Othello Alexander Peterson 11/4/09 6th hour

Summary This story by William Shakespeare occurs during the Elizabethan era between The story is about a great General of the armies of Venice, and the love he posses with his wife Desdemona. But a foolish and evil character named Iago thinks Othello slept with his wife or so he says at the end of Act 1 Scene 3. So Iago brings this up again at the end of Act 2 Scene 1 the lust that he posses for Desdemona to get even with Othello. And from there the story goes on.

Summary From there on Othello and Iago have a major conflict’s between each other throughout the story. In the story Iago causes most if not all of the conflicts with his great planning and execution of his evil plans. Iago makes Othello think that Desdemona is un loyal to him by putting a handkerchief in Cassio’s bed room. In doing so he makes Cassio the one who will suffer the wrath of Othello and take the blame for the incident.

Pictures This Picture includes Othello and Desdemona in Venice holding hands, and talking about Othello inability to sacrifice. Othello: "I do agonize A natural and prompt alacrity I find in hardness and do undertake This present wars against the Ottomites. Most humbly, therefore, bending to your state, I crave fit disposition for my wife, Due reference of place, and exhibition, With such accommodation and besot As levels with her breeding."

Pictures This is a photograph of Paul Robeson as Othello and Peggy Ashcroft as Desdemona from the 1930 London Production of Othello.

Pictures This is a picture from the 1944 play of Othello. To the right stands Paul Robeson he plays the role of Othello. And to the left is Uta Hagen the German born American as Desdemona.

Critic comments The 18th-century critic, Nicholas Rowe found Othello a ridiculous play. One of the main reasons is because so much of the action centered around a handkerchief. Othello a general of the armies of Venice gives his wife and only true love Desdemona, a handkerchief. This handkerchief belonged to Othello’s mother. This handkerchief supposedly posses magical properties. Any wife that posses this handkerchief would keep her husband's love forever. Rowe the critic sarcastically said that the play had little value except as a warning to all good wives, that they look to their linen.

Critic comments Another critism comment on the story of the Othello is the race in which Othello is portrayed to be in the story. Being African American in the story had a big part through out the story. Because Othello is black Iago posses more hatred toward him because of this. Whenever one of Othello's enemy’s ever wanted to make fun of Othello the would talk about his race and his alien looks. This startled the Elizabethan people they have never seen a colored man walking out with a with a white woman. Shakespeare demonstrated to us that a hero is not as strong nor as good a man as he thinks he is, the hero's flaw is his refusal to face reality.

Main Characters Othello = Othello exist as one of the main characters in Othello. He plays the role of the general of the armies of Venice. He is represented as the hero of Venice (in northern Italy). On the other hand he is also an outsider and that makes him easy prey for Iago who seeks revenge. Desdemona = Desdemona is Othello's one and only love. She marries Othello against her fathers will and doesn’t tell him or anyone else of their marriage because, it was a secret marriage. In the play she gets accused of doing things she didn’t do and for those things she gets punished.

Main Characters Brabanzio = Brabanzio plays the role as Desdemona father. He also plays the role as a senator and a friend of the great general Othello. But Brabanzio feels betrayed when Othello Goes off to marry his daughter in secret and does not bring the news to him. Brabanzio accuses Othello of taking his daughter by witch craft but actually Desdemona love Othello. Iago = Iago plays as the villain of the story. He plays this role because he kills his wife and has a lust for Desdemona the generals wife. He also wishes to kill Othello because Othello passed the rank of Lt. to Cassio a unworthy approver of this rank. He is blinded by hatred

Bibliography Slide 1 Spark Notes. New York: Spark Publishing, Print. Slide 2 Spark Notes. New York: Spark Publishing, Print. Slide 3 "Session 25 notes." University of Notre Dame University Press, Web. 5 Nov

Bibliography Slide 4 "Othello." Electronic New Jersy New Jersy Press, Web. 6 Nov Slide 5 "The Many Faces of Othello." Knightleyemma's Literature blog Web. 27 Nov Slide 6 Rowe, Nicholas. "The Tragedy's Of The Handkerchief." Blurtit Blurtit, Web. 29 Nov

Bibliography Slide 7 Wright, Louis. "The Significance of Othello." eLibrary New York Publishing, Web. 29 Nov Slide 8 Spark Notes. New York: Spark Publishing, Print. Slide 9 Waugh, Rachel. "Othello." Sirs Discoverer. 24 Apr Scholastic, Web. 27 Nov