Without magic, Brabantio argues, Desdemona would not have chosen "So opposite to marriage that she shunned" and would not "Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom, / of such a thing as thou -- to fear, not to delight" (1.2.66-70). Iago and Brabantio's attitudes toward people of color were very much in line with popular Elizabethan views of black people during Shakespeare's time. This is, for example, evident from Duke of Venice's attempt to defend Othello. "If virtue no delighted beauty lack," the Duke tells Brabantio, "Your son-in-law is far more fair than black" (1.3.22). While arguing that Othello is virtuous and "fair," the Duke is suggesting that blackness has negative connotations. European attitude toward blacks is also evident from the fact that Othello eventually ends up internalizing negative connotations attached to black people. For example, learning upon Desdemona's "cheating," Othello says: "My name, that was as fresh, / as Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black, / as mine own face" (3.3.54). Diane's...
This is an important theme since Iago is although an evil man, his racist description of Othello turns out to be true by the end of the third act -- something acknowledged by Othello himself.
Shakespeare Never Read Aristotle? Or, the dynamic forms of catharsis and tragic flaws in Shakespeare's plays Shakespeare's most beloved plays are his tragedies. If one were to list his best and most popular plays: Othello, Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, and so forth, one would find the list comprised almost entirely of tragedies. So it would not be amiss to say that much of the modern literary conception of theatrical
Essay Topic Examples 1. The Tragic Flaw in Shakespeare's Hamlet: Discuss the concept of 'tragic flaw' or 'hamartia' and how Hamlet's indecisiveness and obsession with introspection lead to his downfall. Analyze how this flaw is essential to the plot development and the unfolding of tragedy in the play. 2. Portrayal of Women in Othello: Examine the roles of Desdemona and Emilia in Othello and explore how
Othello and Death Knocks: Two Characters Who Do Not Know Themselves The definition of a tragic hero is a great man who is brought low by a single, yet fatal flaw within his character. Shakespeare's Othello can be said to have many flaws as well as virtues -- he is a great general, but he is also a poor judge of character, extremely credulous, and jealous. But all of these flaws
Shakespeare's Othello: Is it a tragedy according to Aristotle? Aristotle and tragedy Aristotle defines tragedy as imitation of an action that is serious and has a certain dramatic and complete magnitude. Tragedy to Aristotle is something that is: "A form of drama exciting the emotions of pity and fear. Its action should be single and complete, presenting a reversal of fortune, involving persons renowned and of superior attainments, and it should be written
Othello as Tragic Hero While Othello is not Greek and Shakespeare is not a Greek playwright, Othello embodies many characteristics of a tragic hero as outlined by Aristotle. What is a tragic hero? Person who is neither perfect in virtue and justice, nor someone who falls into misfortune through vice and depravity, but rather, one who succumbs through some miscalculation. Othello is manipulated by Iago to murder Desdemona Iago uses Othello's trusting nature against him Hero
Othello, The Moor of Venice There are a number of very specific literary conventions that a dramatic work must have to adhere to Aristotle's multi-faceted definition of a tragedy. One of the principle components of this definition is that a tragedy chronicles the downfall of a tragic hero. Tragic heroes are well-renowned individual with a wonderful set of virtues descended from decidedly noble lineages who are plagued by one (and only
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