4/4/2011. peare. m Shakesp. he is not for an age, but for all time Ben Jonson.

Transcription

1 m Shakesp peare William Shakesp peare Willia he is not for an age, but for all time Ben Jonson 1

2 Two stressed syllables in same iambus 2

3 Act Arras Aside Terms Shakespeare s plays have 5 acts, subdivided into scenes Each act focuses on one major aspect of the plot or theme Tapestry hung on stage to conceal scenery until needed Actor speaks words to audience; other actors cannot hear Chorus A single person who recited a prologue before Act I Informed audience of action offstage or outside time frame of play Epilogue Short address by actor at play s end explaining or commenting on meaning or what may come next Terms Flourish Music introducing entrance or exit of King or other person of import Induction Scene Preface or prelude to play Time & place of action in play Part of act that takes place in one location Sennet Trumpet flourish introducing entrance of character Tiring House Dressing rooms of actors 3

4 Chiaroscuro Deliberate contrast of light to dark Highlights movement Intensifies a particular figure or setting Examples: Light vs Dark in Human Morality Othello vs Desdemona Characters move from dark to bright settings Black vs white references in names and conversations T T O 4

5 Setting 16 th Century Venice Cyprus attacked by Ottoman Turks Italy Allies With Spain Defeat Ottomans ~ 1571 Battle of Lepanto Cyprus ~ Strategic Outpost Desdemona s Death Song Dante Gabriel Rosetti Characters Othello The Moor Gentlemen of Cyprus Brabantio Desdemona s father Lodovico Noble Venetian Cassio Honorable Lieutenant Gratiano Noble Venetian Iago Roderigo A villain A gulled gentleman Sailors Clown Duke of Venice Desdemona Othello s wife Senators Emilia Iago s wife Montano Governor of Cyprus Bianca A courtesan Messenger, Herald, Officers, Gentlemen, Musicians, Attendants Othello photo credit: 5

6 Act I Iago complains to Roderigo Othello the Moor chose Cassio for his Lieutenant Iago will remain loyal to Othello as long as it suits him Brabantio informed Desdemona is sleeping with Othello Roderigo had been an unsuccessful suitor to Desdemona But Desdemona is missing Othello summoned to Duke of Venice Brabantio arrives; orders Othello arrested Duke s summons comes first Act I At Duke s chambers, Brabantio accuses Othello Spells, potions, trances Othello disproves claims Brabantio reluctantly blesses marriage Ottomites Turkish Fleet sails for Cypress Duke asks Othello to defend Venice Desdemona wants to go with her husband Othello asks Iago to have his wife take care of Desdemona Roderigo laments loss of Desdemona 6

7 Act I Iago Act II At Cyprus a storm has divided the Turkish fleet The war may be done But their own ships may also have suffered Cassio arrives Iago arrives with Emilia & Desdemona The divine Desdemona has been spared the Tempest Othello finally arrives The wars are done; the Turks are drowned 7

8 Act II Iago tells Roderigo that Desdemona loves Cassio Also that she will tire of the Moor She cannot be blessed or she would not have loved the Moor Iago advises Roderigo to pick a fight with Cassio Cassio will get in trouble with the authorities Iago wants to make Othello jealous A Herald announces The defeat of the Turkish Fleet Celebration of Othello s wedding Blessings to Cyprus and the noble general Othello! Act II Othello and Desdemona go to bed Iago arrives with wine for him and Cassio Cassio gets drunk He keeps insisting that he is not drunk a sure sign! A fight ensues between Roderigo, Montano, & Cassio Othello breaks it up Othello dismisses Cassio as his Lieutenant Desdemona summons Othello to bed... tis the soldiers life to have their balmy slumbers waked with strife. 8

9 Act II Cassio laments his lost reputation to Iago Iago reassures him that the means exist to reestablish himself Cassio declares to ask for his position back Iago declares that Othello s wife is now the general Iago tells Cassio to ask Desdemona to intervene with Othello on his behalf Privately, Iago declares To tell Othello that Desdemona loves and lusts after Cassio To make Othello jealous Roderigo baits Iago Knowingly? Iago declares to set up the potential, albeit fictitious tryst Othello must find Cassio petitioning his wife Act II 9

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14 lo and Peggy Ashcroft as Desdemona at the n, 1930 Paul Robeson as Othell Savoy Theatre, London 14

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19 Think About It! Shakespeare s tragic heroes All fundamentally flawed This weakness leads to their downfall The bigger they are, the harder they fall Often, Shakespeare s tragic heroes are noblemen, making the fall even more dramatic and tragic Shakespeare s tragic heroes often fall victim to external pressures Fate EvilE Spirits Scheming characters All play a hand in the ultimate downfall or demise of the tragic hero What compels Othello to kill Desdemona? Jealousy? Desire for revenge? Excess idealism? A wish to be a public avenger who punishes "else she'll betray more men"? Think About It! How is the case made against Desdemona? Trace the steps by which Iago rouses Othello to suspicion. Besides Othello, who does Iago deceive? To what would you attribute Iago s success as a deceiver? What does Othello mean when he calls himself "one that loved not wisely but too well"? Summarize the events that lead to Iago s unmasking 19

20 What makes Othello a tragedy? What makes Othello a tragic hero? Think About It! What are the primary motifs in the play? What judgments about the human condition might one make as a result of reading Othello? What are some human nature issues that Shakespeare addresses in Othello? To whom or which situation might you relate? Might Othello and Oedipus the King be more than vehicles for sheer entertainment? The primary source of information for this slide show is our 1102 textbook Literature Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama Second Edition Robert DiYanni 20