A single action, at the beginning of the play or even before the play starts, often sets the stage for almost all actions in the future is called antecedent action. The antecedent action is everything that happened before the story begins. It is used to provide background or meaning behind what happens during the story. The antecedent action is considered part of the exposition of the story's plot. The exposition is everything that the audience needs to know to understand a story or play. We are going to discuss the beginning action in the play Othello, Oedipus and dolls house.
A single action, at the beginning of the play “Othello” by William Shakespeare that sets the stage for upcoming action in the pay is Act I: Scene 1 of Othello opens with conversation between Iago and Roderigo that catches audience interest. Audience realizes that Iago is trying to persuade Roderigo to take part in a plan to destroy Othello. The exposition in this scene Sheds light on Iago's basic character, which is treacherous, vindictive, and manipulative and unveils the primary conflict of t...
the opening scene of the play, as the readers later found out that he had
This paper contains 237 words of teacher’s comments. What one perceives is influenced by one’s environment. The setting and commentary surrounding events changes our perception of them. Any innocent gesture can be perceived in the wrong way with enough persuading from someone else. Even if someone has total faith in another person's innocence, they can be persuaded to doubt them through the twisting of events. Once just a small amount of doubt has been planted, it influences the way everything else is seen. This occurs throughout the play, Othello. In this play, Iago influences Othello's perception of events through speeches and lies, making him doubt Desdemona's fidelity. Iago uses his talent of manipulating events to exact his revenge on Othello. Iago's twisting of events in Othello's mind leads to the downfall of Othello as planned, but because he fails to twist Emilia's perception as well, he facilitates his own eventual downfall.
Othello, a play written by William Shakespeare in approximately 1603, focuses on two opposite characters named Othello and Iago. Othello is a respectable army general who tragically dies in the end. The readers believe that his flaw is jealousy, which ruins his calm and makes him believe Iago, a character nobody should trust. The antagonist of the play, Iago, is a cunning liar who lies and tricks almost every other characters in the play to ruin and manipulate Othello. The play starts on the street of Venice where Iago convinces Roderigo to plot against Othello by planning falsely accuse Othello’s wife, Desdemona, of cheating. Interestingly, another specific detail critics usually look at is that Shakespeare choose to make the character of Othello a dark-skinned man, which was not a common feature a hero should have during the Elizabethan. Some of the common themes in Othello are the role of race and racism, the effects of jealousy, and the differences between genders during the Elizabethan.
In the Shakespearean tragedy Othello the number and description of themes is open to discussion. With the help of literary critics, we can analyze this subject in detail.
The Delay of Othello's Entrance in Act 1 of William Shakespeare's Othello In this piece of coursework I will be looking at the reasons why Shakespeare delayed Othello's entrance until Scene 2 of Act 1 in the play. I will also look at points such as the audience's perception of Iago, and our views of Othello before and after his entrance. I will also talk about the historical, social and cultural contexts and I will look at critical opinions, authorial intentions and language analysis. Othello is set in the early 17th Century when Shakespeare (the playwright) was in his middle ages.
In the first scene we are thrown right into the action with the argument between Iago and Roderigo. This first argument shows us how Iago is cunning and sly because he has already manipulated a weak Roderigo into paying him for something he hasn't even done yet. Roderigo who is obviously weak and simple has asked Iago to help him woo Desdemona in exchange for money, he thinks Iago has not done this because Desdemona is now at this moment marrying the moor. Yet Iago manages to convince Roderigo of his sheer hatred for Othello and swindle him out of his money. As he later exerts in his soliloquy at the end of Act I.3 ' thus do I ever make my fool my purse' this shows his attitude to Roderigo he is just money for Iago a pawn in his plan. This attitude shows how to a certain extent Iago primes the character he will use later in his plan showing a consistent strategy, he knows he can use Roderigo in the future so keeps him on his side instead of being rude and sharp with him. You can see that Iago finds Roderigo tedious but keeps him a friend for his money and possible use in the future.
With Roderigo, someone he commands control over, Iago employs pathos, allowing his plan to appeal to Roderigo’s sensitive emotions about Othello. Roderigo and Iago discuss about how each of them despise Othello when Iago says, “If ever I did dream of such a matter, / Abhor me” using pathos to confirm his hatred towards the General (1.2. 5-6). The play commences with Iago employing direct rhetoric and partnering up with Roderigo to enhance a sense of comradery. Harsh language such as “Abhor me”, exemplifies the hateful emotions Iago feels toward Othello as well as enhances the emotions Iago wants to appeal to in Roderigo (1.2. 6). Affecting Roderigo more influentially, Iago uses deeper, more personal pathos, by highlighting the seemingly good qualities in Roderigo. Iago contrasts Roderigo to Othello pointing out, “Let not they discreet heart think it…manners and beauties: all which the/ Moor is defective in” (2.1. 215, 219-220). Firstly, Iago weighs Roderigo’s positive qualities against Othello’s negatives ones, convincing Roderigo to feel more confident with Iago and following along with his scheme. Secondly, Iago alters this rhetoric to include Roderigo’s love interest, Desdemona. By exemplifying a more personal and sensitive side when talking about “manners and beauties”, Iago can create a bigger impact in
thine. The audience is already taken by surprise as Othello, the protagonist. who they are expecting to see is not on stage. This dramatic device used by Shakespeare shocks the audience, creating intrigue to see when. he will appear in the future.
to a scene, to foreshadow certain events in a play or even to give us
The first scene of a play usually sets up the basic themes and situations that the remainder will work with. In Shakespeare’s play King Lear, the very first scene presents many of the play's basic themes and images. The recurrent imagery of human senses and of "nothing," the distortion of familial and social ties, the gradual dissolution of Lear's kingship, all make their first appearances in the first lines of Shakespeare's play.
In this essay I would like to explain how William Shakespeare makes the change in Othello so dramatic for the audience in Act 3 Scene 3 of the play, but before I go in detail I would like to go over the main points in the play for you. So, basically what happens is that there is a tragic downfall of a ‘black Venetian general’ Othello who was a ‘confident’ and ‘strong’ person but because he chose Cassio as his lieutenant, Iago gets really ‘jealous’ because he thought he deserved that title more than Cassio and he really wanted that title. Iago then cleverly plans to ‘destroy’ Othello and Cassio as Iago is known as a ‘friendly’ person his plan might be easier but there is one person only who is Roderigo who knows about the real Iago but Iago doesn’t have to be worried because Roderigo is stupid and can be fooled easily. Roderigo knows because he likes Desdemona but she doesn’t know that, she loves Othello and they married in secret with only Cassio knowing about their secret marriage and Iago fools Roderigo to give money saying that Desdemona would be his. Iago and Roderigo actually see them marrying each other. This is where Iago gets his good opportunity to destroy both Cassio and Othello. After we see that Iago tells Roderigo to tell Desdemona’s father Brobantio that Othello and Desdemona are getting married and Brobantio is in rage to kill Othello but he manages to convince not only Brobantio but the Duke as well. Othello is then told to go to Cyprus to fight Turkey and Desdemona asks permission from the Duke if she can go as well and her permission is granted. This is where Iago creates misunderstanding between Othello, Cassio and Desdemona by making Othello think that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair, Desdemona forcin...
Despite the negative foregrounding of Othello’s character by Iago, our first impressions of Othello in Act 1 are of a noble and well-spoken man, his nobility is conveyed through his speech ‘most potent grave and reverend signiors’(1.3.76) to his future father-in-law Brabantio of Othello’s love for his daughter Desdemona in Act 1 Scene 3. This is a very different character to what we expect from Iago’s preparation for the introduction of Othello. Where we are expecting an angry and possibly violent character, we instead are met with something completely surprising, a quiet and calm man who dismisses Roderigo’s insult and even avoids the prospect of a conflict.
There are many reasons why we study William Shakespeare’s plays today. There is the insight into human nature that he knows well, allusions to old mythology and legends, and others. However, one reason stands out above the rest: his power of language. Also, this power of language is clearly shown in his play, Othello, through Iago, the antagonist of the play. Iago, who is an ensign of Othello, is furious that he was not given the promotion of lieutenancy.
The play begins with a conversation between Roderigo and Iago. The opening lines are significant in that they set the tone and initiate the plot. Roderigo’s thematic purpose is portrayed through Iago’s manipulation in the lines, “Tush, never tell me! I take it much unkindly/ That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse/ As if the strings were thine shouldst know of this.” (1.1.1-3). Roderigo learns about the elopement of the Moor and Desdemona. He questions Iago in pursuit of the money he has given him in order to woo Desdemona. These lines show that even before the play begins Iago greatly influences Roderigo. The relationship and trust the two characters have is made apparent through the first lines. Iago takes enjoyment in influencing people, as seen through his first soliloquy:
The tragedy “Othello” is written by William Shakespeare in 1604. The story is based on revenge of two characters, Othello and Iago. Othello, the play’s protagonist and hero, who has great reputation as one of Venice’s most competent generals. However, his jealousy causes the major tragedy in his life. This tragedy is brought by a simple manipulation of Iago, the villain of the play. The jealousy led Othello to a path of constant questioning to his wife, and his friend Cassio. Throughout the play, he sinks deeper and deeper into his doubt and eventually that causes him to kill not only the love of his life, but also himself.