10.1.1

Shakespeare's Legacy

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William Shakespeare and his Legacy

Othello continues to be one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies.

__Cinthio__

Cinthio

  • The story of Othello is in essence, an adaptation of an earlier narrative (written in 1565) by the Italian writer Giraldi Cinthio (1504-75) which Shakespeare would have read in either French or Italian.
  • Interest in such tales did not come from any sense of originality (the story would be well known anyway) but what was of interest was how the playwright re-told it.
Subversive

Subversive

  • We sometimes conceive of Shakespeare as representing ‘order’ and that, because he has high cultural status in our society, he is somehow ‘conservative’.
  • In fact, Othello shows that Shakespeare is, at times, quite ‘subversive’ in many respects.
Collision of orders

Collision of orders

  • His plays are often places for ‘collisions’ and for ‘debate’ between the old Medieval order and the emergent new Modern order.
Determinants

Determinants

  • Plays such as Othello are subject to economic, political, social and religious determinants.
Power

Power

  • A tragedy such as Othello also shows the operation of power in society by revealing how the stories and displays of those in authority convince those without power of their superiors’ rights to rule and control.
Gender politics

Gender politics

  • The tragedy also reveals the ideological means through which men have power, which at this time, still ensured dominance over women.
  • Women were, however, starting to contest this power.
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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

Practice questions on Shakespeare's Legacy

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  1. 1
    Who wrote the narrative that Shakespeare based _Othello_ on?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What social dynamics do plays like Othello explore?Fill in the list
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Language & Imagery

Traditional