The dramatic effect of the antagonist in William Shakespeare's Othello and Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House : a comparative approach

Other Title(s)

التأثير الدرامي لشخصية الخصم في مسرحية ويليام شكسبير "عطيل" و مسرحية هنريك ابسن "بيت الدمية : دراسة مقارنة

Dissertant

Abu Uruq, Ayham Arif Abd Allah

Thesis advisor

Tariq, Nadiyah

Comitee Members

al-Zayid, Nurma
Tawfiq, Ahmad

University

Middle East University

Faculty

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of English

University Country

Jordan

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2016

English Abstract

This study aims at probing into the antagonist of Shakespeare's Othello and Ibsen's A Doll's House from three perspectives: the motivation, the dramatic effect and the different presentation of the antagonist's end from the writer's outlooks.

The study basically utilizes the comparative approach of the American school as a main methodology in order to draw the similarities and differences between the two antagonists, Iago and Kogstad, taking into consideration the different culture, trend, characterization and historical era of each of the two playwrights, Shakespeare and Ibsen.

The findings of the study indicate that the motives of Iago are jealousy, hatred, prejudice, greed, ambition, alongside the loss of lieutenancy.

The study finds that these motives urged Iago to strengthen his revenge, not to drive him into villainy since he is already wicked by nature, while the motives of Krogstad refer to social, emotional and financial variables which did drive him into villainy, and not to his nature.

The study indicates that Iago has a strong effect in The Tragedy of Othello as the character who directs all other characters into their tragic end, and the one who incites the events of the play by his ability of manipulation, whereas in the case of Krogstad, the study asserts that his dramatic effect is strong in the sense that he is the character who conveys Ibsen's message in the play by being introduced as a victim of an unfair society.

Besides, Krogstad is the character who causes Nora many troubles and brings her close to the reality of her life with Torvald as a doll.

Finally, the study indicates that the depiction of Iago's end is different from the depiction of Krogstad's end, for Iago is a tragic antagonist IX who ends up punished in prison, while Krogstad is a realistic antagonist whose end is naturally realistic, that is why his end is a happy marriage

Main Subjects

Comparative Literature
Languages & Comparative Literature

No. of Pages

64

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-721279