Book Review : Othello
I.
Title
Title
Author: William
Shakespeare
Mr. Shakespeare wrote the play around
the major of 1604 or before. Moreover, he was the chronicle at that time and
Venice was an important trading post and link between Europe and the East that
is why his setting of the story was and is set in Venice.
Shakespeare would have enjoyed studying the “exotic”
strangers. Othello himself is referred by Shakespeare
as “an
extravagant wheeling stranger” and this comment may have been colored by Mr. Shakespeare‘s observations. Plus,
he based the book to another book in which entitled, “Hecatommithi” by Giraldi Cinthio
in the year of 1565.
II.
Setting:
Time:
Sixteenth
Century
Venice:
The place is a prosperous Italian city and a symbol of law and civilization.
The setting is mostly white people populated which makes Othello or the Moor stand
out among the other characters. Thus, the English thought of Venice as a city
full of promiscuous women, therefore there may be the reason why the Moor
easily believed Iago which he stated taht his wife, Desdemona wasn’t faithful.
Cyprus: It is an island sacred to Venice and to the dear goddess of love, Venus. Moreover, it takes place during after Act One, when the characters left Venice for an approaching war.
III. Characters
a. Central Characters
1. Othello
–
He is the main topic throughout the whole story, obviously his name is the
title of the book, (no any deep meaning needed) and Desdemona’s husband. He is
a high respected general of the armies in Venice, although he is different by
his color of skin.
2. Desdemona – She is the lovely wife of Othello. She is a type of a strong determined woman, capable of defending her marriage and being a faithful wife to Othello; although, she was used as target by Iago for Othello to kill.
3. Iago – The antagonist throughout of the book. He is a very clever man to trick someone a higher rank than him to trick to kill his (Othello’s) wife. He was the one who created the whole plot twist of the book to somehow destroy Othello’s reputation. He hates women and is obsessed with other people’s sex lives.
4. Emilia – Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s attendant. She was used by Iago in order for his whole clever plans to be a success. She reviled to Othello what’s the truth; but it wasn’t convincing since women were discriminated.
b. Minor
1. Michael
Cassio - Othello’s second in command, or lieutenant. A youthful
smart by books type of soldier and not battle experienced. Iago is envious of
him since he got the position just because Othello likes him to be in that
position instead of who’s really next in line.
2. Roderigo – A rich fool that is awfully in love with Desdemona in which financially and somehow helped Iago for his (Iago’s) plans to be a success.
3. Bianca – A courtesan in Cyprus, which her favorite costumer is Cassio.
4. Brabantio – Desdemona’s father and a self-important Venetian senator.
5. Duke of Venice – His primary role within the play is to make Othello tell his story of how he wooed Desdemona, and then to send Othello to Cyprus.
6. Montano- The governor of Cyprus before Othello.
7. Lodovico – Messenger between Venice and Cyprus.
8. Graziano – Who he simply accompanied Lodovico towards Cyprus.
9. Clown – Othello’s servant.
c. Dynamic
1. Othello
–
Iago changed his outlook of everything, little by little; including the part
that he even killed his own wife because of being enraged with jealousy. Furthermore,
for he goes from cool and witty when faced with the accusations of witchcraft
to being consumed by jealousy and rage.
d. Static
1. Iago –
from the beginning and throughout of the book, he still remained a clever
villain of the story.
2. Desdemona – Throughout of the book, she remained truly faithfully is in love with Othello.
3. Emilia – She remained a cynical, worldly woman.
4. Cassio – Throughout he is still a trustworthy lieutenant of Othello.
e. Round
1. Othello
–
Othello is a good and righteous man, but he's also ruled by his passions. This
made him a hero in war, but a tragic figure in love.
2. Iago – He is a very highly respected newly lieutenant by Othello, but little that they know
Iago’s been clever enough to ruin his own captain’s name.
f. Flat
1. Clown
–Throughout
he is still a trustworthy servant of Othello.
2. Iago – He’s still an untrue lieutenant to Othello.
3. Desdemona – She was truly a faithful wife of Othello.
4. Bianca – She’s loyal to Cassio.
g. Stock
1. Clown –
the servant
2. Iago - the villain, that ruins it all
3. Emilia – the one that tries to set things right
h. Protagonist
1. Othello – The
story is all about him.
2. Emilia – She tries to explain to Othello that Iago is not clearly trustworthy towards him
and that of Desdemona is truly faithful, even though it means of betraying Iago.
3. Desdemona – She is faithful wife but killed by his own husband because of the rumored affair.
i. Antagonist
1. Iago – He
successfully clever did his plan to ruin Othello.
2. Roderigo – He helped Iago financially and not, to help ruin Othello.
j. Anti-Hero
1. Othello –
He struggled judging his wife’s affair. Moreover, he bought into Iago's lies
and killed his wife but we feel more pity for the brave Moor than hatred
because of the circumstances of his demise.
k. Foil
1. Emilia
–
She is a foil towards Desdemona in which for instance, Emilia's attitude
towards men contrasts with Desdemona's naïve idealism. Furthermore emphasizes
that Desdemona is the good kind of wife and proves that she’s faithful to
Othello.
2. Cassio – He is a foil towards Iago in which the reason Iago dismay Othello because Iago was in line for lieutenant but instead Cassio was promoted and not him.
l. Symbolic
1. Desdemona
–
Shows how can wives be faithful towards their husbands.
2. Iago – Sometimes the unexpected trusted ones are who those that of have that scheme to ruin one’s name, because of envy.
3. Othello – Shows how dumb sometimes people are which cause they easily believe to rumored stories, for instance, he doesn’t believes his own wife of not really having an affair.
4. Roderigo - He symbolizes to common people who trusts too much towards other people, like how he trust Iago that he may help him to get Desdemona but Iago ended up of Othello killing Desdemona.
IV.
PLOT
Exposition/Beginning –
Iago brought up his schemes against the Moor. He and Roderigo exclaimed to
Brabartio that his daughter was kidnapped by the Moor. Hence; Brabartio worry
about his daughter and even thought of her daughter under a black spell, sort
of. Desdemona finally commits she really love Othello, thus, Brabartio blessed
their marriage. Othello was sent by the Duke of Venice to Cyprus with Desdemona
along, in preparation for war.
Rising Action –
When they finally arrived in Cyprus, Roderigo complains to Iago that he has no
chance of breaking up Othello’s marriage. Iago assures Roderigo that as soon as
Desdemona’s “blood is made dull with the act of sport,” she will lose interest
in Othello and seek sexual satisfaction elsewhere (II.i.222). Thus, Iago thought
of to kick Cassio out of his position because of envy and destroy Othello
through jealousy.
Iago
tells Roderigo that he should cast Cassio into disgrace by starting a fight with
Cassio at the evening’s and explains that eliminating Cassio is the first
crucial step in his plan to ruin Othello. That night, Iago gets Cassio drunk
and then sends Roderigo to start a fight with him. Furthermore, Governor
Montano attempts to hold Cassio down, and Cassio stabs him. Iago sought his
plans played perfectly, sends Roderigo to raise alarm in the town.
Because
of the “so” incident the Moor demoted Cassio from being a lieutenant. Cassio exclaimed that, that his reputation has
been ruined forever. Iago assures Cassio that he can get back into Othello’s
good graces by using Desdemona a bridge. Plus that decision, that Iago will
frame Cassio and Desdemona as lovers to make Othello jealous.
Climax – Cassio
had the chance to speak to Desdemona to ask for help to make Othello forgive
his former lieutenant, which is Cassio. Feeling uneasy, Cassio leaves without
talking to Othello. Othello asks was it Cassio who just parted from his wife,
and Iago began to kindle Othello’s fire of jealousy, by simply replied with an
answer something like; not quite sure, he
would steal away so guilty-like, when he saw you coming.
Othello
becomes upset and moody, and Iago furthers his goal of removing both Cassio and
Othello by suggesting that Cassio and Desdemona are involved in an affair.
Othello concludes that his wife is unfaithful.
Desdemona convinces Othello to reinstate Cassio as
lieutenant, add to Othello’s almost immediate conviction that his wife is
unfaithful. After Othello’s conversation with Iago, Desdemona comes to call
Othello to supper and finds him feeling unwell. She pulls out a handkerchief
and offers it to Othello but Othello finds it small and lets it drop to the
floor. Emilia picked-up the handkerchief and mentions; this is the piece of
cloth that Iago wants me to steal from them.
Falling
Action – Iago was so proud of at Emilia for successfully
stealing the handkerchief of Desdemona, which the first thing that Othello gave
to her. Meanwhile, Othello demands Desdemona the handkerchief of her, but she
tells him that she does not have it with her and attempts to change the subject
by continuing her suit on Cassio’s behalf. This further made Othello angry and
suspicion about the “so called” affair.
Cassio wonders why a handkerchief is in his room, Bianca,
a prostitute whom he asks to take the handkerchief and copy its embroidery for
him.
Resolution - Through
Iago’s successful plan, Othello becomes so consumed by jealousy that he became
mad and something like elipsy. Out of that, Othello released his anger and
Cassio comes by, Iago tells him to come back in a few minutes to talk. Once
Othello recovers, Iago tells him of the meeting he has planned with Cassio.
Iago tells Othello to hide and watch him to extract from Cassio the story of
his affair with Desdemona, but Iago really inqures Cassio for information about
Bianca, causing Cassio to laugh and made to confirm Othello’s suspicions.
Bianca gives out the copied embroidery to Cassio.
Desdemona, with Lodovico at a moment gives Othello a letter from Venice calling
him home and instating Cassio as his replacement, Othello goes over the edge,
striking Desdemona and then storming out.
Later that night, Othello accused Desdemona for being a
whore. Emilia tries to convince Othello that she’s not and she’s a perfect
innocent faithful wife of his, Othello disbelief. Furthermore, Othello tells
Desdemona to wait for him in bed and to send Emilia away.
Meanwhile, Iago assures the still-complaining Roderigo
that everything is going as planned: in order to prevent Desdemona and Othello
from leaving, Roderigo must kill Cassio. Then he will have a clear avenue to
his love. Thus, Iago instructs Roderigo to ambush Cassio, but Roderigo misses
his mark and Cassio wounds him instead. Iago wounds Cassio and runs away. When
Othello hears Cassio’s cry, he assumes that Iago has killed Cassio as he said
he would. Lodovico and Graziano seek what the commotion is about. Iago enters
shortly thereafter and flies into a pretend rage as he “discovers” Cassio’s
assailant Roderigo, whom he murders. Cassio is taken to have his wound covered
up.
Conclusion
–
Meanwhile, Othello prepares to kill Desdemona for being rumored to have an
affair. Desdemona convinces Othello that she is a faithful wife and innocent
but Othello dismay her objections. Emilia knocks, announcing that Roderigo is
dead, andconfirming that Cassio is still alive.
After crying out that she has been murdered, Desdemona changes her story
before she dies, claiming that she has committed suicide. Emilia asks Othello
what happened, and Othello tells her that he has killed Desdemona for her
infidelity, which Iago brought to his attention.
Montano, Graziano, and Iago was summoned and Iago
attempts to silence Emilia, who realizes what Iago just had done. Firsthand,
Othello insists Iago to tell the truth and nothing but the truth if Desdemona
was really in an affair, citing the handkerchief as evidence. Emilia tells Othello
how she found the handkerchief and gave it to Iago, Othello is crushed and
begins to weep with sadness of killing his no wife with no justice. Out of
revenge, he tried to kill Iago but is disarmed. Then, Iago kills Emilia for
spitting out what she knows and flees, but caught by Lodovico and Montano, who
return holding Iago as a convict. They also bring Cassio, who is now in a chair
because of his wound. Othello wounds Iago and is disarmed. Lodovico convinces Othello that he must come with them
back to Venice to be tried. There, when Othello makes a speech about how he
would like to be remembered, then kills himself with a sword he had hidden.
Then Lodovico gives a speech and in which he gives Othello’s house and goods to
Graziano and orders that Iago be executed.
V.
Vocabulary
1. Courtesan
– The place of Cyprus is full of courtesan women.
2. Whore-
Those courtesan are kinds of whore that has many men.
3. Pageantry
– The pageantry of success against the Turks was heart lifting.
4. Plague
– The disease spread throughout was a plague, not a virus.
5. Virtuous
– One should be virtuous towards elderly people
6. Lieutenant
– A lieutenant is already an award winning position in the military.
7. Ensian
– Desdemona’s beauty is beautiful as an ensian flower.
8. Downplaying
–Downplaying my grades because intelligence is what’s important.
9. Gullible
– The gullible Othello dies at the end part of the book.
10. Bloody uproar – Iago’s scheme is a bloody
uproar, against Cassio and Othello.
VI.
Themes
Envy has the power to destroy. It devastated
Othello is jealous that his wife, Desdemona may have an affair towards, Cassio and
that of Iago which is jealous that Michael Cassio has received a promotion over
him.
Worse things happen to good people. Reality
check, bad things or the worse things may happen to good people. Chances by are
hamartia, and the presence of evil which in this novel is Iago–the often
militate against happy endings. In which Othello is an example of a noble,
loving, and accomplished, the ideal husband, which conflicts one scene wherein
Othello murders Desdemona, for the fact that, Desdemona is an innocent and an
example of an ideal wife. But then when he learned the truth of that there’s no
really an affair he then, kills himself.
Racist is a big issue, for it isolates
Othello, making him feel different and an outcast. Othello himself, a captain and
a well achieved person but black is a normal person like any other, but Brabantio
and Iago are one of the most racialism characters, you’ll ever read. Well, one
is that Iago can’t accept the fact that he must take orders from a black, plus,
Othello didn’t promoted him as a lieutenant, instead chose Cassio. Two, is that
Brabantio is terrified that his daughter has been in love with a Moor who will
give him mixed grandchildren.
True love needs courage. Being married
to Othello, and Desdemona knowing that he is black, plus, his old age will
arouse controversy, she never hesitate that
she really loves him, even when her own father dislikes the Moor for her as a
husband. Upshot, the bias of others doesn’t affect her.
It’s just the blindness and dumbness
nature of people. It certainly is not worse or worse than assuming that he’s
already threatening you, trying to ruin your name especially if you’re in a
high position like Othello. Othello is gullible captain, as a part of the
military troop, he intended for proofs if his wife is really in an affair, but
these were all false, that makes him gullible, a not two thinking of more
trusting his own wife than his lieutenant, Iago.
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