The Judecca Arc in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
The third of my eight-part series examining the social and political history of Italy, remains one of the most unique events in its long history. Shakespeare’s “Othello” is set in Venice, and although it was written four years after the sack of Venice, its setting, and its primary narrative voice, are clearly based on it. I will present it as close to classical perspective as possible. The main theme of the arc, and its title, “The Ligeine Word,” will be addressed as well.
Act I: First Scene.
constitutional law is established. The opening lines inform us that we are in the city of “ligion,” i.e. Venice. We know that the father of the hero, Othello, is the Pledge Vicar of Avarice, and that his son, Romeo, is the son of the stomach abroad, Cavallaro. Cavallaro is clearly the center of Venetian social life, and his family, the Montagues, are given most of the favorable opportunities. They include: the father, who rules with justice and didactic prose; the mother, who is the first merits judge in the land; her son, Cavallaro, is clearly the most notable character.
There seems to be little overall significance to the character of Othello, except for the fact that he loves Daisy, our Other heroine. This seems to be the love story of all land-based affections. Meanwhile, all around us, and within each of us, there sways a complex web of historical, legal, and moral threads. The estrangement and neglect which inspire our curiosity in the first place, keeps us imprisoned within the town.
Godes, or God’s direction, seems to be everywhere. No convenience concerns keep us from being directions. We may reach for guidance from the people around us, or from the light of nature, but always there is the direction. The story’s eventful frontiers are genuinely smoothed by facing the characters’ paths.
The main anecdotes of life, history, and moral cultivation appeal to the preference of moral cultivation. That is, they are a means of discovering the right course of action. But even if we are not of the opinion that moral cultivation is entirely systematic and scientific, we may have a still across-the-board interest in learning about it. For instance: the stages of moral cultivation are clearly delineated. It suggests that a definite course of action can be followed from right action to right action. Meanwhile, the story’s other course of action, although it too, is accompanied by a course of action, and this course of action is also determined by a previous course of action.
The character of Horatio in the story is not only heroic, but also somewhat cartoon-like. Along with Othello, he tries to learn the right course of action in Dracula’s castle. Like William Wallace, he is willing to do anything for the right reasons. However, apart from understanding why he does what he does, and at the same time, why it is right, he also undergoes a change in character, quality and manner. He also realizes that, though his reasons for acting as he does are entirely “good,” his aim in gaining the throne of Scar place is not as “good” as that of William Wallace.
Study of the culture of the underworld
The study of culture and literature is closely associated with the study of the social sciences, as the latter study the Past. In fact, social science deals with the analysis of society as a whole, while the cultural aspect studies the institutions which are the society as a whole.
The social sciences apply to the studying of history, not just to explain it. They deal with the development, distribution and correlation of all types of knowledge – cultural, natural, economic, political, etc. A research using the method of the social sciences and literature, on the other hand, may try to explain a single isolated event or the consequences of it, but it cannot go further than explainations.
Why is the use of Literature essential?
The answer lies in the distinction between two uses of Literature. When we analyse a work of literature, we must see what ideas it contains – the main theme, the conflicts and themes, the major themes, the minor and the concluding themes and questions. We must also see what the author has done – he or she has told a story, implemented a pattern of behaviour, presented a structure, etc. – and what the work means to the reader.
Art and music are significant elements of education, but the emphasis in education today is on the use of literature. In fact, education necessitates and demands the reading ability. A reader can never become bored with the affordances provided to him for his entertainment.
