There is a good on-line essay on the subject of geography in Othello.
Here is an extract
"Shakespeare could not have known that eventually in 1669 the Turks
would invade Cyprus, forcing the Venetians to withdraw and effectively
ending their role as a major naval force. What Shakespeare does do,
however, is clearly establish Cyprus as an alternative to Venice. For
Shakespeare's audience, Cyprus, as well as Barbary, Egypt, Rhodes, and
Aleppo among others, would have defined a foreign, strange, exotic
place about which they could only dream. With no frame of reference in
their every day lives for these places, just the names would make the
events of the play very plausible. The persistent mention of other
foreign places contextualises Cyprus as the mid-way point between
civilisation and barbarism, a point made flesh in the character of
Othello. Furthermore, unlike Venice, militarism is the stable
mechanism of the behavioural code. Cassio is dealt with according to
this code, as is Iago, and it is the Venetian nobles who see to its
implementation. Most notable is the lack of any Cypriots in the play
while everyone is in Cyprus. It is as if they have all travelled to a
different planet.
This Cyprus, however, is different in that it is under the protection
of Venice. It is almost an Italian colony, but it is not essentially
an appendage to Venetian culture. Although it does hold to a Christian
code for the behaviour of its residents, it remains a place of extreme
violence and the almost constant breaking of that code by the
Venetians who have become the outsiders.
The government is by a governor appointed by the Duke, and the Turks
(also foreigners) threaten Cyprus with invasion. This incursion of
non-Christian into Christian space will not be tolerated, regardless
of Venice's hypocritical stance. In Venice we see how business and
other matters are conducted within city walls. In the relatively open
spaces of Cyprus, things change. Othello is not so foreign in this
environment nor is he totally secure. It can be argued persuasively
that being in the open spaces of Cyprus allows Othello's insecurities
to surface, insecurities about himself and Desdemona that he had
successfully suppressed in Venice.
This viewpoint may be justified when we consider the effect of
geographical change on Othello and Desdemona's marriage. In Venice,
they secretly eloped, and the council, despite Brabantio's passionate
pleading, retains its focus on political events. Once in Cyprus with
the war finished before it began, the focus reverts to Othello and
Desdemona, and political events are reduced to a series of inspections
and state banquets."
The full text can be found here
http://www.about-shakespeare.com/othello_essay.php
Here are links to some other excellent on-line analyses of the play
http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/othello001.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/othello/themes.html
http://www.classicnote.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/othello/summ1.html |
