/ Man but a rush against Othello's breast / And he retires." The critic is at the center of interpretive activity, and the critic functions as teacher, interpreter, priest, seer. This book established the priority of interest in the archetypal over the mythological. The scene crowns love triumphant. Aristotle believed that the plot is the most important element in a play and that plot also clearly points out the problem of any characters to be solved. Archetypal criticism is a type of literary criticismexamining the presence of archetypal characters within a piece of literature. In this essay let us examine the various themes and determine which are dominant and which subordinate. Othello makes an error in judgement, which leads to his change in fortune, and later realizes that his actions are what caused said change in fortune. Act 3, one of the wonders of the stage, anatomizes Othellos psychic descent from perfect contentment in his new wife to complete loathing, from a worldview in which everything is as it appears to one in which nothing is as it seems. "Othello is essentially an noble character, flawed by insecurity and a nature that is naive and unsophisticated". norwegian cruise line dining menus archetypal criticism in othello. Othello was crafted at the dawn of the 17th century, shaped by complex social and geopolitical issues that new historicist critics, who seek to place literary works within a historical framework, have recently sought to unravel. He has promoted Cassio to lieutenant while leaving Iago as ensign. According to Hillman, that discourse was anticipated by Evangelos Christous Logos of the Soul (1963) and extended in religion (David L. Millers New Polytheism, 1974), philosophy (Edward Caseys Imagining: A Phenomenological Study, 1976), mythology (Rafael Lopez-Pedrazas Hermes and His Children, 1977), psycholinguistics (Paul Kuglers Alchemy of Discourse: An Archetypal Approach to Language, 1982), and the theory of analysis (Patricia Berrys Echos Subtle Body, 1982). Seeing her dying, Emilia asks who would do this. The example essays in Kibin's library were written by real students for real classes. The next significant development in archetypal theory that affected literary studies grew out of the effort made by U.S.-born, Zurich-trained analyst James Hillman (b. 364-367). Many fell prey to Jungs idiosyncrasies as a reader, ranging widely and naively over genres, periods, and languages in search of the universal archetypes, while sweeping aside cultureand text-specific problems, ignoring their own role in the act of reading and basing critical evaluation solely on a texts contribution to the advancement of the readers individuation process, a kind of literature-astherapy standard. At the center of the plays intrigue is Shakespeares most sinister and formidable conceptions of evil in Iago, whose motives and the wellspring of his villainy continue to haunt audiences and critics alike. Two publishing events at the beginning of the 1990s in the United States may signal the coming of age of this kind of archetypal criticism through its convergence with postmodern critical thought, along with a commensurate insistence on its roots in the depth psychology of Jung: the reissue of Morris Philipsons 1963 Outline of a Jungian Aesthetic and the appearance of Karin Barnaby and Pellegrino DAcerinos multidisciplinary, multicultural collection of essays, C. G. Jung and the Humanities: Toward a Hermeneutics of Culture. Archetypal criticism focuses on such things in a work. And so much duty as my mother showd . O, farewell! (5. Sign up Such characters can be found in works of fiction, long or short, and in more poetic works. Bettina Knapps 1984 effort at an authoritative demonstration of archetypal literary criticism exemplified this pattern. The present essay, "Archetypes of Literature," is taken from the book. The traits of the tragic hero lead the audience to feel compassion for the helpless victim. Richer than all his tribe. An archetypal critic would also say that the recurring patterns in literature prove that there are universal This article, then, treats the only form of literary theory and criticism consistent with and derived directly from the psychological principles advanced by Jung. Othello: I greet thy love, In Act 2, Scene 1 of Othello, Iago formulates his plan to drive Othello mad. Farewell! Often in our society people are labelled as, or fit into a, certain character mould and their behaviour and actions remain consistent. . Archetypal Criticism Volume I. "), "An Archetype Criticism of Othello, a Play by William Shakespeare." In his major work, The Anatomy of Criticism, he states: 'I mean by an archetype a symbol which connects one poem with another and thereby helps to unify and integrate our . Perplexed in the extreme; of one whose hand, Macbeth) in the essay title portion of your citation. 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. To date, the British Journal of Analytical Psychology and the retitled American Spring: A Journal of Archetype and Culture are the best resources for archetypal criticism of literature and the arts even though only a small percentage of their published articles treat such topics. Othello is decisive, confident, and secure in his identity, duty, and place in the world. Othello is characterized by his plainspoken read analysis of Othello Iago Othello's disloyal standard-bearer and the villain of the play. Othello decides the only way to right his wrong is to take his own life. Northrop Frye, however, further developed this theory in his book Anatomy of Criticism and later in his essay 'The Archetypes in Literature . Given this background, it is not surprising to find in a 1976 essay entitled Jungian Psychology in Criticism: Theoretical Problems the statement that no purely Jungian criticism of literature has yet appeared (Baird 22). The movie Zootopia uses animals to portray racism and sexism; predators do not like prey and vice versa. William Shakespeare, born in the year 1564, is often considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, writer in the English language. 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. Patterns originate from the writer's . Cinthios version of Iago is conventionally driven by jealousy of a superior and lust for his wife. The contrast is most pronounced from the beginning of the play to its conclusion, switching from being calm and peaceful to acts of uncontrolled venomous rage. This allows our team to focus on improving the library and adding new essays. According to Aristotle, a tragic protagonist is a nobleman or person from high status, who contributes to his own demise and illustrates a flaw or weakness in judgment. Dramatically, Shakespeare turns the focus of the play from the shocking crime to its causes and psychic significance, trans-forming Cinthios intrigue story of vile murder into one of the greatest dramatic meditations on the nature of love and its destruction. Othello accused her of being unfaithful, when she never was. Iago leads Othello to suspect that love and devotion are shams disguising the basest of animalistic instincts. Othello also matches Aristotle's ideas of tragic hero because our Othello realizes the error of his ways, causing us to feel sympathy for him. A Modern View of Feminist Criticism William Shakespeare 's "Othello" can be analyzed from a feminist perspective.This criticism focuses on relationships between genders, like the patterns of thoughts, behavior, values, enfranchisement, and power in relations between and within sexes. Othello is first shown as a hero of war and a man of, The extent of which Othello is a tragic hero has been open to much debate; the basis on which he is judged falls to Aristotles established view of the crucial elements that distinguish whether a person is truly tragic. Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance bounteous, 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). If we carefully examine the third scene in the third act, we can see how Othello fits into Aristotle's definition of tragic hero. These patterns and themes, often referred to as archetypes, are believed to be present in the collective unconscious of all human beings . She is not as strong-willed like the other ladies and is Shakespeares example of the archetype of the innocence and has the bases of a flat character. Eventually, this leads to Othellos suicide. As Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black. Here are some examples of archetype in Shakespearean works: Lover: Romeo ("Romeo and Juliet"), Juliet ("Romeo and Juliet"), Antony ("Antony and Cleopatra") Hero: Othello ("Othello"), Hamlet . The main ideas of Othello are jealousy and revenge. But Jos van Meurss critically annotated 1988 bibliography, Jungian Literary Criticism, 1920-1980, effectively challenges this claim. The story opens on Briony Tallis, a 13-year-old growing up in the upper-middle class in England in 1953 with . An archetype criticism of othello, a play by william shakespeare. Source: Groden, Michael, and Martin Kreiswirth. The term "archetype" can be traced to Plato (arche, "original"; typos, "form"), but the concept gained currency in twentieth-century literary theory and criticism through the work . Rashness: The play is replete with rash decisions. 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. In The Tragedy of Othello, Shakespeare details the story of a celebrated military hero who falls victim to the machinations of a conniving villain who goes by the name of Iago. This heuristic distinction was formed, however, solely on psychobiographical grounds: Did the text originate in, and remain principally shaped by, the authors experience of consciousness and the personal unconscious or his or her experience at the level of the archetypal collective unconscious? Shakespeare derived his plot from Giraldi Cinthios Tale of the Moor, in the story collection Hecatommithi (1565), reshaping Cinthios sensational tale of jealousy, intrigue, and murder in several key ways. Desdemona and Othello, therefore, face the usual challenges of the lovers in a Shakespearean comedy who must contend with the forces of authority, custom, and circumstances allied against their union. In addition, Othello is far from being a perfect character - another quality that meets Aristotle's requirements. : Feminist: Ex. The romantic climax comes in the trial scene of act 1, in which Othello success-fully defends himself before the Venetian senate against Brabantios charge that Othello has beguiled his daughter, stoln from me, and corrupted / By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks. Calmly and courteously Othello recounts how, despite the differences of age, race, and background, he won Desdemonas heart by recounting the stories of his exotic life and adventures: She loved me for the dangers I had passed, / And I loved her that she did pity them. Wonder at Othellos heroic adventures and compassion for her sympathy have brought the two opposites togetherthe young, inexperienced Venetian woman and the brave, experienced outsider. : 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. Let us know! To you, preferring you before her father, (And nope, we don't source our examples from our editing service! They also attest to his self-confessed lack of interest in literature: I feel not naturally drawn to what one calls literature, but I am strangely attracted by genuine fiction, i.e., fantastical invention (Letters 1:509). Desdemona is oblivious to what is going on around her and stays loyal to her morals but Iagos rumours lure Othello to thinking otherwise. 1: 67), of the archetypes, which he described as patterns of psychic energy originating in the collective unconscious and finding their most common and most normal manifestation in dreams (8:287). As the handkercheif is stolen from Desdemona, Othello believes that she has become unfaithful to him, which leads him down a jealous path and eventually kill her. In Cinthios story, Alfiero, the scheming ensign, lusts after the Moors wife, named Disdemona, and after she spurns his advances, Alfiero seeks vengeance by accusing her of adultery with Cassio, the Moors lieutenant. As Othello came to his breaking point, desdemona foreshadows her own death and he lets jealousy take over. If after every tempest come such calms, An example, is that they had to overcome a huge obstacle such as love because Othello and Desdemona were in love but her father did not approve of it. Shakespeare shifts the action from Venice to Cyprus. Archetypal Criticism of Othello Othello, one of Shakespeare's most popular tragedies, is full of symbols, motifs, and themes that make it relatable to people all over the world. As hells from heaven. Archetypal criticism, then, construed as that derived from Jung's theory and practice of archetypal (analytical) psychology, is a fledgling and much misconstrued field of inquiry with significant but still unrealized potential for the study of literature and of aesthetics in general. Cultural criticism is exploring or examining the relationship of dominant role based on ethnicity, and sexual identity of person, also a great understanding of yourself. The patterns are the major intrinsic aspects of a work. We'll take a look right away. ("Literary Criticism.") The term 'archetype' is taken from the Greek words 'arche' (beginning) and 'typos' (imprint). I took by th throat the circumcisd dog, I do perceive here a divided duty: Othello relies easily on Iago to believe without being thought deeply. When Othello cant dismiss his suspicions of his wife being unfaithful any longer he starts to lose his morality . Beat a Venetian and tradud the state, Uncover new sources by reviewing other students' references and bibliographies, Inspire new perspectives and arguments (or counterarguments) to address in your own essay. And concomitantly, on which of these levels was the reader affected? In archetypal criticism, under the reductive method of analysis, a critic, while elucidating a text, moves from the particular truth to the general truth. My soul hath content so absolute Because of that, it has generated a lot of literary criticism in the 400 years since it was written and first . 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, Her Jungian Approach to Literature attempts to cover the Finnish epic The Kalevala, the Persian Atars The Conference of the Birds, and texts by Euripides, Wolfram von Eschenbach, Michel de Montaigne, Pierre Corneille, Goethe, Novalis, Rabbi ben Simhah Nachman, and W. B. Yeats. 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. O my souls joy, In a mess of questions of good and evil, right and wrong, critical supporters of Iago (T.S. As the pair kneels together, they exchange vows: Iago: Witness you ever-burning lights above, Othello is a Moorish (African) general in the Venetian army and an eloquent storyteller who is respected, but often treated as an outsider. Mythological critics compare one work to others with similar story . 2. Is Othello or Hamlet better? Desdemonas true morals is her absolute devotion to her husband. What hooks you? Feminist archetypal theory, proceeding inductively, restored Jungs original emphasis on the fluid, dynamic nature of the archetype, drawing on earlier feminist theory as well as the work of Jungian Erich Neumann to reject absolutist, ahistorical, essentialist, and transcendentalist misinterpretations. However, the protagonist of the tragedy play only partially meets the definition of Aristotles tragic hero. In addition, many powerfully heuristic Jungian concepts, such as synchronicity, have yet to be tested in literary contexts. What bloody business ever. The tragic heros downfall, said Aristotle, was brought upon by some error of judgement. 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. Iago replies: Demand me nothing; what you know, you know: / From this time forth I never will speak word. By Iagos exiting the stage, closing access to his motives, the focus remains firmly on Othello, not as Iagos victim, but as his own. Of all Shakespeares tragedies . Herbert Read, Michael Fordham, and Gerhard Adler, 20 vois., 1953-79), Letters (trans. The Critical Analysis Of A Novel: Atonement By Ian Mcewan Atonement by Ian McEwan is a literary masterpiece and a highly critically acclaimed novel. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994. Othello: Damn her, lewd minx! However, the Moor and Alfiero join forces to kill Disdemona, beating her to death with a stocking filled with sand before pulling down the ceiling on her dead body to conceal the crime as an accident. 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 The play imitates life through basic human emotions such as jealousy and rage. Othello is the most painfully exciting and the most terrible. OTHELLO: Iago critics. A storm has dispersed the Venetian fleet so that Cassio arrives first, anxious for Othello's safety. The young Venetian noblewoman, Desdemona, has eloped with the middle-aged Othello, the military commander of the armed forces of Venice. By the end of the play, he has brought down his world around him with the relentless force that made him a great general turned inward, destroying both what he loved best in another and in himself. This is not a satisfactory frame of mind for an investigator, and it is certainly not an . His final speech mixes together the acknowledgment of what he was and what he has become, who he is and how he would like to be remembered: I have done the state some service, and they knowt. At mid-century, Canadian critic Northrop Frye (1912-91) introduced new distinctions in literary criticism between myth and archetype. to view the complete essay. The Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism. When citing an essay from our library, you can use "Kibin" as the author. R. F. C. Hull, 2 vois., 1973-75). Othello is now reduced to questioning his wife's maid, Emilia, looking for evidence of Desdemona's infidelity. Home Archetypal Criticism Archetypal Criticism, By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on October 22, 2020 ( 0 ). Archetypal theory and criticism, although often used synonymously with Myth theory and crticism, has a distinct history and process. 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. Archetypal Criticism Archetypal theory and criticism, although often used synonymously with Myth theory and crticism, has a distinct history and process. The tragic hero archetype is used in many different pieces of writing and with every character comes a different way of using it. archetypal criticism in othello america undercover life of crime Juni 12, 2022. used kawai upright piano . After the. Mythological literary critics look for archetypes, characters and/or symbols with traits that are seen throughout literature regardless of time or place. However, in William Shakespeare's Othello, Emilia's character portrays three completely different archetypes and they all come through in strategical places. 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. - Alfredo Alvarez, student @ Miami University, We use cookies to provide the best possible experience on our site. Furthermore, they must also have a fatal flaw, that eventually leads to their downfall. 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. http://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/an-archetype-criticism-of-othello-a-play-by-william-shakespeare-yJF4zltX, ("An Archetype Criticism of Othello, a Play by William Shakespeare. what is wrong with franklin baby on tiktok. You elements that clip us round about, Commend me to my kind lord. Othello as a character of noble blood seems to conform to all these. This type of criticism was first experimented by Maud Bodkin, in his book Archetypal Patterns in Poetry (1934). And let the labouring barque climb hills of seas Nobody; I myself. Frye, however, notably in Anatomy of Criticism, essentially redefined and relocated archetype on grounds that would remove him unequivocally from the ranks of Jungian critics by severing the connection between archetype and depth psychology: This emphasis on impersonal content has been developed by Jung and his school, where the communicability of archetypes is accounted for by a theory of a collective unconsciousan unnecessary hypothesis in literary criticism, so far as I can judge (m-12). That's a matter of opinion. (3.3.54) Ex. The term archetype can be traced to Plato (arche, original; typos, form), but the concept gained currency in twentieth-century literary theory and criticism through the work of the Swiss founder of analytical psychology, C. G. Jung (1875-1961). Frye, then, first misinterprets Jungian theory by insisting on a Lamarckian view of genetic transmission of archetypes, which Jung explicitly rejected, and later settles on a concept of archetype as a literary occurrence per se, an exclusively intertextual recurring phenomenon resembling a convention (99). In Othello, the plot meets the definition of both Aristotle and Shakespeare on a tragedy. To protect the anonymity of contributors, we've removed their names and personal information from the essays. He had even gone as far as hitting her (4.1 134). The fulfillment of the wedding night that should come at the climax of the comedy is relocated to act 2, with the aftermath of the courtship and the wedding now taking center stage. Archetypes Archetypal criticism focuses on patterns in a literary work that commonly occur in other literary works. Despite his deliberately selective focus on critical works written in English on literary texts that are, for the most part, also written in English, van Meurs, with the early assistance of John Kidd, has collected 902 entries, of which he identifies slightly over 80 as valid and valuable literary criticism. The first two acts of the play enact the standard pattern of Shakespeares romantic comedies. As he attempts to carry out his execution of Desdemona, she for the first time realizes his charges against her and his utter delusion. 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. Despite naively playing into Iago's hands earlier by giving him the handkerchief, Emilia shows her earnest loyalty to Desdemona. 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. However, Othello's words give a deeper insight into how he still misunderstands the situation. Aristotles theory is not the final word on tragedy, however it can support in pinpointing the pivotal traits in. Let him command, And to obey shall be in me remorse, An archetype is universal; it is generated by man's psyche regardless of time of place. Othello, being a hero, enjoys a good reputation and has notable qualities. Othello sends Emilia outside to guard the door. 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). 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. And the 1980s saw a new, suggestive, and controversial direction in archetypal studies of literature: the feminist. Key quotation (Aside) O, you are well tuned now!But I'll set down the pegs that make this music, As honest as I am. The intensity and focus of Othello is unalleviated by subplots, comic relief, or any mitigation or consolation for the deterioration of the noble Moor and his collapse into murder and suicide. The Women of Othello There are only three female characters in Othello, and each plays a critical role in Shakespeare's artfully crafted plot of jealousy and retribution.