Paper Topic:

Write a critical response after reading Shakespeare's Othello and Gli Hecatommithi's Cinthio's tale.

br Cinthio 's tale , is given a historical background by Shakespeare . Iago 's wife , Emilia , a very minor and passive character in Cinthio 's tale , is shown as a woman with a mind of her own by putting up an argument against her husband . With Cinthio , Emilia does not help her husband in his scheme , but she is the one who snatches the handkerchief of Desdemonia in Othello . Shakespeare also puts in additional characters that are not found in Cinthio 's narration : Roderigo , Barbantio Ludovico , Bianca and other minor characters

There are

other parts that show Shakespeare 's deviation from Cinthio The two plays show the lust of the Ensign , or Iago , for Desdemonia , but the plot is made complicated in Othello by Roderigo , an ardent suitor of Desdemonia . Here , Shakespeare vividly narrates the evil mind of Iago as he manipulates Roderigo and other minor characters to advance his own motives . In Cinthio , the ensign does not manipulate other character aside from the Moor himself , to plot his revenge against the woman . The two plays also differ in the tragic end of Desdemonia and Othello . In Cinthio 's tale , Othello s the Ensign to kill Desdemonia by hitting her with stocking filled with sand . Othello is put in prison , after the Ensign witnesses against him , and eventually killed by the woman 's relatives . In Shakespeare 's version , Othello himself kills Desdemonia After learning the truth , Othello commits suicide

Shakespeare ' motive for writing Othello is perhaps to emphasize the savagery of the black people during that time . The play shows the moralistic point of view that a white woman marrying a black man is not acceptable . This notion is justified as the play ends with Othello turning savage by murdering his wife and committing suicide . On the other hand , Shakespeare may have...

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