Class notes
Othello Wider Reading Notes
- Course
- Institution
Just some notes I made about other Shakespearean tragedies and the links they form with Othello. This is useful for intertextuality when writing an essay.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
chocolatedaisy03
Reviews received
Content preview
Wider Reading (Intertextuality)Hamlet
Hubris: Excessive pride
Hamartia: Procrastination
Peripeteia: Hamlet’s decision not to kill Claudius when he is praying
Anagnorisis: Hamlet’s point of recognition is when he sets up the mousetrap play. In the
play within the play, Hamlet has someone to murder the King, Gonzago, who then marries
his wife after doing so. After this, Claudius rises and leaves the room
Catharsis: This is when Hamlet engages in a sword fight with Laertes
Setting: Elsinore’s Castle, Denmark
Tragic Hero: 1. Like Othello, Hamlet is driven to madness as a result of the hamartia he
possesses and this fatal flaw eventually leads to his demise.
2. Hamlet is also presented as an outsider like Othello, as a result of the murder of his father
and the reign of new King, his uncle, Claudius
Tragic Villain: 1. Like Iago, Claudius is power hungry and keen to over-reach his position in
society.
2. Unlike Iago, Claudius dies at the end of the play, in order for the natural order to
restored, ensuring the catharsis takes place.
3. Claudius, like Iago, manipulates Hamlet just like Iago manipulates Othello. However, as
the play progresses, Hamlet begins to counter-manipulate Claudius, but Iago manipulates
Othello to the very end of the play.
The conflict of the play seems to stem from the upset and negative emotions Hamlet
experiences as a result of learning that his Uncle Claudius, poisoned his father in
order to become the King.
Upholds the tradition of the Jacobean tragedy. Hamlet is a revenge tragedy
Macbeth
Hubris: Excessive Pride
Hamartia: His fatal flaw is his ‘o’er leaping ambition’.
Peripeteia: This is evident is when Macbeth commits regicide, killing King Duncan
Anagnorisis: Macbeth realises the error of his ways immediately after he kills the King. He
refuses to go back into Duncan’s chamber and smear the blood over his body.
Catharsis: The sword fight of Macbeth and Macduff at the end demonstrates the cleansing
and restoration of order. Macbeth dies at the end to achieve redemption for his sins and
gain a noble death as the eponymous Aristotelian tragic hero of the play.
Setting: Scotland
Tragic Hero: 1. Lady Macbeth confronts Macbeth making him unable to cope with tragic
situations and provoking Macbeth and his journey as the tragic hero.
2. The allusion to the death of Macbeth’s child seems to elicit a sympathetic response from
the audience causing the contemporary audience to pity Macbeth.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller chocolatedaisy03. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.98. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
79271 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now