Exploring Shakespeare’s Tragedies: Othello

A tragedy of love, jealousy and intrigue, in which a highly respected black general, Othello, is deceived into believing his young white Venetian bride has been unfaithful to him. In agony, he kills both her and himself.
The ‘motiveless malignancy’ of the villain, ‘honest Iago’, drives the tragedy, whose themes range from the power of words to manipulate and destroy to race relations in Venice and beyond.

This session includes an introductory talk, group discussion of characters, themes and staging, and video clips showing a variety of interpretations. There will be a break midway for coffee and cake. 

These events are suitable for those aged 18 and over.

Clare Smout is a locally-based Shakespeare specialist. Clare spent 20 years in professional theatre, before moving sideways into academic research and teaching. She has taught Shakespeare to students of all ages, including lecturing at the University of Birmingham and as a guest tutor at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education.