Comparison Between the Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice and Hamlet Essay

In Elizabethan and Jacobean society, people depended on surprises in highly theatrical entertainment. The playho social occasions hosted popular theatre performances without stage-sets or props. conflicting todays modern theatre, the simple stage allowed for swift, fluid work on and a concentration on linguistic communication. The Jacobean stage would cede bought the colours of language to life. For example, A evil figure like Iago would use exaggerated linguistic communication and gestures to stress his strong feeling of antagonism towards Othello. equivalentwise, a melancholic juncture would experiment with talking to in an overstated mien (to show his conflicted state of mind).The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice ( cause I, outlook I) and hamlet (Act III, Scene IIII) directs the plays to there catastrophic endings. However, the language portrays the relationship among char travelers in dis resembling ways. In Othello, Iago exploits the power of language to gar ble his family and friends and make them puppets for his retaliate plan. In crossroads, the relationship is also one without devote, but it is presented in a quiet deceitful way. The protagonist feels his private life being usurped by spies Claudio and Polonius.Act I, Scene I of Othello is striking for todays earreach, and the contemporary earshot of the time, since it is a traped in coarse animate beingistic imagery. Iago uses crude language as a persuasive approach. He understands that Brabanzio embodies a Eurocentric view, so he speaks in offensive terms in order to tempt Brabanzio to believe his words. disparaging call downences such(prenominal) as old black ram, coursers for cousins and jennets evoke a strong brain of hate and prejudice. Metaphorical expressions like coursers and jennets completely dehumanise Othello.They atomic number 18 also a reminder of the social stage setting, since Othello would fetch been play by a white actor in the Jacobean period. Iagos language is concentrated on the colour of Othellos skin he describes him as a black ram that exit breed a generation of horses because of his black skin colour and African heritage. The Jacobean earreach would have understood how Iagos poisonous slanders are targeted towards the Moor, (because of racial differences). Therefore the reference may have shared a similar view on black Africans in Jacobean society. Iago expresses the stark contrasts between the colours black and white.In Shakespeares day, blackness was in the first place associated with witchcraft and voodoo period a white ewe would be interpretive program of goodness and purity. Rather ironically Iago embodies these racial stereotypes he does not refer to Othello by his name but as the Moor. This extracts how Iago exploits Brabanzios paternal love and vulnerability. He is aware that Brabanzio finds it abominable that his daughter can be snatched away in the hands of the Moor. Consequently, he abuses the use of a nimal imagery and the conventional colours (black and white) to produce a desirable retort.Like Queen Gertrude who passionately cries thou hast cleft my shopping center in twain Brabanzio is also locomote by Iagos deadly words. Powerful images such as tupping your white ewe are highly knowledgeable they therefore have the capacity to cause an explosive reaction. Brabanzio panics frantically, This incident is not unlike my dream belief of it oppresses me already. The other characters reactions are implicative of the inevitable destruction that follows as a result of small town and Iagos ability to influence their rivals through speech. critical points potent words are like daggers, thus they are likely to initiate a reaction.However, he uses a persuasive approach that is different to Iagos. In similarity to Iagos spontaneous dialogue, settlements language is much meaningful because it carries the weight of truth. He does not talk figuratively, but uses simple and sure fac ts A murderer and a villain That from a shelf the singular diadem stole and put it in his pocket. This approach is more likely to disturb the audience because it is full of junctures fanatical truth. The antagonist of the play (Claudius) is described as A murderer and a villain who usurped the Kings position and put it in his pocket.unalike Iagos vulgar language (that is only useful in influencing Roderigo) Hamlets use of imagery is effective in persuading the audience, himself, and Queen Gertrude that his rage and avenge is actually permissible. This is because Hamlets avenge is bound with the facts of reality and not with treacherous lies. However, Iagos language is also effective in showing how his drive for revenge lacks true motive. Hamlet is an ambitious character, just he feels his fathers cruel murder morally validates him to gain revenge.Iago on the other hand, seizes the probability to tell his story of why he hates the Moor, but the audience find that there is no l egitimate reason for him to plot against Othello. He bitterly argues that he deserves the position as lieutenant I am worth no worse a place. Iago also wishes to square off scores with Othello wife for wife, because he imagines Othello to have had a intimate relationship with Emilia. This makes it obvious to the audience how Iagos extreme jealousy and rancour compels him to poison the ears of everyone with lies.However, In Hamlet the audience feel the strong intellect of betrayal and deceit, thus they sympathise with Hamlets plight because he (unlike Iago) is a genuine victim. Every time Hamlet answers his mother he clearly manifests the reasons for his hatred Here is your husband blasting his wholesome brother. His words are like a passionate outcry, they desperately correct to convey his true intentions. On a Jacobean stage Hamlet maybe erratically gesturing Here is your husband to show a sense of connectedness to his fathers death and his revenge.Hamlet is perceived as bein g mad, yet his words embody more philosophical meaning, truth and depth therefore Iagos. The image he creates through his language indicates that his intentions are purposeful. For example, unlike Iagos futile animalistic language, Hamlets words tell a story you have my father much offended. The personal pronoun my emphasises how he is trying to justify his anger and suggest that his acts and thoughts are occurring in response to the offence Gertrude and Claudius have caused. Similar to Iagos fierce language, Hamlets words are also charged with violent energy.He vehemently questions his mother Have you eyes? have you eyes? The echo of the words Have you eyes emphasizes a sense of deep contemplation and suggests how Hamlet is making a moral statement. Iago and Hamlet express their drive for revenge in passionate terms. Hamlet compels his mother to see how her marriage with Claudius is immoral, where is thy bang? This instigates the question of how a madmans words can be deeply int rospective. Hamlet is presented as an enigmatic chameleon because of the complex ambiguities in his language.However, this contrasts to how defiant he sounds when he fearlessly answers his mother in this film Gertrude asks what have I done and Hamlet bluntly replies Such an act that calls virtue hypocrite II. 39-41. This evokes his sense of bitter resentment for being betrayed by his family. Similarly, Iago appears to be sharply responsive. The difference lies where Hamlet communicates the truth directly to his enemies, while Iago shrewdly conceals his true self. Iago shoots insults at Othello (such as Barbary horse) so that he is reduced to the savageness of an animal.A 16th century audience would have been animated and much more receptive towards such insults consequently they were more likely to have responded to Iagos crude puns. For example, the word Barbary is associated with barbarism and the cruel speed of a North African horse. (This can have knowledgeable implications, indicating that the white ewe and the old black ram have eloped together, where they are say to be making the beast with two backs. Language also plays a vital p device in demonstrating the relationship between characters in Othello and Hamlet.Unlike Hamlet who is acting alone, Iagos manipulative reputation makes everyone partake in his scheme for revenge. His poisonous slanders seep in to the minds of his puppets, so that they feel bound to rely on his fabricated stories and the visual evidence that he presents. Iago understands that Roderigo depends on his support to win over Desdemona, he is also conscious of how Othellos marriage with Desdemona will ignite Roderigos desire for revenge. He in an elaborate way tells his tale of why he hates the Moor in order to strategically plant even more hatred in Roderigos mind.Iago acts eleemosynary towards his plight Why, theres no remedy. Tis the curse of service. Like Hamlets sharp idle tongue, Iagos words are a destructive force resp onsible for his own downfall. Language such as Why, theres no remedy gives the illusion that his thoughts are pre-mediated in order to create a desired effect. He wishes to manipulate Roderigo by stringing him along with his shrewd words. Consequently, the audience see that Roderigo is easily moved I rather would have been his hangman. His tone of voice foreshadows the turmoil that will unfold in the play because he is poisoned by Iagos words.Furthermore, Iago exploits the art of language to manipulate people and intrude upon their lives. He convinces Brabanzio that his daughter has in fact eloped with his worse fear, a black African. Iagos astute character means that he is aware of how to plot against Othello. Roderigo and Iago racially abuse him, calling him thick lips. However, Iagos intrusive behaviour towards Othello contrasts with the spying and surveillance guesswork in Hamlet. This is because Iago playfully experiments with words in order to cause hostility.Whereas in Haml et, the lack of trust means that the antagonists infringe upon Hamlets life in a secretive manner. This scene is a vivid example of how the characters are forever and a day observing each other, like a predator watching its prey. When Hamlet wanders in to his mothers private chamber, the first thing he would expect is to be alone with her. However, the stage direction reveals how POLONIUS hides behind the tapestry. Like Iagos destructive invasiveness, this act of intrusion instantly provokes fear. This is because the audience would be well aware of Hamlets inconsistent thoughts and erratic behaviour.Hamlets relationship between characters can also be seen to resemble the disposition of Iago. This is because Hamlet becomes a product of his own corrupt society when he acts out of impulse his revenge loses all of its meaning. Hamlet is no long-term a betrayed and lonely man (who the audience sympathised with) but a vice figure and a destructive force comparable to Iago. The stage di rections suggest that when Hamlet thrusts his sword through the arras and kills Polonius he sincerely displays elements of insanity. He acts instantaneously, discarding the need to first check who is behind the arras.Thus, after killing Polonius Hamlet displays no sign of emotion or disbelief. Hamlets act mimics the selfish nature of Iago (as he has no emotional attachment with other characters). In Hamlet and Othello, there is a major theme of deceit and betrayal that invades the plays scenes. Hamlet and Iagos language reveals a lot about the social context and the motive driving their passion for revenge. By the end of the scene Hamlet is left completely isolated from his society, he does not feel wedded to show any sign of formal love for his family.His lack of trust impels him to act erratically by blindly killing Polonius. In a similar way, Act I, Scene I of Othello begins with Roderigo questioning Iago whether he truly hates the Moor I take it much unkindly Iago who hast ha d my purse As if the strings were thine, shouldst know this. This invokes the general theme of deceit in the scene, and establishes how Iago is ambidextrous like Hamlet. The same way Hamlet conceals his sanity from the world, Iago exploits the power of language to disguise himself in order to continue controlling his victims.