Othello literary criticism

F.R. Leavis said that Othello has a “readiness to respond” to Othello that is? “tragically pathetic”
F.R. Leavis claimed that Othello lacks what, and is what? “self-knowledge” and “un-self-comprehending”
Leavis’ assertion that Othello lacks “self-knowledge” and is “un-self-comprehending” means that the play? “doesn’t involve the idea of the hero’s learning through suffering”
To Rymer, ‘Othello’ has a “defect” in that it is merely a “caution” to maidens wanting to run away with “blackamoors” – Othello himself is what, to Rymer? “jealous booby”
Who claimed that the emphasis on the handkerchief in the play is “absurd” and that ‘Othello’ should rather be called “The tragedy of the handkerchief” for it’s emphasis on something “so remote a trifle”? When was he writing? Thomas Rymer, 1693
Who said that 17th century Cyprus was a “bastion of male power”, a “very different world to Venice” in which Desdemona is “isolated” and “alone”; that without her “Venetian support system” in this “savage” and “infinitely more barbarous” “war-like milieu” she is “vulnerable”? Michael Flachmann
What did Kiernan Ryan claim the play to be? “A searing critique on racial and sexual injustice”
Jonathan Dollimore claimed that ‘Othello’ is a tragedy of “racism, xenophobia and misogyny” but that far from “transcending” these elements, it is what? “steeped” in them
Othello is what to Ruth Cowhig? an “alien in a white society”
Othello is what to Ania Loomba “a nightmare of racial hatred and male violence”
What did Matt Simpson say of Bianca? “Bianca is, like Othello…an outsider”
What does Marian Cox say of the “dialogues” in the play? That they expose in the male characters a “deep seated fear of women deceiving them”
Who said that women in this society were “defined by their sexual activity? Valerie Traub
One critic argued that as the only character whom Iago underestimates, Emilia is capable of bringing about his downfall. Who said this? Harold Bloom
What did Kiernan Ryan say of jealousy in the play? “jealousy is shown to be rule in Venice”
Matt Simpson said what of Bianca? she “underscores the theme of jealousy”
Brabantio’s poor judgement of his own daughter might be said to be what (Salgado)? “One of many instances in the play of bad judgement based on appearances”
What did Thomas Rymer claim Desdemona to be, who in act 2.1 acts like? a “silly woman”, “any countrey kitchen maid with her sweet heart”
Desdemona is punished for what, according to who? being “too knowing” and “too independent”, Lisa Jardine
What did Karen Newman say of Desdemona’s choice of husband? it is “heroic” not “demonic”
What did one 18th century century critic say of Cassio in 1765, and who was he? Cassio is “brave, benevolent and honest”, Dr. Johnson
What did Bradley commend Othello for being?? “exceptionally noble and trusting”
What did Speight claim the “chink in his armour” to be? that he is “more than a little vain”
T.S. Eliot claimed that Othello is what? “terrible exposure of human weakness”
Who claimed that Othello is “endeavouring to escape reality?” T.S. Eliot
What did Salgado claim the play to be about? “Othello is not a play about a credulous fool. Rather it is about the perilously shaky foundations of prejudice, self-esteem and self-interest, on which our judgements of others are so often based…From this standpoint, Othello is not very different from many in Venice…and the audience”
What did Salgado claim Othello’s commitment to remaining undistracted by Desdemona to do? “raise a doubt” as to how “deep Othello’s love goes”
What did Bradley say of Othello’s intellect and his emotion? “Emotion excited his imagination, but it confuses and dulls his intellect”
Helen Gardner claimed what of Othello and his murder? it is “heroic” because it was driven by “inner necessity” and “must be done”
What did Helen Gardner claim of the play’s ending? to have a “sense of completeness” and be the “most beautiful end in Shakespearean tragedy”
A.C. Bradley says Iago is what? “supremely wicked”
Bradley claims Iago to have a what? “spite against the goodness in men”
Salgado argued that to Iago, good and honest people…? “constitute a direct threat to every principle of self-interest and duplicity by which Iago believes the affairs of the world to be conducted.
Bradley claims Iago to be the spirit of what? “spirit of denial of all romantic values”
Iago is not prompted by what, according to Bradley? (supporting Coleridge’s “motiveless malignity” argument) “any plain motive” and has “no real motive”
Bradley criticises those who interpret Iago as what? “a man who has been slighted and revenges himself”
John Russell Brown reminds us of the Christian context of Shakespearean England, saying what? an audience who “believed in devils” might easily see Iago as “someone working in close allegiance to an evil power” that is “greater than any human force”
F.R. Leavis called Iago what? a “villainous person” and “dramatic mechanism”
William Hazlitt claims that Iago is driven by what, reflecting Bradley who said that he wants to make his superiors “mere puppets in his hands”? a “love of power that is natural to man”
What did Spivack say in 1988? “every moral attribute applied to him in the play is false”
What did Marian Cox say of Iago? “satanic in his energy”
Who said that Iago is the “supreme story teller” Bernard O’Keefe
Salgado claim that what would have been recognised easily by the members of Shakespeare’s highly stratified, class oriented society? a “man on the make” would be “recognisable”
Salgado claim that Othello has a “deep seated insecurity” that makes him attempt to? “strike at and dominate”
Who claimed Iago to be exposed as a “shallow fool”? Matt Simpson
John Seely claimed what of Iago’s relationship with the audience? “we are his fellow conspirators”
Salgdo suggests that the play has what kind of geography? “symbolic geography”
Introduction: what pg. is Iago’s question to the audience about him being a villain? – “fellow conspirators”, John Seely 10
E.A.J Honningman claims what of Iago? that he is a seductive character who gets us to collude with him as he “appeals as more amusing” than his victims, who “lack humour”
On what page is Bradley’s point about their being similarities between Iago and Shakespeare – illogical double time and how we are too wrapped up in the plot to notice this illogicality? 11
The race pages in the introduction? 12, 13
Emilia’s feminist speech in the introduction? 16
Othello’s suicide in the introduction? 15
July 11, 2019