep away from others

10. Incontinent - lacking restraint or self-control

Thank you
for your
attention!

S T E FA N I B O S A N Č I Ć , 3 . B .
V. G Y M N A S I U M