Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
The Duke: The Duke of Venice Gratiano: a Venetian gentleman Todd Scofield*
* The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors Equity Association,
the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Cover: Owiso Odera as Othello and Ian Merrill Peakes as Iago. Photo by James Kegley www.folger.edu/education
1
Synopsis
O
ne night in Venice, Iago tells Roderigo that Othello, the Moorish general of the Venetian army, has eloped with Roderigos beloved Desdemona, daughter of Brabantio. Iago reassures Roderigo that he hates Othello because he made Michael Cassio his lieutenant while Iago remains the generals ensign, a position of lower rank. Iago and Roderigo wake Brabantio and tell him of Desdemonas flight. Brabantio storms off with officers to apprehend Othello. Brabantio arrives at Othellos lodging at the same time as messengers who request the generals presence before the Duke on state matters. The enraged Brabantio demands justice against Othello, and they depart to have audience with the Duke. The Duke and members of the Senate discuss news that the Turks have launched a fleet to attack Venetiancontrolled Cyprus. Brabantio accuses Othello of using witchcraft to ensnare his daughter. Othello describes their courtship; Desdemona is sent for and confirms that she freely gave her heart to Othello. Brabantio accepts her decision. The Duke sends Othello to defend Cyprus, and Desdemona asks to accompany Othello on his campaign. Othello entrusts her care to Iago and his wife, Emilia. As Roderigo despairs over the loss of Desdemona, Iago advises him to follow her to Cyprus, promising that her love for Othello will not last long. Iago plots to poison Othellos marriage with jealousy in part because of his suspicions that Emilia has been unfaithful with Othello. A storm off the coast of Cyprus destroys the Turkish fleet, ending the attack. The Venetians ships are delayed by the storm but arrive safely. Iago pulls Roderigo aside and tells him that Desdemona is in love with Cassio. He convinces Roderigo to start a fight with Cassio that evening to discredit his rival. During the celebration of the defeat of the Turks, Iago gets Cassio drunk and Roderigo attacks him. Montano, an official in Cyprus, is wounded by Cassio when he intervenes. Othello enters and demands to know who began the fray. Pretending reluctance, Iago blames Cassio for the violence. Othello dismisses Cassio as his lieutenant. Iago advises Cassio to plead his case to Desdemona who will be able to convince Othello to reinstate him, though Iago plans to make Othello think Desdemona pleads out of love for Cassio. Emilia and Desdemona listen to Cassios suit. Cassio departs abruptly at the sight of Othello and Iago, which Iago hints is cause for suspicion. Desdemona entreats Othello to reconcile with Cassio. After Desdemona leaves, Iago continues to plant seeds of doubt in Othellos mind about her and his former lieutenant. Othello demands proof of his wifes infidelity. Emilia finds Desdemonas handkerchief and gives it to Iago, who plans to leave it in Cassios lodging. Iago then tells Othello that he heard Cassio declaring his love for Desdemona in his sleep. Othello is convinced of her guilt, flies into a rage, and asks Iago to kill Cassio. Iago agrees, and Othello makes Iago his lieutenant. Desdemona cannot produce the handkerchief when the angry Othello demands to see it. Later, Cassio meets Bianca, his courtesan lover, and asks her to copy the embroidery of a handkerchief he found in his room. Iago tells Othello that Cassio has confessed to infidelity with Desdemona. Othello, overcome with passion, falls into a trance. Later he listens to a conference between Iago and Cassio. Iago asks Cassio about Bianca, and Othello hears only Cassios smug laughter. Bianca arrives and returns the handkerchief to Cassio; Othello recognizes the token and reaffirms his desire to see both Desdemona and Cassio dead. Othello questions Emilia about his wifes infidelity. She insists that Desdemona is chaste, but Othello refuses to believe her. Roderigo seeks out Iago in desperation and Iago convinces him that he will win Desdemona if he kills Cassio that night. Othello orders Desdemona to prepare for bed and dismiss Emilia; Desdemona obeys. Roderigo ambushes Cassio, and Cassio injures him. Iago stabs Cassio in the leg and flees. While Lodovico and Gratiano tend to Cassio, Iago returns and kills Roderigo. Iago sends Emilia to alert Othello. Othello enters Desdemonas sleeping chamber. She wakes to his accusations of infidelity, denies the charge, and pleads for her life. Othello smothers her and Emilia enters to discover her mistress murdered. Montano, Gratiano, and Iago hear Emilias cries for help and enter the chamber. Othello cites the handkerchief as evidence and Emilia reveals Iagos lies. Iago kills his wife and flees, but is captured and returned to the room with the injured Cassio. Othello wounds Iago, then asks for Cassios forgiveness. Iago is turned over to the state for torture. Asking the statesmen to report his tragic story justly, Othello stabs himself and dies on the bed with his wife.
www.folger.edu/education
To demonstrate these two worlds, scenic designer Tony Cisek created a set that represents aspects of both societiesthe vertical, black and white world of Venice juxtaposed against the lush colors and textures of the Mediterranean Island of Cyprus. Lighting designer Andrew Griffin worked with Cisek to illuminate and enhance the darkness of Venice and the vividness of Cyprus. William Ivey Long, costume designer, has dressed the company in thirteenth-century European clothing of the court and the warrior-like garb of the crusading Knights. Anthony Cochrane, composer, collaborated with Richmond, extensively researching and generating the soundscape The bazaar in Cyprus (renderings by Tony Cisek, set designer) for the play. From his findings, he composed original music that has a modern feel. Cochrane and sound designer Matt Nielson blended this original composition and recorded sound to bring these two disparate worlds vividly to life. Richmonds production is fully infused with oppositeslight and darkness,Venice and Cyprus, order and lawlessness, love and betrayal, honor, and deceit.
On Editing Shakespeare
Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine are the co-editors of the Folger Shakespeare Library editions and, having recently completed editing all of Shakespeares plays, they have started to revise them once again. The job of an editor is a challenging one, especially when it comes to editing Shakespeares plays. Often, editors are working with several texts of the same play and must make choices regarding which words were most likely the ones Shakespeare used when he first wrote the plays. Think about the choices editors have to make when it comes to deciding whether to keep a passage from Romeo and Juliet, for example, that many readers and audiences know as Whats in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet (2.2.46-7) when research tells the editor that the line should be: By any other word would smell as sweet. Whats an editor to do? Click on the link below to watch an interview with Dr. Mowat on the issues an editor confronts when editing Shakespeare. In the interview, Dr. Mowat discusses the challenges that arise when an editor is faced with multiple editions of the same play. In this segment of a longer interview, Dr. Mowat comments on editing decisions she has had to make with regard to Macbeth, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet. http://www.folger.edu/EditingOthello www.folger.edu/education
4
Classical Roots
The name Cyprus comes from one of the names of the goddess Venus, Kypris, for whom the island was supposedly named. In fact, the story of Venus underlies the plot of Othello.Venus husband was a the god called Vulcan, a blacksmith with a lame leg. She also had a lover, Mars, the god of war. In his jealousy,Vulcan created a net of gold mesh to catch them in the act. One day when Venus and Mars were together,Vulcan sprang the trap and caught the lovers in the net. He held them up to be ridiculed by all the other gods for their behavior. In Shakespeares play, Iago often refers to nets and snares and traps hes set for Othello and Desdemona. Othello is a dramatic reworking of the tale of Vulcan and Venus which would have been familiar to Shakespeares audiences.
Mars and Venus discovered by Vulcan. 18th c Italian. National Gallery of Ireland
www.folger.edu/education
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare; by Thomas Fuller, 1603. Folger Shakespeare Library.
Othello eloquently tells the story of the hardships of his life (truth), which sometimes distresses Desdemona to tears, and Brabantio invites him to tell these stories time and time again because he likes Othello (believable). The Duke sums it up best after Othello defends himself, I think this tale would win my daughter too. (1.3.197) Modern rhetoricians have included presidents, lawyers, politicians, and a leader of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr., who was an influential speaker because he shared stories from his own experiences with oppression (truth), which raised passions in his audience on both sides of the movement (emotions), and he spoke with such fervor and emotion that people wanted to hear more (believable). Many of his most inspirational quotes can be found in the new monument honoring him in Washington, DC. Think about how speech influences your attention as an audience. Are you listening for truth? Does the speaker pique your emotions? Do you believe the speaker, and would you listen to him or her again? Whom have you heard speak that you believe to be a talented rhetorician?
www.folger.edu/education
Whats in a Symbol?
A motif is a recurrent thematic element in an artistic or literary work. There are symbols and easily identifiable motifs throughout Othello. Symbols found in plays can be defined as objects, characters, and figures that are used to represent ideas or concepts. You will notice that, in subject matter, this is a dark play indeed. As Iago spins his web to ensnare Othello, the other characters are literally and figuratively kept in the dark. When Othello demands ocular proof of Desdemonas deception, he is still not able to see things clearly. He is blinded by rage and cannot see the truth. Eventually this motif of light and darkness, of seeing and not seeing, are symbolized in the candle to which Desdemonas life is compared. Put out the light, then put out the light. (5.2.7) Another literary motif is the use of animals in describing Othello. The terms Barbary horse, black ram, and beast, are all used in reference to Othello. This comparison to animals represents the prejudice that Venetians had towards people of Moorish or African descent at the time. In general, describing a person or group of people in animal terms is a way of defining that person or group as being less than human. This prejudice is manipulated by Iago to paint a subhuman picture of Othello in the eyes of Brabantio and other characters. The most predominant symbol in Othello is the handkerchief that Othello gives to Desdemona as a token of his love. Othello describes it as a token of love from his mother, who received it from an Egyptian sorceress. The strawberries embroidered on it were known to be a symbol of chastity. But just as Othello has given this gift to Desdemona as a symbol of his unfailing love, Desdemonas supposed loss of the item is a symbol to Othello of her unfaithfulness. The creation of the handkerchief itself and the way in which Othello woos Desdemona alludes to another motif that Shakespeare uses, which is mysticism and magic. The handkerchief was thought to hold certain powers because of the way it was made. Theres magic in the web of it (3.4.81) Othello says, and was meant to keep Othellos father close to his mothers side. Brabantio also says quite plainly that he believes that Desdemona has been bewitched by Othello, and that only supernatural forces would have brought her to love him. Othello argues [quite convincingly] that the only spell he put on Desdemona was through his storytelling. Can you pick out other symbols throughout the play or identify motifs used by Shakespeare and the production designers?
L. Marchetti. Othello, act 3, scene 3, What will you give me now for that same handkerchief? 19th or 20th century. Folger Shakespeare Library.
www.folger.edu/education
Lighting Darkness
Othello is a play about contrasts white and black, innocent and guilty, friends and enemies by contrasting them against each other, you see the stark differences between them. Much of the action of the play takes place at night, when differences between shapes and colors become muddled, and you cant trust your own eyes. Iago uses this to his advantage, but what does it mean for the play?
Brabantio How! the duke in council! In this time of the night!
Theatrical lighting design is as much about designing darkness as it is designing light. In an Elizabethan theatre, there would have been no design at all the actors would perform in the afternoon while the sun was out and say that it was evening. Today, lighting design is its own field, and this productions lighting designer, Andrew F. Griffin, navigates the text of Othello to find where light and dark merge. Q: How do you decide what moments within the play to light clearly? AFG: From the simple to the complex, most clues come from the text. For example, if the scene takes place during the day, then it should be bright and clear; if the scene is at night its dark and murky. Lighting, as is the case with all elements of design, is an extension of the story being told. However, in lieu of telling a story through the traditional medium of an actor and speech, my story is told through interpretation of the script. The lighting should psychologically connect the audience with the performers while visually guiding them through the story. Q: What moments in Othello are particularly suited for dark lighting? AFG: A great deal of Othello takes place in the evening. However, there are varying degrees of darkness that need to be dealt with. For example, the refracted moonlight that envelopes the action of Act I is different from the night where reveling takes place in Act 2. Darkness has a tendency to be a dirty word in my line of work, but used properly and with care it doesnt have to be. Its just another tool I use to tell the story. Q: How do you use contrast in your design? AFG: Contrast is one of the great essences of lighting design. Think of any three-dimensional object youve looked at today. Without touching it, how did you know it was three-dimensional? You knew because of the contrast of light and shadow on that object. I can use contrast in varying degrees to over-exaggerate an objects shape or flatten it entirely. Contrast can also be used to help fool the eye when it comes to darkness. By increasing the contrast and deepening the shadows you can make a scene appear to be darker without drastically reducing visibility of the action. Q: What lighting cues did you take from the text? AFG: Shakespeare wasnt writing with lighting design in mind. This gives a lot more free reign over interpretation than todays scripts do, and its an exciting challenge. The most obvious things that come to mind are references to light the characters make. For example, at one point after a series of nighttime scenes Roderigo comments that the sun has risen: a great place to put a sunrise cue. Later, when Roderigo comments that Iago kills him in the dark, you want to make sure that you sculpt the cue so that the area where the murder happens onstage is darker than the rest of the stage.
www.folger.edu/education
15-Minute Othello
The Fifteen-Minute Play is a plot summary intermingled with quotations from the play. It is typically used to introduce students to the play or to prepare them to see a production. You can alter it as you see fit, invent a version of your own for a different play, or have your students create one. Try to keep it as short and simple as possible. Create cards for the quotations with the corresponding numbers, shown below, in bold. The cards should be large enough for three to five people to read simultaneously. Divide the class into groups and distribute the cards. Each group may have multiple cards. Give the groups five to ten minutes to prepare dramatic renditions of their line(s). They can read the line(s) as a chorus, individually, or in sub-groups, but everyone must speak part of the text. Encourage students to physicalize/dramatize the line(s) in some way. Using props is acceptable, but not necessary. When the rehearsal period is over, ask everyone to stand in a circle. The leader (you, or a student) stands in the circle, too, and reads aloud the script of the story, calling out the numbers of quotations where indicated and pausing for the group responsible for that quotation to step quickly into the center and perform it. The leader should keep a quick, steady pace - the activity is much more fun when it moves right along.
Othello begins late at night in the streets of Venice. Roderigo and Iago are talking about the recent elopement of Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, and Desdemona, daughter of a Venetian Senator. They gripe about how much they both cant stand Othello (1. Thou toldst me thou didst hold him in thy hate.) Roderigo is upset because he was in love with Desdemona and wanted to marry her. Iago is furious because Othello promoted young Cassio to be his lieutenant instead of him. Roderigo and Iago wake up Desdemonas father Brabantio and tell him that his daughter has run away with Othello (2. Sir youre robbed. . .Your heart is burst. You have lost half your soul.) When Brabantio finds out his daughter is gone, he is very angry and warns all other fathers (3. From hence trust not your daughters minds by what you see them act.) Even though Iago hates Othello, he is two-faced and continues to pretend to be his friend. He runs to warn Othello that Brabantio is coming for him. Brabantio arrives and accuses Othello of using witchcraft to make Desdemona fall in love with him. (4.Thou hast practiced on her with foul charms) They bring their argument before the Duke and senators. Othello declares (5.Ill present how I did thrive in this fair ladys love, and she is mine), then tells them the story of how he and Desdemona fell in love and married. Desdemona arrives and tells her father (6. I am hitherto your daughter, But heres my husband.) Brabantio leaves angrily, warning Othello not to trust his new wife. (7. Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee.) The Duke sends Othello and his lieutenant Cassio to the island of Cyprus to defend it against the invading Turks. But when they arrive, they find out that the Turkish fleet was destroyed by a storm at sea. (8. News, lads! Our wars are done.) Desdemona, Iago, and Iagos wife Emilia all arrive in Cyprus. Othello is overjoyed to see his new bride again. (9. O my souls joy!) He orders that a victory celebration will be held that night. Before the party, Iago plots to destroy the happy love between Othello and Desdemona. (10. I put the Moor At least into a jealousy so strong That judgment cannot cure.)
www.folger.edu/education
10
www.folger.edu/education
11
Additional Resources
Folger Resources
Lesson Plans - www.folger.edu/lessonplans - Folger Educations featured lesson plans are updated every month. Search Lesson Plans Archive to the left for a complete listing of all of our lesson plans listed by play. Folger Theatre: Othello - www.folger.edu/Othello - Behind-the-scenes background on the play, images from our collection, artists talking about the play, and more. Shakespeare Set Free,Teaching Twelfth Night and Othello- www.folger.edu/ssf - Our publication features lesson plans, essays, and performance-based activities.
www.folger.edu/education
12
Folger Theatres production is part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national program of the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest.
Folger Education is a national leader in how Shakespeare is taught today. Believing the best way to learn Shakespeare is by performing Shakespeare, the Folger supports its performance-based, language-centered approach to teaching Shakespeare with training, online lesson plans and resources, and groundbreaking publications, including the Shakespeare Set Free series and the Folger editions of the playsthe leading Shakespeare text used in American classrooms today. Home to the worlds largest Shakespeare collection and a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period (15001750), the Folger Shakespeare Library is an internationally recognized research library offering advanced scholarly programs in the humanities; an innovator in the preservation of rare materials; a leader in humanities education; and an award-winning producer of cultural and arts programs theater, music, poetry, exhibits, lectures, and family programs. A gift to the American people from industrialist Henry Clay Folger, the Folger Shakespeare Library located one block east of the U.S. Capitolopened in 1932.