Early Modern English Perspectives on Venice
Part 1: Venice in the early sixteenth century was at the center of the world for trade, connecting the East to West in the Mediterranean, while Venice was also geographically important, Florence was also a major city-state for law, order, and military theory which Venice adopted its own law from. Florence helped connect Venice as a model from the systems used for law and order and how Venice should govern their diverse city-state. Shakespeare believes that Venice was a city-state and an idea, was important for trade, and culturally important for the English to fight its fear of prejudices because of all the cultures that came together in Venice. English relations with Venice were not strong under Elizabeth, mostly because of piracy, but these relations would change after James took the throne, setting the stage for two of Shakespeare’s plays: Othello and The Merchant of Venice (Hall 234). The English and the rest of Europe believed Venice to be better than any other Italian city because it was composed of four myths: Venice the Rich, Venice the Wise, Venice the Just, and Venice the Galant City (Hall 235). Venice was the model during the sixteenth century as a city-state that could bring people together of all backgrounds to live together as one.
England was fascinated by the idea of Venice as a myth and this idea became the idea for several poems. The connection of trade especially helped the relationship between England and Venice because both had strong naval powers. The English Poet, Maurice Kissen, writes “Venice invincible, the Adriatic wonder, admired of all the world for power and glory, whom no ambitious force could yet bring under” (Kissen 239). The English admired Venice and aspired to become what they have achieved as a city-state. Poetry was an educational way for the English to understand Venice and it also helped connect the two cultures together.
Like Venice, Englishmen had the capabilities to travel across Europe and the rest of the world from their naval proficiencies. The English traveler, Fynes Moryson, did so to study the law, order, politics, and economic system throughout the world. Moryson praised how Venice was a head of its time for how the city-state ran their government. Moryson notes of the “gray heads” of Venice, but also alludes to how crime, violence, and adultery were apparent in Venice (Moryson 240). Hall goes on to discuss the Senate of Venice and the justice, laws, and judgement of the city-state. She discusses how the “gray heads” enforce strict laws, like no masked man shall carry a sword, but notes that since Venice has open borders for all people and violence occurs on a frequent basis (Hall 241). The problem with the openness of Venice was that these murderers could freely escape without facing proper punishment. The law changed in 1381 from being hanged for committing murder to beheading (Hall 241). Venetians took the law very serious and would go to extraordinary measures to punish defendants, like adulterers, to ensure the law would be upheld by all who were in Venice.
Part 2: Act I, Scene I, reflects early modern English perspectives on Venice the best from Part 1. Brabantio takes Othello to trial because he believes that Othello has cast a spell on Desdemona so that she will fall in love with him. Brabantio gets this news from Antonio, even though he does not believe him at first, because Antonio and Iago have a plan in place to ruin the relationship between Othello and Desdemona. The Duke and his Senators judge the case on whether the accusation on Othello is true to ensure proper Venetian law is upheld. The Duke was skeptical at first for the charges brought forth on Othello because he is a great soldier with a strong reputation, preparing for battle against the Turkish fleet in Cyprus. However, Brabantio ensures to the Duke that Othello committed such a crime, saying “she is abused, stol’n from me, and corrupted by spells and medicines bought of mountebanks” (I. iii. 62-63). Once the Duke hears this, he wants Othello to be punished according if this is proven to be true. Othello makes his case that he never casted any spells on Desdemona and that she fell in love with him for his stories in life, saying “for since these arms of mine had seven years’ pith, they have used their dearest action in the tented field” (I. iii. 85-87). The Duke and the Senators are unsure what to believe and want Desdemona to plead her story on whether Othello casted spells on her to disobey Brabantio, or if she was in fact in love with Othello. Othello feels attacked by Brabantio because of their previous relationship, but wants to prove his innocence, saying “her father loved me; oft invited me, still questioned me the story of my life from year to year- the battles, sieges, fortunes that I have passed” (I. iii. 130-133). Brabantio allows for Othello to call on Desdemona, because he wants to prove Othello is guilty. Brabantio gives Othello a deal that would allow Desdemona to speak her peace and if she were to choose Othello, he would take back his remarks and leave the two lovers in peace. Brabantio says, “I pray you, hear her speak. If she confess that she was half the wooer, destruction on my head if my bad blame light on the man” (I. iii. 177-180). The Duke and the Senators allow for the two parties to talk out their differences and stand back in the shadows while Desdemona gives her side of the story. Desdemona enters saying, “I do perceive here a divided duty” (I. iii. 184). She has grown her entire life obeying and loving her father, but she has recently felt a different love with Othello. She does not want to hurt her father by notifying him of her true feelings towards Othello, but she does not want Othello to be punished for a crime that is not true and that she in fact is in love with him. She knows what she needs to say to her father, and Desdemona says,
“You are the lord:
I am hitherto your daughter. But here my husband,
And so much duty as my mother showed
To you, preferring you before her father,
So much I challenge that I may profess
Due to the Moor my lord” (I. iii. 187-191).
Brabantio accepts this and respects the wishes of his daughter and allows for the peace of the happy couple.
This scene shows how the Venetian Judgment, though tough, allows for cases to be pleaded by both sides that ensured the proper punishment, if applicable, is applied. The Duke and the Senators watched the entire case play out because Brabantio was high up in the courts of Venice, and Othello was a greater soldier. This was probably uncommon, and for regular people who committed crimes against the state, would have been more engaged. Venetian courts were known for their stern punishments, but abided by the laws to ensure all punishments fit the crime.
Hall, Kim F., Othello, the Moor of Venice: Cultural Geography, William Shakespeare, Boston 2007, pp. 232-247.
Kissen, Maurice. Dedicatory Poems: Cultural Geography, William Shakespeare, edited by Kim F. Hall, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007, pp.239.
Moryson, Fynes, From an Itinerary: Cultural Geography, William Shakespeare, edited by Kim F. Hall, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007, pp.240.
Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moor of Venice. Edited by Kim F. Hall, Bedford/St. Martin’s 2007.