Othello Themes Overview - Class Notes PDF

**[Pre Reading-Guidance and Overview of Themes Othello]** **[You are expected to have read each Act before we study them in class. Remember you do not have access to a copy of this text in the exam. Therefore, identifying and remembering key quotations from the play is extremely important.]** [ ]...

**[Pre Reading-Guidance and Overview of Themes Othello]** **[You are expected to have read each Act before we study them in class. Remember you do not have access to a copy of this text in the exam. Therefore, identifying and remembering key quotations from the play is extremely important.]** [ ] If you struggle with the language, you can find an updated, easier to understand version of the text here: after referring to this for the first few weeks, you should become more familiar and confident with understanding Jacobean English. **As you are reading, make notes on the following:** 1. Characterisation (Othello, Iago, Desdemona). From your personal interpretation use an adjective to describe their character with details of what they say (quotations) or an explanation of their actions to evidence your interpretation. **[Key Themes]** For each theme you should include key quotations, make a note of where it occurs in the play and analyse them. I have started this for you, but you should add any other relevant quotations you find through your independent reading. **You will need to update these as you read each scene and they will be reviewed by me on a weekly basis. Make sure to upload your updated versions to the class notebook for feedback.** +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | Theme | Evidence & Reference | Explanation & | | | | Analysis | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | Putting on | *'Were I the Moor I | Iago explains his | | appearances | would not be Iago.\ | tactics to Roderigo. | | | In following him I | He follows Othello | | | follow but myself;\ | not out of "love" or | | | Heaven is my judge, | "duty," but because | | | not I for love and | he feels he can | | | duty,\ | exploit and dupe his | | | But seeming so for my | master. Iago finds | | | peculiar end.\ | that people who are | | | For when my outward | what they seem are | | | action doth | foolish. The day he | | | demonstrate\ | decides to | | | The native act and | demonstrate outwardly | | | figure of my heart\ | what he feels | | | In compliment extern, | inwardly, Iago | | | 'tis not long after\ | explains, will be the | | | But I will wear my | day he makes himself | | | heart upon my sleeve\ | most vulnerable: "I | | | For daws to peck at. | will wear my heart | | | I am not what I am' | upon my sleeve / For | | | (I.i.57--65)* | daws to peck at." His | | | | implication, of | | | 'In following him I | course, is that such | | | follow but myself' | a day will never | | | (1.1, 57) | come. | | | | | | | 'Though I do hate him | This speech | | | as I do hell pains, | exemplifies Iago's | | | | cryptic and | | | Yet for necessity of | elliptical manner of | | | present life/ I must | speaking. Phrases | | | show out a flag and | such as "Were I the | | | sign of love' (1.1 | Moor I would not be | | | 152) | Iago" and "I am not | | | | what I am" hide as | | | | much as, if not more | | | | than, they reveal. | | | | Iago is continually | | | | playing a game of | | | | deception, even with | | | | Roderigo and the | | | | audience. The paradox | | | | or riddle that the | | | | speech creates is | | | | emblematic of Iago's | | | | power throughout the | | | | play: his smallest | | | | sentences ("Think, my | | | | lord?" in | | | | III.iii.109) or | | | | gestures (beckoning | | | | Othello closer in Act | | | | IV, scene i) open up | | | | whole worlds of | | | | interpretation. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | Racial Discrimination | *'What a full fortune | Use of 'moor' clearly | | | does the thicklips | demonstrates that | | | owe' (1.1, 63)* | Othello is defined by | | | | his race. In | | | *'Even now, now, very | addition, the use of | | | now, an old black ram | the definite article | | | is tupping your white | exposes the | | | ewe' (1.1, 87)* | mono-culture of | | | | Venice and his | | | *' Or else the devil | singularity in this | | | will make a grandsire | environment. | | | of you' (1.1 90)* | | | | | Iago uses animalistic | | | *'the Moor'* | imagery when | | | | describing Desdemona | | | | and Othello in the | | | | act of sex. This | | | | debases the act to | | | | purely physical terms | | | | and connotes lust as | | | | opposed to love. It | | | | also reinforces | | | | racial stereotypes | | | | regarding black males | | | | being sexually | | | | powerful. Indirectly, | | | | Iago is suggesting | | | | that Othello has | | | | sexual power over | | | | Desdemona and has in | | | | some way bewitched | | | | her. | | | | | | | | Devils were believed | | | | to be black | | | | reaffirming the | | | | racism present in | | | | Venetian society. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Jealousy** | There are three plot | | | | strands re jealousy | | | Add quotations to | | | | evidence this | 1. Roderigo being | | | | jealous of | | | | Othello as a | | | | result of this | | | | love for | | | | Desdemona | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2. Iago's jealousy | | | | of Cassio being | | | | promoted ( by | | | | Othello) over him | | | | | | | | 'This counter-caster | | | | he, in good time, | | | | must his lieutenant | | | | be And I, God bless | | | | the mark, his | | | | Moorhip's ancient' | | | | (1.1, 33) | | | | | | | | 'Preferment goes by | | | | letter and affection | | | | and not by old | | | | gradation' (1.1 35) | | | | | | | | 3. Othello's | | | | violently | | | | possessive | | | | jealousy when he | | | | believes | | | | Desdemona has | | | | made him a | | | | cuckold. | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Revenge** | 'Call up her father, | | | | rouse him, make after | | | Add quotations from | him, poison his | | | Othello | delight...' | | | | | | | | 'I follow him to | | | | serve my turn upon | | | | him' (1.144) | | | | | | | | 'In following him I | | | | follow but myself' | | | | (1.1, 57) | | | | | | | | 'Do with like | | | | timorous accent and | | | | dire yell..' (1.1,74) | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Love** | | | | | | | | (Forbidden, eternal, | | | | genuine, possessive) | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | Lust | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | The role of women | | | | | | | | Attitudes towards | | | | women | | | | | | | | The role of men and | | | | attitudes towards men | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+