Cover lesson(s) Mr Smith and Miss Spray

Critical approaches to Othello and Misunderstanding in Othello

Read the articles below and answer the guided reading questions which follow. You made need to use Wikipedia to find the definitions to some terms.

TASK 1

http://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/critical-approaches-to-othello

Critical approaches to Othello

What do new historicists do?

Read the summary of Cinthio’s De Gli Hecatommithi, 1565 by clicking on the "view images from this item tab" immediately below the image of the book. Now answer the following questions

What does Cinthio's collection of short stories explore?

How does Shakespeare adapt Cinthio's tale in Othello?

Post colonialism

What is post colonialism?

What do post colonial readings focus on in the play?

What real life event was the inspiration for the plays rising action?

How does the play undercut the Christian/Turkish binary?

What are Brabantio and Desdemona fascinated by and why?

New historicist reading: ‘far more fair than black’

What debate are new historicist critics currently having?

What evidence is there that Othello was held in high esteem by other characters?

What references establish his liminal position in society?

Feminist reading: ‘a maiden never bold’

What is endogamous marriage?

What has changed in the audiences reading of the character of Desdemona since the plays original performances and the 20th century?

What is the current feminist perspective on the play?

Can you find evidence in the text to support this (include quotations)

Marxist reading: ‘’Tis the curse of service’

What are marxists critics concerned with?

What is the hierarchy (pecking order) in the play?

What have fuedal obligations of service been replaced with?

TASK 2

http://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/misunderstanding-in-othello

According to the article, where does the texts tragedy spring from?

How does Iago manipulate Othello?

The handkerchief

READ the explanation of Italian handkerchiefs to gain a better understanding of its significance.

What two things does the article believe the handkerchief represents?

What does the pattern on the handkerchief represent?

The Venetian ‘state of mind’

How does the play Othello characterise Venice?

What did the Venetians have an appetite for?

How did John Leo view Africans and why is this a significant difference to Venetian's?

War

Why does this section believe misunderstanding is inevitable?

Gender

In the play, what do Venetian men have little grasp of?

What is Emilia's function?

Summarise this section from a feminist perspective.