William Shakespeares Othello The Bard William Shakespeare was

William Shakespeare’s Othello

The Bard William Shakespeare was born in April 1564 in England Established himself professionally by the early 1590 s in theater world of London Became a playwright, an actor, and shareholder in an acting company, The King’s Men In 1599, his company built the Globe—the most famous theater in England Died in 1616

Cool Facts • During his life, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets! • He is considered the greatest playwright in the English language. • He invented over 1700 of our common words.

Words Shakespeare Invented deafening discontent dishearten drugged • dwindle equivocal elbow excitement • exposure eyeball fashionable fixture flawed • frugal generous gloomy gossip green-eyed • gust hint hobnob hurried impede • impartial invulnerable jaded label lackluster • laughable lonely lower luggage lustrous • madcap majestic marketable metamorphize mimic • monumental moonbeam mountaineer negotiate noiseless • obscene obsequiously ode olympian outbreak • panders pedant premeditated puking radiance • rant remorseless savagery swagger scuffle secure • skim milk submerge summit swagger torture • tranquil undress unreal varied vaulting •

Setting Othello takes place in Venice (in northern Italy) and Cyprus (an island in the eastern Mediterranean about forty miles south of present-day Turkey). The time is between 1489 and 1571.

Historical Context Othello takes place during the wars between Venice and Turkey that raged in the latter part of the sixteenth century.

Tragic Hero Othello: • General of the armies of Venice • Discriminated against because his is a foreigner and because he is black • The word Moor refers to inhabitants of North Africa, but the term was sometimes applied to Africans from other regions.

Central Conflicts • Roderigo wants to marry Desdemona • Othello has secretly married Desdemona instead • Iago pretends to be Othello’s friend yet actually despises him because he was passed over for a military promotion • Iago is determined to get his revenge by manipulating Othello’s one weakness…Desdemona

Anticipation Guide 1. Never judge a person by the color of their skin. 2. Jealousy is a healthy emotion and illustrates love for the other person. 3. Always trust those whom you call friend. 4. Do whatever you have to do to obtain what you want. 5. Personal insecurities often cause us to believe what is not true. 6. Even today, many frown upon interracial marriages. 7. Hatred always has a cause. 8. Weak-minded individuals are always susceptible to manipulation by others. 9. No matter how much a person promises physical and emotion fidelity, there is always doubt in a relationship. 10. A man’s reputation depends upon his dependability and strength of character.

Central Question • Will Othello be able to see through Iago’s schemes or will jealousy and revenge have disastrous results?

Background Quiz 1. Why were women naturally distrusted? 2. How were black foreigners viewed during this time period? 3. Why was it dangerous for children of noble birth to marry without their parent’s approval? 4. A person’s status directed how they watched the play. Explain how Commoners, Gentry, and the rich Nobles were allowed to view the popular plays. 5. Explain how the English defined honor. 6. Give two facts about Shakespeare. 7. What is the central conflict of “Othello? ”