Can someone please help me with my work? How you respone to othello's speech and suicide?

Question

did othello deserve all this

Answer 1

Even though he was dumb to listen to Iago, you can't help but feel sorry for him. Some say that Shakespeare made him react violently, almost animalistically, to Iago's venom because he was reflecting the contemporary view that non-whites could not control their passions. Even so, Shakespeare does give him a sense of nobility that makes him more than a stereotpical violent black man. He recognises his rashness and makes amends as best he can. The last bit where he refers to killing a enemy ('i smote him thus') and kills himself, it is like he has removed himself from his baser passions, and thus regains a bit of honour.

He obviously did not 'deserve' to be saddled with a bastard like Iago, but fell victim to him through his fatal flaw (which most of Shakespeare's heroes have, e.g. hamlet's indecisiveness) - his jealousy, which he only recognises too late.

Answer 2

Othello's speech is an act of contrition for the murder of Desdemona(loved not wisely etc) before his suicide.

The irony is that Iago's target is really Cassio who got the command position that he thought he should have.

Early on Othello's good standing in Venece is established and even Iago admires him,grudgingly

Of historical interesr is that Othello was a Moor,olive brown not Negro.Paul Robeson (the American baritone) and Laurence Olivier brought the darker shades

Answer 3

Othello by William Shakespeare

http://www.elook.org/literature/shakespeare/othello/

I have found 12+ summaries for you to look at, click the link below. I have included a short extract to give you a taste of what the reviews have to offer and they’re FREE..!!!

http://www.absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/othello/othello.htm

http://litsum.com/othello/

http://www.freebooknotes.com/book.php3?id=319

http://www.antistudy.com/search.php?title=Othello

http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xOthello.html#Othello

http://www.clicknotes.com/othello/index.html

An analysis of the play by Shakespeare

http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/othello001.html

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/playanalysis/othello.html

THE ROMANTIC IAGO

http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/iago001.html

CONFLICT

Protagonist

Othello is the protagonist of the play. His fatal flaw is his jealousy, which is ignited by Iago, the villain of the play. This noble man meets with tragedy by falling prey to Iago’s temptations and believing that his wife is unfaithful to him.

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmOthello04.asp

Good luck.

Kevin, Liverpool, England.

Answer 4

sorry, can't, I'm just amazed you are studying today, well done !