William Shakespare

a cura di J. Pignet e C. Aira
 
 A tragedy of jealousy, but not only. Venice has entrusted Othello, a professional soldier, with its security. But Othello is a Moor and, as a consequence, external to Venetian society.
 After marrying Desdemona, the Moor is convinced by Iago's machinations to kill his wife because of her presumed unfaithfulness.
 A tragedy of great passion in which the personality of the wicked character prevails: Iago, in fact, is one of the most complex and ambiguous figures of the shakespearean gallery of characters. 
 
 Teacher's Resources available online: Answer Key - Audioscripts - Summing-up Activities
 
 Il dramma della gelosia, ma non solo. Othello è un militare professionista su cui Venezia fa molto affidamento. È anche un Moro Africano, però, e quindi una figura estranea alla società veneziana. Dopo avere sposato Desdemona, Othello viene convinto dalle macchinazioni di Iago ad uccidere la moglie, perché ritenuta infedele.
 Tragedia di passioni dove spicca la personalità del "cattivo", Iago, una delle figure più complesse e ambigue della galleria di personaggi shakespeariani..

William Shakespeare

Chapter 1 – Resentful Hearts

Extension: Othello on the stage

Chapter 2 – My Lord, the Moor

Extension: Othello and the cinema

Chapter 3 – The Net for a Big Fly

Extension: Othello and music

Chapter 4 – A Perverse Plan

Extension: Venice and Othello on the canvas

Chapter 5 – Injecting Poison

Extension: Is the story original?

Chapter 6 – A Sacred Promise

Extension: Why Venice and Cyprus?

Chapter 7 – The Poison Works

Extension: The villain and his victims: who are they?

Chapter 8 – Richer than All His Tribe

Extension: Not only jealousy

Summing-up activities

Passages for acting

By making the Moor the centre of the drama, Shakespeare s creative genius transformed a little tale of jealousy into a tragedy and turned a vindictive, unsympathetic man, into an honest man. Just because of these qualities, Othello becomes the easy prey5 of evil6 and can t escape. The characteristics of the Moor were probably inspired by A Geographical History of Africa, a minor source by Leo Africanus, translated into English by John Pory (1600). In the chapter  The commendable actions and virtues of the Africans , the historian describes the Arabians who live on the coast of the Mediterranean as kind, devout, valiant people, patient, courteous, hospitable and honest in life and conversation; faithful observers of their religion and word; lovers of fine arts and sciences. 5. prey: preda. 6. evil: male. Othello and Desdemona (G. Sabatelli, 1834, detail). 46 

6  A Sacred Promise Chapter BEFORE READING 1 Complete the following sentences inserting one of the verbs below: rob, pretend, plant, reveal, make, steal. a. b. c. d. e. f. Iago wants to ......................................... doubts into Othello s mind. He tries to ......................................... Othello suspicious. He doesn t want to ......................................... his thoughts. The ensign ......................................... to be surprised. The thieves ......................................... a purse. Someone can ......................................... him of his good name. 2 Match the words to the pictures. fleet   handkerchief   sword   strawberry   uniform 3 What will happen in this Chapter? Choose among the alternatives below the one you think most credible. Othello: c kills Desdemona immediately. c asks Desdemona for an explanation. c speaks to Cassio. c kills Cassio. Desdemona: c confesses adultery. c does not understand what is happening. c understands what is happening and tries to remedy the situation. c accuses Iago. 47 

Tragedia di passioni e gelosia. Othello, Moro Africano, manipolato da Iago, uccide la moglie. Shakespeare esplora l'oscurità umana.

Othello Collana RAINBOWS

Level A2 • Elementary - Collana RAINBOWS

Othello

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