Elizabethan Times- Othello - 2055 Words

How do the opening scenes and closing scenes of your Shakespearean text reflect the Elizabthan values/ beliefs? The Venetian society in which the Shakespearean play, Othello is set in is a clear representation of the writers context. The values, attitudes and beliefs that Shakespeare reveals in the opening and closing scenes of Othello, are the exact to the ones accepted by the Elizabethans of the sixteenth century. With the limited number of Black people being around, in Othello we can see the racist remarks that are being made upon one, as well as the resilience to accept one within a society. Even though the play itself is set in Venice and Cyprus, it reflects highly upon the values and beliefs of Shakespeares own society where†¦show more content†¦Although Othello is seen as a strong character who has not committed any sins yet, he himself disturbs the natural order by displaying many arrogant and prideful remarks My parts, my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly. In the closing scenes of Othello, we sense that as the natural order of life had been disturbed, justi ce will prevail, and ultimately the natural way of life will be restored. With Othello perceiving himself as a valiant man and a character of justice, upon accusing Desdemona of betrayal he feels it is his duty to kill her, thus restore the natural way of life. She must dieÂ… else shell betray more men. By doing this, Othello himself is making a big mistake as killing someone was thought to be one of the biggest sins against ones religion and belief in the gift of life. As it was suspected, Natural order was restored in the closing scenes of Othello, with Othello killing himself and Iago suffering lifelong punishment. With the natural order now in place, it was evident that even Shakespeare himself, very much relied upon the beliefs and values of the Elizabethan society. During the Elizabethan times, people thought that rational thinking was the only factor that separated humanity from animals. During this era, emotions were seen as a negative force that has the ability to destroy one to its core, as seen in Othello. The nature and contrast of emotions can be noted in Othellos behavior in the opening and closing scenes ofShow MoreRelatedWomen in Othello/ Elizabethan Times1608 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose† (Stevenson, Robert).In play Othello identity is a topic that appears throughout the play. In Shakespeare Othello all the women, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca have no separate identity all three are defined by who they are or not married to or the male characters they are connected with. â€Å"According to the Elizabethan times that the play was written in and the general hierarchies within Venetian society men hold all the power andRead MoreRace in Shakespeare1559 Words   |  7 Pagesprejudice - Elizabethan England being no exception. William Shakespeare applies the issue of race in many of his plays; such in the tragedy of Othello that captures the reality of society in Elizabethan England, showing common racial bias of that era. Through his characters in the play, Shakespeare illustrates Elizabethan social ideology towards race, in which foreigners have adapted to a lifestyle of racial prejudice. 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Within Shakespeare’s Othello and Geoffrey Sax’s appropriation of Othello, the evolution of the attitudes held by Elizabethan audiences and those held by contemporary audiences can be seen through the context of the female coupled with the context of racism. The role of the female has developed from being submissive and â €Å"obedient† in the Elizabethan era to being independent and liberated within the contemporary setting.Read MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare941 Words   |  4 Pagesand xenophobia in their society. Theater in Elizabethan England was full of stereotypical black characters that further perpetuated society’s racist tendencies. One play that challenged these stereotypes was Williams Shakespeare’s play Othello which depicts the tragedy of Othello, a Morris Captain. What is different about Shakespeare play is that the tragic hero is the black Othello and the villain a white Iago. Therefore, Shakespeare depiction of Othello as a tragic character and Iago as a villainRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Othello By William Shakespeare Essay1418 Words   |  6 Pagesthose of any other playwright, past and present. One of the most famous examples of these plays is the tragedy of â€Å"Othello†, believed to have been written in approximately 1603. The work revolves around f our central characters; Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army; his new wife, Desdemona; his lieutenant, Cassio; and his trusted ensign, Iago. Throughout the play of â€Å"Othello†, William Shakespeare diagnoses and portrays two ills within his own society, which are undeniably still present inRead MoreA Comparative Study of Othello and O991 Words   |  4 PagesA comparative study of Othello and O ‘O! Beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on’ Jealousy is one of the main universal themes explored in both ‘Othello’ – a classical play wriitten four centuries ago, and ‘O’ – a modern film adaptation of the play made in 2000. Despite the differences in contexts between the two texts, the composers were able to present universal themes such as race and gender through the use of literary techniques appropriate