COMPLETE A-LEVEL REVISION GUIDE: OTHELLO
Chapter Analysis, Themes, Key Quotes
Knowledge:
Iambic pentameter: unstressed stressed pattern, 10 syllables.
Iago’s soliloquies: dramatic irony (stronger moral obligation), audience identification (Ryan),
separates him from other characters. Desdemona only has dialogue, contrast.
Context: Based on Cinthio (source), around the same part - Desdemona thought interracial
marriage doomed from the start, in Othello, Desdemona does not feel sorry for marrying
Othello. Desdemona one of the first female played characters – Restoration era (actress first
woman to appear on a public stage in England). Miasma – spread through bad air. 1590s plague
spike in London – replicating Iago’s language. Standard comedy devices in Shakespeare plays
(older man + younger woman married, relationship families disapprove of, letter explaining
everything – used for tragedy in Othello).
Themes:
Treatment of women: Comparing the ways Desdemona and Emilia are treated compared with
Bianca, Iago’s language surrounding women, ways in which different female characters end the
play, discuss the absence of women at points in the play/what Shakespear examines in their
absence.
Masculinity: war/military setting (violence and aggression), Iago’s “be a man”, relationships
with fathers and husbands interchangeable in the play, way they speak about women with
other men, behaviour towards women (Cassio and Bianca), ability to take action (“She wished
that heaven had made her such a man”), extreme action/violence specifically against romantic
partners, violence through language.
Jealousy: Act 1 Scene 3, “And of the cannibals that each other eat.” - jealousy feeds on itself.
Act 3, Scene 3, “beware. . . of jealousy, it is the green-eyed monster that doth mock the meat it
feeds on.” Act 3, Scene 4, “it is a monster/Begot upon itself, born on itself.” - Emilia. Act 2,
Scene 1, “poisonous mineral gnaw my innards” - Iago.
Analysis:
Act 1, Scene 1:
Iago and Roderigo do not refer to Othello by name - “The Moor” - dehumanising. Iago wanted
to be lieutenant, Cassio appointed instead. “I know my price” - transactional language, selfish,
, Venice centre of trade. Iago’s problem that Cassio is too theoretical, “never set a squadron in
the field” and that he is “a Florentine”. Iago believes Othello “had seen the proof” of Iago’s
experience (later - “occular proof”). “there’s no remedy” plague language, Iago’s language
infectious. “Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago.” - separation of self, blurred later through
language. Iago - “I am not what I am” (playing God, compares himself to in the Book of Exodus
when God says “I am what I am.” Wake Brabantio. Shout “Thieves!” “your daughter, and your
bags” - loss of daughter associated with loss of possessions, “you’re robbed”. “old black ram
tupping your white ewe” plays to sexual fears. “Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you” -
fear of mixed-race children. “This is Venice” - inhospitable to Othello and Desdemona. Further
sexual, racist imagery by Iago - “covered with a Barbary horse”, “making the beast with two
backs”. Brabantio believes the marriage is due to Othello being a warlock.
Act 1, Scene 2:
Iago - “To do no contriv’d murder.” - Kills later in the play. Othello - “I love the gentle
Desdemona.” - enforced that marriage is due to love, “my perfect soul”. Comedy plot
interrupted by war – like ‘Love’s Labours Lost’. Cassio “To who?” does not know of
Desdemona’s marriage, not close. Brabantio calls Othello “a thing”.
Act 1, Scene 3:
Duke: “There is no composition in these news that gives them credit.” Venice vs. Ottoman
empire, take their time to present measured, evaluated decision (unlike in the later acts).
Brabantio has “grief” - like Desdemona is dead. Othello - “I won his daughter.” - ownership,
perceived as chivalry. Brabantio - “To fall in love what she fear’d to look on?”, Desdemona only
says “And yet I fear” before Othello kills her. Desdemona testifies, tragic outcomes reverted
when women are able to speak the truth (contrast). “And I lov’d her that she did pity them.”
Desdemona sympathises with Othello. Brabantio - “I pray you hear her speak.” “But here’s my
husband.” Othello - “My life upon her faith!” Iago and Roderigo - “put money in thy purse”,
Roderigo wants to “drown myself”, “be a man”. “supersubtle Venetian” not loyal, according to
Iago. “I hate the Moor”. Iago’s intentions for “sport” and “profit”.
Act 2, Scene 1:
“they are drowned” - Turkish fleet, suspended state, expected immediate battle.
Iago - “players in your housewifery” - wives not even good at cleaning ‘joke’, “go to bed to
work” - work is having sex with their husbands.
Cassio - “you may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar” - insults Iago, class. Upon
Othello and Desdemona reunion, finish each other’s metre – on the same length. “They kiss” -
Chapter Analysis, Themes, Key Quotes
Knowledge:
Iambic pentameter: unstressed stressed pattern, 10 syllables.
Iago’s soliloquies: dramatic irony (stronger moral obligation), audience identification (Ryan),
separates him from other characters. Desdemona only has dialogue, contrast.
Context: Based on Cinthio (source), around the same part - Desdemona thought interracial
marriage doomed from the start, in Othello, Desdemona does not feel sorry for marrying
Othello. Desdemona one of the first female played characters – Restoration era (actress first
woman to appear on a public stage in England). Miasma – spread through bad air. 1590s plague
spike in London – replicating Iago’s language. Standard comedy devices in Shakespeare plays
(older man + younger woman married, relationship families disapprove of, letter explaining
everything – used for tragedy in Othello).
Themes:
Treatment of women: Comparing the ways Desdemona and Emilia are treated compared with
Bianca, Iago’s language surrounding women, ways in which different female characters end the
play, discuss the absence of women at points in the play/what Shakespear examines in their
absence.
Masculinity: war/military setting (violence and aggression), Iago’s “be a man”, relationships
with fathers and husbands interchangeable in the play, way they speak about women with
other men, behaviour towards women (Cassio and Bianca), ability to take action (“She wished
that heaven had made her such a man”), extreme action/violence specifically against romantic
partners, violence through language.
Jealousy: Act 1 Scene 3, “And of the cannibals that each other eat.” - jealousy feeds on itself.
Act 3, Scene 3, “beware. . . of jealousy, it is the green-eyed monster that doth mock the meat it
feeds on.” Act 3, Scene 4, “it is a monster/Begot upon itself, born on itself.” - Emilia. Act 2,
Scene 1, “poisonous mineral gnaw my innards” - Iago.
Analysis:
Act 1, Scene 1:
Iago and Roderigo do not refer to Othello by name - “The Moor” - dehumanising. Iago wanted
to be lieutenant, Cassio appointed instead. “I know my price” - transactional language, selfish,
, Venice centre of trade. Iago’s problem that Cassio is too theoretical, “never set a squadron in
the field” and that he is “a Florentine”. Iago believes Othello “had seen the proof” of Iago’s
experience (later - “occular proof”). “there’s no remedy” plague language, Iago’s language
infectious. “Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago.” - separation of self, blurred later through
language. Iago - “I am not what I am” (playing God, compares himself to in the Book of Exodus
when God says “I am what I am.” Wake Brabantio. Shout “Thieves!” “your daughter, and your
bags” - loss of daughter associated with loss of possessions, “you’re robbed”. “old black ram
tupping your white ewe” plays to sexual fears. “Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you” -
fear of mixed-race children. “This is Venice” - inhospitable to Othello and Desdemona. Further
sexual, racist imagery by Iago - “covered with a Barbary horse”, “making the beast with two
backs”. Brabantio believes the marriage is due to Othello being a warlock.
Act 1, Scene 2:
Iago - “To do no contriv’d murder.” - Kills later in the play. Othello - “I love the gentle
Desdemona.” - enforced that marriage is due to love, “my perfect soul”. Comedy plot
interrupted by war – like ‘Love’s Labours Lost’. Cassio “To who?” does not know of
Desdemona’s marriage, not close. Brabantio calls Othello “a thing”.
Act 1, Scene 3:
Duke: “There is no composition in these news that gives them credit.” Venice vs. Ottoman
empire, take their time to present measured, evaluated decision (unlike in the later acts).
Brabantio has “grief” - like Desdemona is dead. Othello - “I won his daughter.” - ownership,
perceived as chivalry. Brabantio - “To fall in love what she fear’d to look on?”, Desdemona only
says “And yet I fear” before Othello kills her. Desdemona testifies, tragic outcomes reverted
when women are able to speak the truth (contrast). “And I lov’d her that she did pity them.”
Desdemona sympathises with Othello. Brabantio - “I pray you hear her speak.” “But here’s my
husband.” Othello - “My life upon her faith!” Iago and Roderigo - “put money in thy purse”,
Roderigo wants to “drown myself”, “be a man”. “supersubtle Venetian” not loyal, according to
Iago. “I hate the Moor”. Iago’s intentions for “sport” and “profit”.
Act 2, Scene 1:
“they are drowned” - Turkish fleet, suspended state, expected immediate battle.
Iago - “players in your housewifery” - wives not even good at cleaning ‘joke’, “go to bed to
work” - work is having sex with their husbands.
Cassio - “you may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar” - insults Iago, class. Upon
Othello and Desdemona reunion, finish each other’s metre – on the same length. “They kiss” -
