Concetti Chiave
- The play "Othello" unfolds in one night, starting in Venice with Othello's secret marriage to Desdemona and moving to Cyprus, where jealousy leads to tragedy.
- Based on a tale by Giraldi Cinzio, Shakespeare's Othello is portrayed with dignity, contrasting the original Italian character.
- Shakespeare uses Venice to symbolize immorality, reflecting Elizabethan views of the city and its easily-jealous men.
- The main theme is jealousy, driving the plot and contrasting characters like the noble Othello and the deceitful Iago.
- Othello is noted for its perfect construction, showcasing Shakespeare's mastery of various dramatic speeches and language styles.
Indice
La trama di Othello
Othello lasts only one night. It starts in Venice, where Othello secretly marries the daughter of a nobleman (Desdemona). Together they go to explore Cyprus. Here, Iago tells his plan to separate the two lovers, indeed he succeeds in making Othello believe Desdemona really loves Cassio. Then, because of his jealousy, Othello kills Iago's wife, and kills Desdemona. Only later he discovers Iago's plan, so he decides to kill himself while Iago is imprisoned and Cassio becomes the Governor of Cyprus.
Differenze tra Cinzio e Shakespeare
Othello is based on a jealousy story written by the writer Giraldi Cinzio, but is different because the Italian Othello is a man without dignity, while Shakespeare's Othello has many qualities. Italy, and in particular Venice, was considered by Elizabethans as immoral, so Venice was chosen when people wanted to represent immorality with its easily-jealous men and beautiful women.
Caratterizzazione dei personaggi
Othello is a good man, he believes in real values and feels true emotions. On the contrary, Iago is a false person, a villain who plots to express is power, a loser who invents false emotions. Desdemona is presented as a simple object of desire and jealousy. Her love for Othello is so sincere that she lets herself be guided from his lover. She's described by Iago with his vulgar remarks and by Othello with his praises about her beauty and innocence.
Temi principali dell'opera
The jealousy is the main theme, it moves the whole play. Another theme is that of the opposition: Othello and Desdemona's love that triumphs over cultural differences and Othello's ingenuity, but also for the contrast between Othello and Iago, two opposite poles.
This play is the most perfectly constructed of all Shakespeare's tragedies. He uses four different kinds of dramatic speech (lyric poetry, rhyme, blank verse and prose) and two different styles of language.
Domande da interrogazione
- Qual è la differenza principale tra l'Othello di Cinzio e quello di Shakespeare?
- Quali sono i temi principali dell'opera "Othello"?
- Come viene caratterizzato il personaggio di Desdemona nell'opera?
L'Othello di Cinzio è un uomo senza dignità, mentre l'Othello di Shakespeare possiede molte qualità, rendendo la sua caratterizzazione più complessa e nobile.
I temi principali sono la gelosia, che muove l'intera trama, e l'opposizione tra amore e inganno, rappresentata dal contrasto tra Othello e Iago.
Desdemona è presentata come un semplice oggetto di desiderio e gelosia, con un amore sincero per Othello, descritto sia con le lodi di Othello che con i commenti volgari di Iago.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
