A view of family violence as an act of male entitlement, reflective of social beliefs of women as property, removes the tragic glory from Othello’s suicide. 361) when he knew immediately to ‘smote him thus’, as he was certain of his enemy, but in this case, doubt has impaired his vision and he is unsure who to trust: his new wife or ‘honest Iago’. The commission reports strangulation as a common method used by male perpetrators to kill female victims. "We wanted to make it clear Othello is a pathetic figure, not an honorable man.". A modern view of family violence leaves Othello as nothing but a killer acting out the narrative of gendered violence of the 16th century Venetian society presented by Shakespeare. Othello does not "act" like a stereotypical "moor" or black man of Shakespeare's times. Iago’s abuse of his wife Emilia, for instance, is not commented on or apparently even noticed by the other characters. However, once he makes a decision, he is again the military man, decisive in action. Societal beliefs also affect victims’ perceptions of the criminality of such actions. Ray Chong Nee, who plays Othello in the upcoming Bell Shakespeare production, wants the conversation to turn to something he believes is more urgent: domestic violence. Othello opens at the Sydney Opera House on October 27. Othello's insecurities are so close to the surface that a few words of hint and innuendo from Iago can tear the confident exterior and expose his fears, desires, and tendency to violence. He does this through a series of suggestions and hesitations that entice and implant images into Othello's head that lead him to his own demise. "I can't describe how awful it feels sometimes," says Chong Nee. Othello had to … When Othello lost his love, his life turned to chaos. Lecture on Othello - Othello's Jealousy. According to Aristotle’s Poetics, a classical tragic hero should be renowned and prosperous, superior in some specific way, so that the reversal of fortunes or downfall, stirs up feelings within the audience of a greater intensity. Does Shakespeare’s play suggests that Othello’s gullibility, irrational jealousy, and murderous violence stem from the fact that his ethnicity differs from everyone else in the drama? Working with fight choreographer Nigel Poulton, Chong Nee and Elizabeth Nabben (Desdemona) created a scene that graphically depicts a woman being killed by her intimate partner. “Othello himself is deluding himself by constructing an image for him to be remembered as, with an inescapable conflict between self-deception and self-awareness, which is evidence of his incapacity to love “well. Othello’s own latent insecurity makes him fall prey to Jealousy. He basically calls her a ‘whore’ and Othello later does so as well. At that point, Iago realized that his plan worked perfectly and that he had Othello in his grips. Othello had to … He turns to his general and fawns over his master's distress, noting that Othello is "eaten up with passion" (391). At that point, Iago realized that his plan worked perfectly and that he had Othello in his grips. Gender equality, it noted, will also reduce family violence: Intimate partner violence is likely to be higher when women lack autonomy and men dominate decision-making in public life, as well as in families and relationships. From Shakespearean Tragedy by A. C. Bradley. Factors shaping it include gender inequality and community attitudes towards women: Stereotypes about men and women are reinforced through practices such as social tolerance of discrimination and the idea that violence against women is sometimes justified by women’s behaviour – for example, if a woman has sex with another man. Jealousy runs the characters’ lives in Othellofrom the beginning of the play, when Roderigo is envi-ous of Othello because he … We always take a second before we bow to check in with each other. Othello cannot stand uncertainty; it drives him to destroy his sanity. A view of family violence as an act of male entitlement, reflective of social beliefs of women as property, removes the tragic glory from Othello’s suicide. At the end of Othello – after the deaths of Desdemona, Othello and Emilia – Lodovico describes the tragedy as the result of Iago’s villainy and Othello’s failings, rather than due to societal attitudes towards women, or systemic violence. No honour here ... Ray Chong Nee (Othello) and Elizabeth Nabben (Desdemona). …you’re robbed. She accepts his abuse as “my wretched fortune” asking, “What shall I do to win my lord again?”. The tragic sequence of events is triggered by the elopement of Othello and Desdemona. In his essay, ‘Shakespeare and the Ethnic Question’, Sukanta Chaudhuri notes that ‘Othello’s jealousy bears a singular violence or aggression that, in performance, almost compulsively assimilates itself to his Moorish features.’ 10 Faced with ‘the real thing’, critics … Bell Shakespeare’s production of Othello is touring Australia until December 2016. Desdemona herself adopts the narrative of being the property of others, saying she has preserved her body for Othello “from any other unlawful touch”. When Brabantio and Othello arrive, the duke insists on evidence to support the old man’s charge that Othello has bewitched Desdemona. Killing Desdemona: the domestic violence in Othello. 2. When she discovers it was Desdemona's handkerchief which served as the primary evidence in convincing Othello of his wife's alleged affair, she knows her husband Iago is at the bottom of it. Othello and Race . Thus, those straight connections help people to easily feel the violence acts in the play. For a 21st century audience informed by the findings of the Royal Commission, the pathos of the play comes from how unnecessary and preventable – yet inevitable within the story – are the deaths. We didn't want that. Traditionally, she is meant to lie down and be sacrificed. This also means it has been incorporated into the Dramatica Story Expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example. In the Shakespeare play, Iago, when describing Desdemona’s secret marriage to Othello to her father Brabantio, characterises it as an act of theft. The bestial images that Iago conjures up reek of base sexuality, for now Iago no longer needs to rely on innuendo. Othello and King Shahrayar, from The Arabian Nights, are very similar in their brash decisions.The King was cheated on by his wife and as a result he killed his wife and many wives after that. Shakespeare’s use of cosmic imagery when Othello swears illustrates the magnitude of Othello’s resentment at his own hesitation, as his judgement is usually impulsive, as in Aleppo, (5. I am fighting for my life. There should be no honour in it, Evans believes. Folger Shakespeare Library, via Wikimedia Commons, Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence. In the first scene of the play, Iago expresses his frustration that Othello granted Cassio a promotion. Othello and Race . Nor his claim to be “an honourable murderer… For naught did I in haste, but all in honour.”. Save. ’ To what extent is Othello’s own character the cause of his downfall? At Othello’s suggestion, the duke sends for Desdemona. No honour here ... Ray Chong Nee (Othello) and Elizabeth Nabben (Desdemona). Othello then plans to murder Desdemona and Cassio. Log in, register or subscribe to save articles for later. Venetian society is barely aware of male violence towards women. However, Othello’s faith in Desdemona also opens the door for Iago to give Othello seeming “proof” of Desdemona’s infidelity. He makes increasingly violent threats to harm and kill Desdemona. Othello was one of very few black men in Venice and Desdemona was a very young and very beautiful white woman. Othello then plans to murder Desdemona and Cassio. The character of Othello is comparatively simple, but, as I have dwelt on the prominence of intrigue and accident in the play, it is desirable to show how essentially the success of Iago's plot is connected with this character. Cassio, who has always given loyal and responsible service to his general Othello gets hatred and violence in return; but silly Othello rewards the terribly evil lago with love and trust in return to his betrayal. Othello’s tragic fate is tied directly to his overblown pride and his unwillingness to see the actual truth, only the truth he believes in. Othello Analysis . On subsequently learning there had been no affair, he kills himself. Othello believed that his wife cheated on him and as a result he kills his wife as shown by Othello when he says “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men” (5.2.6). Othello’s Lamentation (1857), by William Salter. The National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line –1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. ... Iago gets Othello suspicious and he can't tell him right away he won't have evidence to back his suspicions and needs the plan to develop more. “Haply for I am black, And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have…” (Othello, Act 3 Scene 3, Line 267) When Othello lost his love, his life turned to chaos. Credit:Daniel Boud. Many of Othello's insecurities are derived from his race and from the perception that he is lowlier than his wife. ", The actors and crew are supporting each other through the inevitable emotional side-effects of playing such a scene. Thus, through watching Othello, audiences can more clearly identify the importance of domestic violence in everyday life. ", Later, Othello is adamant the murder of Desdemona amounts to an honour killing: "An honourable murderer, if you will; For nought I did in hate, but all in honour.". Before she dies Emilia asks her “O, who hath done this deed?”; Desdemona replies, “Nobody; I myself.” And indeed, one victim told the Commission: I didn’t have a language to describe what was wrong in my relationship. Copyright © 2010–2020, The Conversation US, Inc. Othello and Desdemona by Alexandre Marie Colin. 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