AP+Cinthio’s+tale+Un+Capitano+Moro

Historical (Sirtaj Singh)



//Un Capitano Moro// was written by Giovanni Battista Giraldi, or Cinthio, and published in //Gli Hecatommithi//. It is seen to be the precursor to William Shakespeare’s play, //Othello//. A presentation on the background of Othello relates, ” Cinthio's tale may have been based on an actual incident occurring in Venice about 1508… Cinthio drew a moral (which he placed in the mouth of Desdemona) that European women are unwise to marry the temperamental males of other nations” (William Shakespeare). The writer explains that the story is based on an “actual incidence” in “1508”. This means that the tale is based on a true story that happened in Italy itself. Cinthio used his work to try to explain to the world that women should not “marry temperamental males” from “other nations”. Historically, the women were seen as causing upheaval by marrying foreign men. It was seen as a disgrace that only ended in issues for the family. This was later used as a basis for William Shakespeare’s play in 1565, yet there are some differences between the two. The relationship between the plays is explained, “ Shakespeare’s //Othello// is thought to be an adaptation of the Italian writer Cinthio’s //Un Capitano Moro//. The plot line is very similar in the play, however Cinthio’s "Iago" has a slightly different motivation: he is in love with "Desdemona" and seeks revenge when his love is unrequited” (What Motivates). Cinthio’s //Un Capitano Moro// had a huge historical affect on Shakespeare by inspiring him to create a play based on a very similar story. He wished to turn this story into a play that could be enjoyed more by an English audience, as this was an Italian story. Due to this, he put his own thoughts into the play to change it. For example, he changed Iago’s “motivation” in the story. //Othello// ended up being another world renounced play by William Shakespeare that is still seen today as a literary work of art. Although, this could not have been possible without the great influence of Cinthio’s //Un Capitano Moro//.

Works Cited “What Motivates Deception?”. //Folger Shakespeare Library//. Web. 4 January 2012. “William Shakespeare”. //John Paul II HS.// Web. 4 January 2012.

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Audience Dylan Mercier

The story //Un Capitano Moro// was written by a man under the pen name of Cinthio, also know as Giovanni Battista Giraldi. The story of //Un Capitano Moro// is more of a tragedy/drama so the audience for such a book of the time would have been the general populace of the time. The story was also written in 1565 so I would have been more for the people who actually had the ability to read. Cinthio’s story would go to people who might also be able to understand some of his humanistic views of the time, which would have been more of the higher society of Italy. //Un Capitano Moro// would eventually be adapted by Shakespeare into the play Othello, “ Shakespeare based the story of Othello on the Italian short story, ‘Un Capitano Moro’ by Cinthio, an Italian novelist and poet, written in 1565” ( Reed). Someone like Shakespeare would have been the audience that Cinthio was looking for. Someone who would appreciate his work and possibly find a deeper meaning behind it as a whole. Cintho would have his novel best appeal to males since within he storyhe even has one of his characters talk about why people should not marry with people outside their own country, “ Cinthio also drew a moral (which he placed in the mouth of the lady) that European women are unwise to marry the temperamental males of other nations” (Othello, the Moor of Venice). Since Cinthio bother to put in a “moral” it would mean that he wants his story to appeal to the more intellectual people of Italy and other close European Nations.

Work Cited

"Othello, the Moor of Venice." //Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias//. Web. 04 Jan. 2012. Reed, Cassandra. ""Speak of Me, as I Am" Othello." //Views Hound//. 28 June 2011. Web. 4 Jan. 2012.

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Michael Lagier: Aim



The aim of //Un Capitano Moro// was to entertain and inspire the readers. The book was written by Cinthio in the mid sixteenth century as a source of entertainment as was shown in a review stating that it “ …was published in 1565 and concerned the horrific life of a particular Venetian Army member” (50 travel spots… 1). This book was trying to both inform and entertain the people of Italy by detailing the “horrific life” of a member of the “Venetian Army.” The main character of this play was Othello, and one of the most popular effects of //Un Capitano Moro// was not the entertainment it brought, but that Shakespeare made a play based off of the short story written by Cinthio. The author of this short story intended to bring entertainment to the people of Italy, as during this time Italy was going through major cultural changes, and new sources of entertainment were becoming a much more popular. Cinthio had a major accomplishment because his work was entertaining enough that Shakespeare eventually turned it into a play of his own, as shown by, “ The main source for //Othello// was the novella called the //Hecatommithi//, written in 1565 by the Italian author, Cinthio” (Mabillard 1). The //Hecatommithi//, also known as //Un Capitano Moro//, was a major source of entertainment and, as many written works of their time, had a hidden and underlying meaning that protested what the governments of the time were doing. War of this time included pillaging, plundering, looting, raping, burning, and many other awful things, and Cinthio wanted to show the people of Italy what happened in war through an entertaining method. Cinthio wrote his book in a similar way as Dante Alighieri, both as a political tool and a way to entertain people, because if it entertained people it would be harder for the government to keep the knowledge from the people.

Works Cited //50 Travel Spots Every Literary Geek Should See//. Onlinecollegecourses.com. 9 March 2011. Web. 5 January 2012

Mabillard, Amanda. //Othello Sources// __Shakespeare Online__. 20 Aug. 2000. Web. 5 January 2012.