Shakespeare and Sax - Othello

Shakespeare Elizabethan (16th century) Play - Theocentric - Elizabethan - Patriachcial - England - Religious

Medium Context

Purpose

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Ideas

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Values

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Techniques

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Sax Post modern film (2001) - Secular - Contemporary - London, political, police, force, race, riots

To explore the human condition To examine the flawed nature of humanity Nature of relationships/jealously

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To explore the power of the media in creating a politically corrupt world. Flawed humanity

Revenge Betrayal Love – overpowering/destructive nature/emotion PASSION Idea of economic status/classes Prejudice Flawed humanity Jealousy

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Race Revenge Honesty and deception Love Political corruption Flawed humanity Jealously

Christian, theocentric Love is a power feeling Hierarchy, class divisions, chain of being Prejudice Sexual morality Patriarchal society Gender inequality (Women were second class to men) Soliloquy (Iago)

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Secular, non-Christian views and way of living Power of the media Non – patriachcial Gender equality Honesty and deception

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Human potential for moral corruption Jealousy Revenge Racism -

Human corruption – revenge The power of love - corrupt

Breaking of the fourth wall (insight into the personal thoughts of the character) Use of colour (the dark red walls in the apartment/bedroom, emphasizing passion) Camera angles (close up of Othello and Dessie’s hands – a contrast between the black and white)

“Every text is a reflection of its compositional context” – Discuss with close reference to both texts. INTRO: - Thesis in response to Q. - Introduce both texts separately - Outline both contexts - Relevant values

Due to the dynamic nature of values although most texts Theoretically our world is egalitarian however it is an illusion. The reality being that our social world is also hierarchical The values held by the time were enshrined in the theocentric society.

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JEALOUSY QUOTES IAGO “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy, It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock, the meat it feeds on” Iago manipulates Othello – pretends to warn Othello of being a jealous man, and points out that jealousy ends up destroying the heart of the man who falls prey to it. “But, O, what damned minutes tells he o’er, who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!”

Iago continues his reverse-psychology strategy of warning Othello against jealousy. -

“O curse of marriage, That we can call these delicate creatures ours, and not their appetites! I had rather be a toad, and live upon the vapour of a dungeon, than keep a corner in the thing I love for others’ uses.” In a soliloquy, Othello explores the idea of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness and sinks ever deeper into angry jealousy. Shakespeare examines the lack of autonomy afforded women in his Elizabethan patriarchal world. (POINT)

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Shakespeare suggests that appearances can be deceptive and misleading with the purpose of masking a persons’s real intentions in order to make a powerful comment about the flawed nature of humanity. This is highlighted through the characterisitation of the manipulative despicable, Iago.

Social mobility - rigidly patriachcial social structure – women are defined in terms of men (e.g. daughter and wife) - r

Although the concerns that engage humanity have remained constant over time and will always reflect the contemporary values of its compositional context. William Shakespeare’s Elizabethan drama “Othello” examines the destructive power of a flawed individual in a theocentric and patriachcial social world where the Divine Order of Being was considered sacred. Geoffrey Sax’s post-modern film of the same name reflects the values of a contemporary, secular England. Both texts examine the potential for reality to be marked by illusion and the destructive consequences of jealousy, racism and the quest for power that so often seems natural to humanity.

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Ben Iago’s character breaks the fourth wall – Panning of audience, juxtaposition of upper police society and the riots Racist slurs

Despite the recontextualisation of the treatment and status of women, both Shakespeare’s Othello and Sax’s Othello depict the oppression of women in society and the subordinate position of women in comparison to men. In Shakespeare’s patriarchal context, women were seen as definite subordinates, to the extent that they were objects owned by their husbands and fathers. In Othello, this sense of subordination is illustrated in the opening scene where Brabantio describes that he has been ‘robb(ed)’ when he realised that his daughter Desdemona has run off with Othello, exclaiming that she had been ‘stol’n from [him],’ connoting the status of Desdemona merely as property of her father. Iago sees wives as ‘nothing, but to please… fantasies’, treated as ‘maids’ just to ‘pleasure’ their husbands, the misogynistic language further emphasizing the subservient status of women within the play. Derogatory terms are aimed towards socially and sexually transgressive women throughout the play, with such women being described as ‘impudent strumpet(s)’and ‘cunning whore(s) of Venice.’ To some degree, Sax’s film asserts the emancipation of women, reflecting his post-feminist social context. Dessie is able to make her own decisions without her father,... The strong influential themes of race and women in Shakespeare’s Othello are consistently portrayed in Jeoffery Sax’s contemporary film version of Othello, however the themes are greatly contrasted through the influential changes in society which undermine the values and purposes of these themes. The changes in values of these themes are expressed vividly in both accounts. It is evident throughout Shakespeare’s Othello that women are portrayed through the stereotypical stance of having a ‘lower status’ to men, as a males dominate society in nearly all aspects. Women were displayed as being promiscuous, untrustworthy, rash decision makers and generated a lack of intellect or understanding. Women were not respect but rather referred to as props who led less respectable lives to that of men. This is evident through out Shakespeare’s Othello as Desdemona is represented as the typical wife and Emilia is portrayed as the typical female servant. The first evidence of this

is demonstrated in Act one where Barbantio, Desdemona’s father speaks out against Othello and Desdemona’s marriage, he expresses the notion of Desdemona being ‘bound to him for life and education’ and he expresses her as his own property and that he must own her until he gives her to a somewhat successful powerful white noble figure. This expresses his stereotypical view of women within society and this is highly ironic due to the circumstances in which Desdemona is acting out of the typical character of women by diseaving her father and marrying a highly contrasted figure, being Othello, than her father has desired. The stereotypical circumstance for women in Elizabethan times states that women shall remain virgins until marriage and therefore must give their virginity to their husbands as a way of demonstrating the theory of being bound for life. This coincides with the past interpretation of Barbantio representing women as props and the ability to own them. The symbol of the handkerchief in... Othello: Iago - "O, beware, my lord, of Jealousy" This essay is about William Shakespeare's Othello. It focuses on Iago's words to Othello, "O, beware, my lord, of Jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster." in act 3, scene 3 and just how important this warning was not only for Othello, but also for Roderigo and for Iago. Before considering the importance of Iago's words, it is important to define what jealousy means. According to The New Lexicon Webster's Encylopedic Dictionary of the English Language, "jealousy is a state of fear, suspicion, revenge or envy caused by a real or imagined threat or challenge to one's possessive instincts. It may be provoked by rivalry, in sexual love, by competition or by desires for the qualities or possessions of another." Roderigo is foolish and even at times unusually feeble-minded. This explained partially by Roderigo's jealousy: he is infatuated with Desdemona and has been for some time. He is willing to do anything to win her love. He is jealous that Desdemona loves Othello and not him. In accordance with the definition of jealousy, Roderigo desires the possessions of another. It is this jealousy which moves him to do many evil things in the play. He pays Iago large amounts of money to conjure up a scheme to acquire Desdemona. He gives in to Iago at the beginning of the play. In effect he has become the villain 's disciple. By doing this, he himself has adopted the green-eyed monster image. In act two, he is prompted by Iago to cause a commotion and begin a fight with Cassio. Later in act four, scene two, Roderigo is convinced by Iago to kill Cassio. In act five, scene one, Roderigo attempts to kill Cassio but only manages to wound him. At the same time Cassio wounds Roderigo. Iago (who was watching this fight) leaves only to re-enter later and kill Roderigo. Roderigo's jealousy brought upon his downfall. Most people do not think of jealousy as Iago's downfall, but in essence, jealousy has many... by comparing Shakespeare’s Othello, with Sax’s modern film adaptation of the play, the audience can appreciate and explore the extent to which context, or the surrounding influences, impact upon the key concerns in both texts. Othello by William Shakespeare is

a tragedy set in the city of Venice, in the 1500s, during a period of strong racial tension within society. It was a highly patriarchal society, as women were objectified by their fathers or husbands, and were considered mere possessions. Sax’s Othello is set in London in the 1980s, at a time of heightened racial hostility between the police force and the African society. It was also a period of great upheaval, with the increase of female autonomy, as many feminist groups were established, aiming to address the gender inequalities prevalent within the communities. Through the comparative study of Shakespeare’s Othello and Sax’s modern interpretation of Othello, the responder has the ability to aptly explore the key ideas of race and women, in light of changing contexts, using literary and filmic devices respectively. By doing so, they are able to appreciate the extent to which context impacts upon the perception of issues in society. Shakespeare’s Othello revolves around the discrimination that was openly displayed by Venetians in the 1500s, expressing the many obstacles Othello would have had to endure, to attain his high rank in the military. Those of Moorish decent were ostracized by members within society, and ridiculed on the superficial...