‘An essence that’s not seen’: appearance and reality in Othello

Aims

This course aims to:

• bring you to a deeper understanding of Othello
   
• develop your ability to read and interpret Shakespeare
   
• develop your critical and exegetical skills

Content

Shakespeare’s Othello is perennially shocking. It tells the story of a noble soldier driven to destroy his sweet and virtuous wife by the insinuations of a man he believes to be frank, downright and honest. To today’s readers and audiences, Othello has surprisingly modern resonances with its emphasis on the injustices, bitter resentments and insecurities generated by differences of class, race and gender.

At the centre of the play is the long and elaborate Act 3, scene 3, which begins with the evil Iago dropping a hint that Othello’s new wife might be unfaithful to him, and ends with Othello determined to kill her for her crime. How does Iago succeed in this improbable scheme, and how are we, the audience, persuaded of his success? At least part of the answer must lie in the surprisingly wise and perceptive observation that Iago himself makes of Desdemona: ‘Her honour is an essence that’s not seen.’ Iago can manipulate what is seen – appearances. He cannot manipulate what is not seen – essences – and it is Othello’s confusion of the two that brings about his – and Desdemona’s – destruction. 

It will be the purpose of this course to pursue the reality behind appearances in this play, act by act, over five days. The third session will be entirely given over to Act 3, scene 3, and the fifth will include a discussion of the play as a whole. This is to set down a clear goal for the course, but in practice it will be more open than that suggests. It will be based on discussion in the classroom, a discussion based on close readings of the text and, on DVD, extracts from Trevor Nunn’s famous production, with Willard White as Othello and Ian McKellen as Iago. 

Presentation of the course 

We shall discuss the play act by act, one act per day, as if we were reading it for the first time. The tutor will give or lead short readings of the text and the ensuing discussion will include close and detailed examination of Shakespeare’s words, images and rhythms. Each class will include a DVD extract, which will be followed by critical reflection.

Course sessions

1. Act 1
    
2. Act 2
    
3. Act 3 – with special emphasis on Act 3, scene 3 
       
4. Act 4
    
5. Act 5 – to include discussion of the play as a whole

Learning outcomes

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course. 

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• to develop a deeper understanding of Shakespeare’s play
   
• to be able to read and understand Early Modern drama    
         
• to acquire an enhanced appreciation of literature in English

Required reading

The text marked here with an asterisk is the text we shall use in class. It is therefore essential that you come to Cambridge with this edition and that you read the introductory materials in it as well as the text of the play. 

*Shakespeare, William, ed. E. A. J. Honigmann, Othello (London: Bloomsbury The Arden Shakespeare 1997 3rd Series) 

Honigmann’s introduction to the play in this edition is criticism of exceptional value. I recommend that you read that before other supplementary texts. 

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.