Week 4 Homework
In the play ‘Othello’, Iago is a manipulative character who manages to get revenge on Othello by using the power of jealousy. Iago is introduced to the audience as a character who is known for his honest and reliable nature. Desdemona is depicted as a loyal, innocent, and honest woman but she received her father to marry Othello. This event is brought up by Iago to remind Othello that she is not as innocent and honest as she appears to be, for she received her father. Through the positioning technique of naming, Iago is constantly being told of how honest and loyal he is to Othello and other comrades; Othello even calls him, Honest Iago" (1.3.290). Othello does not believe he is a gullible or jealous person, but when Iago brings up the idea of Cassio sleeping with his wife, Desdemona, Othello doesn’t question it. Instead, this makes him curious and rather angry. Iago uses his manipulative skills and reputation for honesty to plant seeds of doubt and make Othello eventually believe that Desdemona is unfaithful. Othello reacts so strongly to Iago’s accusations because he is known to be an honest man and although the evidence of Desdemona and Cassio sleeping together is impossible to find, Iago manages to use Desdemona’s handkerchief to frame Cassio. Although, Othello was not weak in nature, he was an easy target for Iago due to his gullibility. Othello is also very easily affected by jealousy, and he eventually lets his jealousy clutter his mind and good judgement. Why is Othello so convinced that Desdemona is cheating on him? Iago never offers any real proof of her being unfaithful, which suggests that Othello is very gullible. Othello believes that Iago has his best interest at heart and this leads to him believing everything Iago tells him.
Theme in Othello - Homework
Reputation and honour and both major themes throughout Othello. This theme is first encountered in Act 1, scene 3 when the Duke addresses him as “valiant Othello”. Then it is clear to the audience that Othello has political power and is regarded as brave in the military. Before this address by the Duke, Othello is only referred to as ‘the Moor’ or described with rather vulgar language. The use of imagery is present when characters describe Othello. An example is when Iago calls Othello an ‘old black ram’ and Desdemona a ‘white ewe’. The juxtaposition of black and white is meant to make the audience see how people associated Moors with the colour black which also symbolized all things evil. In Act 2, Iago gets Cassio drunk in order to damage his reputation. After humiliating himself, Cassio realizes how his actions have impacted his career and reputation as Othello’s lieutenant. When he is stripped of his rank, he indicates the importance of reputation by repeating to himself “reputation, reputation, reputation.” (2.3.257) We then see that reputation is more valuable to Cassio than anything in the world. Iago also has a reputation, but he has a reputation for being loyal and honest. He has the power to manipulate people and lie to them but make it seem truthful.
Othello Task 1
Although Othello is a well respected soldier in Venice, there is still widespread prejudice in Venice. A man of African heritage is typically portrayed in Elizabethan literature in a negative light, yet is allowed to shine in Othello. The play opens Iago proclaiming his hate for Othello because he has not been chosen for a promotion. Othello has chosen Cassio over Iago and this infuriates him and leads to racist slurs being used against him. Iago and Roderigo referred to Othello as “the thick-lips” (I.i.66), and “an old black ram” (I.i.88). This brings about a paradox in the play because while Othello is an extremely powerful man in a political context, his race makes him inferior in a white man's society. Whilst in most Elizabethan plays and stories, the white man was depicted as good and the black man was depicted as bad, in Othello the roles were reversed. We see Iago as a man of jealousy and hatred and makes race another reason to hate Othello. Iago is certainly shown as a racist when he gloatingly tells Brabantio of their illicit marriage: "Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe!" (1.1.87). We are positioned to see Iago as a jealous man who feels angered and deceived by Othello. At the beginning of the play we are positioned to make a choice – whether we think Othello is good or bad. Judging by the harsh descriptions Iago and Roderigo give Othello and the way they refer to him, he is at first made to seem like a truly revolting character. But when Othello is greeted by the Duke and the senate, the tales are turned for the first time when he is called a valiant moor and is called by his name for the first time. He is then suddenly depicted as a valiant and strong leader and this is when we are forced to make our decision on who is the bad guy and who is the good.
Othello Pre-reading Tasks
Where is Venice and what was it like in the 16th century?
Venice is a city in northeast Italy, it is separated by canals and linked by bridges. Venice was a staging area for the Crusades and the battle of Lepanto. In the 16th century most of the goods form the Orient passed through the eastern Mediterranean on their way to Europe. The eastern Mediterranean was dominated by the city of Venice. The slaves of Venice were mostly from North Africa.
What was its economic status at that time?
Venice was ruled by merchants and life centred on trade and on pleasing customers. Muslims, Jews and Christians traded with one another. Venice entered a long period of decline after the early 16th century. Venice became the first and the biggest trading power in the world. Through trade the Venetians prospered and Venice rapidly accumulated wealth. The manufacture of silk and woollen textiles developed rapidly in the republic.
What was the Venetians relationship with the Turks?
A series of battles took place between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire between 1499 and 1503. The battles were fought over land surrounding the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea. In 1539 the Turkish fleet attacked and destroyed Limassol. Fearing the ever-expanding Ottoman Empire, the Venetians had fortified Famagusta, Nicosia, and Kyrenia, but most other cities were easy prey. By 1563, the population of Venice had dropped to about 168,000 people. They were at war. Crete and Cyprus were important Venetian possessions that Venice needed for trade and commerce. The Turks were able to rebuild the fleet in record speed, and soon took the island of Cyprus off Venice; an event that serves as the backdrop to Shakespeare's play, Othello. The loss of Cyprus proved, in the long run, far more important than the naval defeat.
Where is Cyprus?
Cyprus is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece and South of Turkey. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In the Eastern Basin of the Mediterranean, it is located south of the Anatolian peninsula
What was its importance in the 16th century?
The Eyalet of Cyprus was the name given to the conquered island of Cyprus which fell into Ottoman hands in 1571
How far is it from Venice?
The island's strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean, between the Ottoman heartland of Anatolia and the newly won provinces of the Levant and Egypt, made it a tempting target for future Ottoman expansion
What were the politics of the countries nearest it?
At the time of the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire would have been at its height. Cyprus was eventually part of this Empire in the 16th century. So the politics of this area was a Muslim Sultanate.
Who are Moors?
Moor was a generic European term during the middle Ages and Renaissance for black Muslims from North Africa. The term "Moors" has also been used in Europe in a broader sense to refer to anyone of Arab or African descent. Moors are not a distinct or self-defined people. Medieval and early modern Europeans applied the name to the Berbers, Arabs, Muslim Iberians and West Africans from Mali and Niger.
Where did they come from?
The Moors were an Arab and Berber people that came from North Africa, more specifically the area that is now Morocco, which is where the country gets its name from.
What were they doing in Europe in the 16th century?
"Moors" from North Africa conquered and ruled the Iberian peninsula from 711 AD until their final expulsion and the extinguishment of their presence in the 15th c. They lost their land and weren't in rule of any country. They migrated to Europe, and were forced to hide their religious identities. In Spain, they forced Moores to either turn to Christianity or leave the country.
Are there religious or cultural practices associated with them?
They were Muslims, so they would have followed Islamic practices
What was the Elizabethan attitude to foreigners in general and non-Christians such as Turks in particular?
Many people of different races lived in England during that time. Elizabethan social ideologies created a gap among races, alienating foreigners from other members of English society and contributing to their destruction. The Elizabethans were very patriotic and inclined to distrust foreigners. This caused much anti-Catholic feeling, and the Catholic religion increasingly became identified with foreign interference.
What are the symptoms of epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a common and diverse set of chronic neurological disorders characterized by seizures. Some of the more common symptoms include blackouts, unexplained periods of unresponsiveness, and involuntary arm and leg movements. Perhaps the most well-known symptom is a convulsive seizure, in which the person may cry out, fall to the floor unconscious, twitch or move uncontrollably, or lose bladder control. People with epilepsy can experience any of the varieties of seizures, although most people follow a consistent pattern of symptoms. This pattern is known as an epilepsy syndrome. Doctors who treat epilepsy classify seizures by how much of the brain is affected. There are: • partial seizures, where only a small part of the brain is affected • generalised seizures, where most or all of the brain is affected
How was it treated and regarded in the Renaissance?
In Europe in the Middle Ages, epilepsy was called the falling sickness, and people looked to saints and relics for cures. The three wise men and St. Valentine were particularly important patrons of people with epilepsy. If you had epilepsy you could a special blessed ring that would help control your seizures. During the Renaissance, people started to read ancient writings again, and the ideas of long ago came back into fashion. Some people thought that people with epilepsy were prophets, because they could see the past, present, and future when they were unconscious during a seizure.
Now? It is now known that epilepsy is a neurological disorder and it is treated as such. Anticonvulsants are usually prescribed which can help prevent seizures and secondary symptoms are treated with appropriate medications. Surgery to remove affected parts of the brain are now only considered under extreme situations- such as in individuals having seizures several times an hour every day.
Are there conditions which render an epileptic vulnerable to a seizure? Flashing lights, loud noises, alcohol or other toxic chemicals, lack of sleep, sugar imbalances.
Venice is a city in northeast Italy, it is separated by canals and linked by bridges. Venice was a staging area for the Crusades and the battle of Lepanto. In the 16th century most of the goods form the Orient passed through the eastern Mediterranean on their way to Europe. The eastern Mediterranean was dominated by the city of Venice. The slaves of Venice were mostly from North Africa.
What was its economic status at that time?
Venice was ruled by merchants and life centred on trade and on pleasing customers. Muslims, Jews and Christians traded with one another. Venice entered a long period of decline after the early 16th century. Venice became the first and the biggest trading power in the world. Through trade the Venetians prospered and Venice rapidly accumulated wealth. The manufacture of silk and woollen textiles developed rapidly in the republic.
What was the Venetians relationship with the Turks?
A series of battles took place between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire between 1499 and 1503. The battles were fought over land surrounding the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea. In 1539 the Turkish fleet attacked and destroyed Limassol. Fearing the ever-expanding Ottoman Empire, the Venetians had fortified Famagusta, Nicosia, and Kyrenia, but most other cities were easy prey. By 1563, the population of Venice had dropped to about 168,000 people. They were at war. Crete and Cyprus were important Venetian possessions that Venice needed for trade and commerce. The Turks were able to rebuild the fleet in record speed, and soon took the island of Cyprus off Venice; an event that serves as the backdrop to Shakespeare's play, Othello. The loss of Cyprus proved, in the long run, far more important than the naval defeat.
Where is Cyprus?
Cyprus is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece and South of Turkey. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In the Eastern Basin of the Mediterranean, it is located south of the Anatolian peninsula
What was its importance in the 16th century?
The Eyalet of Cyprus was the name given to the conquered island of Cyprus which fell into Ottoman hands in 1571
How far is it from Venice?
The island's strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean, between the Ottoman heartland of Anatolia and the newly won provinces of the Levant and Egypt, made it a tempting target for future Ottoman expansion
What were the politics of the countries nearest it?
At the time of the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire would have been at its height. Cyprus was eventually part of this Empire in the 16th century. So the politics of this area was a Muslim Sultanate.
Who are Moors?
Moor was a generic European term during the middle Ages and Renaissance for black Muslims from North Africa. The term "Moors" has also been used in Europe in a broader sense to refer to anyone of Arab or African descent. Moors are not a distinct or self-defined people. Medieval and early modern Europeans applied the name to the Berbers, Arabs, Muslim Iberians and West Africans from Mali and Niger.
Where did they come from?
The Moors were an Arab and Berber people that came from North Africa, more specifically the area that is now Morocco, which is where the country gets its name from.
What were they doing in Europe in the 16th century?
"Moors" from North Africa conquered and ruled the Iberian peninsula from 711 AD until their final expulsion and the extinguishment of their presence in the 15th c. They lost their land and weren't in rule of any country. They migrated to Europe, and were forced to hide their religious identities. In Spain, they forced Moores to either turn to Christianity or leave the country.
Are there religious or cultural practices associated with them?
They were Muslims, so they would have followed Islamic practices
What was the Elizabethan attitude to foreigners in general and non-Christians such as Turks in particular?
Many people of different races lived in England during that time. Elizabethan social ideologies created a gap among races, alienating foreigners from other members of English society and contributing to their destruction. The Elizabethans were very patriotic and inclined to distrust foreigners. This caused much anti-Catholic feeling, and the Catholic religion increasingly became identified with foreign interference.
What are the symptoms of epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a common and diverse set of chronic neurological disorders characterized by seizures. Some of the more common symptoms include blackouts, unexplained periods of unresponsiveness, and involuntary arm and leg movements. Perhaps the most well-known symptom is a convulsive seizure, in which the person may cry out, fall to the floor unconscious, twitch or move uncontrollably, or lose bladder control. People with epilepsy can experience any of the varieties of seizures, although most people follow a consistent pattern of symptoms. This pattern is known as an epilepsy syndrome. Doctors who treat epilepsy classify seizures by how much of the brain is affected. There are: • partial seizures, where only a small part of the brain is affected • generalised seizures, where most or all of the brain is affected
How was it treated and regarded in the Renaissance?
In Europe in the Middle Ages, epilepsy was called the falling sickness, and people looked to saints and relics for cures. The three wise men and St. Valentine were particularly important patrons of people with epilepsy. If you had epilepsy you could a special blessed ring that would help control your seizures. During the Renaissance, people started to read ancient writings again, and the ideas of long ago came back into fashion. Some people thought that people with epilepsy were prophets, because they could see the past, present, and future when they were unconscious during a seizure.
Now? It is now known that epilepsy is a neurological disorder and it is treated as such. Anticonvulsants are usually prescribed which can help prevent seizures and secondary symptoms are treated with appropriate medications. Surgery to remove affected parts of the brain are now only considered under extreme situations- such as in individuals having seizures several times an hour every day.
Are there conditions which render an epileptic vulnerable to a seizure? Flashing lights, loud noises, alcohol or other toxic chemicals, lack of sleep, sugar imbalances.
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