Textual Integrity of

Shakespeares
OTHELLO

What the?

What does textual integrity even

mean??
 Why is OTHELLO still performed?
studied? appropriated?...
discussed?....???

Are the events in the play even relevant in

todays world?

How do the characters sustain their

timeless appeal?

Have the values, attitudes and beliefs

(explored in the play) changed during the
last 400 years?

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 The syllabus defines textual integrity as:
Clear
Clear
Agreement
Agreement Method
Method
Rational
Rational
Harmony
Harmony Play
Play
Consistent
Consistent
The
The way
way it
it Script
Script
Reasonable
Reasonable
fits
fits Structure
Structure
Believable
Believable
together
together construction
construction
relevant
relevant

O The unity of a text; its coherent use of form

O
and language to produce an integrated whole
in terms of meaning and value. (p 100)
Ideas
Ideas and
and their
their
Language
Language features
features Believable
Believable importance
importance
Realistic
Realistic Worthiness
Literary devices
Literary devices Worthiness of
of knowing
knowing
No
No inconsistent
inconsistent actions
actions
Dramatic
Dramatic techniques
techniques the
the characters
characters
or
or reactions
reactions
Style
Style Complete
Relevance
Relevance of
of the
the
Complete narrative
narrative
Register
Register Everything
Everything fits
fits and
and actions
actions and
and
makes
makes sense even the
sense even the consequences
consequences
ambiguous bits
ambiguous bits Merit
Merit
usefulness
usefulness

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Evaluating a text in terms of its textual
integrity requires you to CAREFULLY consider:
O the features and elements of a text =
O Language features
O Poetic devices
O Structure
O Social/cultural values, beliefs and attitudes
O Religious vs secular laws
O The symbolism of the handkerchief
O Elizabethan (religious conflict) values and context
O Contrasting images / characters
O Characterisation
O Dramatic techniques
 In other words evaluating a text in
terms of its textual integrity means
Consistent
Consistent and
and
realistic
realistic &
&
O the extent to which it may human
human characters
characters
possess an overall unity =
Believable
Believable
sequence
sequence (and
(and
when
when consequences)
consequences) of
of
theyre
theyre all
all put
put events
events
together..
together..
Relevant
Relevant &&
How
How
important timeless
timeless values,
values,
important are are
all
Language
Language features
features attitudes,
attitudes, beliefs
beliefs
all these
these Poetic devices
Poetic devices
things Structure and
and issues
issues
things Themes
Structure
/ events /
Themes / events /
settings
settings
in
in
Valid,
Valid, interesting,
interesting,
Values,
Values, beliefs
attitudes
attitudes
beliefs and
and
giving
giving controversial
controversial and
and
Religious
Religious symbolism
and
and laws
laws
symbolism
the
the play
play ongoing
ongoing appeal
appeal to
to
Elizabethan
Elizabethan (religious
(religious
its
its different
different
conflict)
conflict) values
values and
and
context
context audiences,
audiences,
The
The symbolism
symbolism of of the
the directors
directors and
and
handeerchief
handeerchief
contrasting
contrasting images
http://coolstuffschool.com images // actors
actors
 Ok so ????
So
O Literary students and academics people who
are educated and cultured people who like to
go to the theatre English teachers historians
play and film directors actors and, other
people who like to argue over what things (texts)
really mean all these people - they all
LUUUUUURRRRVE TO ARGUE (and sound very intelligent)
ABOUT WHAT THEY EACH THINK ABOUT
THE REAL, TRUE NATURE OF
THE CHARACTERS AND EVENTS IN OTHELLO!!!
 In other words
In simple 21st-Century-teenage, non-board-of-
studies, non-English-syllabus-jargon and plain-
English-terms

Think of Shakespeares OTHELLO as being the cause

of arguments between readers (-- audiences
directors and, actors) in the same way that 21st
Century texts cause you to argue with a friend (or
frenemy) about things like:
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 that 21st Century textseg:

The Hunger Games

Sparks discussions / arguments / debates
about things like:

O The book is so much more

believable and powerful
than the film
O The film is not consistent
with the book!
O Katniss seems like a total
b*%@ in the film
whereas, in the book,
thats not her character at
all!
O Team Peter!!! tots

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 that 21st Century textseg:

Twilight
Sparks discussions / arguments / debates about things like:

O Kristen Stewart is a hopeless actress and is nothing like

how Bella should be portrayed!

O Team Edward!

O All the characters are so superficial and one-dimensional!!

None of them are believable at all!

O I hate how all the supporting characters (especially the

teenagers) are so stereotyped and predictable

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OTHELLO ???

Shakespeare
Shakespeare uses
uses dramatic
dramatic and
and language
language techniques
techniques to
to make
make
responders
responders develop
develop and
and form
form their
their own
own opinions,
opinions, reactions
reactions and
and
conclusions
conclusions about
about the
the true
true nature
nature (interpretation)
(interpretation) of:
of:

The characters: their It

It would
would seem
seem that
that Shakespeare
Shakespeare
true natures and has
has deliberately
deliberately and
and carefully
carefully
individual agendas;
written
written the
the play
play
the MOTIVATIONS of the so
so that
that the
the truth
truth is
is
events;
ambiguous
ambiguous
the consequences of the this
this ambiguity
ambiguity is
is the
the thing
thing that
that
events;
ensures
ensures that
that you
you and
and other
other
the conflict between readers
readers -- actors
actors directors
directors
values and the human
flaws; artists
artists students
students
will
will continue
continue to
to argue
argue about
about
The social and cultural
divisions the
the play
play for
for a
a long
long time
time to
to come!
come!
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A writer needs to have DEEP INSIGHT AND HIGHLY-DEVELOPED
SKILL in:
O language
O narrative structure
O characterisation
O motifs
O lexical chains
O imagery
O irony juxtaposition connotation metaphor and symbolism
etc
to be able to successfully develop numerous of levels of
ambiguity (and certainty of truth) in the characters and their
relationships.
If a composer is NOT highly skilled in this aspects of
writing the text will have NO textual integrity!

The text will just be undeveloped, confusing, and/or un-

believable! Which means no-one would even bother discussing
it
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