context

• Give a brief background of Shakespeare's life.


  - Born in 1964 in Stratford Upon Avon.

  - Middle class. Educated at grammar school.

  - Born in Elizabethan era.

  - Married Anne Hathaway

  - moved to London

  - died in 1616

  - wrote 37 plays total
• Why was Shakespearean times a significant time in writing and the arts?

  The Renaissance had just started in Italy and Shakespeare's works are closely tied with Renaissance
• What was the Renaissance?

  'Rebirth'

  Began in Italy in the 14th century.

  It saw a revival of artistic and intellectual endeavour which gradually spread across Europe.

  Classic texts and culture of Greece and Rome were rediscovered and the 'golden age' of English Literature began.
• How is Shakespeare's work fitting with the Renaissance?


  It is innovative and it challenges and questions the beliefs and assumptions upon which Elizabeeth in society was founded.

  Shakespeare subverts traditional values in his plays, for example, in Othello the tragic hero is a black man and the heroine is assertive.
• How does Shakespeare use Iago to criticise traditional views

  Iago is given subversive views to discredit them because the voice of Iago was highly criticised by the audience. Shakespeare as a revolutionary
• Why may 'Othello' be set abroad?

  Because of censorship, any criticism Shakespeare makes of those in authority or questions he asks about race and nobility had to be muted. He couldn't directly criticise the Monarch or the English court.
• Why did Italy have a double image

  On one hand it was a land of refinement and romance, however it was also associated with decadence, villainy and vice
• Give a quote to describe Venice


  Prof. Norman Sanders:

  Venice was a 'racial and religious melting pot
• Describe nationalism and xenophobia in Elizabethan England

  Elizabethans were against mixed marriages and viewed black people with suspicion. Racist views were common.
• What does 'moor' mean? What connotations does this have for Othello?

  Referred to Muslims who originated from Morocco. When Granada was defeated by the Spanish kings, Muslims were forcibly converted to Christianity. Othello has a Spanish name meaning it was probable that Othello was expelled from Spain and hence a converted Cristian
• Explain religion at Shakespeare's time

  Henry VIII had broken with Rome in the 1530s and at this time there was now an independent Protestant state church. Protestantism reinforced nationalism
• Give one way Othello shows its religious context

  The preoccupation with good and evil
• Introspective tendencies are encouraged by protestantism. Give an example of these in the play.


  In 3,3 when Othello begins to doubt his attractions as a husband
• Explain female subordination at this time

  Women's lives were controlled by the patriarchy. They were expected to be ruled by men and had few legal rights. Men saw women as possessions and fathers were expected to choose husbands for their daughters. Intellectually they were thought to be inferior to men.
• Explain female subordination at this time in terms of Desdemona

  Desdemona's submission to Othello demonstrates the hierarchy. However, Des' assertiveness challenged the social order and for Brab does not choose her husband. Radical
• Explain how Shakespeare's own life may have influenced his views on women.


  Shakespeare's wife successfully managed a home and a property as well as a family for 20 years while Shakespeare was in London. Shakespeare wrote a large number of parts of a strong minded female character. He was interested in females perspectives.
• Give a quote in the play that shows the role of women

  Othello says that their job is to be 'delicate with a needle
• Explain how all three women in the play accept that they have no power

  Emilia has no choice but to go to Cyprus as Othello has ordered. Desdemona could not have stayed in Venice having been cast off by her father. Bianca accepts her fate with the line 'I must be circumstanced
• Explain double standards at this time.

  Male promiscuity was considered natural. For example, Cassio's consorting with a prostitute would be commonplace.

  By contrast, promiscuous women were considered a threat to the church and to the fabric of society. They were blamed for leading men astray and bringing shame on the family.
• Explain the criticism of female promiscuity in terms of religion

  Women descended from Eve - the betrayer of mankind
• Explain the ideal woman at this time

  Men wished to marry virgins and to have chaste wives for social reasons, but whores available for their pleasure.

  This created a dichotomy of two types of women: reputable and non reputable.
• Explain the importance of reputation at this time.


  The difference between a respectable married woman like Emilia and a 'strumpet' like Bianca is the label they were given in society.

  Reputation was imperative to a woman.

  IDEA OF THE FALLEN WOMAN
• What does Desdemona's name mean?

  Unfortunate. (Nominative determinism)
• What does the silence of the characters at Desdemona's attack render women?

  Silent victims
• Explain Desdemona's psychology of the victim.

  She begins to blame herself and make excuses for her abuser
• Explain how women are divided into two categories

  In mediaeval and 16th century literature written by men, women tended to be represented as either Christian martyrs or malevolent devils. Virgins and saints or whores and devils with nothing in between.
• What's the chain of being?

  The Elizabethans had a mediaeval theology of a hierarchical chain of being on which every creature appeared in its ordained position.
• Show the great chain of being

  
• What was a disturbance in the great chain of being thought to cause and how is it disturbed in Othello

  Tragedy

  Black man in a position of power. Authoritative women. Iago playing God.
• What was the importance of appearance in Shakespearean times?

  The external appearance was believed to be what lay within, that is, goodness or evil.
• How is appearance a key theme in Othello

  Appearance versus reality is a central issue and the imagery of seeming permeates the language of the play. The conundrum that torments this play is that Iago looks honest so he is perceived to be incapable of villainy.
• Explain ideas of 'black and white' in Othello

  Black was traditionally the colour of evil and the devil according to biblical and mythological sources. White was associated with light which is part of the semantic field of beauty. A marriage between a black man and a white woman would've been deeply shocking at the time
• Explain the idea of reason in this play and link it to biblical imagery

  The failure of reason was considered to be the cause of the fall of man, for example Adam followed his love for Eve to overrule his better judgement. Elizabeth and therefore believed it was dangerous to let reason be dominated by passion. In Othello he becomes uncontrollably emotional and is therefore heading for a fall. His heightened state means impulses are activated and a lack of reason leads to tragic consequences
• Explain the idea of evil spirits and link it to Othello.

  Evil spirits were believed to be on the watch for an opportunity to corrupt. In Shakespeare, foolish or hubristic characters are sealing their own damnation. Othello fears that this is what he has done in marrying Desdemona which heightens his insecurity. Othello's invitation to evil takes the form of him giving in to Iago's temptations
• Explain damnation as a contextual point in Othello

  The fear of damnation stems from the contemporary conviction that there was a literal hell. Hell was portrayed the way Othello describes it, engulfed in dark flames. Elizabethans also believed in the incarnation of the devil which is how Othello finally sees Iago
• Explain lying as a contextual point in Othello (biblical)


  Telling lies was much more serious back then. Satan told lies to Eve in the garden of Eden. Telling the truth as a way to shame the devil. Iago as devil
• Explain jealousy as context for Othello.

  Irrational jealousy was viewed as an incurable infection which eroded trust. It guarantees tragedy
• Explain chaos as context for Othello

  Chaos was the undoing of gods creation and a return to nothingness indicating the breakdown of the chain of being. Shakespeare's contemporaries had a terror of the return of the anarchy of the Civil War period prior to the Tudor settlement. Chaos could initiate tragedy. Chaos was also a return to the state prior to the creation of the universe. For chaos to come again, the world must be de-created through a gross revolt against nature. This is what Desdemona is accused of in her choice of husband.
• Explain courtly love as a contextual theme in Othello

  This is represented by Cassio with his chivalrous manners and poetic language.
• Explain how Arthurian legends influenced ideas of romance


  Romance now concerned exotic tales of magic, superstition, and travel as well as love affairs. The masculine ideals of the soldier. The courtly lover had to be a member of high society and concerned with honour and reputation