OTHELLO

OTHELLOCRITICAL FOCUS ON ACT 2

AGENDADramatic EffectsRecap Act One

Dramatic Structure of Act 2A note on Irony

Iago

DRAMATIC EFFECTS

A few words.

DRAMATIC EFFECTS‣Achieved through languageProvides actors with the means to create the dramatic effect of fear, joy, day, night, tempest-wracked sea, and keep the audience constantly engaged through creation of conflictThe imagination of the audience must respond to the language of the play, creating in their minds the storm for instance in Act 2, Scene 1.

DRAMATIC EFFECTSUse of blank verse and / or proseDiction i.e. choice of words and their effectsChoice of imagery usedChoice and structure of sentencesUse of RepetitionLength and structure of a given speechUse of soliloquyCumulative effect of dramatic ironyDramatic actions (not just words but deeds)

DRAMATIC EFFECTS

‣What intended effect does the choice and form of a word, phrase, line, sentence, speech, image, symbol have upon its actual context in a given scene within the play?What ‘expected’ effect is the performance of a given Act, Scene, or Dialogue Sequence likely to have upon a viewing audience in an actual theatre?

ACT ONE

DO YOU REMEMBER?

ACT ONEDRAMATIC FUNCTION OF ACT ONE

‣Primes audience by introducing main characters of text and by surfacing central themes and concerns of the text‣Light & Darkness‣Chromatic Tension‣Alienation‣Public vs Private spheres/personas‣Racism‣Appearance vs Reality‣Conflict

ACT ONEQUICK OVERVIEW

‣A conflict situation is created in Act One - entices theater audience

ACT TWO‣What is the significance of the dramatic structure of this Act?‣What is the dramatic purpose of this Act?‣How does Act Two continue to develop ideas/concerns/ characters from Act One?‣What is the significance of the shift in dramatic setting?‣What are the key dramatic techniques that are employed?‣What are the resultant effects- internal and external?‣How does Act Two further develop the concept of the Individual against the larger fabric of Society?

?

DRAMATICSTRUCTURE

OVERVIEW

STRUCTURAL OVERVIEW OF ACT

TWO‣SCENE ONE: Storm + Reunion of Othello & Desdemona

‣SCENE TWO: Herald

‣SCENE THREE: Drunken brawl + Dismissal of Cassio

DRAMATIC PURPOSE OF ACT 2 SCENE 1

To make apparent change in scene setting‣To plunge the audience into the crisis of the storm‣To provide a picture of the reunion of Othello and

Desdemona in Cyprus‣To develop the character of Cassio‣To introduce Emilia; & other minor characters‣To throw further light on the characters of Othello,

Desdemona, and Iago‣To develop Iago’s plot

SIGNIFICANCE OF SETTING in ACT 2

SCENE 1‣Note the change in setting from Act 1 to Act 2.‣Shift in location from Venice to Cyprus‣Venice: organised, civilised, cultured (c/f Brabantio’s comment “This is Venice..”)‣Cyprus: symbolises a place of danger and uncertainties ‣Dramatic action set against the background of a perilous storm, in which Othello and his men are said to be caught

SIGNIFICANCE OF SETTING in ACT 2

SCENE 1‣Consider importance of relocation to Cyprus - there is now a limited role for Othello‣His insecurity (that surfaces later) is compounded by the new setting and difficulty in reconciling military and personal dimensions (the public and the private)

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STORM

‣The storm symbolically foreshadows the disorder that is soon to stir in Othello’s mind‣Ominous of evil/ unhappiness/ chaos‣Storm functions to create additional suspense‣Safe arrival of the main characters remains for some time in question, increasing dramatic tension


‣Othello’s arrival is awaited with some anxiety‣This anxiety creates the effect of highlighting the general admiration for his public persona and achievements‣“..the warline Moor, Othello..” 2.1.27‣Montano’s praises:‣“I am glad on ‘t; ‘tis a worthy governor.” 2.1.30‣“Pray heaven he be;/ For I have served him, and the man commands/ Like a full soldier.” 2.1.35-37


‣Othello’s delay also allow us (the audience) to sense the depth of Desdemona’s love for her husband‣Personal drama of Othello & Desdemona is set against a background of a national crisis, and a crisis at sea.‣The storm symbolizes the disorder that soon will rage in the hero’s soul; (dramatic effect)‣Dramatically embodies the tempestuous passions that are at the very heart of the play

OTHELLO & DESDEMONA

REUNITE

REUNION OF OTHELLO & DESDEMONA

‣Almost immediately Othello & Desdemona had to separate after marriage and leave for Cyprus‣Othello’s first words on landing are for Desdemona: “O my fair warrior!”‣Her first greeting for him is full of sincere emotion: “My dear Othello!” ‣To see her before him again gives Othello cause to say: “O my soul’s joy!”‣He is experiencing “content so absolute” that “if it were now to die // ’Twere now to be most happy”‣Their reunion is so full of tenderness and love.


‣Reunion has an undercurrent of dramatic irony‣The Moor’s almost childlike joy at being once more with his wife is full of a sense of tragic impermanence‣Othello’s public persona is immediately confronted by his private persona‣We are made to feel (dramatic effect) that even as he speaks, the “unknown fate” to which he refers so innocently is preparing the end of his brief happiness


‣“…for I fear / My soul hath her content so absolute / That not another comfort like to this / Succeeds in unknown fate”‣His allusion to his own death falls on our ears with an ominously different sense‣From that which it has for the ecstatic Othello ‣This is the peek of loving joy from which the Moor is to be dragged down‣Their reunion defines their happiness before the process of destroying begins by Iago


‣Last part of this scene shows again a contrast in dramatic effect‣From the blank-verse dignity and joy of Othello and Desdemona ‣We sink to the prose, matter-of-fact conversation between Roderigo and IAGO‣Iago pushes aside all poetry and beauty of love (which we have just seen / heard)‣And reduces Desdemona to that cheapness which will encourage, seduce, and urge on Roderigo

IRONY

“Knavery’s plain face is never seen till used.”

DRAMATIC IRONY‣Theme of deceitful appearance is intimately connected with use of irony in this play‣At the root of all verbal irony is a contrast between what is being said, implied, suggested on the one hand‣And what is actually the case, or is meant on the other‣E.g. Othello’s and Cassio’s reiterated use of ‘honest’ in relation to Iago ‣The great ironies of the play have their origin in Iago

Irony and Ironic Effects‣The conscious ironist pretends to be unaware that the appearance is only an appearance‣The victim of the irony remains unaware of the contrast between the reality and the appearance‣In the case of Othello, the audience is in a position to experience intimately the ironist Iago’s diabolical pleasure in his dealings with his victim [Ironic effects]‣Iago reveals at every turn what he intends to do with Othello, Roderigo, Brabantio, Cassio‣All of whom to a large extent remain in ignorance of his plans for them

Situational & Verbal Irony

‣Commonest kind of dramatic irony involves a character undertaking a course of action which leads where he least expects it to (victim of irony of situation)‣Apart from the web of verbal ironies surrounding the attribution of ‘honest’ to Iago, ‣Desdemona is sure that Cassio & Othello will soon be at one ‘as friendly as you were’ ‣Her words do come true but not in the sense she intends; they are united once more but only after her death

IAGO“O, you are well tuned now, But I’ll set down the pegs that make this musicAs honest as I am.”

IAGO + CASSIO

‣Cassio’s character is further developed with Iago as his character foil‣Consider both individuals’ attitudes towards women in society and towards Othello

Their difference in language and register is also markedly different.

Iago: ‣Come on, come

on: you are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlous, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in your injuries, devils being offended, players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds.” 2.1.109

Cassio‣ “The divine

Desdemona.” ‣ “You men of

Cyprus, let her have your knees./ Hail to thee, lady!” 2.1.85

IAGO + CASSIO

IAGO as an IndividualCome on, come on: you are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlous, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in your injuries, devils being offended, players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds.” 2.1.109‣This cynical, generalised account of

women strengthens our impression of Iago for whom scorn and content come more easily than feelings of gentler nature

‣Consider the overt sexual innuendos in his banter with Desdemona

‣In Act 2 Scene 1, Iago delivers asides and soliloquies, throwing further light on his personality and his motivations.

‣This, however, further puzzles the audience.

‣His language is rich with figurative language and different variations of imagery.

‣Iago also switches from verse to prose and vice versa - why? effect? function?

‣Dark/Light contrast is ironically loaded

IAGO as an Individual

IAGO’S PLOTTING[Aside] He takes her by the palm. Ay, well said, whisper. With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. ... If such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the sir in. Very good: well kissed, an excellent courtesy! ‘Tis so indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? Would they were clyster-pipes for your sake!” 2.1. 164 - 172

IAGO’S PLOTTING[Aside] He takes her by the palm. Ay, well said, whisper. With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. ... If such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the sir in. Very good: well kissed, an excellent courtesy! ‘Tis so indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? Would they were clyster-pipes for your sake!” 2.1. 164 - 172

Animal imagery, image of entrapment

Iago here is clearly jealous of Cassio’s

promotion

‣Intradialogic directions - reflections on dramatic action that is unfolding on stage.‣Iago’s sarcasm - master manipulator or expert opportunist? Undeniable he is sn acute observer.

Asides reveal to the audience a character’s innermost thoughts, motivations. This also creates

irony.

IAGO’S Manipulation

“The Moor -howbeit that I endure him not-Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,And I dare think, he’ll prove to DesdemonaA most dear husband.” 2.1.280-284

IagoIago’’s closing s closing soliloquy soliloquy

reveals that reveals that he is aware of he is aware of

the purer the purer nature of their nature of their

relationshiprelationship

“..you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse/ your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs” 1.1.112

IagoIago’’s words to s words to Brabantio in Act Brabantio in Act 1- insinuating 1- insinuating

that their that their relationship is relationship is based on lustbased on lust

‣Critical spirit of Iago consists in large measure of a habit of abstract generalization rather than looking at the particularities of an individual character or situationIt is this that makes him speak of Othello and Desdemona as an erring barbarian and a super subtle Venetia – deliberately closing his mind to what he knows personally of the indiivduals concerned


‣Bantering exchange between D & I displays both his tendency to brutal reductivism and generalization and her firm confidence in a different order of valueLife hating viciousness of Iago comes out in his reference to clysterpipes


‣As soon as he sees Cassio take Desdemona “by the palm” we can see his mind at workThe kissing of a hand is only a small matter, an act of courtesy on part of Cassio; not with Iago. He will make use of it: “as little a web as this will ensnare as great a a fly as Cassio”

Manipulation

‣He watches the happiness of the reunion and sees them kiss; plans to destroy their happiness: “O, you are well tuned now,But I’ll set down the pegs that make this music”He will work on Othello’s mind and put the Moor “At least, into a jealousy so strong, That judgment cannot cure”


Cassio(not the watch)

“Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!”

‣Ardent admirer of Desdemona: in his eyes she is “a maid / That paragons descriptions, and wild fame”She is “the divine Desdemona” “our great captain’s captain”Holds Othello in the highest regard and speaks of him as a god coming to breathe life-force into Cyprus

Cassio

‣A polished Florentine gentleman; We note his actions: kisses the hand of Emilia and extends the same courtesy to Desdemona;But this also suggests his susceptibility to the charms of pretty women (dramatic effects)Seems not to see evil in people—interprets Iago’s behaviour as that of a typical rough-hewn soldier; vulgar but with a heart of gold“you may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar”

Cassio

‣His elaborate praise of Othello and Desdemona suggests the depth of his regard for both of themNote his diction is elegant and his manner is courtlyBut he is no paragon of virtueHis easy-going nature, his reluctance to say no is fully exploited by IagoSeldom appears in the play, but his dramatic function is no less important

Cassio

‣The Moor Othello, the gentle Desdemona, the villain Iago, the good-natured Cassio, the fool RoderigoPresent a range and variety of character as striking and palpable

Range of Characters in the Play

(Individuals in the society)

Act 2Scene 2

“Heaven bless the isle of Cyprus and our noble general Othello!”

The Herald

It is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiantgeneral, that, upon certain tidings now arrived,importing the mere perdition of the Turkish fleet,every man put himself into triumph; some to dance,some to make bonfires, each man to what sport andrevels his addiction leads him: for, besides thesebeneficial news, it is the celebration of hisnuptial. So much was his pleasure should beproclaimed. All offices are open, and there is fullliberty of feasting from this present hour of fivetill the bell have told eleven. Heaven bless theisle of Cyprus and our noble general Othello!

The Herald

It is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiantgeneral, that, upon certain tidings now arrived,importing the mere of the Turkish fleet,every man put himself into triumph; some to dance,some to make bonfires, each man to what sport andrevels his addiction leads him: for, besides thesebeneficial news, it is the celebration of hisnuptial. So much was his pleasure should beproclaimed. All offices are open, and there is fullliberty of feasting from this present hour of fivetill the bell have told eleven. Heaven bless theisle of Cyprus and our noble general Othello!

perdition

c/f “Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul/ But I do love thee! And when I love thee not,/ Chaos is come again.”

3.3.90Effect: Foreshadows Effect: Foreshadows OthelloOthello’’s mental and s mental and

psychological psychological damnation as the play damnation as the play

progresses progresses

Herald opens announcement

referring to Othello’s public persona

Throughout the Throughout the play, it is always play, it is always OthelloOthello’’s public s public persona that is persona that is

prefigured.prefigured.

The island is now celebrating Othello

assuming a new role that demands he

assumes a private self

This demands a This demands a reconciling of these reconciling of these

two roles; what two roles; what emerges instead is emerges instead is a mismanagement a mismanagement of the public and of the public and

the privatethe private

Foreshadows Cassio’s impending

dismissal in the next scene

Herald closes the announcement by once again referring to Othello’s public persona

The noun addiction here has a The noun addiction here has a number of connotations: one clearly number of connotations: one clearly

being drinkingbeing drinking

The repetition of The repetition of ““noble generalnoble general”” emphasises Othelloemphasises Othello’’s revered place in s revered place in

Venetian society which makes his fall all Venetian society which makes his fall all the tragically devastating.the tragically devastating.

‣Brief scene of Herald’s proclamation: invites citizens to celebrate victory and the general’s nuptials link the public and the domestic action of the play

Herald’s proclamation: marks a change of tempo between the scenes it divides

Dramatic Purpose

‣Increasing dramatic tension:We hear the proclamation of festivitiesBut we are not allowed to forget the domestic dramaWhile the public will have every cause to celebrateOthello will soon have no cause for revelryThe public revelry will stand as a contrast to the dark tragedy that is about to follow

Dramatic Purpose

Act 2Scene 3

“Iago is most honest.”

‣Unfolding of Dramatic Action:‣Othello leaves Cassio incharge ‣Iago coaxes Cassio to drink‣Drunken brawl ensues‣Dismissal of Cassio & Iago counselsIago plots with Roderigo

Structure of A2S3

Cassio avoids Iago’s attempts to make coarse conversation abt Os wedding night“made wanton the night” “full of game” stonewalled with “most exquisiste lady” “indeed perfection”

Cassio + Iago

‣Good example of the way in which iago ’s presence and our complicity with him prevents us from taking at face value what should be a moment of jollity and relaxation

‣Song abt drinking good humoured but audience’s attention is focused on the effect they have on Cassio whose drunken utterances forebode what is to come

Iago’s technique: ascertaining a person’s weakness and then exploiting it in the guise of a concerned and loyal companion

Drinking Scene

Successive deceptions of Roderigo, Cassio and Othello mark the ascending progress of Iago’s villainy..but these are only the climactic moments of a general tendency to hoodwink the whole of Venice (including his own wife) which have earned him the universal and wholly undeserved soubriquet of ‘honest Iago’

IAGO in ACT 2 Scene 3

‣Stage directions indicate the sounding of a bell

Effect: Action moves switftly in a series of rapid, broken and confused exchanges which reach a dramatic period in the ringing of the bell – traditional warning of fire/peril to the community

Dramatic Action

Iago’s Advice• “You or any man living may be drunk at a

time, man. I’ll tell you what you shall do. Our general’s wife is now the general. I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confess yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you in your place again. She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested.” 2.3.305-314

• “You or any man living may be drunk at a time, man. I’ll tell you what you shall do. Our general’s wife is now the general. I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confess yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you in your place again. She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested.” 2.3.305-314

Cf. to CassioCf. to Cassio’’s s ““captaincaptain’’s captains captain””. . Military imagery: reinforces Military imagery: reinforces

concept of power- wife wielding concept of power- wife wielding power over her husband, power over her husband, influencing her husbandinfluencing her husband’’s s decisions. Public/Privatedecisions. Public/Private

IagoIago’’s advice to Cassio is the unfoldings advice to Cassio is the unfolding

‣QUESTIONDoes Iago simply expose society’s

prejudices, frailties and hypocrisies and utilizes them as a tool to pursue his own

agenda?

OTHELLO

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Transcript of OTHELLO