OTHELLO SUMMARY **
Love through the ages text
ALEVEL OTHELLO COMPLETE REVISION GUIDE
, Index-
Pg 2: index and examination tips
Pg 3-4: summary of the play and comedic moments
Pg 5-11: Othello Character analysis
Pg 11-17: Iago Character analysis
Pg 17-19: Desdemona Character analysis
Pg 20-21: Roderigo and Cassio Character analysis
Pg 22-23: Emilia and Bianca Character analysis
Pg 24-29: Key Themes
Pg 30-33: Author’s methods, Critical theory and A* essay
extracts
Examination tips:
- 55-60% bias towards the extract, use some skills of
unseen prose, look at where it starts, where it ends.
- Force yourself to acknowledge the extract chosen by
the examiner
- Make sure to write about love- this is the most
relevant theme and the subject of this paper.
- Talk about dramatic methods in extract (soliloquy,
verse/prose etc)
- Refer to a specific production if possible, e.g.
Shakespeare company
- Make synonyms and antonyms for key words
- Historical references HAVE to be relevant, don’t just
put it in for the sake of it.
- Maybe talk about the fact it has more comedy than
other Shakespearean tragedies +atypical due to
Iago having more to say. E.g. you could mention that
“Othello has a fraction of the lines hamlet has.”
, Act by Act Summary of the Domestic Tragedy
Act 1:
Opens at night/darkness in Venice. We have a delayed entrance of
O. (common in tragedies)
Starts in media-res (mood of chaos and confusion- states which
Iago thrives in- but also states he generates: (foreshadows the
condition I. will create for O.)
Prior to plays beginning, Roderigo had been pursuing Desdemona, Iago
tells him that she secretly married his General, Othello
Iago has a grudge against Othello for choosing Cassio over him for the
role of Lieutenant, leaving Iago as an ensign
Iago persuades Roderigo to continue pursuit of Desdemona
They knew Senator Brabantio will dislike Othello marrying Desdemona,
so Iago and Roderigo wake him to tell him they knew, Brabantio then
summons the militia to arrest Othello.
Officers arrive to summon Brabantio to an urgent meeting of the senate
as they are concerned of imminent threat of a Turkish invasion fleet in
Cyprus.
At the council, Brabantio interrupts them, claiming vengeance against
Othello who is already there as he has been put in command of the forces
to repel the Turks
Othello states him being a skilled rhetorician with his stories of military
prowess earnt him Desdemona's love
Desdemona is called in to reinforce this story and defend the marriage,
Brabantio disowns her, and she goes with Othello on her campaign.
She plans to travel with Lieutenant Cassio and Emilia
Act 2:
Montano, governor of Cyprus and his soldiers greet Cassio, Iago,
Desdemona, and Emilia
Othello soon arrives with news that the storms at sea had dispersed the
Turkish fleet - night of celebration follows
Roderigo has doubts about his potential to woo Desdemona but Iago
claims there is hope
Iago tells Roderigo to challenge Cassio to a duel that night, claiming that
Desdemona is falling in love with him
That night, Iago gets Cassio drunk, and Roderigo incites his anger.
Montano is stabbed in an attempt to contain Cassio
The fight angers Othello, who strips Cassio of his recently conferred
officer status
Act 3:
Next day, Iago convinces Cassio to ask Desdemona for her help regaining
his post, she innocently agrees
Iago sows seeds of jealousy in Othello's mind, suggesting Desdemona is
overfond of Cassio (act 3, scene 3 – from roughly line 100)- known as
the seduction scene
Othello does not suspect Iago of bad intentions and begins to watch
Desdemona
Othello is angry when Desdemona cannot find his first gift to her, a
handkerchief embroidered with strawberries that is important to Othello,
, but she had not lost it, Iago had told Emilia to take it, Iago then hid it
where Cassio would find it
When Desdemona urges Othello to reconsider Cassio's demotion, he gets
jealous and suspects her of infidelity
Act 4:
Iago continues to inflame jealousy, encouraging Othello to listen in on and
misinterpret part of a conversation between Cassio and Bianca discussing
how Cassio obtained the handkerchief that he then gives to Bianca to
copy
Othello's agitation at this brings on an epileptic fit
When he recovers, he orders Iago to kill Cassio
Desdemona does not understand Othello's change of attitude
Othello publicly strikes Desdemona in front of her relative, Lodovico,
ambassador from Venice
Preparing for bed, Desdemona talks with Emilia, singing to relieve the
distress from losing Othello's trust
Act 5:
Roderigo begins to suspect Iago is not the friend he seems to be
Iago persuades Roderigo to attack Cassio that night to be able to court
Desdemona, in this fight, Iago goes undetected and wounds Cassio
Iago then re-enters as himself to accuse and kill Roderigo for wounding
Cassio
Othello goes to Desdemona's bedroom while she is sleeping to murder
her for her supposed adultery, he smothers her with a pillow as she
asserts her innocence
Emilia alerts the household, Iago and others come to the scene
Othello defends himself, using the handkerchief as evidence
Emilia realises what as happened and betrays Iago's plots against
Othello, in response to her accusations, Iago stabs and kills her
Iago is arrested and sent to trial after Othello wounds him
Facing the inevitability of his own trial, Othello uses a hidden weapon to
commit suicide
At the end of the play, Cassio is reinstated and placed in command as
Governor of Cyprus
Comedic moments
o Racism in act one scene 1 “old black ram…” contemporary would have
found it funny- this is an unusual start to a tragedy
o Singing about how great England is
o Roderigo saying he will drown himself
o Roderigo with purse moment
o Misogynistic couplets depicting degrading descriptions of women –
use of couplets is clever and amusing
o Gullibility of characters in general
o Cassio being drunk
o Homoerotic moment between Iago and Othello
Love through the ages text
ALEVEL OTHELLO COMPLETE REVISION GUIDE
, Index-
Pg 2: index and examination tips
Pg 3-4: summary of the play and comedic moments
Pg 5-11: Othello Character analysis
Pg 11-17: Iago Character analysis
Pg 17-19: Desdemona Character analysis
Pg 20-21: Roderigo and Cassio Character analysis
Pg 22-23: Emilia and Bianca Character analysis
Pg 24-29: Key Themes
Pg 30-33: Author’s methods, Critical theory and A* essay
extracts
Examination tips:
- 55-60% bias towards the extract, use some skills of
unseen prose, look at where it starts, where it ends.
- Force yourself to acknowledge the extract chosen by
the examiner
- Make sure to write about love- this is the most
relevant theme and the subject of this paper.
- Talk about dramatic methods in extract (soliloquy,
verse/prose etc)
- Refer to a specific production if possible, e.g.
Shakespeare company
- Make synonyms and antonyms for key words
- Historical references HAVE to be relevant, don’t just
put it in for the sake of it.
- Maybe talk about the fact it has more comedy than
other Shakespearean tragedies +atypical due to
Iago having more to say. E.g. you could mention that
“Othello has a fraction of the lines hamlet has.”
, Act by Act Summary of the Domestic Tragedy
Act 1:
Opens at night/darkness in Venice. We have a delayed entrance of
O. (common in tragedies)
Starts in media-res (mood of chaos and confusion- states which
Iago thrives in- but also states he generates: (foreshadows the
condition I. will create for O.)
Prior to plays beginning, Roderigo had been pursuing Desdemona, Iago
tells him that she secretly married his General, Othello
Iago has a grudge against Othello for choosing Cassio over him for the
role of Lieutenant, leaving Iago as an ensign
Iago persuades Roderigo to continue pursuit of Desdemona
They knew Senator Brabantio will dislike Othello marrying Desdemona,
so Iago and Roderigo wake him to tell him they knew, Brabantio then
summons the militia to arrest Othello.
Officers arrive to summon Brabantio to an urgent meeting of the senate
as they are concerned of imminent threat of a Turkish invasion fleet in
Cyprus.
At the council, Brabantio interrupts them, claiming vengeance against
Othello who is already there as he has been put in command of the forces
to repel the Turks
Othello states him being a skilled rhetorician with his stories of military
prowess earnt him Desdemona's love
Desdemona is called in to reinforce this story and defend the marriage,
Brabantio disowns her, and she goes with Othello on her campaign.
She plans to travel with Lieutenant Cassio and Emilia
Act 2:
Montano, governor of Cyprus and his soldiers greet Cassio, Iago,
Desdemona, and Emilia
Othello soon arrives with news that the storms at sea had dispersed the
Turkish fleet - night of celebration follows
Roderigo has doubts about his potential to woo Desdemona but Iago
claims there is hope
Iago tells Roderigo to challenge Cassio to a duel that night, claiming that
Desdemona is falling in love with him
That night, Iago gets Cassio drunk, and Roderigo incites his anger.
Montano is stabbed in an attempt to contain Cassio
The fight angers Othello, who strips Cassio of his recently conferred
officer status
Act 3:
Next day, Iago convinces Cassio to ask Desdemona for her help regaining
his post, she innocently agrees
Iago sows seeds of jealousy in Othello's mind, suggesting Desdemona is
overfond of Cassio (act 3, scene 3 – from roughly line 100)- known as
the seduction scene
Othello does not suspect Iago of bad intentions and begins to watch
Desdemona
Othello is angry when Desdemona cannot find his first gift to her, a
handkerchief embroidered with strawberries that is important to Othello,
, but she had not lost it, Iago had told Emilia to take it, Iago then hid it
where Cassio would find it
When Desdemona urges Othello to reconsider Cassio's demotion, he gets
jealous and suspects her of infidelity
Act 4:
Iago continues to inflame jealousy, encouraging Othello to listen in on and
misinterpret part of a conversation between Cassio and Bianca discussing
how Cassio obtained the handkerchief that he then gives to Bianca to
copy
Othello's agitation at this brings on an epileptic fit
When he recovers, he orders Iago to kill Cassio
Desdemona does not understand Othello's change of attitude
Othello publicly strikes Desdemona in front of her relative, Lodovico,
ambassador from Venice
Preparing for bed, Desdemona talks with Emilia, singing to relieve the
distress from losing Othello's trust
Act 5:
Roderigo begins to suspect Iago is not the friend he seems to be
Iago persuades Roderigo to attack Cassio that night to be able to court
Desdemona, in this fight, Iago goes undetected and wounds Cassio
Iago then re-enters as himself to accuse and kill Roderigo for wounding
Cassio
Othello goes to Desdemona's bedroom while she is sleeping to murder
her for her supposed adultery, he smothers her with a pillow as she
asserts her innocence
Emilia alerts the household, Iago and others come to the scene
Othello defends himself, using the handkerchief as evidence
Emilia realises what as happened and betrays Iago's plots against
Othello, in response to her accusations, Iago stabs and kills her
Iago is arrested and sent to trial after Othello wounds him
Facing the inevitability of his own trial, Othello uses a hidden weapon to
commit suicide
At the end of the play, Cassio is reinstated and placed in command as
Governor of Cyprus
Comedic moments
o Racism in act one scene 1 “old black ram…” contemporary would have
found it funny- this is an unusual start to a tragedy
o Singing about how great England is
o Roderigo saying he will drown himself
o Roderigo with purse moment
o Misogynistic couplets depicting degrading descriptions of women –
use of couplets is clever and amusing
o Gullibility of characters in general
o Cassio being drunk
o Homoerotic moment between Iago and Othello
