Othello Flashcards
The difference in setting (context)
Venice - starts here. Place of art music creativity due to renaissance. This revived humanism giving more agency and taking away from supernatural and monarch
Cyprus- move here due to war. Military outpost seen as barbaric. Takes character away from usual culture , changing behaviours.
Greek goddess (context)
Greek mythology was resurfacing. Links to Aphrodite she was linked to Venice and Cyprus. She was disloyal to her husband. Symbolic
The great chain of being (context)
Hierarchy. Starting from inanimate to god.
Iago calls othello beast leading to them believing his reduced status.
It’s why everybody is on a power hunt
Divine rights of kings (context)
Monarch is chosen by god and is therefore higher than humans in chain.
Machiavellianism (context/a04)
Based on “the prince” by Nicola machiavelli. Idea that leader gained power by being intelligent and cunning. (Iago)
A05 g.greer
“It is only othellos jealousy , not iagos hatred which is the real tragedy”
A05 psycho analytical
Freud - Madonna mistress. Saw them as whore or saint. Desired whore loved saint.
Human psyche (id ego superego) link to certain characters
A05 st Coleridge
“Love of othello and D is too pure for this world and can’t be sustained in the power of evil”
- suggests perfect relationship cant exist as cunning nature of humans is too rife
A05 Harold bloom
“ the tragedy of a love that is destroyed by jealousy and suspicion”
- states it was founded on trust but can’t withstand iagos lies
Beware a02
“Beware of jealousy it is a green eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds”
Wisely a02
“I loved not wisely but too well”
Who would not a02
“Who would not make their husband a cuckold to make them a monarch”
Idle imposition a02
“Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving”
Noble a02
“My noble father I do perceive a divided duty”
A04 lady Macbeth + Romeo and Juliet
Lady Macbeth - subverts usual stereotypes of a woman
Romeo - Juliet had to pick him over her family and the feud (desdemona)
