A Comparison of Orlando and Othello

2501 Words6 Pages

Orlando and Othello

In her novel Orlando: A Biography, Virginia Woolf draws upon Shakespeare's Othello to both enhance the images within her novel through allusion and further Orlando's character development using juxtaposition. Spanning about 400 years, various historical eras, and gender ambiguity in the characters, Orlando is certainly not a traditional novel. Thus, it follows that its use of historical information and literature breaks from convention as well. This is true for Woolf's use of Shakespeare's Othello. While the play is drawn upon in various contexts, from character traits to plot line, Woolf carefully places her allusions such that they support her plot line at one moment while they may be inconsistent at another. This works well within her novel because as she breaks from convention by utilizing multiple timelines and shifts in gender and sex for her characters she is able to shift in her parallels from the characters in Othello to the characters of Orlando. These shifts accent the changes she is making within her characters and plot line and also force the reader to break with the long standing views of gender and "otherness" established in Shakespeare's work.

During the first half of Orlando: A Biography, Woolf clearly draws off of the play Othello. At times this is clearer than others. In both Orlando and Othello, there is little reference to Othello by name. He is referred to instead by an ethnic background--he is the Moor. One might question the certainty of the Moor representing the figure Othello in the novel Orlando. In the case of the play, it is quite obvious that Othello is being referred ...

... middle of paper ...

...his ideal of love. Orlando is jealous because of actions he observed Sasha make. While it seems that he would have more of a reason to be upset, he does not take the same magnitude of action. While is does have a long term effect on his life, he eventually moves on with his life instead of destroying it.

1 Orlando, pg. 13

2 Orlando, pg. 15 5m

3 Haines-Wright, Lisa and Kyle, Tracy L. "Fluid Sexuality in Virginia Woolf" Virginia Woolf: Texts and Contexts New York, NY: Pace University Press, 1996

4 Byles, Joan M. "The Winter's Tale, Othello and Troilus and Cressida: Narcissism and Sexual Betrayal" American Image: Studies in Psychoanalyss and Culture 36, no.1: 81

5 Byles, Joan M. "The Winter's Tale, Othello and Troilus and Cressida: Narcissism and Sexual Betrayal" American Image: Studies in Psychoanalyss and Culture 36, no.1: 83

Show More
Related

  • John And Othello: A Comparative Analysis

    1169 Words  | 3 Pages

    In America today, some states have in place the death penalty to punish the violators of society's most sacred laws. The American government may not decide who receives this punishment, but is the one who carries out the sentence. In the cases of John from Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and Othello from William Shakespeare's Othello, their deaths are a result of punishment for a wrong done. However, the government does not carry out the punishments; they are carried out by the wrongdoers themselves in the form of suicide. They have in common many situations, including their unfortunate end, in their respective stories but also share a few key differences. John and Othello share the fact that they are both physically and socially isolated from society, but they kill themselves for opposite reasons as John tries to separate from society and Othello wants to conform. Because of the way that Huxley and Shakespeare wrote the scenes leading up to their deaths, the importance of the deaths varies.

    Read More

  • Discrimination Against Women in Othello

    3073 Words  | 7 Pages

    Snyder, Susan. “Othello: A Modern Perspective.” Shakespeare: Othello. Eds. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 1993.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Othello and the Movie O

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    When Shakespeare composed the tragedy Othello televisions were not. Along with no televisions, life in the late 1500s had many different qualities than it does today. This time period had no war on drugs and no high school shootings. Peer pressure was not an issue. The audiences of Othello in the 1500s did not face the circumstances that we, American high school students, face today. With these significant differences in daily life, come the attempts of movie creators to help prevent our modern day tragedies.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Jealousy And Manipulation In Othello

    1211 Words  | 3 Pages

    The play, Othello is one of the most famous tragedies composed by William Shakespeare during the Renaissance period. It powerfully portrays a world where the acts of evil ultimately vanquishes fidelity, nobility and integrity. The central themes jealousy and manipulation embodies the foretold tragedies and the downfall tragedies of the characters due to one’s insecurities. Through the use of literary techniques and figurative language, Shakespeare has effectively explored the themes of jealousy and manipulation.

    Read More

  • The Lost Identitiy of Othello

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    When considering the identity of Othello, in Shakespeare's play Othello, it is beneficial to ponder the quote "I am not what I am.". Perhaps Othello finds his identity threatened by Desdemona's reaction to his tales. In order to understand this better, it is useful to note a quote from Pam Morris: Literature and Feminism, (Blackwell, 1993) where she discusses the resolution of the Oedipal crisis.

    Read More

  • Othello Reflects the Context and Values of its Time

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    Texts and their appropriations reflect the context and values of their times. Within Shakespeare’s Othello and Geoffrey Sax’s appropriation of Othello, the evolution of the attitudes held by Elizabethan audiences and those held by contemporary audiences can be seen through the context of the female coupled with the context of racism. The role of the female has developed from being submissive and “obedient” in the Elizabethan era to being independent and liberated within the contemporary setting. The racism of the first text is overtly xenophobic and natural, whilst the “moor” is unnatural whereas the updated context portrays Othello’s race as natural and racism as unnatural. Therefore these examples show how Shakespeare’s Othello, and it’s appropriation, Geoffrey sax’s Othello, reflect the context and values of their times.

    Read More

  • Clash of Virtues in Othello

    2302 Words  | 5 Pages

    Neely, Carol. "Women and Men in Othello" Critical Essays on Shakespeare’s Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 68-90)

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Othello

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Act three, Scene three, Desdemona agrees to speak to Othello in Cassio’s behalf) As Desdemona and Cassio discuss Cassio’s loss of rank and trust in Othello’s eyes. Iago brings to Othello’s attention the discussion taking place between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago knowing full well why the discussion is happening. Iago hints the pair seems to be spending a lot of time together. Iago plants the seed of doubt in Othello’s mind Othello begins to ponder the idea of whether Iago suspicions are true.

    Read More

  • Othello, Desdemona And Iago

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    The world is a scandalous place filled with egocentric people to who will often make choices based on personal pleasure and beneficial needs. In William Shakespeare’s play Othello, when not chosen for the higher titled position, the villain seeks revenge and manipulates others in scandalous acts to take over. Through characterization of the three main characters, Othello, Desdemona, and Iago, we realize that, lacking trust leads to a self-disrupting nature filled with betrayal, death, and suicide.

    Read More

  • Othello Analysis

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    Through studying Shakespeare’s and Cinthio’s Othello, I explored the concept of ‘The Moor’. ‘The Moor’ is a disrespectful and racist term , often used by white Europeans referring to arabs and blacks, and people of other races with relatively dark skin, such as Othello. During Shakespeare’s time, blacks are considered to be outsiders and are inferior to white people. In Cinthio’s work, it stated that moors are hot-headed as evident in this quote ‘you moors are of so hot a nature that every little trifle moves you to anger and revenge’ which is evident that moors are hot-headed. In scene 1 of the play, Iago told Desdemona father that his daughter was robbed by a thief, Iago uses metaphor to describes Othello as a “black ram”. Desdemona’s father was shocked that his daughter will fall in love with a black man. He believed that Othello must have use some magic to make his daughter fall in love with him; as there is social class difference at that time and it is unimaginable that a white woman will love a black men.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    The character of Troilus before Shakespeare’s play can be seen as a perfect archetype for the tragic romantic. His love is fated by the gods from the beginning. The romance and relationship with Cressida is elevated to that of a noble crusade. Then as if Sophocles himself dictated the events we see the achievement, conflict and eventual downfall. As with many of Shakespeare’s works we see that tradition and myth are great platforms for satire and irony. The noble and honorable Troilus approaches Cressida and instead of tragic hero we meet comedic melodramatic. The epic expressions of devotion and intent are drawn out to the point of ridicule and hyperbole. Although they may see inline with the Roman and Greek traditions of tragedy at first, the addition of flat and even openly sarcastic responses from Cressida cause the reader to question whether Troilus is noble and devoted in his actions or obsessive and pathetic. Where there was fate and honor we now see neurosis and narcissism. Dialogue from traditional tales such as:

    Read More

  • Othello's Tragic Flaw

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    Of Shakespeare’s five greatest tragedies, Othello is by far the most passionate and gripping. It is a tale of love, deception, evil, honesty, and virtue. Othello himself is set apart from other Shakespearean tragic heroes by the absolute feeling of affection the audience feels for him even unto the very end of the play. Any discerning reader painfully recognizes the virtue and goodness of Othello throughout the entire play, in contrast to the general degeneration of character so typical of a tragic hero. It is this complete pity that makes the death of Othello so tragic as the audience lends their full hopeful support until the inevitable and unavoidable fall. The evil side of Othello’s tragic flaw came from without, in the form of Iago. The internal flaw exists only in his heartrendingly unshakable goodness and honor.

    Read More

  • Racism and Interracial Marriage in Othello

    3668 Words  | 8 Pages

    Given, Welker. A Further Study of the Othello: Have we misunderstood Shakespeare's Moor?. The Shakespeare Press. New York, 1899.

    Read More

  • A Play of Love Turned Bad: Shakespeare's Othello

    1534 Words  | 4 Pages

    Shakespeare’s famous play Othello is a play of love that has turned bad by the unfounded jealousy of the protagonist character Othello. Arguably the contribution of Othello’s susceptibility to manipulation, his weaknesses and the manipulation of other characters tactics such as Iago each contribute to the downfall of Othello. However, to the extent of which each is more significant varies and this is what will be analysed in this essay.

    Read More

  • Female Betrayal in The Winter's Tale compared to Iago in Othello

    673 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Winter’s Tale and Othello, both by William Shakespeare, contain fantasies of female betrayal. In both play’s these fantasies are aggregated by something, be it Iago in Othello or Hermione’s pregnancy in The Winter’s Tale. Iago confronts Othello in act 3.3, eluding to his wife’s betrayal. Both Othello and Leontes have a seemingly sudden onset of jealousy. However, Othello’s jealousy forms later in the play than Leontes’. This is important when comparing the two because there are acts of the play showing Othello’s nature and character which do not point towards jealousy or concern for his wife’s conduct.

    Read More

More about A Comparison of Orlando and Othello

Open Document