The young Venetian noblewoman, Desdemona, has eloped with the middle-aged Othello, the military commander of the armed forces of Venice. Othello's Integrity One of Othello's admirable qualities is that he believes that men should be transparent and honest as he is; "Certain, men should be what they seem" (Act 3 Scene 3 Line 134). Where a malignant and a turband Turk (2.1.191-93) Setting the scene. He ends up killing her out of jealousy; when she does not deserve it. The formerly self-sufficient Othello has now staked his life to his faith in Desdemona and their union, and she has done the same. Archetypal Criticism Archetypal theory and criticism, although often used synonymously with Myth theory and crticism, has a distinct history and process. O, farewell! (5. The major work of Frye's to deal with archetypes is Anatomy of Criticism but his essay The Archetypes of Literature is a precursor to the book. A few names form a core of writers in English (including many Canadians)Martin Bickman, Albert Gelpi, Elliott Gose, Evelyn Hinz, Henry Murray, Barton L. St. Armand, Harold Schechter, and William Stein though no single figure has attracted the attention of academic literary specialists, and no persistent commonalities fuse into a recognizable school critics who draw on Jungs theories. In his "The . In addition, many powerfully heuristic Jungian concepts, such as synchronicity, have yet to be tested in literary contexts. Within these three days let me hear thee say : In this quote, Othello is stating that his wife's supposed infidelity has ruined his name and turned it "black" and dirty like his own face, showing that a woman's fidelity was linked to a man's honor. To The Reader Baudelaire Analysis; Used Dudek Universal For Sale; Is Ignatius J Reilly Autistic; Spring League Football Tryouts; marxist criticism in othello act 1 . Aristotles second requirement for a tragedy is that the tragic hero must have a reversal of fortune. Archetypal criticism ensures the efforts of all these concerned faculties to analyse of a text hence archetypal criticism is of immense significance. the characters in Shakespeare's play Othello ever challenge the right of a husband to murder a wife accused of adultery. - Alfredo Alvarez, student @ Miami University, We use cookies to provide the best possible experience on our site. The archetypal characteris a simple character template recognizable to all readers. The play moves relentlessly from here to catastrophe as Othello delivers justice to those he is convinced have wronged him. The present essay, "Archetypes of Literature," is taken from the book. Even French feminist Julia Kristeva has been brought to praise a Jungian contribution to feminist discourse on the maternal: recognition that the Catholic churchs change of signification in the assumption of the Virgin Mary to include her human body represented a major shift in attitude toward female corporaiity (113). Commend me to my kind lord. The character of Iago is so conducted, that he is from the first scene to the last hated and despised. Of one that loved not wisely but too well, Thus, all contrastive categorization would benefit from archetypal analysis. No more of that. Confirmation of this theory was Jungs reading of Faust: part 1 was psychological; part 2, visionary.. Othello, being a hero, enjoys a good reputation and has notable qualities. By speaking of soul as a primary metaphor, rather than defining soul substantively and attempting to derive its ontological status from empirical demonstration or theological (metaphysical) argument, archetypal psychology recognizes that psychic reality is inextricably involved with rhetoric (Hillman, Archetypal 19). The critic is at the center of interpretive activity, and the critic functions as teacher, interpreter, priest, seer. reflects the archetypal villain" (Sen, ). Consistent with his role as guardian of order in the state, Othello carries out his own execution, by analogy judging his act as a violation reflected by Venices savage enemy: And say besides, that in Aleppo once, Furthermore, they must also have a fatal flaw, that eventually leads to their downfall. Archetypal school of literary criticism is a type of literary criticism that is concerned with recurring myths and archetypes in symbols, characters, actions, and situations within literary pieces. They're not intended to be submitted as your own work, so we don't waste time removing every error. An archetype is universal; it is generated by man's psyche regardless of time of place. Further, the text offered confirmation (and poetic representation) of the only direct contribution Jung made to literary theory: a distinction between psychological and visionary texts (Collected 15:89-90). On a general level, Jungs and Fryes theorizings about archetypes, however labeled, overlap, and boundaries are elusive, but in the disciplines of literature the two schools have largely ignored each others work. These archetypalists, focusing on the imaginaland making central the concept that in English they call soul, assert their kinship with Semiotics and Structuralism but maintain an insistent focus on psychoid phenomena, which they characterize as meaningful. As Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black. Archetypes Archetypal criticism focuses on patterns in a literary work that commonly occur in other literary works. Desdemonas true morals is her absolute devotion to her husband. In Othello, the themes such as love and jealousy reflects on the characters motivation and their values. What is striking about Shakespeares alteration of Cinthios grisly tale of murder and villainy is the shift of emphasis to the provocation for the murder, the ennobling of Othello as a figure of great stature and dignity to underscore his self-destruction, and the complication of motive for the ensigns actions. Indeed, the psychological resonances of the drama, along with its provocative racial and gender themes, have caused Othello, perhaps more than any other of Shakespeares plays, to reverberate the loudest with current audiences and commentators. Mythological critics compare one work to others with similar story . Placing responsibility in the stars - he calls Desdemona an "ill-starred wench" - is hardly a gallant course of action. Desdemona senses a change in Othello and she has a feeling that she will die soon due to the hands of Othello. These patterns and themes, often referred to as archetypes, are believed to be present in the collective unconscious of all human beings . Misled by the handkerchief, his love token to Desdemona, that Iago has planted in Cassios room and by a partially overheard conversation between Iago and Cassio, Othello, by the end of act 3, forsakes his wife and engages himself in a perverse version of the marriage ceremony of act 2 to Iago. Just another site. Frazers and Jungs texts formed the basis of two allied but ultimately different courses of influence on literary history. Myth criticism grew in part as a reaction to the formalism of New Criticism, while archetypal criticism based on Jung was never linked with any academic tradition and remained organically bound to its roots in depth psychology: the individual and collective psyche, dreams, and the analytic process. If after every tempest come such calms, Spring: A Journal of Archetype and Culture, Spring: An Annual of Archetypal Psychology and Jungian Thought, The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion, Analysis of Stuart Halls Encoding/Decoding, Jacques Derrida's Structure, Sign and Play. Written in 2001, this piece of British metafiction tells a brilliant story of love, war, mistakes, forgiveness, and, of course, atonement. Van Meurss bibliography conveys the great variety of Jungian writings on literature even within one language, the increasingly recognized potential for further development and use of Jungs ideas, and the growth in numbers of literary scholars falling under the influence of Jung. An archetype criticism of othello, a play by william shakespeare. The Shakespearean tragedy Othello contains a number of themes; their relative importance and priority is debated by literary critics. For Cassirer, reason alone cannot lead to truth, but mythical thinking which focuses on immediate experience is essential. When he realizes the grave mistake he had made by taking an honest Desdemona's life he can no longer live with himself. 1. Othello is generally regarded as Shakespeares greatest stage play, the closest he would ever come to conforming to the constrained rules of Aristotelian tragedy. The Fables of Identity: Studies in Poetic Mythology is a critical work published in 1963. Herbert Read, Michael Fordham, and Gerhard Adler, 20 vois., 1953-79), Letters (trans. From the moment when the temptation of the hero begins, the readers heart and mind are held in a vice, experiencing the extremes of pity and fear, sympathy and repulsion, sickening hope and dreadful expectation. In spite of his elevated status, he is nevertheless easy prey to insecurities because of his age, his life as a soldier, and his race. Emilia comes into the couples bedroom after Othello smothers Desdemona, but hears Desdemona cry out. It is in Act 3 Scene 3 where Othello takes on a new persona, where his confidence and happiness is tragically replaced with jealousy and rage. What hooks you? norwegian cruise line dining menus archetypal criticism in othello. "Who can control his fate?" As mine own face. And despite frequently perceptive readings, the work is marred by the characteristic limitless expansionism and psychological utilitarianism of her interpretive scheme. This book established the priority of interest in the archetypal over the mythological. "He is, in a sense, a 'self made man', the . He turns to Iago, who has been brought before him to know the reason for his actions. A tragic hero is a hero nonetheless, but it all comes down to how they hold themselves together in the face of. Archetypal Criticism Archetypal criticism argues that archetypes determine the form and function of literary works, . While adding to the tone of the story it also adds to the characters overall personality from the reader's perspective. Archetypal criticism is a literary approach that analyzes works of literature based on the idea that there are universal, timeless patterns and themes that recur across all cultures and throughout history. Analysis. The first two acts of the play enact the standard pattern of Shakespeares romantic comedies. Rashness: The play is replete with rash decisions. He carries out his own execution for a violation that threatens social and psychic order. Come, go with me apart. "Now will I question assio of ianca, As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad; . The dynamic of Othellos character significantly changes throughout the play. Evil is displayed before him, not indeed with the profusion found in King Lear, but forming, as it were, the soul of a single character, and united with an intellectual superiority so great that he watches its advance fascinated and appalled. For the fair devil. . The tragedy of Othello, written by William Shakespeare, presents the main character Othello, as a respectable, honorable, and dignified man, but because of his insecurities and good nature, he is easily taken advantage of and manipulated by his peers and alleged friends. The tragic protagonist must make a fall from a high state of being to a low state or death. As hells from heaven. Shakespeare often focuses his plays on human nature as well as fate, which Othellos fate ended in the tragic ending due to his reversal of fortune once the claims against Desdemona begin. Following his anatomizing of the painfully introspective intellectual Hamlet, Shakespeare, at the height of his ability to probe human nature and to dramatize it in action and language, treats Hamlets temperamental oppositethe man of action. Some of these include the downfall from high position Othello goes from being the general, to being convicted of being a murderer. Nor set down aught in malice. Such characters can be found in works of fiction, long or short, and in more poetic works. Both Desdemona and Othello defy by their words and gestures the calumnies heaped upon them by Roderigo and Brabantio and vindicate the imperatives of the heart over parental authority and custom. must concern itself with the archetypal, the universal, with that which is necessarily larger, more extreme than in life. Now art thou my lieutenant. Archetypal criticism is a type of literary criticismexamining the presence of archetypal characters within a piece of literature. A storm has dispersed the Venetian fleet so that Cassio arrives first, anxious for Othello's safety. Unfortunately, this got the ball rolling for Othello's inevitable downfall. Their discourse is conducted in poetic language; that is, their notions of soul-making come from the Romantics, especially William Blake and John Keats. After confronting Desdemona of her crimes he decides to carry out his overall plan to end his trues loves life. The three fundamental qualities of an archetype are: An archetype is a preconscious, instinctual expression of man's basic nature. OTHELLO: Iago critics. James Hillman, Archetypal Psychology: A Brief Account (1983), Re-Visioning Psychology (1975); C. G. Jung, Collected Works (ed. Instead, they blame him for his own ultimate ruin. And new theories increasingly give credence to the requirement, historically asserted by Jungian readers, that each text elicit a personal, affective, and not merely intellectual response. Up until Act III Scene iii Othello, "noble Moor" is in an elated position and is very aware of his importance. Othello is decisive, confident, and secure in his identity, duty, and place in the world. Another important influence was Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) who used the term archetype to what he called "primordial images". The concept of the archetype is a venerable philosophical principle that came into new prominence and usage in the twentieth century with the development of archetypal literary criticism . This last text explicitly named the movement and demonstrated its appropriation of archetypal theory for feminist ends in aesthetics, analysis, art, and religion, as well as in literature. After Othello returns from war at sea with the Turks, his fortune begins a downward spiral. "An Archetype Criticism of Othello, a Play by William Shakespeare." Mythological literary critics look for archetypes, characters and/or symbols with traits that are seen throughout literature regardless of time or place. Indeed, myth criticism seems singularly unaffected by any of the archetypal theorists who have remained faithful to the origins and traditions of depth, especially analytical, psychologyJames Hillman, Henri Corbin, Gilbert Durand, Rafael Lopez-Pedraza, Evangelos Christou. 1: 4), but he distinguishes his concept and use of the term from that of philosophical idealism as being more empirical and less metaphysical, though most of his empirical data were dreams. A general in the army, Othello holds a distinguished place in the Duke's court due to his victories in battle, but not an equal one. The key to extremely detrimental jealousy lies within one's ability to recognize it or deny it. Even though Othello had a reputation as a hero, he ends up being one of the most gullible characters in the play when he completely falls into the evil trap that Iago set for him. He notes that Singers Unholy Bible: A Psychological Interpretation of William Blake (1970), though oversimplified in its psychobiographical approach and its treatment of characters as psychological projections of the author, does make original use in a literary context of such Jungian techniques of dream interpretation as amplification and of such fantasy-evoking procedures as active imagination.. Learn what works (and what doesn't) from the reader's perspective. The storm that divides the Venetian fleet also disperses the Turkish threat and clears the way for the lovers happy reunion and peaceful enjoyment of their married state. Othello, likewise, has tradud the state and has changed from noble and valiant Othello to a beast, with the passion that ennobled him shown as corrosive and demeaning. FREE Archetype Essay Essay - Example Essays This recurring idea of an evil witch is extremely common and archetypal. Active Themes Emilia returns with Desdemona. However, in William Shakespeare's Othello, Emilia's character portrays three completely different archetypes and they all come through in strategical places. The essays in our library are intended to serve as content examples to inspire you as you write your own essay. Even when Desdemona was found after Othello strangles her, she still believed that her death was not the fault of Othello. He sees it, in itself almost irresistible, aided at every step by fortunate accidents and the innocent mistakes of its victims. Farewell / Commend me to my kind lord. The scene crowns love triumphant. The direction of Othello criticism will also be affected as literary criticism's longstanding commitment to cultural historicism comes under pressure from those who argue that explorations of context often come at the expense of literature's formal properties and affective registers, and as developments in the digital humanities enable fresh Categories: Archetypal Criticism, Literary Criticism, Literary Theory, Myth Criticism, Psychoanalysis, Tags: Achetypes, Alchemy of Discourse: An Archetypal Approach to Language, Anatomy of Criticism, Archetypal Criticism, Archetypal feminist criticism, Archetypal Patterns in Poetry, Archetypal Psychology, Archetypal Theory, Archetypal Theory and Criticism, Archetypal Theory Criticism, Claude Levi-Strauss, Ernst Cassirer, Evangelos Christou, Francis Fergusson, Frazer, Gilbert Durand, Henri Corbin, Hermes and His Children, Hillman, Imagining: A Phenomenological Study, J. G. Frazer, J. G. Frazer The Golden Bough, James Hillman, Jessie Weston, Joseph Campbell, Jung and the Humanities: Toward a Hermeneutics of Culture., Jung's Psychology of the Unconscious, Jungian Approach to Literature, Leslie Fiedler, Literary Criticism, Literary Theory, Logos of the Soul, Maud Bodkin, Myth, Myth theory and crticism, New Polytheism, Northrop Frye, Philip Wheelwright, Psychoanalysis, Rafael Lopez-Pedraza, Richard Chase, Spring Journal, Spring: A Journal of Archetype and Culture, Spring: An Annual of Archetypal Psychology and Jungian Thought, The Golden Bough, The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion, Alchemy of Discourse: An Archetypal Approach to Language. In Shakespeare's, An outburst that othello has in a crowd of his peers causes people to start to question their noble leader. Historical is basically know the background story before you making assumptions off the text, and to better understand text lookup time period close to the time like 1600's . I know not ift be true; But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do as if for surety (2.1. Between William Shakespeares most expansive and philosophical tragediesHamlet and King Learis Othello, his most constricted and heart-breaking play. Patterns originate from the writer's . Othello demonstrates all of these characteristics in the play, proving him to be a tragic hero. Using an archetypal literary criticism, Harry Potter can be analyzed by focusing on different archetypes, such as, symbols, images, and character types in the text. Human emotions have a lot of power over how we react to situations in life, the trick is learning how to not let them take over. Marxist criticism would also have offered a distinctive way of looking at Othello. However, Othello's words give a deeper insight into how he still misunderstands the situation. An archetypal critic would also say that the recurring patterns in literature prove that there are universal In her final moments, Desdemona chooses not to blame Othello for her death because she saw that the honor of their love was more important than honesty. Iago will direct the remainder of the play, constructing Othellos down-fall out of the flimsiest evidence and playing on the strengths and weaknesses of Othellos nature and the doubts that erode Othellos faith in Desdemona. After Othello learns of a possible affair between Cassio and Desdemona, at this instance is the turning point in Othellos fortune because it changes his views, attitudes and ultimately his fate. Jung was also more preoccupied with dreams and fantasies, because he saw them as exclusively (purely) products of the unconscious, in contrast to literature, which he oddly believed, citing Joyces Ulysses as an example, was created in the full light of consciousness (15:123).