What is Venice’s importance?
Venice was associated with power romance and high culture
italy was associated with villainy decadence and corruption
act 1 shows venice to be a powerful city orderly and law abiding
What is Cyprus importance?
After Act 1 cyprus becomes the setting for the rest of the play
cyprus belonged to venice for over 100 years until 1570 when it was attached to Turkey
leading to famous battle on sea of Lepantio 1571
Turkish threat is what makes the play
Who was Machiavelli and what links does it have?
the phrase became popular after Machiavelli wrote a book called the prince . About what it takes to become successful rules and you have to be evil, scheming puppet mastery
What role did women play in society?
girls tended to be married off by their father
men always older in marriage
property transaction
to marry without fathers permission would be seen as debt of theft
obedient to her husband
interracial marriage would have been shocking
marriages among lower class tended to be more personal
What sort of play is it?
eponymous tragedy
What role did race play in this society?
It is a colour prejudiced society
in this time people were more aware of different cultures
some native Americans were brought back to England and put on display
English trade with Africa not yet reached the slave trade
black seen as sinful evil and ugly
moors had lighter skin than African people
Othello’s race is unknown
opposition of black and white imagery runs through Othello
Aaron another stereotypical black man
What type of drama is Othello?
renaissance drama
romanticisation of love set in urban and civilised areas
issues of war
heroic qualities
sense of chauvinism
respecting generals no matter race
When was Othello written?
1603
What era was Othello written in?
Elizabethan but became Jacobean
Context for character of Cassio?
Othello’s loyal handsome and educated Florentine
Cassio means hollow which suggests he has a lack of substance
reflecting how cassio is only focused on his reputation which is a shallow personality trait
Michael is a name of power and is angelic which contrasts his hollow last name this could be purposeful to show his exterior versus his hidden interior
Context for Desdemona?
means unlucky
highly ranked Venetian woman
frequently contrasted with Emilia who doesn’t take an as passive role as Desdemona does
she can be perceived as strong and independent woman
Context for Iago?
Iago Is presented as a machiavellian villain
which is describing someone who gets what they want in a cunning ruthless and immoral way
Is scheming and operated with secrecy
a puppet master committed to knavery through his soliqoues
name is Spanish and means jacob
Context for Emilia?
means rival strive excel
name is conflicting and reflects her struggle between her lady and her husband
interpreted as a feminist
rival to her husband
Context for Rodrigo?
foolish Venetian upper class gentleman
gentleman of Venice
means famous power in German
conveys leadership and authority which is ironic as he is weak and a follower of Iago
Context for Othello?
name means wealth fortune prosperous Italian origin of name
evokes an exotic or foreign name
first desribed as a moor
