What is the historical context of Othello?

Shakespeare derived Othello's plot from a short narrative in Giraldi Cinthio's Gli Hecatommithi (1565), but set his play within the context of Venice's struggle during the 1570s with the Ottoman Empire for control of Cyprus, the eastern Mediterranean island that overlooked the shipping lanes between Europe and trading ...

What time period was Othello based in?

Othello is set in Venice, presumably sometime in the latter half of the sixteenth-century. Venice was at war with the Ottoman empire between 1570 and 1573, so the play's reference to the threat of an attack on Cyprus could reflect a setting sometime during this period.

What inspired Othello?

The story of Shakespeare's Othello comes from the Hecatommithi, a collection of tales published in 1565 by Giraldi Cinthio. Cinthio in turn had been influenced by the Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. Although Shakespeare replicates Cinthio's story very closely, he makes a couple of key changes.

Why did Shakespeare set Othello in Venice?

The outer world becomes insignificant as Othello becomes obsessed and jealous. The use of Venice as a location is significant. At the end of the sixteenth century, dramatists began to use Italy as a suitable location for revenge tragedies.

What is the meaning behind Othello?

The play Othello is a tale of jealousy, revenge, and deception. Iago, a disgruntled military officer, in a quest for revenge against Othello, lies, cheats, and bullys everyone around in order to get what he wants.

Othello by William Shakespeare: Social and Historical Context

Is Othello black or white?

Many professional productions also distanced Othello from blackness. Changes in stage makeup standards made the non-black Othello more theatrically achievable. For the first 200 years of Othello's performance history in England, the character Othello—invariably played by white actors—was depicted with dark makeup.

What other source inspired much of Othello's plot?

Two tales – 'Disdemona and the Moor' and the story of 'Epitia' – seem to have inspired Shakespeare when writing Othello and Measure for Measure.

Was Othello written in the Elizabethan era?

Othello was written after 1601 and before 1604 and was therefore created in the last years of Queen Elizabeth I's reign. It was then performed in the Jacobean Era (James I). It is seen as a Jacobean play yet clearly the context in which it was conceived was Elizabethan.

What are the main themes in Othello?

Some of the major themes in this play include racial prejudice, manipulation, and jealousy. Specifically, Othello is regarded as a beast by other characters because he is black.

Why is Othello called a Moor?

Othello is referred to as the Moor because of his dark skin color. The term was initially used to describe people from the ancient Roman province, which is now North Africa, but over time the word "Moor" became an ambiguous term used to describe anyone who had dark skin.

Is Othello North Africa?

Although Othello is a Moor, and although we often assume he is from Africa, he never names his birthplace in the play. In Shakespeare's time, Moors could be from Africa, but they could also be from the Middle East, or even Spain. American actor John Edward McCullough as Othello in 1878.

What does white symbolize in Othello?

Additionally, the color black is often seen as evil or bad, whereas white is seen as good and pure. Since the black ram is “tupping,” or mounting, the white ewe, Iago is making a reference to the sexual act of Othello, black, taking Desdemona's virginity, white and pure.

Why is it important for Othello to be black?

It is due to his colour (race) that Othello is considered an outsider. If he was not of African origin, Iago would have found it difficult to prove that Desdemona did not love him. His colour also gives rise to an inferiority complex in Othello who does not want to believe it, but feels forced to think as Iago wants.

What Colours represent Desdemona?

Desdemona is the light, trying to reassure Othello of her pure love, represented by the pink and red.

What color is Iago?

Iago is a small, obese red feathered parrot and had a golden-yellow beak and feet. He has purple tail feathers and blue feathers that are at the tip of his red wings.

What is the setting of Othello?

Venice is a place where Othello is an outsider and he marries Desdemona in secret. Venice is ruled by a senate which includes a 'Duke' and several senators. There is a war happening against the Turks and there are different ranks in the army. Othello is a general and has a high level of command.

Was Othello played by a black man?

Mekhi Phifer. Distinguished black thespians have portrayed one of Shakespeare's most famed and widely depicted characters for years. But paving the way for those acting legends nearly 200 years ago was Ira Aldridge, the first black actor to breathe life into the Othello role.

Can a white man play Othello?

Racial prejudice has allowed white actors to play Othello well into the 20th century. David Harewood discusses Larry Olivier's performance in 1964.

What religion is Othello?

Othello is a "pagan" synonymous to Muslim person who converts to Christianity. As Iago (his rival ) says that Othello has changed his religion for Desdemona's love. She can affect him "to renounce his baptism,\All seals and symbols of redeemed sin"(2.3. 45).

Why is Othello important?

Othello is possibly the most famous literary exploration of the warping powers of jealousy and suspicion. At the same time, it's among the earliest literary works dealing with race and racism. Othello—undeniably heroic even if ultimately flawed—is the most prominent black protagonist in early Western literature.

Did Othello slept with Iago's wife?

One of the reasons Iago gives for his hatred of Othello is the rumor that “'twixt my sheets he has done my office,” I surprisingly polite way for Iago to say that Othello slept with his (Iago's) wife, Emilia.

What race is Iago in Othello?

Iago makes several references to Othello's race as well, referring to him as an "old black ram" (1.1. 88-89), a "devil" (1.1. 91), and a " Barbary horse" (1.1. 111-12).

Was Iago a sociopath?

Iago is a very modern character in that he has been diagnosed by critics as a psychopath or a sociopath, or an extreme narcissist. Remarkably, Shakespeare created that character some four hundred years before psychologists began to describe the characteristics of psychopaths and sociopaths.

Is Iago in love with Desdemona?

Iago also mentions that he is attracted to Desdemona himself: “I do love her too” (2.1.). Neither of these reasons seem totally sufficient for just how much Iago hates Othello, and notably, he declines to answer when Othello asks him his motivation at the end of the play, saying only “Demand me nothing.