English 12- Othello Study Guide

What are the two primary settings of this play?

Venice and Cyprus

In what act does the crisis occur?

Act 3 (scene 3)

Define the term “crisis” in reference to a 5 Act Tragedy

It is the major turning point in Act III that seals the protagonist’s fate

Why does Iago claim that he hates Othello?

He slept with Emilia, and he promoted Cassio to lieutenant instead of him

Why does Roderigo claim that he hates Othello?

He married Desdemona

How did Desdemona meet Othello?

Through Brabantio (her father) inviting Othello to his stories of war and slavery

How does Brabantio find out about Desdemona’s marriage to Othello?

Through Roderigo and Iago going to his house and shouting to tell him that Desdemona married someone

What happens to the Turks in Act II?

They die in a storm before being able to go to Cyprus and fight

What does Cassio do that results in his demotion from lieutenant?

He gets drunk, and then fights Roderigo, and has to be held back by the crowd. He does end up hurting Montano (the former governor of Cyprus)

What is Iago’s advice to Cassio about getting his job back?

To plead with Desdemona in an effort for her to convince Othello to promote him again

What does Emilia find and give to Iago?

She finds Desdemona’s handkerchief she got from Othello

What happens to Cassio at the end of the play?

He gets promoted as the new governor of Cyprus by Lodovico

Which rank is higher: lieutenant or ancient?

Lieutenant (Cassio) is higher than Ancient (Iago)

Define Foreshadowing

When there is a hint or clue about something that will happen later in the story

Who says, “Cassio did top her; ask thy husband…Thy husband knew it all.”

Othello to Emilia

Identify three primary motifs found in Othello

Hell and heaven, black and white, and bestial imagery

Identify three thematic ideas that represent Othello’s hamartia

Jealousy, Insecurity, and Trust/Misplaced loyalty

Is there text evidence to support either of Iago’s claims against Othello?

No solid text evidence, but he does speak on multiple occasions that he thinks Othello slept with Emilia

How is Cassio characterized by Shakespeare?

Loyal, honorable, courteous, well-spoken, but also naive and vulnerable to manipulation

How is Othello characterized by Shakespeare?

Noble, brave, and respected, but also insecure, overly trusting, and emotionally intense

How is Iago characterized by Shakespeare?

Manipulative, cunning, and deceitful

What is a monologue

A long speech spoken to other characters

What is a soliloquie

A long speech spoken alone on stage, it reveals inner thoughts

What is an aside?

A short comment made to the audience or to oneself, unheard by other characters

Explain, in chronological order, how Iago is finally exposed for all of his deceitful manipulations

• Emilia reveals the truth about the handkerchief and Iago’s lies

• Othello realizes Desdemona was innocent

• Othello stabs Iago’s side, then Cassio does the final blow

Explain how themes and motifs are related

Themes are the central ideas (like jealousy) and motifs are repeated images or symbols (like the handkerchief or animal imagery) that support and develop those themes

Explain how foreshadowing applies to the following quote, “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee”

Brabantio says this, it foreshadows Othello’s future doubts about Desdemona’s loyalty

Explain the dramatic irony contained in the following quote: “I know, Iago, thy honesty and love doth mince this matter making it light to Cassio”

It’s dramatic irony since the audience knows Iago is not honest, but Othello thinks he is (Othello is trusting the person who is betraying him)

Explain the motif at work in the following quote: “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is topping your white ewe”

This uses animal imagery motif. Iago uses it to dehumanize Othello and stir up disgust in Brabantio by portraying thier relationship in crude, racial, and sexual terms

Is the following line part of a soliloquy or monologue? “The Moor is of a free and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem to be so, and will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are.”

A soliloquy. Iago is alone on stage, speaking his private thoughts directly to the audience

What is the difference between a plot crisis and a plot climax?

The crisis is the major point in the story, while the climax is the result of the major event

Create a thematic statement that encompasses the central message of Othello involving one of the motifs studied over the course of the play

Jealousy encompasses truth when it is aided by other’s insecurities.

How is Cassio characterized by Iago?

That he is undeserving of his position and unloyal

How is Othello characterized by Iago?

As someone who doesn’t belong, dangerous

How is Desdemona described by Iago?

Deceptive and untrustworthy, also someone who’s a flirt

How is Iago characterized by other Venetians for the majority of the play?

That he’s a good person and trustworthy

Why is Cyprus viewed as more barbaric than Venice

Since, at the time, it was a war-torn area instead of a secure place like Venice

How does Iago’s description of Othello and Desdemona’s elopement color Brabantio’s reaction to the news?

His description was in order to get a reaction out of Brabantio and was telling him the black ewe (devil) was mounting the white lamb (God)

Why is Iago’s “honest” advice to Cassio actually a deceitful manipulation of the truth?

Because his advice was apart of his plan to ruin Cassio’s image and also ruin Othello’s as well

What is the meaning of the quote, “When devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows”?

It means that evil people often hide their true intentions by pretending to be good

What is Othello’s hamartia?

His jealousy, and tendency to trust the wrong people

How does Desdemona’s song, “Willow”, contribute to the plot as a whole?

The song foreshadows Desdemona’s death and reflects her sadness and sense of abandonment by Othello