Othello

1. Discuss the role that race plays in Shakespeare’s portrayal of Othello. How do the other characters react to Othello’s skin color or to the fact that he is a Moor? How does Othello see himself?
2. Discuss the importance of setting in the play, paying close attention to physical details that differentiate Venice from Cyprus and that define the particular character of each location as it pertains to the plot of the play
3. Discuss the role of Emilia. How does her character change during the course of the play? Pay particular attention when Emilia decide to be silent and when she decide to speak. What is the effect of her silence about the handkerchief?
4. Do a close reading of one of Iago’s soliloquies. Point to moments in the language where Iago most gains an audience’s sympathy and moments where he most repels it. Pay close attention to the way in which Iago develops arguments.To what extent are these arguments convincing? If they are convincing and an audience’s perception of Iago is sympathetic, what happens to its perception of Othello?
answer

1. Othello is the Moor, he has thick lips and dark skin. Some characters of Othello’s skin color or as the Moor is have bad react or didn't support, but there are some characters that like or support him as the Moor. They are some examples of character that have bad react  with Othello as the Moor: 

• Iago, he is one of character that dislike with Othello as the Moor. He jealous with Othello and he want to replace Othello’s position as a general. “I follow him to serve my turn upon him: we cannot all be masters, not all masters cannot be truly follow’d”. (Act 1 Scene 1), “…I hate the Moor…” (Act 1 Scene 3).

• Brabantio also dislike with Othello as the Moor. He accuse Othello has been kidnapped his daughter, Desdemona. “O thou foul thief, where hast thou stowed my daughter?...” (Act 1 Scene 2). “…Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl!. With the Moor, say'st thou? Who would be a father!...” (Act 1 Scene 1).    And they are some characters that support Othello as the Moor:

• Desdemona, she is the wife of Othello. She loves her husband, she always supports her husband and she always obeys her husband although her husband is the Moor. “I am hitherto your daughter, but here’s my husband, and so much duty as my mother show’d to you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor my Lord” (Act 1 Scene 3).

•    Duke of Venice, he also supports Othello as the Moor. He trusts Othello to put him command in Cyprus. “Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you against the general enemy Ottoman” (Act 1 Scene 3). Othello see himself as the Moor, he knows about the difference race. He knows he different with other Venetians. Because the difference the race he makes him very self-conscious, and the way when he speaks also different with other. He can’t to speak slowly and he knows about that. “… Rude am I in my speech and little bless’d with the soft phrase of peace…” (Act 1 Scene 3).

      2. This drama begins in Venice and moved to Cyprus. Most of action in this drama is set on Cyprus. First is Venice, Venice is filled by white people, and it is that makes Othello as the Moor stand among the Venetian. “Early modern (c. 1500-1750) Venice is a prosperous Italian city and a symbol of law and civilization”. “Venice also happens to be renowned for its courtesans (prostitutes). When the English thought about Venice, they often imagined it to be a city full of promiscuous women” (www.shmoop.com.othello/setting). The second is Cyprus, “Eventually, action moves to a military encampment in Cyprus, an island sacred to Venus, the goddess of love. On the island of love, away from civilization and rationality…” (www.shmoop.com.othello/setting). Othello sent to Cyprus because the Duke believes that Othello can to be commander to against with Turk. But, the heat of Cyprus has affected so bad to Othello. Othello is smart people but he can easily fall into the trap of Iago. In Venice, where Othello is a respected and noble commander, but in Cyprus, he killed his wife. So the location is really important to the drama.

  

 3.  Emilia is the confidant of Desdemona. She always obedient and listen what Desdemona said. Her character was changed, she stole a handkerchief from Desdemona and give it to her husband, Iago. Actually, she didn’t know about Iago’s plan. So, when Othello ask Desdemona about the handkerchief, she decides to be silent and she didn’t tell to Othello or Desdemona that the handkerchief was stolen by her. In the end, she knows the impact from her silence, its make Othello jealous and killed Desdemona, so she decides to speak to everybody that the handkerchief was stolen by her and she gave the handkerchief to her husband.

4. Iago is an evil character. He has slandered Desdemona has affair and he makes Othello kills Desdemona, and the worse is when he killed his wife. But in other side, Iago sometime looks funny, especially when he was with Roderigo. He easily takes situation and he easily makes Roderigo believes him. He also makes a smart people like Othello believes with him. He also likes to speak with himself. (Act 1 Scene 3 ). And Iago is not too blame when he feels jealous because Othello choose Cassio to become the lieutenant and Othello didn’t choose him. “Off-capp’d to him: and, by the faith of man, I know my price, I am worth no worse a place: But he One Michael Cassio, a Florentine must his lieutenant be, And I--God bless the mark!--his Moorship's ancient.” (Act 1 Scene 1). Iago is a good liar, but he also inspires all the characters in this drama and he also figures that the most lethal to Othello