Shakespeare s Othello

1. Shakespeare�s �Othello� A play about love, hate, jealousy, envy, and lust

3. Setting Takes place in Cyprus an island in the Mediterranean Near present-day Turkey Begins in Venice Northern Italy Illuminates the authoritarian government ruled by the Venetian senators Time of play between 1489- 1571

4. Moors vs. Venetians Othello, the title character, is a Moor living in Venetian society What is a Venetian? Venice= center of commerce and materialism This lead to much corruption and social conflict What is a Moor? A Muslim of mixed Arab and Berber descent Berbers= North African natives Usually, but not always, Black

5. Literary Terms to Know Shakespeare-ish: tragedy pun verse vs. prose iambic pentameter blank verse rhyming couplet monologue vs. soliloquy Literary terms: protagonist vs. antagonist internal vs. external conflict foil irony foreshadowing Symbol epiphany Tragic Hero

6. Shakespearean Plays Three categories Histories For example: Richard II Comedies Often romantic in nature For example: The Taming of the Shrew Tragedies For example: Romeo and Juliet

7. Shakespeare Terms Tragedy= a literary work in which the protagonist is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope A great work of art Emotionally impacts the audience Creates catharsis = a purging of emotions for the audience Usually, the protagonist (tragic hero) has an epiphany, or realization, at the moment of his/her downfall

8. Shakespeare Terms Pun= a play on words based upon the similarity of sound between two different words with different meanings Verse vs. prose Verse is well constructed (often in Iambic Pentameter) Prose is more like natural speech. It is common language written without an intentional rhythm to it Usually spoken in Shakespearean plays by servants or members of the lower class

9. Shakespeare Terms Iambic Pentameter= a line of poetry with 5 metrical feet like a heartbeat (Short Long, Short Long, Short Long, Short Long, Short Long) Example: �Of one that loved not wisely but too well (5.2) Rhyming Couplets= pairs of lines in Iambic Pentameter that rhyme usually indicate that a scene is over Also used to end sonnets

10. Blank Verse= poetry written in Iambic Pentameter that does not rhyme most of Shakespeare�s work is written as such Monologue vs. Soliloquy Monologue= a speech given by one person in the company of others Soliloquy= a speech given by one person when no other characters are onstage. Usually used to expose the motives or secrets of one character Shakespeare Terms

11. Quick Review: Literary Terms protagonist vs. antagonist internal vs. external conflict foil irony foreshadowing symbol epiphany Tragic Hero