1.3.1

Setting

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The Setting of Othello

Setting and place take a central and symbolic role in Othello like in many of Shakespeare’s other plays.

Setting in _Othello_

Setting in Othello

  • Shakespeare’s plays often took place in foreign countries such as France and Italy, inspired by Britain’s naval expansion and exploration at the time.
  • There are two very different settings:
    • Venice in Italy.
    • Cyprus.
  • Both represent hugely different ‘worlds’ and the shift in the setting in the play is reflected in shifts in plot, action and characterisation.
Venice

Venice

  • Venice was a hugely influential commercial seaport in Italy in the sixteenth century.
  • It took an active role in much of the Italian Renaissance literature, music, and architecture of the time.
Venice cont.

Venice cont.

  • Venice was also symbolic of political factionalism, intrigue and moral corruption, even though Venetian society was generally orderly, civilised and formal as suggested in the first Act of Othello.
  • Often, playwrights used Venice as a setting to represent cultural sophistication.
Cyprus

Cyprus

  • In contrast, Cyprus represents a much more unstable, violent setting.
  • It was controlled by Venice but had been invaded by Turkey in 1570.
  • King James I was very interested in Turkish history.
Cyprus cont.

Cyprus cont.

  • Shakespeare uses this Turkish threat as a pretext to change the play’s setting to be much more isolated, unordered and claustrophobic, which then serves to intensify the ominous, foreboding atmosphere as tragedy unfolds and order is destroyed.
Prosecution

Prosecution

  • Some critics believe that Shakespeare set many of his plays in exotic or invented locations so as not to be prosecuted for, in fact, writing about controversial issues in Britain.
  • Certainly, many of the plays contain ideas that are distinctly British and these values are just transferred to other locations (real or imagined).
Jump to other topics
1

Context

1.1

Introduction

1.1.1Specifications
1.2

Background

1.2.1Shakespeare1.2.2Love1.2.3Tragedy1.2.4Historical Context
1.3

Othello

1.3.1Setting1.3.2Social Issues
2

Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1

Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure2.1.2The Exam
2.2

Scene One

2.2.1Key Events2.2.2Key Themes2.2.3Key Ideas
2.3

Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events2.3.2Key Themes2.3.3Key Ideas
2.4

Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events2.4.2Key Events 22.4.3Key Themes2.4.4Key Ideas
3

Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1

Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events3.1.2Key Events 23.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy3.1.4Scene Two: Events
3.2

Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events3.2.2Key Ideas
4

Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1

Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two4.1.2Scene Three4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas4.1.4Scene Four
5

Act Four

5.1

Scene One

5.1.1Key Events5.1.2Key Ideas
5.2

Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events5.2.2Key Ideas
5.3

Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events5.3.2Key Ideas
6

Act Five

6.1

Scene One

6.1.1Key Events6.1.2Key Ideas
6.2

Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events6.2.2Key Ideas
7

Character Profiles

7.1

Major Characters

7.1.1Othello7.1.2Iago7.1.3Desdemona7.1.4Emilia7.1.5Cassio
7.2

Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio7.2.2Other Characters
8

Key Themes

8.1

Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love8.1.2Love 28.1.3Tragedy8.1.4Tragedy 2
8.2

Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private8.2.2Appearance & Reality
9

Writing Techniques

9.1

Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure9.1.2Genre9.1.3Form & Language9.1.4Language & Imagery
10

Critical Debates

10.1

Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy10.1.2Traditional10.1.3Modern & Contemporary
10.2

Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach10.2.3Marxist Approach
11

Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1

Specification A

11.1.1Specification A11.1.2Love Through the Ages
11.2

Specification B

11.2.1Specification B11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy
12

Issues of Assessment

12.1

The Exams

12.1.1AOs12.1.2Mark Scheme

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Historical Context

Social Issues