Author: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Written: c 1604
Editors: Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen
Publisher: Modern Library (2009 Edition)
Bought from: Book Depository
Introduction
This is one of Shakespeare’s most well known tragedies. Shakespeare wrote some of his best lines for the antagonist Iago and the protagonist Othello. Some of these gems have entered our modern English usage, eg. “making the beast with two backs” (1.1.125), “green-eyed monster” (3.3.188).
What is it about?
The story is simple and unfolds itself in a straight line. Othello is a general in the Venetian forces. He marries the beautiful Desdemona. Iago causes Othello to suspect Desdemona of adultery with Cassio. Othello kills her and then commits suicide when he learns the truth.
Themes
Iago dominates the play. He has more lines than Othello. He and Richard III are Shakespeare’s most delicious villains. The play is driven by his two objectives - destroy Othello and Cassio. Machiavellian is probably the best way to describe how he goes about doing this.
To do this, he manipulates just about every single one of the main characters, namely Othello himself, Cassio, Rodrigo, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca. He uses only his mental faculty to get his victims to do his bidding and he does not do anything physical until he actually kills Rodrigo (5.1). He is quick to find opportunities to lay his trap. He compares himself to a spider who is able to ensnare a “great” prey with a “little” web (2.1179-180).
So, why does Iago hate Othello so much? Iago refers to the rumours that Othello may have slept with his wife Emilia (1.3.395-396, again 2.1.300-301). Iago may also be nothing more than a bigot, hating Othello simply because he is a Moor - Iago drips racism when he refers to Othello in his asides and soliloquies. At the climax of the play, a dying Othello asks Iago to explain why he has it in for him. Iago replies, in his very last lines:
“Demand me nothing: what you know, you know:
From this time forth I never will speak word.”
(5.2.341-342)
And why does he hate Cassio so much? He suspects Cassio may also have slept with Emilia (2.1.312). But perhaps more concretely, Iago appears to be envious of Cassio because Cassio is appointed by Othello as his lieutenant, a job for which Iago thinks he is the better candidate (1.1.8-33). Iago also appears to be envious that Cassio “hath a daily beauty in his life / That makes me ugly” (5.1.19-20)
What makes Iago the consummate villain is his ability to hide his plotting behind his facade as “honest Iago”. He milks his reputation for all its worth. When Cassio laments the harm to his own reputation, Iago lectures him:
“As I am an honest man, I had thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more sense in that than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition: oft got without merit and lost without deserving: you have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser.”
(2.3.259-264)
Later, he tells Othello:
“Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls,
Who steals my purse steals trash, ’tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands:
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which does not enrich him
And makes me poor indeed.”
(3.3.176-182)
What about the book?
To do this, he manipulates just about every single one of the main characters, namely Othello himself, Cassio, Rodrigo, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca. He uses only his mental faculty to get his victims to do his bidding and he does not do anything physical until he actually kills Rodrigo (5.1). He is quick to find opportunities to lay his trap. He compares himself to a spider who is able to ensnare a “great” prey with a “little” web (2.1179-180).
So, why does Iago hate Othello so much? Iago refers to the rumours that Othello may have slept with his wife Emilia (1.3.395-396, again 2.1.300-301). Iago may also be nothing more than a bigot, hating Othello simply because he is a Moor - Iago drips racism when he refers to Othello in his asides and soliloquies. At the climax of the play, a dying Othello asks Iago to explain why he has it in for him. Iago replies, in his very last lines:
“Demand me nothing: what you know, you know:
From this time forth I never will speak word.”
(5.2.341-342)
And why does he hate Cassio so much? He suspects Cassio may also have slept with Emilia (2.1.312). But perhaps more concretely, Iago appears to be envious of Cassio because Cassio is appointed by Othello as his lieutenant, a job for which Iago thinks he is the better candidate (1.1.8-33). Iago also appears to be envious that Cassio “hath a daily beauty in his life / That makes me ugly” (5.1.19-20)
What makes Iago the consummate villain is his ability to hide his plotting behind his facade as “honest Iago”. He milks his reputation for all its worth. When Cassio laments the harm to his own reputation, Iago lectures him:
“As I am an honest man, I had thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more sense in that than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition: oft got without merit and lost without deserving: you have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser.”
(2.3.259-264)
Later, he tells Othello:
“Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls,
Who steals my purse steals trash, ’tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands:
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which does not enrich him
And makes me poor indeed.”
(3.3.176-182)
What about the book?
Each of the books in the RSC Shakespeare series published by The Modern Library comes with very informative footnotes, helpful scene-by-scene analysis and, best of all, commentary on past and current productions that comes with interviews with leading directors and actor. The books are also very reasonably priced. Best of all, the introductions are not overly long and focus on a few talking points for each play. The paper quality is not particularly good though. Also, the covers are not very attractive.
Finally ...
My top 5 Shakespeare tragedies:
1. Hamlet
2. Romeo and Juliet
3. Macbeth
4. Othello
5. King Lear
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