Critical Perspectives Flashcards
(26 cards)
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Line: “The motive-hunting of motiveless malignity.”
Analysis: Coleridge suggests that Iago’s evil lacks a clear motive, making him a complex and mysterious antagonist driven purely by malevolence.
Evidence: A1S3, Iago’s discussion with Roderigo of his intended downfall for Othello, his desire for his downfall seems to lie in multiple reasons- making it unclear what his true motive is.
Kiernan Ryan
Line: “Pathologically normal and theatrically irresistible.”
Analysis: Ryan highlights Iago’s ability to blend in socially while being irresistibly manipulative, reflecting his dangerous charm and deceptive nature that even the audience can enjoy, despite his villainous actions.
Evidence: A2S3, Iago’s ability to deceive Cassio through drink to further manipulate the situation allows him to taint his reputation whilst portraying himself as heroic in telling Othello the ‘truth’ of what occurred.
Martin Wangh
Line: “paranoiac motivated by hatred for the wife of the man he cannot admit he desires… repressed homosexuality as a key motivation.”
Analysis: Wangh interprets Iago’s actions as stemming from repressed desire for Othello, contributing to his envy and hatred towards both Othello and Desdemona for his feelings.
Evidence: A3S3, as Iago continues to successfully convince Othello of Desdemona’s infidelity towards him- and their trust parallels a wedding ceremony (“I am your own forever”)
Neville Coghill
Line: “Possessed by hatred and envy.”
Analysis: Coghill views Iago as driven by resentment towards Othello’s authority and restricting of his greatness, as well as being driven by jealousy towards Cassio’s promotion, highlighting themes of power and rivalry.
Evidence: A1S1, Iago clearly expresses his bitterness towards Othello and Cassio in the opening scene, his resentment setting the stage for his continued manipulative actions
Germaine Greer
Line: “Objective correlative of racist aggression.”
Analysis: Greer connects Iago’s malicious actions to broader themes of racism and xenophobia, emphasising his role in perpetuating destructive stereotypes, insinuating to Shakespeare’s purpose of the character: to critique such harmful mindsets.
Evidence: A1S1, his racist remarks of the interracial marriage of Desdemona and Othello (“an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”) even taints Brabantio, who picks up the same derogatory language
Sean McEvoy
Line: “The audience becomes complicit in Iago’s intention… involved in his vengeful plotting”
Analysis: McEvoy discusses how Iago’s charisma and engagement with the audience draw them into his schemes, blurring the lines between villain and spectator.
Evidence: ALL soliloquies, Iago seems to be directly speaking to the audience, as they cannot stop the events from occurring and essentially witness and assist him in his devious plotting.
Nicholas Hytner
Line: “Iago feels betrayed… seniority and length of service should be what determines promotion.”
Analysis: Hytner explores Iago’s betrayal as rooted in perceived injustice and betrayal within military hierarchy, and his jealousy for Cassio stems from being betrayed by Othello from a lack of promotion.
Evidence A1S1, conversation with Roderigo.
Fintan O’Toole
Line: “Racism… has entered his (Othello) mind and soul”
Analysis: O’Toole argues that Othello’s mind and soul is subject to the racism around him during this era, and is a root cause of his insecurity in the domestic sphere.
Evidence: A3S3, Iago plants seeds of doubt in his mind on whether Desdemona truly loved him in the first place, utilising his insecurity for his own gain- causing Othello to question whether his race makes him inferior.
F.R. Leavis
Line: “possesses a weak character… His love is composed largely of ignorance of self as well as ignorance of Desdemona.”
Analysis: Leavis portrays Othello as a tragic figure whose downfall is inevitable due to his lack of strength in the domestic side of life, and his lack of intelligence in how to communicate his feelings to Desdemona.
Evidence: A3S3, Othello’s initial doubts of Desdemona’s fidelity due to Iago’s manipulation are sudden, highlighting his weakness in his trust of her, and is the beginning of his tragic descent into suspicion.
A.C. Bradley
Line: “His trust where he trusts, is absolute. Hesitation is almost impossible to him.”
Analysis: Bradley describes Othello as a decisive and immediate character, and that he only deals in absolutes even in the domestic sphere, as a military leader.
Evidence: A4S1, as soon as Iago is able to bring Cassio into the picture through their discussion- Othello takes this as his “ocular proof” of Desdemona cuckolding him, without even confronting her directly.
Sean McEvoy
Line: “Othello’s tragedy is that he lives according to a set of stories… but it is a world that has been superseded.”
Analysis: McEvoy believes Othello does not comprehend that he is trapped in an outdated chivalric ideology in a pragmatic, self-interested society. His failure to see the shift causes his downfall.
Evidence: A5S2, Othello’s final speech and suicide reflect this tragic realisation.
Richard Lees
Line: “The fate of his black character re-affirms cultural domination”
Analysis: While Shakespeare critiques racism and attempts to expose damaging stereotypes on race, he ultimately reinforces colonial perspectives by portraying Othello through European lenses, with the narrative favouring the coloniser.
Evidence: A1S3, Othello’s dignified defence is framed within Western rhetoric.
Bonnie Greer
Line: “Jealousy is the fatal flaw… the chaos come again.”
Analysis: Othello is undone by internalised insecurity and jealousy- he is his own worst enemy due to his lack of realisation and communication within the domestic sphere.
Evidence: A3S3, The pivotal “temptation scene” where jealousy takes root and his actions are controlled solely by his emotion, rather than reason (empiricism).
Andrew McCulloch
Line: “This is his tragedy… Love could have made a whole man out of him.”
Analysis: McCulloch believes Desdemona’s death prevents Othello from evolving beyond toxic masculinity, as she could have been the one to educate him in the domestic side of life, much unlike his military view on the world.
Evidence: A5S2, Desdemona’s murder is an instant regret to Othello’, and even his kissing of her corpse highlights he could have been guided to a different fate if he had known how to cope.
Phillip Kolin
Line: “The act of judgement is profoundly complicated by the limitations of human justice.”
Analysis: Kolin states that the play critiques the reliability of personal and societal judgement.
Evidence: A3S3, Othello reaches a verdict without proof of what has occurred, and he is absolute in his misguided judgement.
A.C. Bradley
Line: “Desdemona is helplessly passive.”
Analysis: Bradley bluntly states that Desdemona lacks the agency to resist or even protest her fate, which whilst is not agreeable in her initial introduction as a character, is clear upon her ending.
Evidence: Throughout the play, as it descends into her downfall, she loses her voice and initial power in the relationship in A5S2, where Desdemona quietly accepts death.
Sam Mendes
Line: “an active participant in the drama, rather than an insipid feeble girl”
Analysis: Mendes argues that in other ways, Desdemona is actually active in her involvement in the play, such as in her decision to marry Othello, which is bold and self-directed.
Evidence: A1S3, Desdemona defends her love publicly, going against her own father as an act of rebellion.
Marilyn French
Line: “Two kinds of women, one being superhuman, totally virtuous… the other, a deceiver, because of sexuality… subhuman”
Analysis: French calls out how in the Jacobean/ Renaissance era, women are strictly set into categories, causing Desdemona to be trapped by patriarchal binaries- Madonna or whore.
Evidence: A4S2, Othello calls Desdemona “that cunning whore”, much unlike her previous description as “virtuous” -> Madonna dichotomy
Karen Newman
Line: “A critique of male anxieties about the dangers of freely expressed female desire.”
Analysis: Newman calls out how Shakespeare utilises Desdemona’s femininity as a depiction of how Jacobean men’s anxiety around it stems from their own insecurity (fear of cuckolding and emasculation)- the play questions male fears of independent female sexuality.
Evidence: A3S3, Iago exploits Othello’s fears about Desdemona through crude language and description of her own femininity to force him to question her fidelity.
Lisa Jardine
Line: “Publicly designated ‘whore’… substantial threat to her reputation”
Analysis: Jardine acknowledges that the defamation of Desdemona is institutional and public, through Othello’s rage at her, without her even knowing what she has done wrong, and is spread.
Evidence: A4S2, the accusation reaches a crisis.
Carol Neely
Line: “Wifely virtues of silence, obedience, prudence to Iago.”
Analysis: Neely argues that Emilia conforms to patriarchal norms as the wife of Iago through her submission to him despite the subtle suspicion she has- until it is too late (final scene, she goes against this, leading to her death)
Evidence: A3S3, when Emilia gives Iago the handkerchief without direct reason as to why, not knowing her detrimental role in his scheme.
Roxanne Schwab
Line: “Most underrated and constant victim”
Analysis: Schwab believes Emilia is psychologically abused long before the plot unfolds.
Evidence: A2S1, Iago makes misogynistic jokes both towards her, and women in general, and her submission to his words suggests previous experiences of his abuse.
(A5S2, her death inflicted upon her own husband is significantly tragic, as she dies alongside her lady Desdemona, their shared fate due to the insecurity of masculinity over femininity)
Veronica Walker
Line: “Cassio acts as a foil to Othello… one that thinks of women as more of a plaything”
Analysis: Walker acknowledges the contrasts of Othello and Cassio in their treatment and view of their ‘lovers’- since Othello’s love seems a lot more serious than Cassio’s dismissal of Bianca and almost suspicious closeness to Desdemona
Evidence: A2S1, Cassio almost seems to flirt with Desdemona
Peter Bunten
Line: “Bianca reflects the paradox of Venetian sexual morality.”
Analysis: Bunten critiques Bianca’s character as a manifestation of the paradoxical view on sexuality in the Renaissance era, as she is heavily judged for her trade as a “crumpet”, unlike male soldiers.
Evidence: A4S1, Iago calls her a “whore” and the blame for Cassio’s wounded state in some way, and even his wife Emilia views her in such a negative light which reveals the judgement of alleged prostitutes from all of society.
