What did Colderidge describe Iago as having?
- “motiveless malignity.”
2 parts of stage according to theatre critics.
1.) Locus: part of stage where characters are living FULLY in world of play.
2.) Platea: sense of liminality/ awareness characters are in play. ie. Iago.
Iago is a ……. (ie. controls all action in the play.)
- Metadramist
- Shakespeare abdicating responsibility on who controls action in play, strict cencorship at his time.
- Says: “play” throughout –> exposing metadramatist.
Use of prose in play in Iago speech.
- Conversational tone.
- Makes characters trust him.
What type of villain could Iago be interpreted as?
- Machiavellian villain.
Racism in Othello.
- More fascination with abnormal at his time.
- Othello more racist to himself than anyone else is to him!
- Concept of racisim not even well established at time of Shakespeare.
- Is Iago racist? Views BOTH desdemona + Othello as animals.
- Duke: “far more fair than black” –> very practical, as long as Othello does the job, it’s fine.
- “Moor” isn’t used as derrogatory term; Desdemona uses it.
Deaths of Othello and Desdemona could be read as…….
- Punishment for refusing to adhere to social norms.
Iago linguistic control
- Speaks in iambic pentameter.
- Regular/ calming tone.
- Conversational.
- Makes people trust him.
Royal Shakespeare 2015 version
- Two black actors play role of Othello.
- Iago replicates his jealoud thoughts INTO Othello’s mind.
What have critics called Desdemona vs Othello?
- High vs low vision.
Hytner National Theatre.
- Military background.
- Heightens masculinity/ trust during times of war.
What we saw in theatre.
Morris 2025 adaptation
- Emilia: black actress.
- Cassio drunken scene: slow motion in background as focus on Iago; metadramist.
- Audience reactions to Iago; humour –> likeable.
- D not as obedient/ fights back –> modern interpretation of character.
Venice vs Cyrpus.
- Chaos that ensues when individual has all power.
- Venice: justice! Ie. calling Desdemona as a witness in Act 1.
1995 film adaptation
- Iago breakin fourth wall.
- Camera cuts to Othello imagining Desdemona touching Cassio.
- Inflatration of thoughts = visual for audience.
What could Othello’s jealousy be a symbol of?
- Symbolic of male insecurity surrounding female sexual freedom.
Emilia. Feminist?
- Her speech: “men are but stomachs, we but food” = projection of how she WANTS to stand up to men but is unable to.
- Repetition of: “think”, she fantasises/ imagines all this but doesn’t do anything.
Desdemona = victim?
- Portrayed in saintly manner, death evokes more sympathy for readership.
- BUT: lack of sympathy to Othello/ immaturity. She is flawed as a character.
- Victim to impossible saintly standards NOT due to her lack of fidelity –> this is what causes her death.
Desdemona immaturity.
- Speaks in hyperbole/ superlatives.
- “for all the world”/ “abuse husbands in gross kinds.”
- Makes sweeping statements rather than any substantialised dialogue –> inexperience in the world?
Royal Shakespeare company’s 2015 production. Director?
- Iqbal Khan.
What are mixed-raced marriages known as?
- Miscegenation.
