Psychoanalytic Approach

A Psychoanalytic Approach

Reading Othello through a psychoanalytic lense may also relate to Love through the Ages and Aspects of Tragedy. Consider the following characters:

Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis is a discipline developed by the famous neurologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939).
In summary, it is the idea that the way we behave as humans is largely driven by unconscious desires.
Freud also stated that we sometimes become aware of these unconscious desires through slips of the tongue or what we dream about as we sleep.

Psychoanalysis and Othello

A psychoanalytic approach to Othello would therefore focus on the clues Shakespeare gives us about the unconscious desires of the characters.
This does sometimes involve thinking of the characters as if they were real.

Othello

His unconscious desire is to be with Desdemona, but he knows that in reality this may not work out for the good.
He assumes the role wanted by white Europe but he will never truly fit.
Shakespeare may be suggesting that Othello is delusional about this.

Iago

His unconscious desire is jealousy towards Othello, both through his lack of promotion and because Othello slept with his wife.
He may also be racist.
Iago may also have secret desires for Desdemona.

Cassio

He may explicitly need the sexual favours of Bianca, but may well view Desdemona as the ideal.

Brabantio

His unconscious feeling might well be concern about the mixed race offspring that may result from Othello and Desdemona’s marriage.
This then presents him with issues over inheritance and the future of his own estate.

Emilia

Her unconscious desire could be to see the end of her husband, because she is presented by Shakespeare as living in an unfruitful and broken marriage.

1Context

1.1Introduction

1.1.1Specifications

1.2Background

1.2.1Shakespeare

1.2.2Love

1.2.3Tragedy

1.2.4Historical Context

1.3Othello

1.3.1Setting

1.3.2Social Issues

2Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure

2.1.2The Exam

2.2Scene One

2.2.1Key Events

2.2.2Key Themes

2.2.3Key Ideas

2.3Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events

2.3.2Key Themes

2.3.3Key Ideas

2.4Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events

2.4.2Key Events 2

2.4.3Key Themes

2.4.4Key Ideas

3Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events

3.1.2Key Events 2

3.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy

3.1.4Scene Two: Events

3.2Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events

3.2.2Key Ideas

4Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two

4.1.2Scene Three

4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas

4.1.4Scene Four

5Act Four

5.1Scene One

5.1.1Key Events

5.1.2Key Ideas

5.2Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events

5.2.2Key Ideas

5.3Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events

5.3.2Key Ideas

6Act Five

6.1Scene One

6.1.1Key Events

6.1.2Key Ideas

6.2Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events

6.2.2Key Ideas

7Character Profiles

7.1Major Characters

7.1.1Othello

7.1.2Iago

7.1.3Desdemona

7.1.4Emilia

7.1.5Cassio

7.2Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio

7.2.2Other Characters

8Key Themes

8.1Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love

8.1.2Love 2

8.1.3Tragedy

8.1.4Tragedy 2

8.2Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private

8.2.2Appearance & Reality

9Writing Techniques

9.1Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure

9.1.2Genre

9.1.3Form & Language

9.1.4Language & Imagery

10Critical Debates

10.1Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy

10.1.2Traditional

10.1.3Modern & Contemporary

10.2Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach

10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach

10.2.3Marxist Approach

11Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1Specification A

11.1.1Specification A

11.1.2Love Through the Ages

11.2Specification B

11.2.1Specification B

11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy

12Issues of Assessment

12.1The Exams

12.1.1AOs

12.1.2Mark Scheme

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