Abiturvorbereitung Englisch Othello PDF

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Othello – William Shakespeare

Introduction - Reading Othello 

written between 1603-1604

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universal theme – love

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destruction of a noble man

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contrasting emotions – passion, hatred, envy, jealousy

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a black mercenary marries a white aristocrat

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overpowering lover turns to overwhelming jealousy

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plays in Venice and Cyprus

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Machiavellian villain

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trough his characterisation of Iago Shakespeare introduces the theme of appearance and reality

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Othello is a traditional tragic hero

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racial stereotypes makes the play as relevant today as it was in the 17th century

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dramatic irony (especially Iago) → never allows to relax

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unusual – an heroic black Moor as tragic protagonist

→ various stereotypes (devil black man surrounded by the flames of hell, death) 

lots of perspectives (different views), war

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in Othello, the villain (Iago) is a lone figure who relies on no one

Synopsis 

the Moor Othello, a respected general, has fallen in love (and secretly married) a Venetian aristocrat, Desdemona

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when her father Brabantio is informed of this he angrily goes in search of Othello and protest at the senate

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at the same time the Venetian council have been seeking Othello and send him to defend Cyprus from a Turkish invasion

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Othello is dispatched immediately, having defended his actions successfully 1

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Othello's ensign Iago accompanies Othello and Desdemona to Cyprus

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he is angry because he has not received a promotion

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a young Florentine soldier, Cassio, has been made lieutenant over him

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Iago seeks to revenge himself on both Cassio and Othello with the assistance of Roderigo, a disappointed suitor of Desdemona's hand

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Iago goads Roderigo into challenging Cassio, whom he has plied with drink

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a fight ensues and Cassio is dismissed from his post

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Iago persuades Othello that Desdemona is in love with Cassio

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he “proofs” this, making use of a handkerchief which is found in Cassio's chamber

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is was passed on to Iago by Emilia, his wife and Desdemona's lady-in-waiting

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Othello comes convinced that Desdemona is a whore and is seized by jealousy

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he seeks revenge on Desdemona and Cassio, so he asks Iago to kill Cassio

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Iago persuades Roderigo to assist him but this attack does not go as planned

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Iago kills Roderigo and Othello has smothered Desdemona in her bed

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Emilia comes to inform Othello of the attack on Cassio and finds her mistress dead

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Emilia is killed by Iago for speaking the truth, and Othello realises his own great and terrible folly

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he kills himself, regaining some of the nobility that he has lost

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Iago is led away for torture

Act I, Scene 1

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Roderigo is unhappy with Iago for failing to promote his marriage to Desdemona

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Iago and Roderigo inform Brabantio that his daughter, Desdemona, has secretly married the general Othello

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Venice at night

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Roderigo is displeased with Iago

→ feels he has been cheated because Desdemona has married Othello without her father's knowledge 

Roderigo has paid Iago to promote a marriage between himself and Desdemona 2

→ Iago has not worked hard enough 

Iago tries to restore Roderigo's faith him and describes how much he hates Othello

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Iago has been passed over for promotion

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instead, general Othello has made Michael Cassio his lieutenant

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Iago is Othello's ancient

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he is determined to revenge himself on the Moor for ignoring his experience and competence

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Iago urges Roderigo to rouse Brabantio from his bed and inform him of the marriage

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Brabantio appears at his window, annoyed at being disturbed

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he has already told Roderigo that he is not an acceptable match for Desdemona

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at first, Brabantio does not believe the tale that Roderigo and Iago tell, but Roderigo politely asks him to see whether Desdemona is asleep in her room …

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Iago leaves and tells Roderigo that he must return to Othello

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Brabantio appears again

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he now wants to locate his daughter and the Moor, Roderigo leads him

Commentary 

the start of “Othello” is a conflict between two characters

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confusion and intrigue is established, too

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Othello is never referred by name → the audience does not know everything

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but we know that Roderigo and Iago dislike the Moor (call him “thicklips” (65) etc.)

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Iago feels that Othello's judgement is faulty too (Cassio as lieutenant)

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Iago is a bitter and disappointed man, should we trust what he says of others?

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says, I am “not what I am” (64)

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he is a self-serving deceiver, a cynical malcontent

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he takes money from Roderigo

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he despises men who fail to look after their own interests 3

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his energetic speeches are full of egoistical disgust

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he also delights in making trouble (speaks to Brabantio), ans uses animal imagery when speaking of Desdemona's union with Othello

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matchmaker for Roderigo, Iago is unable to understand love

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but because of his speeches, he has exactly the effect he wishes to have

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I,1 establishes Iago as a powerful and manipulative figure

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he gets himself out of trouble → Iago knows when to make himself scarce

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scene is laced with dramatic irony (centre = Iago)

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Roderigo does not understand that Iago is a selfish fraud

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Iago manipulates others

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we also get to know that Othello is an extremely effective soldier, the best man the Venetian senate has (145-151)

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key ideas of “Othello” are introduced → e.g. the contradictory p.o.w.s of the characters

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Othellos otherness is established

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trust is an important issue for all characters

→ Othello trusts Desdemona (marries her secretly), Desdemona trusts Othello → Roderigo trusts Iago → Othello trusts Iago 

jealousy is another important issue

→ Iago is jealous of Cassio → Roderigo is jealous of Othello

Act I, Scene 2

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Othello is called to the Venetian council on urgent military business

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Brabantio accuses Othello of bewitching his daughter

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conversation and conflict 4

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Iago recounts the events of the previous scene to Othello

→ emphasises Brabantio's negative reaction to his daughter's marriage 

Iago “wishes” to revenge the insults to the general, but Othello does not want that

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Iago goes on and warns him that Brabantio is a popular figure who may use his influence

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Othello is confident that his services to the state will speak for him, and emphasises the strength of his love for Desdemona

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Cassio enters with a message from the Duke, Othello goes into the house

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Iago informs Cassio of Othello's marriage, then, the soldiers set out for the council meeting

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they are accosted by Brabantio and his followers, who are armed with swords

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Othello commands the men to put away their weapons

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Brabantio thinks Othello is a thief (57) who has stolen his daughter, he would like to see him imprisoned

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Brabantio decides to go to the meeting too so the Duke can be informed of Othello's behaviour

Commentary 

further conflicts in the second scene

→ Iago's pretended loyalty, he evokes, focuses on issues that will trouble Othello 

Othello speaks with a measured calm in his first speeches

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quite confidence and sincerity about his love for Desdemona → this is attractive

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Othello is not the pompous creature described in the first scene, he prefers to be open about his actions

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he is brave, dignified and authoritative (handles Brabantio)

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Othello an Iago are polar opposites !!

Act I, Scene 3

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the senate discuss the war with the Turks

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Othello answers Brabantio's accusations and is sent to Cyprus on a military campaign

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Iago starts to plan his revenge against Othello 5

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council chamber

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the Duke and the Venetian senator discuss the movements of the Turkish fleet

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Montano brings further information that show that the Turks will attack Cyprus

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Othello and Brabantio enter and the Duke immediately tells Othello to prepare to go to war

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but Brabantio is more concerned with his private troubles and repeats his accusations against Othello

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the Duke asks Othello to respond to the charges against him, Othello: “whole course of love” (92)

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Brabantio says again that his daughter must have been bewitched

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Othello says that he won her love fairly and asks that Desdemona be brought to the council to confirm his words

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while they are waiting, Othello continues with his version of their courtship, which the Duke finally accepts

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Desdemona confirms Othello's version of their courtship, but Brabantio is unable to accept Othello as a son-in-law

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the Duke tries to persuade him to make the best of things, but Brabantio is still angry

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he compares his loss of Desdemona with the possible loss of Cyprus to the Turks

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the Duke returns to business and tells Othello to prepare

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Desdemona asks to be allowed to accompany her husband and Othello is sure that her presence will not distract him from military affairs

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finally, Brabantio warns Othello against trusting Desdemona, she has deceived her father any may one day deceive Othello, but Othello trusts his wife

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the act closes with another conversation between Iago and Roderigo

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Roderigo wants to drown himself, he has no hope to win Desdemona

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Iago is impatient with him and tries to persuade Roderigo that Desdemona will soon look elsewhere for love when she is sated with Othello's body

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Roderigo is cheered and falls in with Iago's plan

→ he accompanies Iago to Cyprus

6

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alone on stage, Iago reveals his true motives: he wants revenge, he wants to take Cassio's place and decides that he can easily abuse Othello's honest and trusting nature

→ will try to persuade Othello that Cassio is too familiar with Desdemona 

Iago is very satisfied with his plan and looks forward to putting it into action

Commentary 

many conflicts and conflicting views

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nevertheless, the couple Othello – Desdemona seems to be secure

→ Othello is sure that his wife will back him up and Desdemona does not want to be parted from Othello 

origin of their love: 

Othello says that Desdemona “loved me for the dangers I had passes / And I loved her that she did pity them” (168-169)

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Desdemona was seduced by Othello's story-telling powers, while Othello was enchanted by the Desdemona's response to his history

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Othello is sure that love and war can be combined

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is Othello a little naïve?

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his decision to place his wife in Iago's care is alarming, he is led by the nose

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future: Brabantio warns Othello against trusting Desdemona → dramatic irony

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future: Iago's soliloquy suggests that the manipulation of Roderigo and Othello is a prelude to more serious deceptions

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Iago weaves a web and ensnare Desdemona and Cassio, too

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Iago refers to hell and night in his last two lines → he is devilish

Act II, Scene 1

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the Turkish fleet is destroyed by the storm

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Othello, Desdemona and Iago arrive safely in Cyprus

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Iago involves Roderigo in his plan to discredit Cassio

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scene moves to Cyprus, where Montano awaits Othello

7

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because of the storm, they cannot see clearly what is happening → again confusion

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the storm is also a device by which Shakespeare can dispose of the Turkish threat

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the Turkish fleet has been destroyed by the tempest and Cassio's ship arrives safely

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Cassio is concerned about Othello's safety

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Iago's ship lands too with Emilia and Desdemona

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while Desdemona waits for Othello, she discusses women and their characters with Iago 

Iago thinks that women are talkative, indiscreet, lascivious and deceitful

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Cassio touches Desdemona's hand, while he excuses Iago's bluntness

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Iago says in an aside that he will use Cassio's innocent gallantry against him

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Othello finally arrives and greets Desdemona warmly (he could die happily at this moment)

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Iago remarks that their happiness will not last because he will set the couple at odds

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when Othello etc. leave, Iago enlists Roderigo's help in his plan to discredit Cassio

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he convinces Roderigo that Desdemona is in love with Cassio

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when Roderigo disgraces Cassio, he could get Desdemona

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he agrees to find an occasion to provoke Cassio into losing his temper later that evening

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Iago is left alone and offers us more motives 

his hatred of Othello is combined with contempt for a “constant, loving, noble nature”(287)

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be revenged on the Moor

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Iago even suggests that Cassio has cuckolded him

Commentary 

principal characters now isolated in Cyprus

→ Iago is able to prey on all those around him 

the storm reflects the passions

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we might also see the storm as being related to Othello and his emotions in particular

→ he is associated with sea imagery throughout the play

8

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until Othello lands safely the mood of all the characters on stage is uneasy

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but while the Moor's appearance calms their fears, it is impossible for the audience to relax because of Iago's asides, soliloquy and dialogue with Roderigo

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Iago can even play the role of a bluff soldier in his exchange with Desdemona

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this is a mark of his power, when he is most “honest”, he thought to be entertaining

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Iago can only see women as false, mean etc.

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the differences between Othello and Iago's characters become even more glaring if we compare Othello's words and actions with Iago's

→ Othello's speeches: generous, relaxed, joyful → Iago is full of hate and contempt, speaks of lust, preferment and profit 

the word love does not suit Iago, he redefines his feelings for Desdemona as “lust”, “partly led to diet my revenge”

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jealousy dominates Iago's soliloquy, he wants Othello to suffer the same torment that rages inside him

→ the male protagonists could not be more different → but both men are prey to very powerful emotions: love and hate 

it is important that Othello greets Desdemona before moving on to speak to Montano

→ LOVE IS PUT BEFORE WAR 

Desdemona is Othello's source of happiness, he seems almost overwhelmed by this feelings

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Shakespeare emphasises Othello's love in order to prepare us for this jealousy later in the play

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in this scene, Iago gets the first part he can use to poison Othello's mind: Cassio's gallantry

Act II, Scene 2

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Peace is restored in Cyprus

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there is to be a night of revels to celebrate Othello's marriage

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a herald confirms the destruction of the Turkish fleet and prepares us for the celebration and consummation of Othello and Desdemona's marriage

9

Commentary 

the proclamation marks a return to civil order

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but the audience is aware that the peace will shortly be disrupted by Iago, who will take advantage of Othello's generosity

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linking of private emotions and public life

Act II, Scene 3

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on the night of the wedding celebrations, Cassio is dismissed from his post for fighting when drunk on duty

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Cassio bemoans his loss of status

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at the castle, Othello instructs Cassio to ensure that the festivities remain under control

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Cassio tells him that Iago is in charge; Othello and Cassio believe that “honest” Iago is reliable and capable

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Desdemona and Othello leave and Iago enters

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Cassio wants Iago to set out the watch but Iago wants to enjoy the revels

→ they discuss Desdemona and Iago urges Cassio to drink some more wine, out of courtesy Cassio agrees 

Iago wants to make Cassio drunk so that it will be easy to provoke him into quarrelling

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Cassio lapses into drunkenness

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Iago tells Montano that Othello should be informed of Cassio's weakness and urges Roderigo to follow Cassio

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a few moments later, Roderigo strikes Cassio adversary and Cassio is angry

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Montano tries to part them but is drawn into the fight

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Iago tells Roderigo to cause further chaos by running and crying “Mutiny!”

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and alarm bell rings and Othe...