Venice.and.Cyprus

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** VENICE AND CYPRUS ** //Some background// Cyprus – has a history of invasion and subjugation. In the play it is the only Christian controlled place surrounded by a Moslem world. Venice – same size as London in 1600, with many foreigners due to trade.


 * __Venice – Characters and attitudes__**
 * Venice is thought of as a pleasure capital – “the cunning whores of Venice”
 * The senate is sending Othello off to kill for profit
 * Emilia and her price for adultery
 * Baseness contaminates Othello and Desdemona’s love, making it seem unlikely that their love can remain pure


 * __Cyprus – Symbolism__**
 * Antithesis to peaceful Venice
 * Last European stronghold against the Turks and other moslems
 * Parallel with Othello as Cyprus, Iago as the infidel
 * War torn place
 * Unlocks the smooth dignity of the of the people (especially Othello) and reveals the primitive, savage side
 * No one returns from Cyprus to Venice – parallel with one-way journey e.g. loss of virginity


 * __Othello – movement and development of character__**
 * His tale of battles smooths over the bloody gory reality
 * Othello loses his purpose in Cyprus with no enemy
 * Iago reduces him to an unsophisticated person that believes in spells and superstition (the hankerchief)


 * __Iago’s behaviour – Venice to Cyprus__**
 * Parallel between Iago and the infidel
 * Turk undermining Christianity and marriage
 * Like Satan expels Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden
 * Iago sets up his own empire in Cyprus