Term 4 WK1: Othello Pre-Reading Research Activity

1.     Venice

Venice is located in northeast Italy. In the 16^th century the Venetians were at war with the Turks which are also now as belonging to the Ottoman Empire. Venice also had a critical population drop around 1575-76 due to the plague. Venice after losing Crete to the Turks it turned instead to becoming one of Europe’s most popular tourist attractions and an important musical center. In this time several manufactures helped boost Venice’s economy including silk, wool textiles, Venetian glass, sugar, soap textiles. Venice had once been known for their monopoly of spices but they were no longer because of the Portuguese, but art flourished in Venice instead. The relationship between Venetians and the Turkish was a poor one as they were at war in this era, the reason for their conflict was to control the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean Sea was an important asset in the 16^th century as it was the international center for trade especially as many products were imported from Asia to Europe by sea. 

Map of Venice

2.   Cyprus

  

Cyprus is an island in the Eastern Mediterranean Sean, East of Greece, south of Turkey and north of Egypt. It was the 3^rd largest island in the sea. Cyprus was considered value to conquerors as it represented an important trade center in Europe. The Ottoman Empire’s conquest of Cyprus coincided with the gradual stagnation of the Near Eastern economy due to the discovery of the Atlantic trade. The politics of the countries nearest to it were tense as Venice and the Turkey were at war. Cyprus is approximately 2100 kilometres away from Venice in Italy.

Map of Cyprus and Europe

 3.     Moors

 Moor refers to the descendants of Islamic Arabic inhabitants of North Africa who conquered Spain in the eighth century. The majority had dark coloured skin.Moors originated from North Africa, they lost their land and weren’t in rule in any country. They migrated to Europe and they were forced to hide their religious identities and many were forced to turn to Christianity. The religion associated with moors was the Muslim faith.

4.   Turks.

 The Elizabethan attitude to foreigners in general was that they were to be mistrusted. They were seen to be outsiders like ‘alien’ race. 

 5.     Epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a diverse set of chronic neurological disorders characterized by seizures. The symptom associated with is long term recurrent seizures. People who suffered from Epilepsy in the 16^th century were view as outcasts; they were shunned from society as doctors in this time still did not understand what it was. In the 16^th century it was thought that Epilepsy was contagious to others causing the victims to be seen as nearly not part of society at all. Epileptics are vulnerable to certain conditions which could possibly render a seizure including alcohol, flashing or flickering lights, emotional stress and sleep deprivation.

Class Writtig Task on Othello - Tuesday 16th October

Othello says of himself he is “one not easily jealous but, being wrought, perplexed in the extreme.” I he correct or is he deluded?

Othello is deluded as his thought of himself is that he is “one not easily jealous...” when his jealous rage controls him to make aggressive accusations of his dear wife Desdemona of being unfaithful. Iago plants a web of lies in Othello’s mind that his wife is having an affair with Cassio, Othello’s jealously drives him to trust Irgo more than his wife. Iago plants ideas in Othello’s mind and when he confronts his wife he refuses to hear or believe her side of the story. The thought that his wife might be having a affair with is most trusted lieutenant made him wrought with anger and jealously. He quickly is able to accept that his wife is having an affair, even though Iago has little evidence or proof that this is the truth.Othello is deluded that his own words about himself and jealous to be false as it is his green-eyed temper that leads him to suffocate Desdemona.

Pride and Prejudice: How important is the character of Mr Collins?

In the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen the character of Mr Collins is reasonably important as through characterization of him the truth behind other characters . Austen has positioned the reader to view Mr Collins in a negative light but still with a comical air surrounding him. The reader observes him to be silly, ridiculous, pride filed through his long speeches where he states many formalities which have absolutely no meaning. Mr Collins talks highly of those of a high class then himself in order to make himself seem elevated in society. He continuously refers to Lady Catherine DeBourgh, but in this association he demoralizes himself. This high admiration Mr Collins has for Lady Catherine allows the reader to see the irony in it revealing her true character which is demanding and she believes she can order anyone around. An example of this behaviour is when they are invited to dine with Lady Catherine and Mr Collins tells Lizzy that, “do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel...i advise you merely to put on whatever of The reader is positioned to dislike Mr Collins more as he is the next male in line to inherit Long burn once Mr Bennet dies, this causes a frustration in the reader about the expectations and rules about women’s rights during this time. Mr Collins wishes to marry one of the Bennet sisters to lessen the burden of entailment; he becomes especially interested in the second oldest Bennet sister, Lizzy. His interest to marry Lizzy becomes an additional key point in his importance in the novel as when he proposes to Lizzy she refuses as she finds him a creep. Mr Collins is a reasonably important character in the novel as through his comments and speeches the true character traits of other characters are revealed.

Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth Bennet

Elizabeth Bennet is the protagonist in the novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. She is referred by her close friends and family as ‘Eliza’ or ‘Lizzy’ and is the second daughter out of 5, she is considered the favourite daughter by her father and the least favourite by her mother. Her character qualities include that she is lovely, clever, quick witted. The reader is positioned to admire her strong opinions, independence and wit. Elizabeth overcomes the conventions of her class-bound society to find romantic happiness with Mr Darcy. Along the way she has to push aside the society pressures of finding a husband, she rejects Mr Collins as she does not love him. This rejection of his offer as she refuses to marry unless she is in love would be an appealing character trait to many readers who would relate this.  Even though at the beginning of the novel she has a mistaken impression of  Mr Darcy as a rude, overly proud but as the novel progress she realises her inaccuracy in her initial prejudice against Mr Darcy as he is actually a man of noble character.