Edexcel A-level English Literature - FULL Othello scene-by-scene summary

‭OTHELLO‬‭SCENE‬‭BY‬‭SCENE‬



‭Act‬‭1‬

‭Scene‬‭1‬
‭●‬ V ‭ enice,‬‭Italy:‬‭Roderigo‬‭+‬‭Iago‬‭are‬‭arguing‬‭-‬‭Roderigo‬‭paid‬‭Iago‬‭a‬‭lot‬‭of‬‭money‬‭to‬‭help‬‭him‬
‭win‬‭the‬‭hand‬‭of‬‭Desdemona,‬‭but‬‭Desdemona‬‭has‬‭eloped‬‭with‬‭Othello‬‭(general)‬
‭○‬ ‭“Who‬‭hast‬‭had‬‭my‬‭purse‬‭–‬‭as‬‭if‬‭the‬‭strings‬‭were‬‭thine”‬‭-‬‭manipulation‬‭of‬‭weak‬‭R‬
‭○‬ ‭Hints‬‭at‬‭Iago’s‬‭duplicity‬
‭○‬ ‭Primary‬‭reason‬‭for‬‭hatred‬‭=‬‭jealousy‬‭not‬‭racial‬‭prejudice‬
‭●‬ ‭Iago‬‭hates‬‭Othello;‬‭Othello‬‭recently‬‭passed‬‭him‬‭over‬‭for‬‭a‬‭promotion‬‭for‬‭Cassio‬‭(a‬
‭“spinster”‬ ‭military‬‭theorist‬‭with‬‭no‬‭experience)‬
‭○‬ ‭“I‬‭know‬‭my‬‭price,‬‭I‬‭am‬‭worth‬‭no‬‭worse‬‭a‬‭place”‬
‭○‬ ‭Iago‬‭questions‬‭Cassio’s‬‭manhood‬
‭○‬ ‭Iago’s‬‭misogyny;‬‭spinster‬‭=‬‭old‬‭unmarried‬‭women‬‭with‬‭no‬‭experience‬‭of‬‭sex,‬‭just‬
‭as‬‭Cassio‬‭has‬‭no‬‭experience‬‭of‬‭battle‬
‭■‬ ‭“Mere‬‭prattle‬‭without‬‭practice‬‭–‬‭is‬‭all‬‭his‬‭soldiership”‬‭=‬‭plosive‬‭alliteration‬
‭○‬ ‭“Florentine”;‬ ‭not‬‭Venetian,‬‭importance‬‭of‬‭identity‬‭-‬‭city‬‭had‬‭reputation‬‭of‬‭being‬‭a‬
‭collection‬‭of‬‭financiers‬‭and‬‭bookkeepers‬
‭■‬ ‭VS‬‭the‬‭description‬‭he‬‭gives‬‭teh‬‭Montano;‬‭“he‬‭is‬‭a‬‭soldier‬‭fit‬‭to‬‭stand‬‭by‬
‭Caesar/‬‭And‬‭give‬‭direction”‬
‭●‬ ‭Iago‬‭adds‬‭that‬‭he‬‭is‬‭just‬‭looking‬‭out‬‭for‬‭his‬‭own‬‭self-interest:‬‭“"In‬‭following‬‭him‬‭I‬‭but‬
‭follow‬‭myself‬‭[...]‬‭I‬‭am‬‭not‬‭what‬‭I‬‭am";‬‭biblical‬‭allusion‬‭-‬‭perverting‬‭“I‬‭am‬‭who‬‭I‬‭am”‬‭,‬‭“I‬
‭follow‬‭him‬‭to‬‭serve‬‭my‬‭turn‬‭upon‬‭him”‬
‭○‬ ‭Reveals‬‭duplicity‬‭capacity‬
‭○‬ ‭“To‬‭love‬‭the‬‭Moor”‬
‭●‬ ‭Iago‬‭+‬‭Roderigo‬‭go‬‭to‬‭Brabantio’s‬‭house‬‭-‬‭shout‬‭from‬‭street‬‭that‬‭Brabantio‬‭has‬‭been‬
‭robbed‬‭-‬‭Iago‬‭crudely‬‭describes‬‭sex‬‭(animalistic‬‭language:‬‭old‬‭black‬‭ram‬‭/‬‭is‬‭tupping‬
‭your‬‭white‬‭ewe‬‭-‬‭vulgar,‬‭D‬‭has‬‭virginal‬‭innocence‬‭-‬‭dominated‬‭as‬‭she‬‭is‬‭the‬‭grammatical‬
‭object‬‭of‬‭the‬‭sentence‬‭and‬‭Ohtello‬‭is‬‭the‬‭subject‬‭,‬‭a‬‭"Barbary‬‭horse,‬‭“making‬‭the‬‭beast‬
‭with‬‭two‬‭backs”‬‭)‬
‭○‬ ‭Uses‬‭prejudice‬‭as‬‭a‬‭tool‬‭-‬‭bestial‬
‭■‬ ‭Animalistic‬‭language‬‭=‬‭resonance‬‭for‬‭audience‬‭-‬‭Great‬‭Chain‬‭of‬‭Being‬‭-‬
‭animals‬‭were‬‭lower‬‭than‬‭even‬‭the‬‭lowliest‬‭of‬‭humans‬‭-‬‭Moors‬‭are‬‭even‬
‭less‬‭than‬‭human‬
‭○‬ ‭R:‬‭“thick-lips”‬
‭○‬ ‭Misogynistic‬‭to‬‭desdemona‬‭-‬‭“thieves,‬‭thieves‬‭–‬‭look‬‭to‬‭your‬‭house,‬‭your‬
‭daughter‬‭and‬‭your‬‭bags”‬‭=‬‭objectification‬

, ‭‬
○ ‭ lack‬‭=‬‭evil,‬‭devil‬‭-‬‭Moor’s‬‭evil‬‭nation‬
B
‭○‬ ‭“This‬‭is‬‭Venice;‬‭my‬‭house‬‭is‬‭not‬‭a‬‭grange”‬‭=‬‭AO3‬‭civilisation‬
‭○‬ ‭“Gross‬‭clasps‬‭of‬‭a‬‭lascivious‬‭Moor”‬‭=‬‭lustful,‬‭AO3‬‭stereotypes‬
‭○‬ ‭D‬‭has‬‭made‬‭a‬‭“gross‬‭revolt”‬
‭○‬ ‭“Wheeling‬‭stranger‬‭/‬‭of‬‭here‬‭and‬‭everywhere”‬‭=‬‭wandering‬‭foreigner,‬‭identity‬
‭unclear‬
‭ ‬ ‭Brabantio‬‭cannot‬‭find‬‭Desdemona‬‭-‬‭he‬‭says‬‭that‬‭his‬‭daughter‬‭has‬‭been‬‭stolen‬‭by‬‭magic‬
●
‭+‬‭he‬‭wishes‬‭she‬‭had‬‭married‬‭Roderigo‬‭-‬‭orders‬‭Othello’s‬‭arrest.‬‭Iago‬‭leaves‬‭before‬‭his‬
‭identity‬‭is‬‭revealed‬
‭○‬ ‭“Belief‬‭of‬‭it‬‭oppresses‬‭me‬‭already”‬‭=‬‭extent‬‭of‬‭disgust‬
‭○‬ ‭Previously‬‭condemned‬‭Roderigo‬‭-‬‭but‬‭now‬‭sees‬‭as‬‭lesser‬‭of‬‭2‬‭evils‬‭-‬‭“O‬‭would‬‭you‬
‭had‬‭had‬‭her!”‬
‭○‬ ‭Feels‬‭his‬‭manhood‬‭ruined‬‭by‬‭his‬‭daughter’s‬‭deception‬
‭○‬ ‭Iago‬‭appeals‬‭to‬‭different‬‭people‬‭by‬‭feigning‬‭loyalty‬
‭○‬ ‭B‬‭“dreamed”‬‭it‬‭-‬‭fate‬




‭Scene‬‭2‬
‭●‬ I‭ago‬‭demonstrates‬‭his‬‭loyalty‬‭by‬‭condemning‬‭Roderigo‬‭+‬‭warning‬‭Othello‬‭that‬‭Brabantio‬
‭is‬‭searching‬‭for‬‭him‬‭and‬‭will‬‭try‬‭to‬‭force‬‭a‬‭divorce‬
‭○‬ ‭Iago‬‭duplicity‬‭-‬‭tries‬‭to‬‭provoke‬‭Othello‬‭by‬‭suggesting‬‭Roderigo‬‭has‬‭slighted‬‭his‬
‭manly‬‭honour‬‭-‬‭but‬‭Othello‬‭seems‬‭completely‬‭secure‬‭in‬‭himself,‬‭immune‬‭to‬
‭challenges‬‭to‬‭his‬‭manhood‬
‭■‬ ‭“Spole‬‭such‬‭scurvy‬‭against‬‭your‬‭honour”‬
‭●‬ ‭When‬‭men‬‭approach‬‭Iago‬‭advises‬‭Othello‬‭to‬‭go‬‭inside‬‭but‬‭Ohtello‬‭refuses,‬‭preferring‬‭to‬
‭face‬‭them,‬‭saying‬‭he‬‭has‬‭dutifully‬‭served‬‭the‬‭state‬‭of‬‭Venice‬‭+‬‭his‬‭conscience‬‭is‬‭clean‬‭-‬
‭he‬‭loves‬‭Desdemona‬
‭○‬ ‭“Let‬‭him‬‭do‬‭his‬‭spite;‬‭my‬‭services‬‭which‬‭I‬‭have‬‭done‬‭the‬‭signory,‬‭shall‬‭out-tongue‬
‭his‬‭complaints”‬
‭■‬ ‭Confidence‬‭-‬‭how‬‭mercenaries‬‭gain‬‭status‬
‭○‬ ‭“Not‬‭I;‬‭I‬‭must‬‭be‬‭found.‬‭My‬‭parts,‬‭my‬‭title‬‭and‬‭my‬‭perfect‬‭soul‬‭/‬‭SHall‬‭manifest‬
‭me‬‭rightly”‬
‭○‬ ‭Othello‬‭knows‬‭that‬‭his‬‭honourable‬‭military‬‭service‬‭will‬‭outweigh‬‭Brabantio’s‬
‭grievance‬
‭○‬ ‭First‬‭character‬‭to‬‭speak‬‭of‬‭love;‬‭all‬‭other‬‭men‬‭seem‬‭to‬‭see‬‭women‬‭purely‬‭as‬
‭possessions‬
‭■‬ ‭Tag‬‭label‬‭of‬‭“gentle‬‭Desdemona”‬‭vs‬‭I‬‭=‬‭objectification‬‭“tonight‬‭hath‬
‭boarded‬‭a‬‭land‬‭carrack”‬‭(C‬‭doesn’t‬‭understand‬‭-‬‭more‬‭respectful)‬
‭●‬ ‭Men‬‭=‬‭Cassio‬‭+‬‭servants‬‭of‬‭Duke‬‭of‬‭Venice,‬‭sent‬‭to‬‭bring‬‭Othello‬‭to‬‭meet‬‭with‬‭the‬‭Duke‬
‭regarding‬‭a‬‭military‬‭issue‬‭in‬‭Cyprus‬

, ‭○‬ P ‭ roof‬‭that‬‭the‬‭state’s‬‭need‬‭for‬‭Othello’s‬‭military‬‭leadership‬‭will‬‭outweigh‬‭any‬‭racial‬
‭prejudice‬‭against‬‭him‬‭-‬‭“hotly‬‭called‬‭for”‬
‭●‬ ‭Roderigo‬‭+‬‭Brabantio‬‭and‬‭his‬‭men‬‭arrive‬‭-‬‭state‬‭Othello‬‭must‬‭have‬‭enchanted‬
‭Desdemona‬‭-‬‭or‬‭why‬‭else‬‭“to‬‭the‬‭sooty‬‭bosom‬‭of‬‭such‬‭a‬‭thing‬‭as‬‭thou”‬‭-‬‭orders‬‭his‬‭men‬
‭to‬‭seize‬‭Othello‬
‭○‬ ‭Damned‬‭as‬‭thou‬‭art,‬‭thou‬‭hast‬‭enchanted‬‭her!‬‭/‬‭“foul‬‭charms”‬‭–‬‭she‬‭in‬‭chains‬‭of‬
‭magic‬‭were‬‭not‬‭bound,‬‭—‬ ‭sooty‬‭bosom‬‭/‬‭Of‬‭such‬‭a‬‭thing‬‭as‬‭thou—to‬‭fear,‬‭not‬‭to‬
‭delight‬
‭■‬ ‭Prejudice,‬‭stereotypes‬‭of‬‭witchcraft‬‭-‬‭O‬‭constantly‬‭associated‬‭with‬
‭witchcraft‬‭(motif):‬‭gives‬‭him‬‭an‬‭air‬‭of‬‭otherworldliness‬‭+‬‭exoticism‬
‭●‬ ‭Magic‬‭is‬‭not‬‭accepted‬‭by‬‭Christian‬‭Europe‬‭-‬‭‘othering’‬‭him‬
‭○‬ ‭Foul‬‭thief‬
‭○‬ ‭Injured‬‭sense‬‭of‬‭manhood‬‭-‬‭horror‬‭at‬‭interracial‬‭sexuality‬
‭ ‬ ‭Othello‬‭unfazed‬‭-‬‭Brabantio‬‭accompanies‬‭Othello‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Duke‬‭+‬‭air‬‭his‬‭grievance‬‭there‬
●
‭○‬ ‭Othello‬‭remains‬‭confident‬‭that‬‭his‬‭honourable‬‭service‬‭will‬‭outweigh‬‭his‬‭outsider‬
‭status‬
‭○‬ ‭Court‬‭of‬‭law‬‭=‬‭justice‬
‭○‬ ‭B:‬‭“brothers‬‭of‬‭the‬‭state”‬‭=‬‭unity‬‭with‬‭others‬‭like‬‭him‬
‭○‬ ‭“For‬‭if‬‭such‬‭actions‬‭may‬‭have‬‭passage‬‭free/‬‭Bondslaves‬‭and‬‭pagans‬‭shall‬‭our‬
‭statesmen‬‭be”;‬‭spillover‬‭effects‬‭of‬‭normalising‬‭interracial‬‭marriage‬‭-‬‭xenophobia‬



‭Scene‬‭3‬
‭●‬ D ‭ uke‬‭of‬‭Venice‬‭meets‬‭with‬‭senators‬‭about‬‭a‬‭Turkish‬‭invasion‬‭of‬‭Cyprus‬‭-‬‭manage‬‭to‬‭see‬
‭through‬‭a‬‭Turkish‬‭ploy‬
‭○‬ ‭Duplicity‬‭-‬‭serious‬‭role‬‭in‬‭politics‬‭and‬‭war‬‭+‬‭jealousy‬‭and‬‭love‬‭=‬‭“Tis‬‭a‬‭pageant‬‭/‬‭to‬
‭keep‬‭us‬‭in‬‭false‬‭gaze”‬
‭○‬ ‭Reveals‬‭Cyprus‬‭is‬‭of‬‭supreme‬‭value‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Venetians;‬‭entrusted‬‭to‬‭O‬
‭●‬ ‭O‬‭+‬‭B‬‭arrive:‬‭B‬‭demands‬‭they‬‭discuss‬‭that‬‭his‬‭daughter‬‭has‬‭been‬‭corrupted‬‭to‬‭marry‬‭-‬
‭Duke‬‭promises‬‭to‬‭help‬‭B‬‭prosecute‬‭the‬‭man‬‭who‬‭has‬‭seduced‬‭but‬‭when‬‭he‬‭learns‬‭is‬‭O‬‭he‬
‭gives‬‭O‬‭a‬‭chance‬‭to‬‭defend‬‭himself‬
‭○‬ ‭Duke‬‭needs‬‭Othello’s‬‭military‬‭leadership‬‭→‬‭not‬‭so‬‭swayed‬‭by‬‭prejudice‬
‭■‬ ‭Conditional‬‭nature‬‭of‬‭acceptance/status‬
‭○‬ ‭B‬‭has‬‭such‬‭an‬‭extreme‬‭reaction‬‭that‬‭Duke‬‭thinks‬‭D‬‭is‬‭“Dead?”‬
‭○‬ ‭Duke‬‭will‬‭use‬‭the‬‭“bloody‬‭book‬‭of‬‭law”‬‭-‬‭AO3‬‭witchcraft‬‭was‬‭a‬‭capital‬‭crime‬
‭○‬ ‭D‬‭says‬‭B‬‭cannot‬‭assert‬‭with‬‭“no‬‭proof”‬‭-‬‭senator‬‭says‬‭“But‬‭Othello,‬‭speak”‬
‭■‬ ‭Contrast‬‭with‬‭silencing‬‭in‬‭Act‬‭5‬
‭●‬ ‭Othello‬‭denies‬‭using‬‭magic‬‭to‬‭win‬‭her‬‭love‬‭+‬‭says‬‭D‬‭will‬‭support‬‭her.‬‭Tells‬‭story‬‭of‬‭their‬
‭love‬‭-‬‭dramatic‬‭tales‬‭of‬‭battle,‬‭valour‬‭won‬‭D‬‭-‬‭Duke‬‭comments‬‭that‬‭his‬‭own‬‭daughter‬
‭might‬‭be‬‭won‬‭over‬
‭○‬ ‭“Most‬‭potent,‬‭grave‬‭and‬‭reverend‬‭signors”‬‭=‬‭highly‬‭respectful‬

, ‭○‬ "‭ Rude‬‭am‬‭I‬‭in‬‭my‬‭speech,‬‭/‬‭And‬‭little‬‭bless'd‬‭with‬‭the‬‭soft‬‭phrase‬‭of‬‭peace:”‬‭=‬
‭false‬‭humility‬‭or‬‭internalised‬‭insecurity?‬‭-‬‭only‬‭think‬‭he‬‭can‬‭speak‬‭about‬‭is‬‭“little‬
‭of‬‭this‬‭great‬‭world‬‭can‬‭I‬‭speak”‬‭–‬‭only‬‭“Broil‬‭and‬‭battle”‬
‭○‬ ‭Honest;‬‭“unvarnished‬‭tale‬‭deliver”‬
‭○‬ ‭O‬‭asserts‬‭storytelling‬‭has‬‭a‬‭seductive‬‭power;‬‭Iago‬‭will‬‭seduce‬‭O‬‭with‬‭his‬‭later‬
‭○‬ ‭O‬‭is‬‭confident‬‭+‬‭charismatic;‬‭Duke‬‭clearly‬‭prefers‬‭him‬
‭○‬ ‭“Send‬‭for‬‭the‬‭lady”‬‭=‬‭confident‬‭in‬‭her‬‭love‬‭+‬‭giving‬‭her‬‭a‬‭chance‬‭to‬‭speak‬‭-‬‭“let‬
‭your‬‭sentence‬‭/‬‭even‬‭fall‬‭upon‬‭my‬ ‭life”‬
‭○‬ ‭“The‬‭story‬‭of‬‭my‬‭life‬‭/‬‭from‬‭year‬‭to‬‭year‬‭-‬‭the‬‭battles,‬‭sieges‬‭fortunes”‬
‭■‬ ‭Shakespeare‬‭draws‬‭on‬‭travel‬‭writing;‬‭European‬‭travellers‬‭would‬‭explore‬
‭previously‬‭unvisited‬‭territory‬‭and‬‭write‬‭down‬‭their‬‭experiences‬‭in‬‭a‬
‭fanciful‬‭and‬‭exoticised‬‭way‬‭-‬‭exoticness‬
‭■‬ ‭Anaphora‬‭“Of‬‭moving‬‭accidents‬‭/‬‭Of‬‭hair-breadth‬‭scapes/‬‭Of‬‭being‬‭taken”‬
‭=‬‭building‬‭up‬‭effect‬
‭■‬ ‭“Sold‬‭to‬‭slavery”‬
‭■‬ ‭Cannibals‬
‭■‬ ‭Journey‬‭=‬‭“my‬‭pilgrimage”‬‭-‬‭assimilation‬‭into‬‭Christianity‬‭→‬‭acceptability‬
‭○‬ ‭D‬‭with‬‭a‬‭“greedy‬‭ear‬‭/‬‭decor‬‭up‬‭my‬‭discourse”;‬‭suggesting‬‭D‬‭is‬‭not‬‭so‬‭pure‬‭and‬
‭innocent‬‭(7‬‭Deadly‬‭Sins),‬‭emphasises‬‭how‬‭the‬‭exoticism‬‭drew‬‭her‬‭in‬
‭■‬ ‭AO3‬‭indicative‬‭of‬‭exploration‬‭=‬‭Drake‬‭circumnavigating‬‭the‬‭world‬
‭■‬ ‭She‬‭is‬‭more‬‭independent‬‭than‬‭weak‬‭image‬‭B‬‭paints‬
‭○‬ ‭She‬‭loved‬‭me‬‭for‬‭the‬‭dangers‬‭I‬‭had‬‭passed,‬‭And‬‭I‬‭loved‬‭her‬‭that‬‭she‬‭did‬‭pity‬
‭them.";‬‭marriage‬‭is‬‭based‬‭on‬‭a‬‭romantic‬‭notion‬‭of‬‭adventure‬‭-‬‭D‬‭hopes‬‭to‬‭escape‬
‭her‬‭father’s‬‭suffocating‬‭will‬‭-‬‭caught‬‭up‬‭in‬‭a‬‭fantasy?‬
‭○‬ ‭“This‬‭only‬‭is‬‭the‬‭witchcraft‬‭I‬‭have‬‭used”‬‭=‬‭denies‬‭it‬‭but‬‭still‬‭associates‬‭himself‬
‭with‬‭it‬‭-‬‭hints‬‭he‬‭is‬‭defined‬‭by‬‭his‬‭ethnicity‬
‭○‬ ‭“I‬‭think‬‭this‬‭tale‬‭would‬‭win‬‭my‬‭daughter‬‭too”‬
‭●‬ ‭D‬‭arrives‬‭-‬‭confirms‬‭her‬‭love‬‭-‬‭says‬‭she‬‭must‬‭now‬‭shift‬‭her‬‭obedience‬‭from‬‭B‬‭to‬‭O‬‭(as‬‭her‬
‭mother‬‭did):‬‭B‬‭grudgingly‬‭gives‬‭up‬‭grievance‬
‭○‬ ‭“Half‬‭the‬‭wooer”‬‭=‬‭equity‬‭in‬‭relationship‬
‭○‬ ‭Women‬‭=‬‭always‬‭obedient‬‭to‬‭some‬‭man‬‭-‬‭“divided‬‭duty”‬
‭○‬ ‭“Thy‬‭escape‬‭would‬‭teach‬‭me‬‭tyranny‬‭to‬‭hang‬‭clogs‬‭on‬‭them”‬‭=‬‭patriarchal‬
‭ownership‬
‭○‬ ‭D:‬‭“to‬‭mourn‬‭a‬‭mischief‬‭that‬‭is‬‭past‬‭and‬‭gone‬‭/‬‭is‬‭the‬‭next‬‭way‬‭to‬‭draw‬‭mischief‬
‭on”‬‭=‬‭warning‬‭of‬‭cyclical‬‭revenge‬
‭ ‬ ‭Duke‬‭says‬‭O‬‭must‬‭go‬‭to‬‭Cyprus‬‭to‬‭lead‬‭its‬‭defence:‬‭D‬‭suggests‬‭D‬‭should‬‭stay‬‭at‬‭home‬
●
‭but‬‭B‬‭O‬‭D‬‭all‬‭object‬‭→‬‭D‬‭says‬‭she‬‭may‬‭go‬‭with‬‭Othello‬
‭○‬ ‭D‬‭asserts‬‭her‬‭will‬‭-‬‭because‬‭she‬‭has‬‭the‬‭backing‬‭of‬‭men‬‭-‬‭independence‬
‭○‬ ‭“The‬‭fortitude‬‭of‬‭the‬‭place‬‭is‬‭best‬‭known‬‭to‬‭you”‬
‭○‬ ‭O‬‭loves‬‭D;‬‭wants‬‭her‬‭to‬‭come‬‭with‬‭her‬‭not‬‭to‬‭“please‬‭the‬‭palate‬‭of‬‭my‬‭appetite”‬
‭but‬‭to‬‭“be‬‭free‬‭and‬‭bounteous‬‭to‬‭her‬‭mind”‬