Othello - William Shakespeare
- Othello - Shakespeare
- History of Elizabethan Drama
- Story of Othello
Othello - Shakespeare
Shakespeare wrote in an age of outstanding literature history and its vitality of language.
The public of that period was more interested in listening than reading. They preferred group life over privacy, which explains why the drama was popular during the Elizabethan age.
The era of Shakespeare saw the rise of capitalism. It brought many radical changes. The 16th century was restless due to the newfound wealth, political upheavals, and religious wars but they lacked intellectual synthesis.
Renaissance resulted in a new form of learning.
Shakespeare's play depicts the yearning for scientific learning and human philosophy. It is his unique genius that his plays are relevant even today. No dramatist can create live characters like Shakespeare.
Shakespeare's predecessor and contemporaries all excelled in one or more qualities. Shakespeare excelled in all.
One critic said of Shakespeare, that his greatness lay in his ‘comprehensive soul’. So his works are monuments of a remarkable age. Humanism was attached to tradition as well as to nationalism and individualism.
Thus drama flourished. The theatre was the point of closest contact between humanism and popular taste.
Shakespeare borrowed from Plutarch’s ‘lives’ and Holinshed’s, ‘Chronicles’ and other classic translations but he circumvented all established rules.
Shakespeare did not preach. He just wanted to portray human emotions. He leaves their interpretation to our own judgments. All moral things are simple.
Ben Jonson called “Shakespeare not of an age, but of all ages”. Shakespeare was the soul of the age of all ages till today.
The Revival of learning is the enlightenment of the human mind after the darkness of the Middle age. Humanism applies to the revival of classic literature. The transition was from the middle age to the new age.
The age of Shakespeare was fertile mainly due to Shakespeare it was rich due to the influence of the Renaissance.
By 1579, great works of ancient and modern times had been translated into English. Shakespeare’s plays are full of classic mythology. Music is a passion of his characters. Humanism was one of the sources of Shakespeare’s vitality.
Shakespeare brought two plots of different origins together. The decade of 1890 was the flowering age of the English Renaissance. Elizabethan literature is a literature of the spoken word idioms and proverbs flourished.
Shakespeare’s comedies are different from human satires. His comedies had the genuine civility he makes wits into fools. His comedies are the most inspired with a life of their own. He was connected with art and nature. He brings the normal experience and artificial conventions very smoothly onto the stage.
There was a deep quest for knowledge the dominant feature of the age was freedom from thought and action.
The Renaissance freed men from medieval rigidity and medieval believed in otherworldliness. Its main purpose was life after death. The Renaissance believed in beauty and enriched life.
This age brought a spirit of adventure. It also brought patriotism, the period was one of change and transition. People believed in supernatural elements, black magic and omens. This is evident in Shakespeare’s plays like, ‘Macbeth, Hamlet And Julius Caesar.
History of Elizabethan Drama
There was no drama in England before Norman's conquest Latin church had always been scared of the massive appeal of drama.
Then came the elementary form of drama - a sort of tableau of the drama in the 10th century, this came to England by the Normans. This gave origin to morality and miracle plays.
The miracle play dealt with the miraculous incidents of the saint and martyrs. Morality dealt with religion.
The earliest miracle play was perhaps written by a hilarious Englishman. The plays were performed in the church and were based on rituals.
The morality plays existed between the miracle plays. After the morality plays, came the ‘interlude’. It was the forerunner of comedies which were acted by servants and maids.
Then the masque appeared. It had songs and dialogues.
English drama was influenced by Latin and Italian drama and native traditions. These tree features were found in every Elizabethan play.
The mystery, miracle, morality and interlude represent the development of English drama then developed the farce and chronicle play.
Seneca was accepted as the model of tragedy. Plautus and Terence were accepted in comedy. The English drama developed through the works of University Wits.
Shakespeare did not belong to the university wits. His contemporaries were Ben Johnson, Chapman, Marston and Dekker.
The idea of tragedy as a dramatic art comes from Pagan Greece to Christian Europe with the Renaissance.
Shakespeare brought a distinct attitude towards life. The Greeks were highly civilized. Their world was basically religious. (It had the concept of ‘Aidos or punishment’ and ‘The Martha or purification’ by fate or destiny) (21)
Purification is one which brings full realization of the tragic destiny of the individual life.
The main concern of tragedies is which truth and the pleasure it gives is the pleasure of knowledge.
Plato used the word ‘catharsis’ to mean purification.
Aristotle confirmed tragedy by arousing pity and fear and understanding.
Greek tragedy was concerned with justice. His justice gave an impressing to serve his tragic cause. Arousing pity and fear. It brought sublimation and nemesis. He established a moral order. His suffering character grew in stature and acquired wisdom.
Shakespeare’s tragic vision was almost similar to Aristotle his approach to tragedy was intellectual.
Shakespeare wanted the power of laughter and sorrow. It produced sometimes sorrow and other times joy and laughter.
Shakespeare's plays have been divided into comedies, histories and tragedies. His tragedies are stories of the hero, heroine and love tragedies. As we see in Romeo and Juliet. Each tragedy of Shakespeare is fresh there is no repetition. There is a marked difference in approach and intention in each of his tragedies.
Othello is a revelation of character and is an intellectual and domestic quality. Learn universal allegory. It presents human situations. Macbeth defines evil that results from lust of power.
In tragedies, the hero dies in the end. In Shakespearean tragedy, it is the same. Throughout the play, the hero is in conflict forces, the internal and external tragic hero should be dominated by a ‘hamartia’ this is a flow, an excess of the same characters. Hubus or pride. It is this ‘hamartia’ that leads to downfall. The action in the tragedy must appear real so that its passion or emotion is heightened. The conclusion of the action thus brings release from the passion. (catharsis)
Tragedy thus purifies the mind by pity and terror, and this ‘catharsis’ according to Shakespeare evil exists and it exists with emphasis as pure love exists Shakespeare believes that despite his flaws, man will ultimately assert himself.
Story of Othello
Brabantio was a rich senator of Venice and Desdemona was his daughter. She was very beautiful so she was wood by many suitors but she loved a noble moor, Othello. Othello was a general. He was a courageous and skilled soldier.
Brabantio appreciated him. Brabantio and Desdemona and all the court loved to hear the stories of bravery in the battle by Othello. Othello was black. Desdemona knew her father would marry her to Othello. So she planned to run away.
Brabantio was informed about their elopement. They were searched out but just then, there was a Turkish attack. Brabantio knew only Othello could defend against this attack. Desdemona confessed that she was in love with Othello. Brabantio accepted their marriage. The Duke made Othello the governor of Cyprus. Othello was directed to sail for the island. Desdemona also accompanied him. Iago and Emilia joined him.
Othello promoted Cassio as his lieutenant. Cassio had helped Othello in his courtship. All this made Iago jealous. Iago was a wicked man he had an evil soul. He also suspected that Cassio and Othello had an illicit relationship with his wife Emilia. So he planned to take revenge.
For this, he took help from Roderigo. Roderigo was also in love with Desdemona. Roderigo had informed Brabantio about their elopement. Iago asked Roderigo to accompany them with a fleet. Iago made him believe that Desdemona would leave Othello and she would marry Roderigo very soon.
There was a terrible storm. Somehow all managed to reach Cyprus safely. The storm destroyed the Turkish fleet. The war was over. Othello decided to celebrate his marriage and victory. Cassio was put on watch for the night. Cassio couldn’t tolerate liquor. Iago took advantage of this, he tempted Cassio to drink for Othello’s health. It was planned that Roderigo would fight with Cassio. Roderigo was in disguise. Cassio couldn’t recognise him. Roderigo ran away. Cassio chased him. Iago rang the alarm bell and Othello asked Iago to narrate the whole story. Iago cunningly put the whole blame on Cassio. Othello dismissed Cassio thus Iago took revenge on Cassio but he had to take revenge on Othello also.
Now Iago asked Cassio to take help from Desdemona. On the other hand, Iago made Othello believe that Desdemona would request for the release of Cassio. He also said that Desdemona for help. At the same time, Iago with Othello arrived.
On seeing Othello, Cassio ran away. He was ashamed of his behaviour, so he left but Iago whispered to Othello, that this was not the proper way to behave he made Othello suspicious. He told Othello that the women of Venice were faithless.
Continuing further he told Othello that Desdemona had betrayed her own father. So she could betray him also. Othello’s mind was poisoned but he could not believe that Desdemona could behave in such an improper way he asked Iago to give assured proof.
Othello threatened Iago that if he failed to give the proof, he would kill him but Iago had already planned, how he would do this. He told Othello that once in his sleep Cassio was muttering the name of Desdemona, he had told him of his illicit relationship with Desdemona. He also said that he had seen Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s room. Actually, he had forced his wife Emilia to bring the handkerchief surreptitiously and give it to him Emilia had given the handkerchief to Iago. Iago had intentionally dropped in Cassio’s room.
Othello was infuriated and grieved. He decided to kill Desdemona and Cassio. He made Iago the Lieutenant and asked him to murder Cassio.
Othello asked Desdemona for the handkerchief. Desdemona lied it was with her. She was unknown to everything. She persuaded Othello to forgive Cassio. Othello was all the more furious.
Iago constantly followed Othello. He was determined not to let Othello forgive Desdemona, Othello could not bear his wife’s faithlessness. He fainted thus Iago intrigued a scheme. He was talking to Cassio about Bianca but it was in such a way that Othello felt, they were talking about Desdemona. At the time Bianca came and threw the handkerchief at Cassio. Iago suggested Cassio to ask Bianca to come for supper Othello now got mad. He was determined to kill Desdemona.
Thus at that moment Lodovico and Gratiano came with the news that Cassius was appointed the governor of Cyprus. Othello was called back.
Desdemona showed her joy on Cassius being appointed the governor of Cyprus. Othello asked Emilia about the character of Desdemona. Emilia told him, she was pious. Othello did not accept it. He said she was bribed. He also called Desdemona a prostitute.
On the other hand, the picture of intrigue was now clear to Roderigo. He threatened Iago that he would disclose everything to Desdemona then he convinced Roderigo that he was to murder Cassio he would do this when Cassio and Bianca would go for supper and then Roderigo would accompany Desdemona. In return, Cassio wounded Roderigo as Roderigo was close to Cassio. Iago wounded Cassio and killed Roderigo.
Gratiano, Lodovico, and Biana all come on the spot hearing the chaos. Iago put all the blame on Cassio then he asked Emilia to call Othello.
Meanwhile, Othello was accusing Desdemona for her illicit relationship, and he murdered her. He confessed that he murdered her because of her illicit relationship. Emilia had come to call him she was stunned and shocked to see all this, she shouted for help.
All came running to the camp of Othello and Desdemona. Emilia brought out the truth before everyone. She exposed her husband Iago. Iago was angered. He killed her and Ottiello now wanted to kill Iago. A few letters were found in the pocket of Roderigo. They all revealed the intrigue of Iago.
Cassio punished Iago with his slow death and Othello now realised his mistake. Giving Desdemona a Kiss, he stabbed himself.
Lodovico called Iago a callous dog, crueler than hunger and suffering.
Desdemona had deep faith in Othello; she told Emilia that Othello's hard and dark skin had removed all the bad traits in him.
In the end, Othello says, "I kissed you before I killed you. Now there is no way other than to kill myself and die with a kiss" He falls on the bed dead.
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