Shakespeare's Othello
(See Paper Topics
)
(See Essay on Othello )
Things to Consider:
- Appearance vs. Reality
- Iago as Puppet Master
- Race
- Language
- Love & Sexuality (and Fear of)
- Love vs. War
- Roles of Women
- Human Nature
- Self-image/Reputation
- See chart of characters
** Homework Questions: Part One **
Act One:
508:
- What is the nature of the relationship between Iago and
Othello?
- Explain: "In following him, I follow but myself"
(1.1.60).
- Why does Iago hate Othello? (see also 523 &
532) Does Othello suspect?
517:
- Why should Desdemona be "feared to look on" Othello
(1.3.110)?
522:
- Explain: "Our bodies are our gardens, to the which
our wills are gardeners" (1.3.345). What literary
technique is being used here?
- Why does Iago repeatedly say to "put money in thy purse"?
Act Two:
527:
- Explain: "The riches of the ship is come on shore"
(2.1.91).
528:
- Describe the relationship between Iago and Emilia.
539:
- What, according to Cassio is "the immortal part of
myself"(2.3.255)? How has he lost it? Explain his
reasoning.
Other Discussion Questions:
Act One:
507:
- Who is Iago? What is an ancient?
- What is the nature of the relationship between Iago and
Cassio?
- Who is Roderigo? Why might he have a conflict with
Othello?
509:
- What does it mean to say "an old black ram / Is tupping
your white ewe" (1.1.92-93)?
510:
- What is "the beast with two backs" (1.1.124)?
512:
- Why have the officers come for Othello?
- Who is Janus? What is the significance of Iago
invoking him?
- Why does Othello believe he'll be exonerated of
Brabantio's charges?
513:
- Why does Brabantio call Othello a thief?
- What does Brabantio believe is the cause of Desdemona's
interest in Othello?
518:
- How has Othello "won" Desdemona?
519:
- Describe the relationship between Desdemona and her
father.
- Describe the relationship between Desdemona and
Othello. How is it different?
- Is Brabantio appeased by Desdemona? Explain.
523:
- What is Iago's plan at the end of Act One? Why is
he doing this?
Act Two:
529:
- How does Iago view women in general?
531:
- Explain: "If she had been blessed, she would never
have loved the Moor" (2.1.258-59).
532:
- Why does Iago want to be "even" with Othello "wife for
wife" (2.1.299)?
535:
- Explain: "The lieutenant is to be saved before the
ancient" (2.3.95-96).
541:
- Explain: "When devils will the blackest sins put
on, / They do suggest at first with heavenly shows"
(2.3.330-31).
** Homework Questions: Part
Two **
Act Three (see videos (Welles 1952) (see esp. 9:45ff) (Fishburne 1995)) :
- What is irony? Present an example of it from Act
Three (Look on pages 543, 544, 547, 551).
548:
- What is the "immediate jewel of [our] souls" (3.3.177)?
- Explain: "Who steals my purse steals trash"
(3.3.178).
549:
- What is "the green-eyed monster which doth mock / The
meat it feeds on" (3.3.187-88)? Explain.
562:
- Why does Cassio give Bianca the handkerchief?
Act Four
570:
- Why is Othello commanded home?
- Why is it significant that Cassio will take his place in
Cyprus?
573:
- Why doesn't Othello directly ask Desdemona about Cassio
specifically?
Act Five:
589:
- Why does Othello consider Desdemona's murder a
"sacrifice"?
592:
- Why doesn't Desdemona implicate Othello in her death?
Other Discussion Questions:
Act Three:
549:
- Explain: "To be once in doubt / Is once to be resolved"
(3.3.202-3).
- Explain: "She did deceive her father, marrying you"
(3.3.229). How is this statement significant?
552:
- Why has Iago been telling Emilia to steal Desdemona's
hankerchief? For how long has he been doing so?
- Explain: "I nothing but to please his fantasy"
(3.3.332).
557:
- Why does Othello ask Iago to have Cassio killed?
560:
- Explain: "They are all but stomachs, and we all but food"
(3.4.111).
Act Four:
569:
- Why does Othello want to kill Desdemona?
- Why does Iago tell him to strangle her?
575:
- Why does Desdemona ask Emilia to put on the wedding
sheets that night?
580:
- What is the significance of the song Desdemona
discusses?
582:
- Explain: "The ills we do, their ills instruct us
so" (4.3.106).
Act Five:
585:
- Why does Iago stab Roderigo?
587:
- What is "the cause" (5.2.1)? Of what is it the
cause?
588:
- Why "must" Desdemona die?
594:
- Explain: "Thy match was mortal to him" (5.2.237).
597:
- Explain: "For naught I did in hate, but all in
honor" (5.2.337).
599:
- Explain: Othello "threw a pearl away / Richer than
all his tribe" (5.2.394-95). Why is Othello speaking in
the third person here?
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