Shakespeare

Born 4/23/64; married Anne Hathaway at age 18 (she was 26).

By 1592 known as an actor and playwright of histories in London; by end of 1590s the most famous playwright of his age.

By 1597 owns the second biggest house in Stratford  ("New Place" ) so obviously making enough $$ to invest.

1600-1610 the decade of the great tragedies and the late tragicomedies.

Sonnet cycle probably written in the early 1590s but not published until 1609.

Dies at home in Stratford in 1616 a wealthy man.

Key terms:  

Textual history: 1622 Quarto, 1623 First Folio

1. What was view of Africa in Shakespeare’s time?

English nationalism—us against the rest of the world

Ethnography: study of how a certain people behaves (cultural, physical traits). Humanist impulse of learning about ourselves through the study of others.

"Otherness"—same thing as voyage literature—fascination of the other, the exotic

Myth and legend (Anthropogi, cannibals, etc.)

In what sense is this "race-ist"? (Compare Spenser passage on Ireland)

Point out behavioral characteristics of African kings in handouts for next time

  • Colonialism --military, economic, cultural oppression/domination of one country over another, e.g. European invasion of Africa, Asia and the Americas since the 16th century onwards.

    • 2. Word frequency list: watch honest, devil, heaven, soul, honor, terms for darkness and brightness

    Questions about Act I of Othello

    3.Why does Roderigo hate Othello? Stereotype of "black ram tupping white ewe"

    4.Why does Iago hate Othello? Castiglione—Iago, age 28, has done (apparently) everything right but been passed over for promotion in favor of Cassio (who, according to Iago, is a theoretical soldier—little practical experience). Also claims there’s a rumor that Othello has slept with Emilia (again, reference to stereotype of prodigious sexual appetite among black men). See end of Act I scene iii, the first soliloquy in the play.

    5.Why does Brabantio hate Othello? Believes he has bewitched Desdemona, practiced "black arts" (capital crimes in Elizabethan England). Caused Desdemona to violate the principles of Vives and disobey, run away from father.

    6.Why does Desdemona love Othello? Enchanted by his stories of his adventures, his humility. Impressed by how he has re-fashioned himself enough to defy her father and marry Othello secretly.

    7.Why do the Duke and the Venetian senators love Othello and forgive him? His military prowess, feeling that he’s the only military leader who can defend Venice’s interests against the Turks. They accept him at face value as a competent military leader.

    8.Iago—cp. the Pardoner. Why is he evil? How does his method work? He is a Protean figure—keeps changing stances [re-fashioning his image for different audiences]. Everybody else but the audience thinks he is "honest Iago." We are in the deeply ironic position of knowing something the characters in the play do not—the depth of his duplicity. Iago’s method is to play on characters’ deepest needs and insecurities—he’s a psychological probe in many ways. Hint: Watch when he switches back and forth from blank verse to prose.

    9.Imagery: Lots of animals and bestiality, esp. in describing women’s behavior. Look at play of light/dark, black/white images.

    10. Couples: Othello and Desdemona cp. to Iago and Emilia. (Cp. Vives). Cassio’s behavior calls to mind Castiglione and Sidney—he imitates those he wishes to be like. Compare what Iago says about how underlings are expected to behave.

    11.Condensation of actual time—not 24 hours but certainly close to the unities.

    Concentration of all issues in three figures: Othello, Desdemona, Iago. Especially effective is to have all evil concentrated in one figure.