2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
Summary of "Othello" should begin with the history of the work. As you know, the plot was borrowed by Shakespeare from the book "One Hundred Tales" by Cintio Giraldi. In general, the borrowing of images and the processing of plots was characteristic of the writer. Ancient chronicles, short stories, picaresques, stories of sailors - all this provided Shakespeare with rich material, which he used to the full when creating his magical works. As for Othello itself, the summary should begin with the fact that the author calls the central character of the play the Moor. In the Middle Ages, this name in Europe denoted all immigrants from Spain and Central Africa, that is, Arabs and Berbers. The Moors were considered skilled sailors and warriors. Some researchers put forward the theory that the Italian Maurizio Otello, who commanded the Venetian troops in Cyprus, served as the main prototype of the jealous man. Little information has been preserved about him; it is only known that the non-literary Othello lost his wife under extremely mysterious circumstances - perhaps there was a murder, which he, however, successfully concealed. If you visit Cyprus today, the locals are proud tothey will show you the castle in Famagusta, in which Othello allegedly strangled his innocent wife. Perhaps you have already skimmed through the summary of Othello, then you may have a question: why did Shakespeare endow his hero with black skin? The answer is simple: the abbreviation for Maurizio's name is "Mauro", which in Italian means "Moor".
Storyline
Summary of "Othello" can fit in a few lines: the famous commander Othello meets Desdemona, a girl from a rich and noble family. Struck by his courage and enchanted by wonderful stories, the girl gives her heart to the Moor, which naturally enrages her arrogant and arrogant father. Soon a marriage is concluded, and the commander and his young wife leave for a distant garrison. There, his assistant Iago and the nobleman Rodrigo, in love with Desdemona, are already plotting: Iago inspires the Moor that Desdemona has given herself to Cassio. To give credibility to the slander, the two-faced Iago steals a handkerchief from the girl and throws it to Cassio. For the jealous Othello, this evidence becomes irrefutable proof: in a rage, he strangles the sufferer, and after the truth is revealed, he stabs himself.
Character system
Summary of "Othello" includes a description of the central characters. The first place in the tragedy is occupied by Othello - a figure, undoubtedly, a tragic one. A warrior, a hero, a loving spouse, an extremely trusting person, but terrible in anger. After committing murder, he commits suicideable to endure the pangs of conscience. His secretary Iago is a strong, unprincipled and immoral character. His devastated soul is contrasted with the character of Desdemona, a pure, naive, open, but spiritually strong girl.
Her image is accompanied by an atmosphere of doom: everything seems to hint at a tragic denouement. The death of Desdemona in this context becomes a true catharsis. Before us is a genuine drama that Shakespeare created on the basis of an old story - Othello. The summary, of course, cannot convey all the richness of the writer's language, his mastery of metaphors, his wonderful wordplay. Therefore, we advise you to still read the work in the original.
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