Human potential for moral corruption

Jealousy
Revenge
Racism

- Human corruption revenge
- The power of love - corrupt



Shakespeare Sax
Medium Elizabethan (16
th
century) Play Post modern film (2001)
Context - Theocentric
- Elizabethan
- Patriachcial
- England
- Religious

- Secular
- Contemporary
- London, political, police, force,
race, riots
Purpose - To explore the human condition
- To examine the flawed nature of
humanity
- Nature of relationships/jealously
- To explore the power of the media
in creating a politically corrupt
world.
- Flawed humanity
Ideas - Revenge
- Betrayal
- Love overpowering/destructive
nature/emotion
- PASSION
- Idea of economic status/classes
- Prejudice
- Flawed humanity
- Jealousy


- Race
- Revenge
- Honesty and deception
- Love
- Political corruption
- Flawed humanity
- Jealously
Values - Christian, theocentric
- Love is a power feeling
- Hierarchy, class divisions, chain of being
- Prejudice
- Sexual morality
- Patriarchal society
- Gender inequality (Women were second
class to men)
- Secular, non-Christian views and
way of living
- Power of the media
- Non patriachcial
- Gender equality
- Honesty and deception
Techniques
- Soliloquy (Iago) - Breaking of the fourth wall
(insight into the personal thoughts
of the character)
- Use of colour
(the dark red walls in the
apartment/bedroom, emphasizing
passion)
- Camera angles
(close up of Othello and Dessies
hands a contrast between the
black and white)
-
-
Every text is a reflection of its compositional context Discuss with close reference to
both texts.
INTRO:
- Thesis in response to Q.
- Introduce both texts separately
- Outline both contexts
- Relevant values



Due to the dynamic nature of values although most texts

Theoretically our world is egalitarian however it is an illusion. The reality being that our
social world is also hierarchical

The values held by the time were enshrined in the theocentric society.


JEALOUSY QUOTES
- IAGO
O, beware, my lord, of jealousy,
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock, the meat it feeds on
Iago manipulates Othello pretends to warn Othello of being a jealous man, and
points out that jealousy ends up destroying the heart of the man who falls prey to it.
- But, O, what damned minutes tells he oer, who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly
loves!
Iago continues his reverse-psychology strategy of warning Othello against jealousy.

- O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours, and not their appetites! I had rather
be a toad, and live upon the vapour of a dungeon, than keep a corner in the thing I
love for others uses.
In a soliloquy, Othello explores the idea of Desdemonas unfaithfulness and sinks
ever deeper into angry jealousy.

Shakespeare examines the lack of autonomy afforded women in his Elizabethan
patriarchal world. (POINT)

- Shakespeare suggests that appearances can be deceptive and misleading with the
purpose of masking a personss real intentions in order to make a powerful
comment about the flawed nature of humanity. This is highlighted through the
characterisitation of the manipulative despicable, Iago.

Social mobility
- rigidly patriachcial social structure women are defined in terms of men (e.g.
daughter and wife)
- r





Although the concerns that engage humanity have remained constant over time and will
always reflect the contemporary values of its compositional context. William Shakespeares
Elizabethan drama Othello examines the destructive power of a flawed individual in a
theocentric and patriachcial social world where the Divine Order of Being was considered
sacred. Geoffrey Saxs post-modern film of the same name reflects the values of a
contemporary, secular England.

Both texts examine the potential for reality to be marked by illusion and the destructive
consequences of jealousy, racism and the quest for power that so often seems natural to
humanity.


- Ben Iagos character breaks the fourth wall
- Panning of audience, juxtaposition of upper police society and the riots
- Racist slurs

Despite the recontextualisation of the treatment and status of women, both
Shakespeares Othello and Saxs Othello depict the oppression of women in
society and the subordinate position of women in comparison to men. In
Shakespeares patriarchal context, women were seen as definite
subordinates, to the extent that they were objects owned by their husbands
and fathers. In Othello, this sense of subordination is illustrated in the opening
scene where Brabantio describes that he has been robb(ed) when he
realised that his daughter Desdemona has run off with Othello, exclaiming
that she had been stoln from [him], connoting the status of Desdemona
merely as property of her father. Iago sees wives as nothing, but to please
fantasies, treated as maids just to pleasure their husbands, the
misogynistic language further emphasizing the subservient status of women
within the play. Derogatory terms are aimed towards socially and sexually
transgressive women throughout the play, with such women being described
as impudent strumpet(s)and cunning whore(s) of Venice.

To some degree, Saxs film asserts the emancipation of women, reflecting his
post-feminist social context. Dessie is able to make her own decisions without
her father,...

The strong influential themes of race and women in Shakespeares Othello
are consistently portrayed in Jeoffery Saxs contemporary film version of
Othello, however the themes are greatly contrasted through the influential
changes in society which undermine the values and purposes of these
themes. The changes in values of these themes are expressed vividly in both
accounts.

It is evident throughout Shakespeares Othello that women are portrayed
through the stereotypical stance of having a lower status to men, as a males
dominate society in nearly all aspects. Women were displayed as being
promiscuous, untrustworthy, rash decision makers and generated a lack of
intellect or understanding. Women were not respect but rather referred to as
props who led less respectable lives to that of men. This is evident through
out Shakespeares Othello as Desdemona is represented as the typical wife
and Emilia is portrayed as the typical female servant. The first evidence of this
is demonstrated in Act one where Barbantio, Desdemonas father speaks out
against Othello and Desdemonas marriage, he expresses the notion of
Desdemona being bound to him for life and education and he expresses her
as his own property and that he must own her until he gives her to a
somewhat successful powerful white noble figure. This expresses his
stereotypical view of women within society and this is highly ironic due to the
circumstances in which Desdemona is acting out of the typical character of
women by diseaving her father and marrying a highly contrasted figure, being
Othello, than her father has desired. The stereotypical circumstance for
women in Elizabethan times states that women shall remain virgins until
marriage and therefore must give their virginity to their husbands as a way of
demonstrating the theory of being bound for life. This coincides with the past
interpretation of Barbantio representing women as props and the ability to
own them. The symbol of the handkerchief in...

Othello: Iago - "O, beware, my lord, of Jealousy"

This essay is about William Shakespeare's Othello. It focuses on Iago's words
to Othello, "O, beware, my lord, of Jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster." in
act 3, scene 3 and just how important this warning was not only for Othello,
but also for Roderigo and for Iago.

Before considering the importance of Iago's words, it is important to define
what jealousy means. According to The New Lexicon Webster's Encylopedic
Dictionary of the English Language, "jealousy is a state of fear, suspicion,
revenge or envy caused by a real or imagined threat or challenge to one's
possessive instincts. It may be provoked by rivalry, in sexual love, by
competition or by desires for the qualities or possessions of another."

Roderigo is foolish and even at times unusually feeble-minded. This explained
partially by Roderigo's jealousy: he is infatuated with Desdemona and has
been for some time. He is willing to do anything to win her love. He is jealous
that Desdemona loves Othello and not him. In accordance with the definition
of jealousy, Roderigo desires the possessions of another. It is this jealousy
which moves him to do many evil things in the play. He pays Iago large
amounts of money to conjure up a scheme to acquire Desdemona. He gives
in to Iago at the beginning of the play. In effect he has become the villain 's

disciple. By doing this, he himself has adopted the green-eyed monster
image. In act two, he is prompted by Iago to cause a commotion and begin a
fight with Cassio. Later in act four, scene two, Roderigo is convinced by Iago
to kill Cassio. In act five, scene one, Roderigo attempts to kill Cassio but only
manages to wound him. At the same time Cassio wounds Roderigo. Iago
(who was watching this fight) leaves only to re-enter later and kill Roderigo.
Roderigo's jealousy brought upon his downfall.

Most people do not think of jealousy as Iago's downfall, but in essence,
jealousy has many...
by comparing Shakespeares Othello, with Saxs modern film adaptation of the play, the
audience can appreciate and explore the extent to which context, or the surrounding
influences, impact upon the key concerns in both texts. Othello by William Shakespeare is
a tragedy set in the city of Venice, in the 1500s, during a period of strong racial tension
within society. It was a highly patriarchal society, as women were objectified by their
fathers or husbands, and were considered mere possessions. Saxs Othello is set in London
in the 1980s, at a time of heightened racial hostility between the police force and the
African society. It was also a period of great upheaval, with the increase of female
autonomy, as many feminist groups were established, aiming to address the gender
inequalities prevalent within the communities. Through the comparative study of
Shakespeares Othello and Saxs modern interpretation of Othello, the responder has the
ability to aptly explore the key ideas of race and women, in light of changing contexts,
using literary and filmic devices respectively. By doing so, they are able to appreciate the
extent to which context impacts upon the perception of issues in society.

Shakespeares Othello revolves around the discrimination that was openly displayed by
Venetians in the 1500s, expressing the many obstacles Othello would have had to endure,
to attain his high rank in the military. Those of Moorish decent were ostracized by
members within society, and ridiculed on the superficial...