LINE OF ARGUMENT? | Shakespeare uses the Venetian society to show the importance of loyalty as a trait and the devastating consequences of betrayal. |
VENETIAN ATTITUDES? | – Venetian attitudes to integrity/truth. – Strong military – why Othello doesn’t question Iago. |
CONTEXT? | – Role of early modern women. – Blind loyalty (loyalty without questions) – dangerous trait to have. |
FOUR POINTS? | – Use of asides and dramatic irony used to show Iago’s betrayal. – Shakespeare uses Desdemona and Emilia to explore the dangers of marital loyalty. – The use of the handkerchief. – Consequences of betrayal. |
HAZZLITT | “Iago….belongs to a class of character”. |
IRONY WITH IAGO | Audience aware of his evil plans – irony. |
CONTRAST BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE CHARACTERS | Loyalty of female characters – couples dynamics. Contrast to the male characters. Male characters benefit from loyalty – however, not Iago at the end. |
EVELYN GAJOWSKI | “Reality of women” – “Held by men”. |
HANDKERCHIEF REPRESENTATION | Represents both loyalty and betrayal. Key signifier. |
THOMAS RHYMER’S | “Tragedy of the handkerchief”. |
EMILIA ON JEALOUSY | “Jealousy is a monster”. |
CONSEQUENCES OF BETRAYAL | – Iago and Emilia.- Desdemona and Othello. – Downfall and untimely deaths. – Structure and untimely deaths. – Structure and Shakespeare’s use of endings. – Cassio and Bianca.- Plot resolutions – some characters end before end. |
HONIGMANN | “Whether the men are capable of unselfish love”. |
Othello themes – LOYALTY & BETRAYAL
August 16, 2019