Othello is set in Venice, presumably sometime in the latter half of the sixteenth-century. Venice was at war with the Ottoman empire between 1570 and 1573, so the play’s reference to the threat of an attack on Cyprus could reflect a setting sometime during this period.
Why did Shakespeare choose Venice?
Visit the city the Merchant of Venice was set in.
Shakespeare set the Merchant of Venice here in Venice because the city was a hotspot for trade at the time, and because it was a city full of sophisticated glamour.
Why would Shakespeare have chosen Venice and Cyprus as settings?
We know that Shakespeare liked to set his plays in exotic locations like Verona or Cyprus because he wanted to entertain and transport his audience. … So Shakespeare wanted his audience to be exposed to other places outside of England.
Why did Shakespeare choose Cyprus for Othello?
Ironically, Cyprus was also revered as the birthplace of Venus Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who was reputedly born in ocean foam and washed ashore near Nicosia. Inspired by this amorous deity, Cyprus provides the perfect location for Iago to convince Othello of his wife’s sexual infidelity.
What inspired Merchant of Venice?
Shakespeare used a variety of medieval and early modern literary sources in writing The Merchant of Venice. … Scholars often discuss Christopher Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta as a probable impetus and influence for The Merchant of Venice because it was first staged in London only a decade before Shakespeare wrote the play.
What is Shylock’s real motive?
Shylock insists on a pound of Antonio’s flesh to take revenge on him and to put him completely at his mercy. Shylock’s hatred for Antonio and Christians is shown in his absurd demand. Taking advantage of the situation, he wants to take revenge on Antonio and all Christians, who persecuted him and his race.
Has Shakespeare been to Venice?
Although Shakespeare never visited any European cities he set plays in many of them. … As a prominent cultural figure in London, he would also have met visitors from other European cities. In the sixteenth century, Venice was at the heart of the grand tour. It was, in a sense, the capital of Europe.
What does Venice symbolize in Othello?
In Othello, Venice represents civilization, while Cyprus symbolizes the wilderness.
Why does Roderigo want to drown himself?
Why does Roderigo want to drown himself? … He lays out his plan to cheat Roderigo out of his money, to convince Othello that Cassio has slept with Desdemona, and to use Othello’s honest and unsuspecting nature to bring him to his demise.
What do the Cypriots think of Othello?
1) The Cypriots perceive Othello by means of a “worthy governor” (line 32) and also provide him with great respect. 2) They make him seem like a larger man rather than a smaller one because they constantly boast about him, talking about how wonderful he is.
Is Othello a Turk?
When, at the end of the play, Othello views himself as a Turk, he ratifies European perceptions of the treacherous and destructive Mus- lim Other at the same time that he draws the audience’s attention to the religion of the Other to which both Turk and Moor are historically and culturally linked.
What force has really won the political war Othello?
The Holy League won a decisive victory, destroying most of the Ottoman fleet and ending their three-decade naval dominance.
Why does Desdemona fall in love with Othello?
By his own admission, Desdemona fell in love with Othello’s bravery and for surviving many sorrows and tribulations. … Othello, in turn, loves the fact that she admires him. From his point of view, he has a loving, obedient wife who admires his ability to endure dangers.
Is Shylock a villain or a victim?
Shylock is a combination of both victim and villain in The Merchant of Venice. He is a victim of discrimination and mistreated by Antonio and his daughter, Jessica. Shylock’s greedy, vengeful nature is what makes him a villain, which helps drive the plot of the play.
Does Shylock convert to Christianity?
Portia orders Shylock to beg for the duke’s mercy. … Shylock claims that they may as well take his life, as it is worthless without his estate. Antonio offers to return his share of Shylock’s estate, on the condition that Shylock convert to Christianity and bequeath all his goods to Jessica and Lorenzo upon his death.
Is Merchant of Venice a true story?
The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play written by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599.