English 117S Outline, Notes, and Intro

Friday April 29, 1:00 PM

1500 words

Prompt: Othello is sent to Cyprus so that he can help Venice battle the
Ottomans there, but a storm destroys the Turkish navy before Othello
even arrives at Cyprus. Why does Shakespeare frame the tragedy of
Othello and Desdemona with this war that never happens?
Resources: Outside Lecture
-

War Symbol: http://www.shmoop.com/othello/war-symbol.html

http://www.chizfilm.net/othello.html

Resource: From Lecture

Paradox of heterosexuality is heightened by the setting of the play in Cyprus

o why would women want to marry warriors? perversity of loving
Othello because she feared him.
o Why would warriors want to marry women? no plausible likely reason
for women and men to love each other other than bestial passion.
o Iago also suggests that there is a likeness between men and women that
society makes us overlook.
2.3.155 if men and women are opposites, then arent they also naturally
enemies?
1.3.127 how Desdemona fell in love with him love a man that could tell
stories
o shared modesty shows why they were so opposite in marriage but also
constitutes a common ground between them.

Othellos account
Othellos adventures are exciting to a woman who is preoccupied with house
affairs. But by telling it in a familiar, casual way his sufferings assimilate him to
Desdemona.
Storytelling has the power to mediate between their lives because it liberates them
both from the guardage of their accustomed selves. Othello becomes a city
room speaker instead of a battle field warrior, and Desdemona moves from the
city room to the battle field through his stories/marriage
Othello thinks that Desdemona loves his mind rather than his body a marriage
of true minds because the sexual desires in him are dead. Worries that she
prefers fiction to fact. Childish naivet of Desdemona worries that she could
love anyone else if they told the same stories.

Desdemonas fathers negative reaction their marriage

Worries about her experiencing the reality of him Suggests his disturbance at
the thought that Desdemona truly does love him. Later Othello kills her for loving
him.

Desdemonas
Claims that love for Othello has transformed her she loves the quality of
Othello, distinguishes between his outward/inward self. Highlights both the
physical/racial difference between them, but also Othellos own self-difference
Othellos worry that he begins to lose masculinity

o Alternatively, Othello might want to believe that his wife has betrayed him
simply wants to be free of her
o Othello has been enslaved before, but this enslavement of marriage
bothers him more
heart of plays improbability = Desdemonas being called a whore, even speaks
highly of Othello when she is dying the goodness of Desdemona is what
drives him to kill her.
4.1.176 Iago means that all the good things in Desdemona highlight her
sins/vices by contrast hears everything with the ear of the lewd interpretor
suggests that she is too giving of a woman
o By striving to do good, her virtue is turned against her very obedient
o Slipping of vice/virtue
o Othello kills her not because of her imaginary infidelity, but because of
her fidelity

Intro Draft
It was noted from Professor Knapps lecture that something had gone
amiss in Shakespeares life around the time that Othello was written.
According to historians, Shakespeare had obtained a gentlemans
status and secured a well-established celebrity status, perhaps leading
him to represent himself in a sordid manner. Othello may have been
inspired by the playwrights personal conflict between irrational
emotions and rational peace of mind. Whether this is the case, it is
certain that this turmoil of two sides, raw emotion and logical
reasoning, is illustrated through the transformation of Othello. Jealous
passion, the victor of this battle between reason and emotion,
ultimately consumes Othello and transforms him from a beloved,
respected war hero into a crazed man who kills his beloved and

innocent wife. Though most may argue that the evil Iago, the sole
disseminator of lies and malicious intent, is the only component setting
the stage for this tragedy, the Turkish-Venetian war is the true catalyst
of Othellos transformation and the heartbreaking catastrophes that
occur. Without the imminent threat of war changing the setting of the
play from peace-time Venice to Cyprus, the tragedy that unfolds in
Othello would not have occurred; thus, it was essential that
Shakespeare frame the tragedy of Othello and Desdemona with this
war which never happens.
There are two sides to Othello, one governed by rational mind and one
consumed by irrational passion.
From lecture it was noted that something had also gone amiss with
Shakepeares life, and this is illustrated through a shift from comedy to
tragedy; specifically, the playwright could not remove himself from
lifes desires and began to represent himself in a sordid manner.
Othello, noted by many critics as one of Shakespeares most perfectly
constructed works, may be inspired by the playwrights own conflict
between destructive, uncontrollable emotions and the calm of
deductive reasoning. Whether this is the case, the same battle
between reason and jealous passion certainly plays out through the
transformation of Othello from a respected war general to a man
consumed by jealous emotion.

Outline: (focus on DEVELOPING ARGUMENT for each paragraph and

sentence)
Intro
-

Historical context about Shakespeares own struggle

Lay out concept that Othello is about struggle between
rationality and emotion; conflict in ones mind
Bring the war into the argument:
o True: The Venetian-Turkish War never happens; there is
no battle since the Turks are all destroyed, BUT
o The tragedy of Othello and Desdemona is framed by the
war because:
o 1) The setting of Cyprus is a war setting; remnants of war
exist

o 2) Cyprus is a war setting => place of volatile emotions,

NOT Venice which is governed by Reason
o 3) This setting of war despite there not being any violent
conflict or actual physical battle between two armies is the
setting for a war in the minds of the characters, especially
Othello
o 4) War is IRRATIONAL
o Thesis: Shakespeare frames the tragedy of Othello and
Desdemona with this war because the setting and aura of
war (though battle itself does not occur) is the catalyst that
prepares the battleground for the conflict in Othellos mind,
tipping the scales in favor of emotion and irrationality that
renders our protagonist vulnerable to Iagos poison and
lies.
Body 1
Goal: Prove that my thesis is plausible by showing that it is the setting
of war that changes Othello
-

Show
o
o
o

Othello before war (Act 1)

He is calm, self-assured
Evidence-Quote: 1.2.6 It is better as it is
Evidence-Quote: 1.2.59: (Breaks up fight) you shall
more command with years than with your weapons
Show Othello in a SETTING of War; just arrived at Cyprus (Act 2
Scene 3)
o Breaks up a fight between Cassio and Montano, but this
time gets pissed and violent
o by Heaven, my blood begins my safer guides to rule, and
passion, having my best judgement collied, assays to lead
the way
Why are these behaviors so different? What has changed? Has
Iago started spreading lies yet? => NO! Difference is that the
setting has become a setting of War; change of Locale from
Venice to Cyprus!

Body 2
Goal: Dispute the counter idea that war is order; prove that war =
disorderly; which implies that my thesis could be true (that setting of
war in Cyprus reveals emotional side of Othello)
-

Farewell to War Speech => Othellos way of rationalizing.

Othello is using war as a metaphor

"Farewell to war" speech in Act III, scene 3 (lines 347-357)

like war no longer being orderly, his life and love for Desdemona
is no longer orderly
not saying hes leaving orderly war, it is him realizing that war is
irrational, as are his thoughts
sets up the play for the tragic acts he will commit (killing
Desdemona is irrational), all his emotional actions are irrational

Body 3:
Goal: War is irrational, and Othello has accepted it => commits
irrational acts
Goal: Prove Othello is nave, and thus influenced vastly by his
environment
- War is irrational, and like war, Othello is committing irrational
thoughts (such as interpreting his handkerchief in Cassio's hand as
absolute proof of Desdemona's infidelity) and irrational actions (such
as killing what he loves the most--i.e. Desdemona).
-

It is as though there are two separate Othellos, as David Pollard

sees (Vaughan 94).
The other thing we know for certain is that Iago is right on the
mark when he describes Othello as "of a free and open nature
that thinks men honest that but seem to be so" (1.3.405).

Conclusion
-

Othello had two sides, but he did not recognize them himself and
was not in control of when each was exhibited
His situation (Peace in Venice; War Time in Cyprus) would affect
the way he thought, either rationally or irrationally
He flip-flops, and Iago knows this, so the TRAGEDY COULD ONLY
OCCUR IN A WAR LIKE ENVIRONMENT
And Iago was there to see him. This we know within the first lines
of the play. "And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof at
Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds Christian and
heathen ..." (1.1.28).
That's how Iago knows what Othello will be like in wartime. When
Iago hatches his plan at the end of Act I, the self-respecting
Othello we know from that act does not seem like he would easily
become victim to Iago's suggestions. But the irrational Othello of

Act II, occupying a territory immediately following a war and

imposing martial law, does seem much more susceptible. Iago
knows more than we do.
Essay
Intro
It was noted from Professor Knapps lecture that something had
gone amiss in Shakespeares life around the time that Othello was
written. According to historians, Shakespeare had obtained a
gentlemans status and secured a well-established celebrity status,
perhaps leading him to represent himself in a sordid manner.
Othello may have been inspired by the playwrights personal conflict
between irrational emotions and rational peace of mind. Whether this
is the case, it is certain that this turmoil of two sides, raw emotion and
logical reasoning, is illustrated through the transformation of Othello.
Jealous passion, the victor of this battle between reason and emotion,
ultimately consumes Othello and transforms him from a beloved,
respected war hero into a crazed man who kills his beloved and
innocent wife. Though most may argue that the evil Iago, the sole
disseminator of lies and malicious intent, is the only component setting
the stage for this tragedy, the Turkish-Venetian war is the true catalyst
of Othellos transformation and the heartbreaking catastrophes that
occur. Without the imminent threat of war changing the setting of the
play from peace-time Venice to Cyprus, the tragedy that unfolds in
Othello would not have occurred; thus it was essential that
Shakespeare frame the tragedy of Othello and Desdemona with this
war, which despite never explicitly happening, stages the emotional
pyrotechnics necessary for the plot.
Body 1A: Present FIRST INCIDENT proving Othellos calmness in Venice
The first step in proving my thesis involves juxtaposing Othellos
pre-war behavior in peacetime Venice with his wartime behavior in
Cyprus. Although it is established that the war itself will not take
place, the vastly different ways Othello handles two very similar
altercations in the two different settings elucidates that this change in
setting builds the foundation for the tragedy of Othello and
Desdemona.
In peacetime Venice at the beginning of the play, Othello is shown
composed and self-assured. Act 1 Scene 2 shows Iago speaking poorly
of Brabantio to Othello, musing that he (Iago) is not cruel enough to
murder someone, though Brabantio may deserve it. Othellos response

and his first line of the play 1.2.6, Tis better as it is implies that he
believes it is right to choose peace over violence and is a very
collected reply. His composed and rational character is further
illustrated in the ensuing conflict with Brabantio, who confronts Othello
about seeing his daughter Desdemona. Iago fails to incite anger in
Othello before the confrontation, and throughout the incident, Othello
is entirely calm and composed in the face of Brabantios drawn sword
and hostility. Brabantio spews verbal venom composed of racial slurs
and harsh accusations:
If she in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid so fairWould ever have
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thouto fear, not to delight.
Brabantio accuses Othello of sorcery and enchanting his daughter, for
his fair Desdemona would never willingly be with a thing like Othello.
Calm and composed, Othello retorts,
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
Without a prompter. Whither will you that I go
To answer this your charge?
Othello conveys that this is not the time for him to fight and simply
asks, in an almost surreal calm manner to whom should he go to
respond to these charges, without a trace of anger. Could a man this
calm and collected when dealt such hate and threat of violence be the
same man to later kill that which is most beloved to him? These
incidents that occur in the setting of peacetime Venice capture
Othellos character as a man who could not have done such a thing.
Note the fact that Iagos scheming manipulation has not begun, and
has yet to poison Othellos mind with jealous lies. After the impending
war moves the plot from Venice to Cyprus, a conflict that happens
there illustrates a volatile, emotional side of Othello. The discussion of
this irrational side to Othello in the following paragraph will illuminate
the crucial necessity of framing the tragedy of Othello and Desdemona
with a war that never occurs.
Body 1B: Show Othello in setting of war and state my point.
After confirming that the storm has destroyed the Turkish fleet,
and thus ended the impending war, Othello holds festivities to
celebrate this fact as well as his marriage with Desdemona. He leaves
to spend time with his wife but is notified of a conflict between

Montano, officer at Cyprus, and Cassio his right hand man. Othello,
arriving at the conflict, states:
Have we all become as savage as the Turks? The next man who
swings his sword must not care about his life, because the instant he
strikes, he dies.
In peacetime Venice in the previous situation discussed, Othello met
violence and hate directed at him by Brabantio with composure. The
situation here in Cyprus does not hold the weight that the one in
Venice did, for Othello is clearly in charge and his life is not in danger
as when Brabantio threatened him. This observation only magnifies
the radical change of Othellos behavior between peacetime Venice
and wartime Cyprus, for Othellos rational composure has been
replaced with a display of emotional outrage not due to a change in
severity of conflict, but by the difference in setting. Further proof is
given in Othellos following response:
my blood begins my safer guides to
rule, and passion, having my best judgement collied,
assays to lead the way. If I once stir, or do but
lift this arm, the best of you shall sink in my rebuke.
who set it on, though he had twinned with meshall lose
me.
What, in a town of war
Yet wild, the peoples hearts brimful of fear,
To manage private and domestic quarrel?
(2.3.204)
Othello, despite being explicitly aware that passion has replaced his
better judgment, rashly seeks to move forward with action. He also
brings to light the fact that despite the war itself not happening,
Cyprus is a town of war with the remnants and threat of it instilling
fear in people. This conflict, which dwarfs in comparison in severity
with the Venice Brabantio incident, brings about an emotional response
from Othello, thus illustrating that he is greatly affected by this change
in setting from peace to war, Venice to Cyprus. Note once more that
Iago has not yet dispelled jealous lies to Othello directly; Othellos
actions are a product of his own character which we now see has two
distinct sides. The setting of war manifested in the setting of Cyprus is
the switch that allows Othellos actions and thoughts to be dictated by
his emotional and irrational side.
Body 2

It is important to address and dispute the idea that war is order,

for if war is order in the eyes of Othello, the change in setting from
peaceful Venice to wartime Cyprus could not have been the catalyst
that Shakespeare strategically uses in order to frame the tragedy
between Othello and Desdemona. The main piece of text pertinent to
this discussion is Othellos burst of outrage after Iago thoroughly
disseminates seeds of suspicion; he implies again and again that
Desdemona is cheating on Othello. Othello has had the last straw,
stating:
I had been happy if the general camp,
Pioneers and all, had tasted her sweet body,
So I had nothing known. Oh, now forever
Farewell the tranquil mind! Farewell content!
Farewell the plumed troops and the big wars
That makes ambition virtue! Oh, farewell!
Farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, th' ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner, and all quality,
Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!
And O you mortal engines, whose rude throats
The immortal Joves dead clamors counterfeit,
Farewell! Othellos occupations gone.
In this passage, simply by locality of text Othello seems to relate the
tranquil mind with the plumed troops and big wars, appearing to
associate peace of mind with war. The opening line of this passage
suggests that this is not so. Othello says something akin to ignorance
is bliss, as he would be content of Desdemonas supposed infidelity as
long as he did no know about it. That statement strongly implies that
his tortured mind is aggravated not by the truth, but by his perception
or knowledge of it. Despite his grandiose description of the pride,
pomp, and circumstance of glorious war, the distinction between truth
and interpretation through perception suggests that Othello is not
saying that war is absolute glory or order. War at its coldest truth
consists of killing: irrational and passionate. Othellos ability to ignore
that truth and perceive it as something that makes ambition virtue is
calculated, chosen ignorance, which has allowed him to ascend the
ranks of the Venetian military and become a well-respected general. In
this passage, he bids farewell to ignorance or refusal to measure his
life by truth, and chooses instead to accept truth and the tumultuous
passions that are associated with it. In this text, war is a metaphor
and example that illustrates how something quintessentially gruesome,
irrational, and awful can be perceived in a good light. If Othello can
accept the real nature of war as something that is inherently
disorderly, he will accept that his genuine thoughts of love for

Desdemona in their current state are just as tempestuous and

dangerous.
Conclusion
The two distinct sides of Othellos character, rationally composed
and emotionally turbulent, as well as the important role of a catalytic
war setting have been thoroughly discussed. A different perspective
on why Shakespeare decides to use the setting of Cyprus to frame the
tragedy focuses on Iago. Iago has uncannily precise insight of every
other characters personality; particularly, his impeccable
understanding of Othellos character is perhaps the only way to ignite
the pyrotechnics framed by the Turkish-Venetian War and lead to
Othellos tragic downfall. Essentially, Iago has knowledge of Othellos
wartime behavior; towards the beginning of the play, Iago states I, of
whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other
grounds Christian and heathen. He knows that Othello will be
vulnerable in a setting of war, and only in that state will his lies have
any power in manipulating Othellos thoughts. The setting in Cyprus is
ripe for Iagos plans to come to fruition. Othello, victim of the
masterful plans Iago sets into motion, kills his beloved Desdemona and
then himself. Again, this tragedy could only have occurred in an
environment of war. The rational Othello as seen in Venice does not
seem capable of becoming a victim of Iagos lies. As Iago stated with
great determination in Act 1, Hell and night has indeed brought this
monstrous birth to the worlds light. The wartime setting at Cyprus
towards the beginning of the play sealed Othello and Desdemonas
tragic fate, as they were all but Iagos puppets on a string.