Othello †How it Ranks Essay - 2151 Words

Othello – How it Ranks In the context of thousands of plays written by hundreds of dramatists since 500 years prior to the time of Christ, how does William Shakespeare’s play Othello rank? In this essay let us find the proper place for this play, and consider critical opinion in the process. Othello would appear to have a beauty about it which is hard to match – thus ranking high. Helen Gardner in â€Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune† touches on this beauty which enables this play to stand above the other tragedies of the Bard: Among the tragedies of Shakespeare Othello is supreme in one quality: beauty. Much of its poetry, in imagery, perfection of phrase, and steadiness of rhythm, soaring yet firm,†¦show more content†¦Robert B. Heilman says in â€Å"The Role We Give Shakespeare†: If we use the word â€Å"support,† however, we do name a way in which Shakespeare serves. It is the way of venerable texts whose authenticity has impressed itself on the human imagination: he has said many things in what seems an ultimate form, and he is a fountainhead of quotation and universal center of allusion. â€Å"A rose by any other name† comes to the mouth as readily as â€Å"Pride goeth before a fall,† and seems no less wise. A quotable line is one that has shed its context and taken on independent life. Very significantly, Shakespeare scenes and character relationships have also taken on independent life and have provided basic formulations upon which other writers rely. (24-25). Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† ranks the play Othello quite high among the Bard’s tragedies: Othello, written in 1604, is one of the masterpieces of Shakespeare’s â€Å"tragic period.† In splendor of language, and in the sheer power of the story, it belongs with the greatest. But some of its admirers find it too savage. . . .(131) The Bard’s presentation of emotions, character, of good and evil actions that are down-to-earth – these are sometimes seen as the main reasons for the high ranking of Othello. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar in â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello† maintain that the popularity of this play has been consistent for about 400 years and they tellShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Othello And George Orwell s Animal Farm1357 Words   |  6 Pageswhich leads them to commit drastic deeds. One can use this to persuade people to do things for their own benefit. In William Shakespeare s Othello and George Orwell s Animal Farm, the main characters, Iago and Napoleon, manipulate others to achieve their personal goals. Napoleon and Iago manipulate their peers’ trust, their friendships, and abuse their ranks to reach their goals. 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