Othello



Directions: you are to select TWO essays in which to discuss in a 2-3 page essay per topic!!!! You may select either both from one act or one from 2 different acts. As you watch the movie write notes pertaining to your topic and if necessary, seek further information from the internet. Act I, Scenes 1-31. Explain how Iago uses his power of persuasion with Roderigo, Brabantio, and Othello to create his scheme to undo the Moor.2. Contrast what Iago says about Othello with what Othello reveals about himself through his own words.Act II, Scenes 1-31. Verbal irony is a dramatic technique by which characters say the opposite of what they mean. Identify examples of verbal irony and explain the difference between what is said and what is meant.2. In Act II, Iago’s scheme to undo Othello becomes more calculated and involves more victims. Explain the steps he takes to achieve his goal and how he traps his victims.Act III, Scenes 1-41. Identify characters and incidents, which provide comic relief as the drama intensifies.2. Trace the significance of Desdemona’s handkerchief through Act III.Act IV, Scenes 1-31. Describe the changes that occur in Othello during the course of Act IV as Iago increases his attempts to rouse Othello’s jealousy.2. Defend or refute this statement: Emilia’s opinion about betrayal expresses a contemporary view of the relationship between the sexes.Act V, Scenes 1-21. Describe the rapid series of events, which bring about Othello’s demise.2. Defend or refute this statement: Othello’s suicide is an honorable act. Roderigo—a Venetian gentleman; rejected suitor to DesdemonaIago—newly appointed ensign (infantry officer) to Othello, Moor of VeniceBrabantio—Venetian Senator; father to DesdemonaOthello—the Moorish General; husband to DesdemonaCassio—newly appointed lieutenant to OthelloDuke of Venice—official who appoints Othello in charge of Cyprian missionDesdemona—wife to Othello; daughter to BrabantioMontano—retiring governor of Cyprus; predecessor to Othello in Cyprian governmentEmilia—wife to Iago; attendant to DesdemonaClown—servant to OthelloBianca—a courtesan; mistress to CassioGratiano—Venetian nobleman; brother to BrabantioLodovico—Venetian nobleman; kinsman to BrabantioSenators—officials who discuss Cyprian missionMessengers—deliver announcements during the play Two Gentlemen—converse with the governorThird Gentleman—brings news of the Turkish fleetHerald—Othello’s herald who reads a proclamationSailor—brings message about Turkish fleetPrinciple TopicsPerhaps the predominant impression created by Othello is that of the terrible destructiveness of jealousy. Othello's suspicions regarding Desdemona's fidelity provoke him to rage and violence, and the collapse of his pride and nobility is swift. The speed and intensity of these changes in the hero have led some critics to question whether Iago's insinuations actually cause Othello's doubts or merely unleash his pre-existing fears. Shakespeare's analysis of the nature of jealousy is not limited only to the character of Othello, however. Both Roderigo and Bianca are torn by jealousy: he desires Desdemona and she yearns for Cassio. More importantly, Iago displays numerous symptoms of jealousy. His bitterness at being passed over for promotion and his suspicions that his wife has had an affair with Othello prompt his desire for revenge and give rise to his malicious schemes. Although various forms of jealousy are displayed by these characters, they are all based on unreasonable fears and lead to equally irrational behavior.Another significant aspect of Othello, one related to the jealousy theme, is Shakespeare's manipulation of time in the play. For centuries, readers have noted that the play has a dual time scheme: "short" time, in which the action on stage is an unbroken sequence of events taking place over the course of a very few days; and "long" time, in which characters' statements and other indications suggest that a much greater period of time has passed. Thus, for example, a close reading reveals that all the events from his arrival on Cyprus to Othello's death take place in less than two days. This compression of time heightens the sense of reckless passion and the extreme rapidity of Othello's fall. By contrast, Othello's references to Desdemona's "stolen hours of lust" (III. ill. 338) and to his sleeping well in ignorance of the supposed trysts between his wife and Cassio, as well as Bianca's chastisement of Cassio for keeping "a week away … seven days and nights … eight score eight hours" (III. iv. 173-74), reflect a longer passage of time. This extension of time may reflect the irrational quality of Othello's and Bianca's jealousy, by which their fears cause them to exaggerate. At the same time, it makes their doubts seem more plausible: if days or weeks have passed, there has indeed been time for repeated trysts between Desdemona and Cassio. Furthermore, in "long time" Othello's decline appears less sudden and absurd, thereby preserving the audience's sympathy with the proud and noble Moor.Shakespeare's presentation of a black man as the hero of this tragedy has provoked much comment. In Shakespeare's England, blacks were considered exotic rarities. They were commonly feared as dangerous, threatening figures, sexually unrestrained and primitive. On stage, blacks were often stereotyped as villains; Shakespeare himself had employed this figure in Aaron in Titus Andronicus. With his presentation of the proud, virtuous soldier Othello, Shakespeare defies many of these stereotypes. In fact, actors and critics for centuries insisted that this noble "Moor" was an Arab rather than an African. However, several characters display racist attitudes and clearly designate Othello as black; this discrimination is most notable in Iago, who not only expresses his own racism but plays on the prejudices of others in his schemes against Othello. Thus, while rejecting stereotypes in his depiction of Othello, Shakespeare also presents characters who attack the hero's color and use his race to isolate and destroy him. ................
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