Othello is set in Venice because it was a cosmopolitan trading center, and Cyprus because it was a strategic location for battles between the Venetians and the Ottomans.
And now, a closer look
Othello, one of William Shakespeare’s famous plays, is set in both Venice and Cyprus for specific reasons. Venice was a cosmopolitan trading center during the Renaissance period and was known for its wealth, culture, and power. Cyprus, on the other hand, was strategically valuable for battles between the Venetians and the Ottomans.
According to an article from The British Library, “During the 16th century, the Venetians had expanded their influence across the Mediterranean, with colonies in places like Cyprus, Crete, and Corfu, which made them a formidable naval and trading power.” This made Venice a fitting setting for the play, as it was a place where different cultures and people crossed paths.
Furthermore, Cyprus was a place of significance, as it marked the end of the Venetians’ eastern expansion. It also had symbolic value for the Ottomans, who wanted to take over the island and were eventually successful in doing so. This history is referenced in the play when the Ottoman Turks are mentioned as a potential threat to the Venetians.
In addition, the stark contrast between the two settings highlighted the characters’ emotions and actions throughout the play. In Venice, characters such as Othello and Desdemona were surrounded by the luxurious lifestyle and social norms of the upper-class society. Once the play moves to Cyprus, however, the focus shifts to the military strategies and preparation for war. This contrasted atmosphere set up the stage for the tragic events that unfold in the later acts.
As portrayed by the Cambridge School Shakespeare, “The contrast between the two locations is striking: the cultured and beautiful Venice, home to Othello at the start of the play, with its social gatherings, musical and poetic entertainments and the strife-torn, remote military outpost of Cyprus, subject to constant attacks from the Turks.”
Overall, the choice of settings in Othello served both historical and literary purposes and added depth to the characters and events that took place on stage.
cosmopolitan trading center, symbolized wealth, culture, power
Cyprus
strategically valuable for battles, marked the end of Venetians’ eastern expansion, symbolic to the Ottomans
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|”Apart from being a classic example of early modern English literature, with its themes of jealousy, love, racism, and betrayal, Othello is distinctly unique in its treatment of two different places in the world at the time that it was written: Venice and Cyprus.” – Adam Hocker, Think Magazine|
Associated video
The video explores the significance of the settings, Venice and Cyprus, in Shakespeare’s play, Othello. Venice, a powerful and threatened city, is explored through its symbolic fairness. Meanwhile, Cyprus is described as a meeting point between the east and west, society and liberation, order, and chaos. The video delves into various scenes in the play, including the opening in a dark street and the personal scene between Emilia and Desdemona. The change in setting from Venice to Cyprus is also discussed, with the evil and darkness in Cyprus symbolizing blindness to reality. Finally, the video prompts viewers to engage in independent learning and compare the similarities and differences between Venice and Cyprus before exploring the sources Shakespeare drew from in the next video.
Some more answers to your question
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.
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. What do Venice and Cyprus represent in Othello? In Othello, Venice symbolizes patriarchal rationality, while Cyprus symbolizes passion that runs unchecked.Type: BronzeYear: Circa 300 BC
Interesting facts on the topic
It’s interesting that,Othello was hugely popular throughout the 17 th and 18 th century and is one of the few Shakespearean plays never altered during the Restoration period.However, over the 19 th and 20 th centuries various interpretations of the play emerged in response to changing notions of race and sexuality.
Interesting:Brabantio is outraged and calls for Othello’s arrest. Brabantio has Othello brought before the Duke of Venice and accuses him of using sorcery to entrap his daughter.Othello and Desdemona defend their genuine courtship and love. Their proclamation wins over the Duke who gives the marriage his blessing.
I am sure you will be interested in these topics as well
What is the significance of the setting of Cyprus in Othello?
The reply will be: 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.
Why does Shakespeare move the play from Venice to Cyprus?
Response will be: Why does Shakespeare move the action of his play from Venice to Cyprus? So all the characters are released from the influence & authority Venice had over them, giving them independence.
Why is Othello sent by the Duke and Senators of Venice to Cyprus?
The Duke orders Othello to go to Cyprus immediately to deal with the Turkish threat. Othello tells ‘honest’ Iago to escort Desdemona, who pleads to be allowed to accompany her husband.
Why was Cyprus important to Venice?
Response will be: The Venetians saw Cyprus primarily as a military base. Anticipating conflict, they undertook an ambitious plan of fortification. Famagusta and Nicosia were ringed with massive earthworks, cased with stone. An outer wall was erected around Kyrenia castle, the gap being filled with earth to form an artillery rampart.
Why is Othello set in Venice?
The answer is: Shakespeare set Othello in Venice because it allowed for the play to take place on an island and for a naval battle with the Turks. It is set in Venice because Shakespeare uses it to make the play more interesting As Shakespeareguru notes, Shakespeare based many of his plays on historical information.
Why does Othello move to Cyprus?
The action of The Tragedy of Othello moves to Cyprus when the Turks invade Venice, leading Othello and Desdemona to flee to the military encampment in Cyprus where they mistakenly believe their safety can be assured. Why is Othello set in Venice and Cyprus? Othello is set in Venice, presumably sometime in the latter half of the sixteenth-century.
What does the transition from Venice to Cyprus mean for Othello?
The response is: The transition of setting from Venice to Cyprus puts Othello outside the immediate control of Venician authority and Desdemona beyond the disapprobation of prating Brabantio. It is the ‘fleshing out’ of sorts of their free will. An isolated military outpost symbolises both deliberate alienation from the norm and independance from control.
What role does geography play in Shakespeare's Othello?
The concept of geography plays a major role in Shakespeare’s Othello, as it does in many of his plays. Caught between the two markedly different locales of Venice and Cyprus, the events of the script give proof to the old adage that “people change places, and places change people.”
Why is Othello set in Venice?
Shakespeare set Othello in Venice because it allowed for the play to take place on an island and for a naval battle with the Turks. It is set in Venice because Shakespeare uses it to make the play more interesting As Shakespeareguru notes, Shakespeare based many of his plays on historical information.
Why did Shakespeare move Othello to Cyprus?
We see that ships of Othello and Desdemona are parted from each other, hence giving the audience a foresight into the separation between Othello and Desdemona that is eventually going to take place. Shakespeare may have also moved the play from Venice to Cyprus to demonstrate the course of their love. Venice is a place of love and affection.
What does the transition from Venice to Cyprus mean for Othello?
The transition of setting from Venice to Cyprus puts Othello outside the immediate control of Venician authority and Desdemona beyond the disapprobation of prating Brabantio. It is the ‘fleshing out’ of sorts of their free will. An isolated military outpost symbolises both deliberate alienation from the norm and independance from control.
What does Cyprus symbolize in Othello?
Response will be: In Othello, Venice represents civilization, while Cyprus symbolizes the wilderness. The idea is that what happened in the Cyprus never would happen in the civilized city of Venice. IT IS INTERESTING: Quick Answer: Can you sunbathe in Cyprus in March? What are the 4 main plots in The Merchant of Venice?
