Well first off, Othello is just a play about conspiracy and one puppet master creating a event. Iago. Because of soliloquies and aside comments, only the members of the audience really understand all the facts and see the big picture.
We say things like: "No you are wrong!" "You got it all wrong! You were tricked" "Don't do it! It is a bad idea!"
I believe information that the audience members know that other characters don't is called dramatic irony. Shakespeare did an excellent job using this technique, I can imagine audiences at The Globe yelling at the actors what would really happen. It really keeps the tension on edge!
Another literary technique that Shakespeare makes good use of is similes and metaphors. He commonly describes simple things using complex references. Although it makes the play sound elegant and look beautiful on paper, hearing it with an untrained ear is frustrating. I noticed that Shakespearean actors tend to speak quickly. It is hard enough to decipher meaning, adding speed does not help. Although from my experience with Shakespeare, once the play is understood, listening is all the more fun.
Comment on Harrison's Blog:
The evolution of ideas and concepts in a story really makes it special. It shows that characters change, and the author knew how to make those changes clear. I like the way you showed the handkerchief as a symbol of love and jealousy. Beginning, end. I could go on for a bit with those relations...
That is an interesting viewpoint. Certainly if we understand the play, it would be more benefitial. The use of metaphors is indeed well crafted by Shakespeare, if one understands the meaning of it.
ReplyDelete-Ross S.