Budrewicz 4 - 01.12.11 – Othello

Shakespeare: 1564 – 1616

1604 – first performance of King James I

Tragedy

• contains the dialogues

• protagonist (the main character) faces fate

• downfall of the protagonist

• it's a branch of drama

• written in verse

• royal families/ political themes

Aristotle's tragedy definition – tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and complete & it achieves an effect of catharsis through incidents which arouse pity and terror.

Tragedy should imitate, it has to has beginning, development and ending. Incidents that arouse pity and terror.

The protagonist is led in some kind of calamity (klęska).

Catharsis – purification

Hamaritia – some kind of error that protagonist does

Hubris – excessive pride

Nemesis – retribution – punishment

Shakespeare's tragedies

• were irregular

• very often present supernatural elements mixed with realistic elements – that's why 18th century critics said he was 'barbarian writer'

• no unity of time, place & action

1840s Shakespeare translated in Poland

Gustav Freytag 1883 – analysing drama

Freytag's pyramid

III

II IV

I V

I – introduction = exposition

II – complication, the action is rising, increase in tension

III – climax (crisis, turning point), reversal of action, peripeteia, usually 3rd act

IV – action is falling

V – denoument (franc.) = resolution

Othello acts

I – Iago talking with Rodriego about Othello, they go to Desdemona's father

They call for Othello

barbarian – citizen of north Africa, uncivilised

Desdemona respects and loves both his father and Othello, says to his father, that her mother did the same to his father

II – Emillia, Cassio. Emilia steals handkerchief.

Iago hates Othello for he promoted Cassio not him

III – Othello changes his attitude, becomes more and more suspicious, jealousy, dishonesty. Othello sees Cassio talking about Blanca, he's got attack of epilepsy

V – He kills Desdemona

Symbols: handkerchief, willow song (she feels that the death is about to come)

Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!

It is the cause. Yet I'll not shed her blood,

Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow

And smooth as monumental alabaster.(5)

Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.

Put out the light, and then put out the light.

If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,

I can again thy former light restore,

Should I repent me; but once put out thy light,(10)

Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,

I know not where is that Promethean heat

That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd the rose,

I cannot give it vital growth again,

It must needs wither; I'll smell it on the tree.(15)

O, balmy breath, that dost almost persuade

Justice to break her sword! One more, one more;

Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,

And love thee after. One more, and this the last:

So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,(20)

But they are cruel tears; this sorrow's heavenly,

It strikes where it doth love. She wakes.

Before Emilia dies she reminds the willow song

have a look at act III, what happens how does othello change, Iago