"Othello" and "A Doll's House": A Comparison

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the plays "Othello" by William Shakespeare and "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen. In particular, the paper outlines the themes of appearance vs. reality and social issues such as oppression and the individual struggling against society that are hidden within the story lines of the plays. It looks at how while the theme of appearance versus reality occurs in isolated events and character relationships in "Othello", it exists differently in "A Doll's House" as an ongoing mask of reality for many situations and characters. The paper also discusses how Ibsen's and Shakespeare's unique portrayals of this theme stem from their distinct dramaturgies, as well as their cultural and social environments.

From the Paper:

"The artificial exterior of characters and their relationships with one another is a major form of appearance versus reality in both Othello and A Doll's House. Shakespeare sets the tone for Iago's trap in the first scene of Act II, as a random dialogue discusses the limitations and unreliability of sight. "What from the cape can you discern at sea?" Montano asks the Gentleman. "Nothing at all," he replied, "it is a high-wrought flood. I cannot twixt the heaven and the main Descry a sail." Othello will be similarly "blinded," as Iago works to mislead him. Othello's major flaw is his trust in Iago's appearance as a friend, when in reality Iago is planning his demise. Othello expresses his faith in Iago in Act III Scene Three, when he responds to Iago's protest that he loves him by saying "I think thou dost; And, for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty, And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath" Othello relies on Iago's "evidence" blindly, missing the reality that he is his enemy. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• "A Doll's House." The Bedford Introduction to Drama. Comp. Lee A. Jacobus. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2005. pp. 706.
• Bradley, A.C.. Shakesperean Tragedy. New York: St. Martin's P, 1956. pp. 424.
• Clement, Scott. The Theatre. Vol. 14, No. 79, July, 1889, pp. 19-22.
• "Iago's 'if': An Essay on the Syntax of Othello." The Drama of the Renaissance: Essays for Leicester Bradner. Ed. Elmer M. Blistein. Providence: Brown UP, 1970. pp. 69.
• "Othello." The Bedford Introduction to Drama. Comp. Lee A. Jacobus. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2005. pp. 427.

More papers on "Othello" and "A Doll's House": A Comparison:

• Comparison Essay # 33713 : " A Study of "Othello's" Iago and "A Doll's House" Krogstad"
• Comparison Essay # 121448 : "Othello" and "A Doll's House"
• Poem Review # 138815 : "My Life Is a Doll House"

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