8.2.2
Appearance & Reality
Appearance and Reality
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.
1Context
1.1Introduction
1.3Othello
2Act One: Summaries & Themes
2.1Act and Scene Summaries
2.2Scene One
2.3Scene Two
3Act Two: Summaries & Themes
3.1Scene One & Two
3.2Scene Three
4Act Three: Summaries & Themes
5Act Four
5.1Scene One
5.2Scene Two
5.3Scene Three
6Act Five
6.1Scene One
6.2Scene Two
7Character Profiles
7.1Major Characters
7.2Minor Characters
8Key Themes
8.1Love & Tragedy
8.2Other Key Themes
9Writing Techniques
9.1Writing Techniques
10Critical Debates
10.1Criticism & Performance
11Approaching AQA English Literature
11.1Specification A
11.2Specification B
12Issues of Assessment
12.1The Exams
Jump to other topics
1Context
1.1Introduction
1.3Othello
2Act One: Summaries & Themes
2.1Act and Scene Summaries
2.2Scene One
2.3Scene Two
3Act Two: Summaries & Themes
3.1Scene One & Two
3.2Scene Three
4Act Three: Summaries & Themes
5Act Four
5.1Scene One
5.2Scene Two
5.3Scene Three
6Act Five
6.1Scene One
6.2Scene Two
7Character Profiles
7.1Major Characters
7.2Minor Characters
8Key Themes
8.1Love & Tragedy
8.2Other Key Themes
9Writing Techniques
9.1Writing Techniques
10Critical Debates
10.1Criticism & Performance
11Approaching AQA English Literature
11.1Specification A
11.2Specification B
12Issues of Assessment
12.1The Exams
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