A03 - Context:
- The play challenges stereotypes and values of the Renaissance era.
- Women were submissive and had no rights. Emilia challenges this by speaking. Desdemona is not confined with the domestic setting.
- Black people were assumed to be lusty and dangerous. Othello challenges this by being a general.
- Othello fuels Iago’s anger but Shakespeare’s authorial intent is to undermine these stereotypes by making Othello measured. Othello is nothing like the projection of Iago.
AO2:
- Dramatic irony, emotive language, asides and soliloquies
- Invites the audience to reflect the character’s action e.g Othello sacrificed himself for the common-man.
- Comedy to heighten tragedy e.g clown scene – claiming the relationship between Cassio and Desdemona is actually fake. A mockery of what Iago said.
- The audience can identify the dramatic irony and mock it.
- Soliloquy: Character is alone on stage, saying their thoughts to the audience
- Aside: Saying his/hers thoughts but other characters are on stage where they are obivlious to what they are doing.
- Iago uses this to deceive the character right beside them. It is a joke to him, shows his duplicity.
- Venice: Law, order and justice. Othello is virtuous here.
- Cyprus: Disorder, chaos but is the island of love. Iago’s plan comes here.
- The fact that Othello takes Desdemona with him here shows he cannot separate his personal and political life leading to his tragedy.
Contextual
Interpretations of Iago – AO5:
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Iago has a sense of self-importance, entitlement with a lack of empathy
- Anti-social Personality Disorder: Deceitful and manipulative to gain personal profit or pleasure.
- Iago is malcontent with the need for revenge for not being promoted – professional jealousy
- Gibson: “Othello is a provision of the struggle of the black man.”Works Cited: https://kieurevision.blogspot.com/2017/06/aspects-of-tragedy-othello.html