Othello act 1 scene 1

How does Shakespeare present the world of Venice in the first act, and how does he construct the interactions of his central characters (Iago, Othello, and Desdemona) with that Venetian world and with each other. How are these interactions complicated by the fact that Othello is a Moor and that Desdemona is a young women?
In the first act Shakespeare presents the world of Venice  is shown to be an orderly and relatively quiet place. At one point Barbantio is asked if he has been robbed and he answers,"What tellâst thou me of robbing? This is Venice; My house is not a grange." This shows that Venice is a good place where rich people go and there is never any crime there, due to all of the people being rich there. It is also a military place in which they had success. Venice is also shows as a place of love and hate which is how the three main characters are interacted and constructed. Othello is black and in that time period there was a lot of racism therefore people would interact differently with Othello. Then Desdemona is a female and also in that time period females were treated differently and they did not have any rights. Therefore people would interact differently with Desdemona.
What sort of person is Iago, as he appears in act 1? Are you satisfied by the reasons he gives for hating Othello? What is Iago's relationship with Roderigo?
Iago  is very manipulative. Iago uses this nature to cause havoc. We also learn from the first act that Iago is a very kind person and he is caring. Although that soon switches as he goes against Othello as he does not like him as he is jealous of him and his power. He is also jealous of Othello as he is an army man and has fought but Iago is seen as weak. I do not agree that Iago should hate Othello because of this reason as it is pathetic and he should not hate him because he is jealous of what he has got and the power that he has. Iagos relationship with Roderigo is very complicated as we can see that Iago uses Roderigo rather than being friends. He also gets Roderigo to take the blame for the horrible things that Iago says therefore this shows that he is using him to back Iago up so that he does not get into trouble.
What sort of language does Iago use? What sort of language does Othello use? What might be the significance of this difference?
The language that Iago uses in act 1 is very angry language. He uses aggressive language that comes across to the audience as violent. This means that the audience can see him as a horrible character as he has a nasty, angry tone of voice. The language that Othello uses is soft, gentle and calm. He does not speak aggressively and he is very calm. Therefore it is a countertype to what people may think he would speak like due to the stereotype and racism that he gets from other characters. His language also shows that he is well educated. The significant difference of this shows the difference of social statures in Venice.

Tragedy Research

1. What is the definition of Classical Tragedy?Tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in audiences.
2. Where and when did the concept of Classical Tragedy originate?From its origins in the theatre of ancient Greece 2500 years ago.
3. What are some of the earliest examples of classical tragedies, and when were they written? Oedipus Rex- performed 429 BCE, The Orestia- performed 458 BCE and Prometheus bound performed 430 BCE. 
4. Who was Aristotle, what was he known for, and when was he alive?Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle was born circa 384 B.C. in Stagira, Greece. When he turned 17, he enrolled in Plato’s Academy. In 338, he began tutoring Alexander the Great. In 335, Aristotle founded his own school, the Lyceum, in Athens, where he spent most of the rest of his life studying, teaching and writing. Aristotle died in 322 B.C., after he left Athens and fled to Chalcis.
5. When did Aristotle write his study of tragedy, entitled Poetics? 330 BCE
6. What, according to Aristotle, is the aim of tragedy?The aim of tragedy, Aristotle writes, is to bring about a "catharsis" of the spectators — to arouse in them sensations of pity and fear, and to purge them of these emotions so that they leave the theatre feeling cleansed and uplifted, with a heightened understanding of the ways of gods and men.
7. What are the 6 component parts of tragedy, according to Aristotle? List them in order of importance. these were: plot, character, diction, reasoning, spectacle and lyric poetry.
8. What is the role of the tragic hero in Aristotle's theory of tragedy, and how important is the tragic hero in Classical Tragedy? They must suffer in their lives which then creates fear and pity through there suffering. One of them will have a catastrophe which is usually a reverse of fortune. 
9. Define the following elements/ingredients of Classical Tragedy:

• Hamartia- An offence committed in ignorance of some material fact; a great mistake made as a result of an error by a morally good person.

• Tragic flaw-A fatal weakness or moral flaw in the protagonist that brings him or her to a bad end.

• Hubris-Excessive pride or self-confidence.

• Peripeteia-is a reversal of circumstances, or turning point. 

• Anagnorisis (recognition)-is a moment in a play or other work when a character makes a critical discovery. Anagnorisis originally meant recognition in its Greek context, not only of a person but also of what that person stood for.

• Catharsis-the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.