Background to othello

Background to Othello Characters Othello – Leader of the Venetian armed forces [Protagonist] Iago – Villain [Antagonist] Desdemona – Othello’s Wife Emilia – Iago’s Wife Bianca Cassio Duke of Venice Gratiano - Brabantio’s brother Lodovico – Desdemona’s cousin & Brabantio’s Kinsman Montano – Othellos Venetian Clown Officers/Gentleman/Messenger/Herald/Sailor/Attendants/Musicians etc.

Plot Synopsis Set in Venice, Roderigo was paying Iago to help him get Desdemona but Roderigo just learned that Othello has married Desdemona. Iago is Othello’s ambitious friend and becomes jealous when Othello promotes Cassio to Personal Lieutenant. Due to jealousy, Iago plots to drive Othello mad by convincing them Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Othello confides in Iago that he plans to kill his wife, as he is suspicious, despite her innocence. Blinded by rage Othello kills Desdemona by smothering her to death. Emilia, the maid then reveals the truth about Iago’s scheme. Othello wounds Iago, then kills himself while Iago kills Emilia. Then Iago is found out and sentenced to death.

Literary Sources The primary source was Un capitano Moro, which is published by Cinthio, an Italian, one of a hundred short stories in the collection Gli Hecatommithi. This provided the backbone for the plot of Othello.

There are also similarities between The Three Apples narrated by Scheherezade. While Shakespeare’s information on the Venetian-Turkish conflict is possibly from “The History of the Turks” by Richard Knolles, published in England in 1603.

Historical Background The play was written in England in the year 1603 and published in 1622. It was written during Shakespeare’s tragic period.

From the 11th – 15th Century the Catholics battled to re-conquer Spain from the Islamic Arabs in the Berbers or Moors, who successfully occupied it since the 900s.

England was strong Anti-Catholic and feared invasion by the Spanish as well as the English slave trade bringing blacks to Europe from the mid 16th century.

Othello is set against the backdrop of the wars between Venice and Turkey. The setting for most of the action is Cyprus, which was a Venetian outpost attacked by the Turks in 1570.

1601 – Elizabeth I deports the ‘Moors’

Social Background The term “Moor” often referred to non-European people like black Africans, North Africans and Indians. There were racial stereotypes in the day, for example Moors were commonly stereotyped as jealous and wicked, with the public associated moral corruption with blackness due to beliefs that whiteness was sign of purity. Blacks weren’t associated with the slave trade at the time. The Elizabethan portrait of the dark-skinned “other” established him as a bestial force, dangerous due to his sexuality, temper and magical powers.

Political Background In the early 17th century the English attitude toward non-Europeans were largely shaped by the government’s diplomatic policies. Despite, Queen Elizabeth granted the Moors “full diplomatic recognition” as a sign of gratitude for their help in conquering Spain, she deported them.

Critics believed that Shakespeare’s seizures resembled demonic possession.

Venice accommodates a natural environment for the figure of the Moor to be both revered as well as despised.

Staging Over The Years It’s racial challenges has made Othello a very controversial yet popular play and the issues of casting the lead role only with black actors has been debated recently. It was first performed by the Kings Men on the First of November in 1604 at the court of King James.

In 1943, Othello was performed in America with a black actor as Othello with an otherwise all white cast. Previously the entire cast had been black.

In 1997, The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington had a white Othello with an otherwise all-black cast. The director, Jude Kelly inverted the play, as Patrick Stewart had always wanted to play the lead.

21st Century Othello opened on the 4th of December 2007 at the Donmar Wharehouse in Londan, directed by Michael Grandage. This performance in particular received largely negative reviews.