Lecture 3 Othello the Moor of Venice

1. Lecture 3 Othello the Moor of Venice Critical Focus on Scenes 2 & 3 of Act 1

2. Examination Information for you!!! • 1) Study up to Act 2, Scene 2 (Re- Othello) • 2) ‘Collapsed’ Papers 1 and 4 H1 Two hours duration • One compulsory Othello context question plus • One ‘Unseen’ Comparative Poetry question H2 Three hours: Othello, ‘Unseen’ Poetry • Plus a question on Brave New World

3. Sources of conflict? • A ravishingly beautiful, drop dead gorgeous, super sexy looking woman • Money matters • The presence of an outsider, ethnically and culturally different and distant • A suave and debonair young man • Sexual desire; and lust

4. Sources of conflict (cont) • Mixed marriage • Mother nature’s disproportionate distribution of Intelligence and Stupidity; of Superior and Inferior intellect; of the Strong and the Weak • Grievances • Bad judgment • Temptation

5. Desdemona’s declaration of faithful love for the Moor in Act 4, Scene 2 I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel: If e’er my will did trespass ’gainst his love, Either in discourse of thought or actual deed; Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense Delighted them in any form; Or that I donot yet, and everdid, And everwill—though he do shake me off To beggarly divorcement—love him dearly,

6. Comfort forswear me! Unkindness may do much, And his unkindness may defeat my life, But never taint my love. I cannot say ‘whore’; It does abhor me now I speak the word; To do the act that might the addition earn Not the world’s mass of vanity could make me.

7. Dramatic purposes of Act 1 Scene 2 • To present the audience with a close-up picture of the Moor, Othello • To establish Othello’s position as a military leader • To shed more light on the character of Iago • To advance the movement of the play • To arouse excitement of a possible arrest (suspense) • To continue the theme of Magic—the black arts • To link up with Scene 1

8. Close-up picture of Othello • Othello a romantic figure & of royal lineage • Exceptionally conscious of his worth • Trusts in friendship; not given to suspicion • Has respect for age: ‘command with years’ • No weakling; no wimp • Fearless: “Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them”

9. Othello as a military leader in this scene • Presented / portrayed to be an alert, poised leader • Proud but not vainglorious • Convinced of his own integrity • And trusting the integrity of others • Single-minded and dedicated to duty • Such a man is fit to be a leader

10. Note the Moor much different than Iago’s description of him in Scene 1 • His first long speech stresses that difference • His dignity, pride, self-confidence are shown • However we also learn that the Moor became a husband with some regret • Only the strength of Desdemona’s love strong enough to make him want to give up his bachelor freedom for marriage • Thereby subtly hinting future conflict

11. Critical questions to ask oneself re- Othello • Now what is your opinion of Othello? • What may have brought about his ultimate downfall? • Is he simply a victim of the villainous schemes of Iago? • Or is there apparent some serious defect of character that made his downfall possible? • Such as being, too credulous? • Should he have been more cautious, more alert?

12. More light on IAGO • Note Iago’s pretended restraint • Cleverly insists on the enormity of Brabantio’s provocation: “prated, And Spoke such scurvy and provoking terms Against your honour” • Tries then another way to get Othello angry: “he will divorce you, Or put upon you what restraint, and grievance..

13. Critical questions to ask re- Iago • Is his sense of unrewarded merit an important key to his attitude and action? • Is he a relatively decent man plunging for the first time into wickedness? • Or is he sick, disturbed, neurotic? • Sees people merely as objects to exploit? • Is like Satan seeking absolute mastery?

14. Iago in Scene 2 in contrast to Scene 1 • In scene 1, Iago seemed to be interested only in his own material gain • In Scene 2, he seems to have one fixed idea: to avenge himself on the Moor.

15. Advancing the movement of the play • In Scene 1 what dominated the action? • Brabantio’s grief at the loss of his daughter • And in Scene 2? • Introduced is national strife and the invasion of Cyprus. • So the tempo of the scene at once increases in speed.

16. Increase in tempo evident in: • Duke requires the appearance of Othello “haste post haste” “even on the instant” • News from Cyprus “is a business of some heat” • “the galleys // Have sent a dozen sequent messengers // This very night, at one another’s heels.”

17. The government has been called to the council chamber: “many of the consuls, rais’d and met, Are at the duke’s already” • The request for Othello is emphasized again: “you have been hotly call’d for” “The senate sent about three several quests To search you hot.”

18. Excitement of a possible arrest • A torchlight procession is to be seen approaching • Our minds jump to the conclusion an arrest is about to be made • Iago’s remarks add to the excitement: The lights he says are those of “the raised father and his friends”

19. Advises and urges Othello “You were best go in” • But Othello remains calm; refuses to hide • Procession comes nearer; • And we are prepared for a confrontation and conflict—but • Tension eases—why? • It is his lieutenant Cassio & officers of the Duke

20. Approach of mob violence • But there is more movement • More lights in the distance • A torchlight procession in noisy hot pursuit • Led by Brabantio and Roderigo • And Iago again is on the alert; again he warns Othello: • “general be advis’d // He comes to bad intent”

21. Swords are drawn • And the followers on both sides prepare to fight • Brabantio calls to his men to tackle the Moor • “Down with him, thief” • Clash of swords can be seen and heard • Note Iago is in the struggle too

22. But Othello manages to keep his cool • Stays in command of the situation • With an air of authority he orders both parties to: “keep up your bright swords” • So the conflict has been averted • But the excitement of it gives thrilling dramatic value to this scene.

23. Theme of Magic; of Occult powers;of Witchcraft; the Black Arts • Shakespeare’s tragedies deal with things greater than man • With otherworldly powers; with the dark abysses of suffering • First and foremost Shakespeare is a poet • A gift for the imagination • In his true poetic imagination—he knows how slender a hold man has on this life

24. And how changeable are his quiet orderly habits and his prosaic speech • At any moment by the operation of chance or of fate • The quiet of our everyday normal lives may be disturbed • And the world is given over once more to forces beyond our control

25. Throughout Scenes 1 & 2 of Act 1 • We get the feeling that fate, chance, charms and witchcraft are at work • Sc 1 B hears that Desdemona has eloped. His first thought—how she got out? • A horrible thought strikes him—charms, witchcraft, are at work in his own home “is there not charms” abusing “the property of youth and maidhood”

26. Theme of Charms developed in Scene 2 • Brabantio accuses Othello of being “an abuser of the world, a practiser // Of arts inhibited, and out of warrant” • He cannot accept the possibility that she left home of her own free will • And because of her love for Othello • This theme is weaved into the texture of the drama almost unobtrusively

27. “hast practis’d on her with foul charms, Abus’d her delicate youth, with drugs or minerals, That weakens motion.”

28. Dramatic purposes of Scene 3 • To create the atmosphere of war • To make clear the stature of Othello • To explain the romantic background to the love between Othello & Desdemona • To give glances at the characters of Roderigo and Brabantio • To give birth to Iago’s monstrous plot • To shed more light on Iago’s character

29. Stature of Othello • As Othello makes his entrance in the company of others notably Brabantio • Duke sees only one person: “the valiant Othello”. The dramatic significance being? • Thus we note how the Duke makes it a point to greet Othello before welcoming Brabantio

30. Dramatic implications • Reflects the uncertainty and disordered atmosphere of the situation and even of the council chamber itself • It subtly forecasts the Duke’s judgment in favour of Othello when Brabantio accuses him of witchcraft

31. Scene 3 stresses Othello’s greatness as a public figure [dramatic effects?] • Adventurous background has stirred the whole Venetian state to admire him • But it is his public image of discipline and self-control that makes most appeal • So far in the play he shows himself as a man of cool head and cool decision • We note—allows Brabantio to state his case without interruption; he listens as Brabantio accuses him publicly of abusing, corrupting Desdemona “by spells and medicines”

32. In reply he shows great diplomacy • Knows that to contradict Brabantio openly would only arouse hostility and so he offers to subtly explain the nature of this magic: “she lov’d me for the dangers I had passed And I loved her that she did pity them This only is the witchcraft I have used”

33. Effects of this diplomatic speech? • Such diplomacy wins the sympathy of the Duke and his senators • Note: He does not degrade Brabantio for the accusation he makes; • he shows he recognizes the legitimate right Brabantio has as the father of Desdemona • Wisely then he states his own case clearly and directly

34. He describes openly and truthfully the events before marriage • How he was a guest in Brabantio’s house; • How he narrated his past adventures • That this romantic background won (charmed) Desdemona’s pity and love; not any form of witchcraft

35. Language of Othello’s speech • Language is in keeping with a man of stature • It is eloquent though he says he is rude of speech “Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, My very noble and approved good masters” • It is the language of respect • And in return it wins respect for his point of view

36. So note next time how to address and get the right side of Mr David L. Fahy “Most potent, grave, and reverend sir, Mr. Fahy My very noble and approved good master.”

37. Note the syntactic rhythms of Othello’s speech • Othello here speaks in continuous, articulate and reasoned structures • Very measured, steady, and controlled As opposed to • Fragmented, loose, emotional structures

38. Iago’s monstrous plot is born;We listen to his soliloquy • Seems to know Othello’s character better than he knows it himself “The Moor a free and open nature too, That thinks men honest that seem to be so: And will as tenderly be led by the nose… As asses are.”

39. Ending with powerful and arresting imagery: “Hell and night Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s Light” • Ends with a forecast of doom to the idealistic lovers • And the destruction of an unsuspecting couple [Note the dramatic irony]

40. Do you find Iago puzzling? • Does Iago come across as an ordinary villain? • Does he delight in evil because it is evil? • Charles Lamb in his Elia Essays says he is “a consummate villain entrapping a noble nature into toils.” • And William Hazzlit says there is a lack of motive behind his dastardly behaviour. • What, CJC students, is your opinion of Iago?

41. Themes in Scenes 2 & 3 of Act 1? Act 1 Scene 2 • Magic; Witchcraft • Appearance and Reality • Good versus Evil Act 1 Scene 3 • Magic; Witchcraft • Love and Hate • Appearance and Reality • Good versus Evil