Shakespeares othello is a story of betrayal, jealousy, and revenge. It was first performed on 1 november 1604 at whitehall palace in london. Willems eds, travel and drama in shakespeares time cambridge, 1996, 87105. Shakespeares father was a glover and was active in town. The novel was written by a sicilian novelist giraldi cinthio. Shakespeares othello act 2 scene 2 othello gives the. Mary arden shakespeare, was from a welltodo, wellcon nected family. Othello is unique among shakespeares great tragedies. Shakespeare was born to parents mary and john shakespeare in stratforduponavon, england. Iagoagreestoquestioncassioaboutdesdemona whileothelloobservesfromadistance. The plot of the play othello is one of shakespeares most highly concentrated, tightly constructed tragedies, with no subplots and no humor to relieve the tension the main outline of the story of othello relates to a novel, the moor of venice. Shakespeares othello was also made into a movie several times, including.
Shakespeares original othello text is extremely long, so weve split the text into one scene per page. Othello is a tragedy by william shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603. Othello the folger shakespeare folger digital texts. Shakespeares othello, the moor of venice internet archive. Othello the play has often been described as a tragedy of character. Arguments that see desdemona as stereotypically weak and submissive ignore the conviction and authority of her first speech my noble father, i do perceive here a divided duty i. The play takes us inside the private life of a man of great public stature.
Desdemona is a more plausible, wellrounded figure than much criticism has given her credit for. Publication date 1909 topics othello fictitious character. Othello simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Read act 3, scene 1 of shakespeares othello, sidebyside with a translation into modern english. Discuss othello as a tragedy by shakespeare part i. This production is of particular importance because it marked the first time a woman was accepted on the english stage. Playwright biography william shakespeare 26 april 1564 23 april 1616was an english poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the english language and the worlds preeminent dramatist. Detailed look at what happens in each scene of othello, to help you look at the structure of the play and interrogate it, including bullet points of what we learn at. Shakespeares othello debuts history channel on foxtel.
The text is a rich tapestry of plot, character, poetry, and theme elements which come together to form one of the bards most engaging tragedies. The tragedy of othello, the moor of venice is a tragedy written by william shakespeare around 1603. Byl synem johna shakespeara, uspesneho rukavickare a pozdeji i radniho mesta stratfordu, pochazejiciho ze snitterfieldu, a mary ardenove. Lectures on hamlet, othello, king lear and macbeth. Read shakespeares othello, with sidebyside no fear translations into modern. The story of an african general in the venetian army who is tricked into suspecting his wife of adultery, othello is a tragedy of sexual jealousy. Among the exotic airs and mysterious shadows of cyprus, newly married and promoted moorish general othello finds himself the pawn in the manipulative games of his righthand man. Approaching the tragedies as drama, wondering about their characters as he might have. On this day in 1604, the court of king james i gathered in londons whitehall palace to watch the first performance of shakespeares othello. And, till she come, as truly as to heaven i do confess the vices of my blood, so justly to your grave ears ill present how i did thrive in this fair ladys love, and she in mine. Bradley put shakespeare on the map for generations of readers and students for whom the plays might not otherwise have become real at all writes john bayley in his foreword to this edition of shakespearean tragedy. Shakespeare othello download pdf format, size, downloads, link send to.
William shakespeares stage play othello, moor of venice or simply othello is a tragedy in which a good man falls to ruin and death after an evil man inflames him with jealousy. During its history on the new york stage, shakespeares othello has been a battleground for race relations and identities, which continue to be fought and negotiated today. And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas olympushigh and duck again. Read a character analysis of othello, plot summary, and important quotes. Unlike hamlet, king lear, and macbeth, which are set against a backdrop of affairs of state and which reverberate with suggestions of universal human concerns, othello is set in a private world and focuses on the passions and personal lives of its major figures.
Since their composition four hundred years ago, shakespeares plays and poems have traveled the globe. All acts are listed on the othello text page, or linked to from the bottom of this page. Othello actbyact plot synopsis shakespeare learning zone. Tis yet to know, which, when i know that boasting is an honor, i shall promulgate,i fetch my life and being.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Pdf othello by william shakespeare book download online. The last play shakespeare wrote on his own was the famous history of the life of henry the eighth, which was performed in london in 16. Othello is a valiant general, a man of royal descent, and, for a time, the governor of cyprus. The relationship between william shakespeares black othello and white desdemona has held a particular hold on the american imagination for twohundred and fifty years.
The life and works of william shakespeare v othello fm. Such a title is given to this character by many critics who claim that iago lacks a clear, justified motive for his actions. A list of quotes from othello, shakespeares wellknown tragedy about jealousy and deception. In keeping with the original text, well refer to othello as the moor for this first scene. The first is between othello and desdemona, in which othello smothers and kills his wife. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Tragedy has always been regarded a great genre depicting dilemma of human existence. Just to be clear, othello is the one who passed iago over for the lieutenant position. The moor of venice has been called the greatest study of jealousy and envy ever penned. Othello by william shakespeare analysis of literary work. In shakespeares othello, themes are essential to the working of the play.
Evidence of revision in othello othello exists in two authoritative versions. Notes and queries september 1998 shakespeares text. This page contains the original text of othello act 5, scene 2. It gives me wonder great as my content to see you here before me.
The moor of venice othello was written during the period in which shakespeare produced his great tragedies, including hamlet 1600, macbeth. Emilia tells cassio that desdemona is trying to get othello to rehire him, but. Shakespeares othello, the moor of venice by shakespeare, william, 15641616. An online resource for information on william shakespeare including the plays, plot summaries, essays, and information about the life and times of shakespeare and his characters. This promotion gave great offense to iago, an older. Indeed, it has often been described as a tragedy of. This page contains the original text of othello act 3, scene 1. You are the lord of duty, i am hitherto your daughter. Othello had lately promoted cassio to be the lieutenant, a place of trust, and nearest to the generals person. Othello, in the popular oxford school shakespeare series, updated with a fresh new look author. Play construction and the suffering and murder of desdemona lectures on othello. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are. The antagonist in the play, iago, is considered to be one of shakespeares most evil characters. No, sure, i cannot think it, that he would steal away so guiltylike, seeing you coming.
Othello act 3, scene 2 translation shakescleare, by. These letters give, iago, to the pilot, and by him do my duties to the senate. The play was performed six years later at the globe and published in 1622 as tragedy of othello. Current scholarly opinion on the relationship between q and f is summarized thus in the oxford textual companion. At the start of the play othello, a moorish general in the army, promotes. Church records show that he was baptized on april 26, 1564. He is often called englands national poet and the bard of avon. Later that same year, he collaborated with john fletcher on the romance the two. Enter brabantio, roderigo, and officers with torches and weapons. Iagos false insinuations about desdemonas infidelity draw othello into his schemes, and desdemona is subjected to othellos horrifying verbal and physical.
Throughout this entire first scene, othello is only referred to as the moor and never by personal name. Othellos jealousy the moral enigma of shakespeares othello othello as tragic hero stage history of othello othello. Shakespeares othello s m a r t bob jones university. Students aged 1114 in the uk and in international markets. Act five, scene two of william shakespeares othello can be broken down into two parts. The opera otello of giuseppe verdi is based on this play outline. It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul internationally acclaimed director ron daniels joins stc to helm othello, shakespeares tale of jealousy, duplicity, and destruction. Nehodlal tolerovat znesvecovavi cirkve, ani sveho uradu. First performed around 1604, the play is also a pioneering exploration of racial prejudice. More recently, othello was shown on masterpiece theater on pbs. Shakespeares sources for othello otherllo by william. The first performance probably took place on november 1, 1604, before king james i. Composition and first performance shakespeare wrote othello between 1602 and 1604. No fear shakespeare othello by sparknotes, transcription by alex woelffer.