Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Othello â⬠How it Ranks Essay - 2151 Words
Othello ââ¬â 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 Shakespeareââ¬â¢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 ââ¬â thus ranking high. Helen Gardner in ââ¬Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortuneâ⬠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,â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Robert B. Heilman says in ââ¬Å"The Role We Give Shakespeareâ⬠: If we use the word ââ¬Å"support,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"A rose by any other nameâ⬠comes to the mouth as readily as ââ¬Å"Pride goeth before a fall,â⬠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 ââ¬Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Otherâ⬠ranks the play Othello quite high among the Bardââ¬â¢s tragedies: Othello, written in 1604, is one of the masterpieces of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"tragic period.â⬠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 Bardââ¬â¢s presentation of emotions, character, of good and evil actions that are down-to-earth ââ¬â these are sometimes seen as the main reasons for the high ranking of Othello. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar in ââ¬Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othelloâ⬠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 à |à 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 peersââ¬â¢ trust, their friendships, and abuse their ranks to reach their goals. Both Iago and Napoleon use this to their advantage and attempt to get what they want, not caring about the risks andRead MoreA nalysis Of Othello By William Shakespeare1171 Words à |à 5 Pagesdrives Iago to plot against Othello. Jealousy is largely present in the appropriation too, the breaking point for Hugo comes at the moment when his dad, who is the coach, presents Odin with the award for ââ¬ËMost Valuable Playerââ¬â¢, and announces to the team that ââ¬Å"I love him (Odin), like my own sonâ⬠. It is at this point that Hugo starts conspiring against Odin. Odin receiving the M.V.P award, is a representation of when Othello is promoted to a higher rank in the text. In Othello, Iagoââ¬â¢s jealousy is bornRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1353 Words à |à 6 Pagesââ¬Å"Othelloâ⬠is a tragedy play written by William Shakespeare in 1603. The play explains the story of a solider, Iago, that destroys a powerful general named Othelloââ¬â¢s marriage, reputation, and overall life. The actions of the protagonist in the play, Iago, will be analyzed for their importance and domino e ffect throughout the play. Iago is a soldier of the army in Venice. He is a flat character in the play that is selfish, but on the exterior appears to value other individualââ¬â¢s concerns more thanRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1264 Words à |à 6 Pagesââ¬Å"Honestâ⬠Iago In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago manipulates other characters in an iniquitous way causing commotion and destruction in all of their lives. He uses malicious tactics to negatively affect faultless characters who have done nothing to intentionally harm him. In Shakespeareââ¬â¢s Othello, Iago is a character shaped by jealousy and hunger for power. He is ruthless and immoral, and manipulates nearly all the characters in the play in order to get what he wants. ThroughoutRead MoreShakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1517 Words à |à 7 Pages Some may wonder, who is Aristotle and why does he label Shakespeareââ¬â¢s play, Othello, as a tragedy? Aristotle is a famous Greek philosopher who defines Shakespeareââ¬â¢s character, Othello, as a tragic hero. Many parts in Othello tell the readers that the play is a tragedy, such as jealousy, arguing, and death, which makes the play famous and delightful to read. Aristotle has identified many common traits or characteristics that a tragic hero requires. In Shakespeare s play, Aristotle defines manyRead MoreEmpathy Is The Absence Of Empathy1207 Words à |à 5 Pagesearly start in Othello. Act I Scene I opens with Roderigo and Iago having a slight argument. Rodergio lusts after Desdemona and he is paying Iago to assist him in consolidating his scheme to get her. He has just learned that she has married Othello, a general, and argues that their plan isnââ¬â¢t progressing forward. Iago, w hich is Othelloââ¬â¢s ensign, shows deception and disrespect, averring that ââ¬Å"I follow him to serve my turn upon himâ⬠, ensuring Roderigo that he has no loyalty to Othello and everythingRead MoreTheme Of Monstrous Jealousy In William Shakespeares Othello1271 Words à |à 6 PagesWilliam Shakespeareââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Othelloâ⬠, illustrates four of themes in the play. One of the themes is extreme jealousy can make a person act like a monster. In the play, Shakespeare uses Othello, Roderigo, and Iago to prove the theme of Monstrous Jealousy by Othello slapping Desdemona in front of the Public of Venusians calling her cruel names and Developing evil schemes to kill Desdemona at night. Iago tells the lie to Othello about Cassio and Desdemona to and convincing Othello to believe in it. RoderigoRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello, The Moor Of Venice1216 Words à |à 5 Pages William Shakespeareââ¬â¢s famous tragedy ââ¬Å"Othello, the Moor of Veniceâ⬠is one of the best tragedies in the literary history. Othello has all of the qualifications Aristotle believes to be a tragic hero and he matches up pretty well to them. Aristotle said, ââ¬Å"A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his downfall.â⬠According to Aristotle, a so called ââ¬Å"tragic heroâ⬠has several characteristics. 1. Usually a noble birth. 2. Hamartia, which is also known as the tragic flaw that eventuallyRead MoreThe Character Analysis Of Iago Of Othello1075 Words à |à 5 PagesAt first glance, Iago of Othello can appear to have little motivation for his destructive tendencies; however, when viewed through the lens of antisocial personality disorder, his incentive takes on a twisted internal logic. His all-consuming desire for revenge is not necessarily because of any outside influence by Othello himself, but rather the fact that Othello disrupts Iagoââ¬â¢s conception of himself and is a pawn whom he can manipulate for pleasure. His arrogance and entitlement are also classicRead MoreLooking at Othello as a Tragic Hero Essay example1008 Words à |à 5 PagesLooking at Othello as a Tragic Hero Killing myself, to die upon a kiss. Othellos death brings a sense of justice to the play, one of the main forms and conventions of a tragedy. But if Othello is a tragedy then Othello must be a tragic hero. Traditionally a tragedy follows the downfall of an individual who is usually high up in society (such as a king). This downfall is triggered by a fatal flaw in the tragic heros character. During the play the audience
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