8.2.2

Appearance & Reality

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Appearance and Reality

Many Elizabethans and Jacobeans believed that external appearance revealed inner reality.

Iago

Iago

  • Nearly every scene of Othello depends upon a character seeing and knowing something of someone.
  • Many Elizabethans and Jacobeans believed that external appearance revealed inner reality, but Shakespeare was seemingly interested here in exploring with Iago a fair exterior which conceals inner foulness.
  • The audience is given the responsibility of interpreting this throughout the play.
Realisations

Realisations

  • Othello comes to consider suspicion to be evidence enough and as the play progresses, he becomes dependent for his supposed knowledge on his own senses and the delusions offered by Iago.
  • Later on in the play, several characters have shock awakenings when the blinds fall away from their eyes and they see a loved one in a new light.
Iago's skill

Iago's skill

  • The problem that all of the characters face in the play is that Iago is the arch-illusionist and he can manipulate falsity into truth at a moment’s notice.
  • The way he manages and directs situations allows for a smoothing over of appearance and reality, which is only unpicked at the end of the drama.
To 'know'

To 'know'

  • Othello uses the verb ‘know’ three times in his first speech and ‘know’ in its various grammatical forms is used 96 times in the play.
  • There is a paradox here though of not knowing yourself truly which is precisely what happens with Othello.
  • When you do not know yourself than you are ripe for prey to others.
__Auden__

Auden

  • W.H. Auden (1907-73) claimed that Iago is actually motivated by the desire to know and show what Othello is really like behind the mask of the celebrated warrior and joyful lover.
  • By exposing the weak human hiding behind the façade of reputation Iago can avenge himself.
Masks

Masks

  • The notion of appearance and reality is the play is really a debate over the wider hypocrisy of humanity and that human beings rarely say what they mean.
  • To an extent, all of humanity wears a mask.
  • Many of the characters here wear masks and it is only when tragedy locks in that they fall away.
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

Practice questions on Appearance & Reality

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  1. 1
    The use of the verb ‘know’ in _Othello_:True / false
  2. 2
    Which verb is used 96 times (in its various grammatical forms) in _Othello_?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Who claimed that Iago is actually motivated by the desire to know and show what Othello is really like behind the mask of the celebrated warrior and joyful lover?Multiple choice
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Public versus Private

Structure