Othello revision
Page 1: Context, Themes, and Characters
Overview of Othello’s context, themes, and characters.
Page 2: Starter Quiz
Recap and quiz on Othello.
Page 3: Context Questions
Key questions to consider:
What literary traditions were popular during the Renaissance?
What inspired Shakespeare to write Othello?
Setting of the play and its significance.
Concerns of English society regarding interracial and intercultural encounters.
Exploration of Christian and Muslim relationships in the play.
Attitudes toward women and marriage.
Page 4: Renaissance Context
Flourishing of Latin and Ancient Greek philosophies during the Renaissance.
Othello’s classic Greek tragic structure:
Downfall from jealousy (hamartia).
Evokes pity and fear (pathos) and emotional purging (catharsis).
Unlike traditional Greek tragedy, Othello doesn’t exhibit excessive ambition (hubris).
Iago acts as fate, orchestrating events.
Page 5: Gli Hecatommithi
Othello’s main story derived from Cinthio’s Gli Hecatommithi (1565).
Story focuses on Disdemona and a Moor captain; involves themes of love and betrayal.
Page 6: Venice as Setting
Venice portrayed as a diverse, wealthy, and politically stable city.
Its exotic reputation allows exploration of English anxieties.
Main action occurs in Cyprus, a war outpost.
Page 7: Race Context
Tudor England had a small population of people of color, largely unknown lives.
Othello’s blackness signifies difference from whiteness, not necessarily a sub-Saharan origin.
Race linked to morality: black implies immorality and white purity.
Page 8: Religious Context
Set amid conflicts between Christian Venice and Muslim Ottoman Empire.
Othello’s conversion to Christianity marked by suspicion from Venetians.
Great Chain of Being explains hierarchical views, impacting character interactions.
Page 9: Women and Marriage Context
16th-17th-century female subordination evident:
Marital possessions: wife's belongings belong to husband.
Emilia’s repression under Iago; her eventual defiance disrupts patriarchal norms.
Venice seen as sexually liberal yet male jealousy dominates.
Page 10: Discuss Themes
Main themes to consider:
Love
Jealousy
Deception
Male-female relationships
Obsession
Revenge
Page 11: Key Quotes for Themes
Love: "She loved me for the dangers I had passed."
Jealousy: "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!"
Deception: "And, good lieutenant, I think you think I love you."
Relationships: "Look to her, Moor... she has deceived her father."
Obsession: "I have lost my reputation!"
Revenge: "'twixt my sheets He’s done my office."
Page 12: Character Traits
Descriptions of characters:
Othello: Trusting, jealous, insecure.
Iago: Manipulative, misogynistic, vengeful.
Cassio: Loyal, courteous.
Desdemona: Courtesan, vulnerable.
Page 13: Characters Overview
Detailed character insights on:
Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, Brabantio, Bianca, Emilia
Notable quotes representing pivotal character moments.
Page 14: Plenary Activities
Discussion prompts related to themes and character roles:
Jealousy in Act III.
Emilia’s role and character perceptions.
Male characters’ worthiness.
Page 15: Revision Genre, Language, and Structure
Introduction to genre, language, and structural elements.
Page 16: Tragic Elements
Identify reasons for Othello's inevitable tragedy:
Importance of Roderigo, treatment of Bianca, relationship dynamics, and themes of love and jealousy.
Page 17: Tragic Elements in Othello
Elements of tragedy present:
Tragic hero, dichotomy of good and evil, hamartia, pathos, catharsis.
Page 18: Tragedy Perspective
Othello’s learning curve analyzed against tragic conventions.
Page 19: Domestic Tragedy
Contrast between domestic and classical tragedy definitions.
Page 20: Use of Settings
Settings contribute to claustrophobia and isolation themes.
Page 21: Scene Structure
Painful confrontations contrasted with brief, violent interludes.
Page 22: Time Manipulation
Summary of time dynamics in Othello.
Page 23: Language Variances
How Shakespeare differentiates character speech using verse and prose.
Page 24: Imagery
Significant imagery in Othello, including themes of:
Poisoning, consumption, hell, animals, the sea, black and white.
Page 25: Irony
Definition and exploration of irony in Othello.
Page 26: Types of Irony
Types identified: dramatic, verbal, tragic, and situational irony.
Page 27: Verbal Irony
Explanation and examples within Othello.
Page 28: Tragic Irony
Definition and application in Othello.
Page 29: Situational Irony
Discussion of unpredictability in plot outcomes.
Page 30: Irony in Othello
Iago as a primary source, highlighting irony in character dynamics and outcomes.
Page 31: Plenary Activities
Discussion prompts regarding Iago's language, setting impact, misogynistic imagery, and conflict types.