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Othello - by jane42

Othello - written by jane42

Subject: English Literature - Type: Essay

Description of this piece: The discourse and cultural assumptions present in William Shakespeare's Othello


This essay will analyse the discourse and cultural assumptions prevalent in Othello.

Shakespeare makes symbolic use of cultural assumptions, connotations and a discourse of power in Othello. He manipulates the trio as a didactic tool via a confrontation to the Elizabethan ideological structure. The aim is achieved through the characters Desdemona and Iago.

Othello was utilised as an instrument for the creation of flux in the sense of being an ideological belief of the Elizabethan Period. Othello propagates an emotional personality, indicative of feminine characteristic. 'But I do love thee; and when I love thee not, Chaos is come Again' (3:1, 91-92). The Elizabethan dominant social ideology was a predominately patriarchal society and exhibiting female quality was thought to be destructive of power. As Shakespeare described Othello as a coloured man, which was an ethnic property not well accepted in the Elizabethan time period, he would have been thought of as a frail and lethargic man, yet Shakespeare created this character as a battle leader, confusing his role in the play, 'you the valiant of this warlike isle,...the Moor.' (2:1, 43-44) When the news of Othello's marriage to Desdemona breaks in the first Scene, it becomes apparent that Rodrigo is extremely jealous of a man whom he considers to be inferior to himself, '...your fair daughter...to the clasps of a lascivious Moor' (1:1, 121-125.) The marriage of Othello to Desdemona also creates confusion in Desdemona's social order.

Desdemona has perplexity roles in the play. She demonstrates the feeble female exterior that Shakespeare uses for the women in Othello, but is also married to a black man, a very strange position to be in Elizabethan culture. In the first scene Iago brings news of the disgraced marriage to Brabantio, Desdemona's father, and it is clear that Iago has mixed feelings about the couple, 'very now, an old black ram, Is tupping your white ewe.' (1:1, 89-90). Desdemona at the end of the play is seen as a powerless woman, although she protests, 'I never did, Offend you in my life,' (5:2, 68-69) she pleas with Othello for her life, asking him to, 'banish me, my lord, but kill me not.' (5:2, 79). Despite the pleas, Othello inevitably smothers Desdemona. The irony of this is that Iago had caused the chaos.

Iago carries a façade and in such holds power of control over other characters. His gift of speech plays a pivotal role in the unfolding of events. Iago is the troublemaker in accusing Othello of Cassio and Desdemona's relationship, 'She may...bestow't on any man.' (4:1, 13), in doing this Iago uses his powers of persuasion to make Othello believe him. Iago is seen to be the most powerful character in the play, through the words of Shakespeare, he is higher than all others in Othello.

Shakespeare uses the characters of Othello as a didactic tool to reinforce the discourse of power. He manipulated the text so that Elizabethan social ideologies are challenged by characters who pay dearly for doing so. As such, although contemporary audiences can read Othello as a tragic tail of racial injustice, to the Elizabethan audience justice is served and order is restored.

Bibliography

Othello by William Shakespeare , Penguin Classics; New Ed edition 7 April 2005