Othello act 4 scene 2

1. What does Othello ask Emilia at the beginning of the scene, and how does Emilia respond?

Othello asks Emilia whether Desdemona has been having an affair, ‘yes, you have seen Cassio and she together.’ Emilia tells him that she has not seen them together and reacts by saying ‘but then I saw no harm, and then I heard each syllable that breath made up between them.’ Emilia constantly says ‘never’ as she knows that nothing is happening as she is with Desdemona every second of the day so does not see how this could happen. She believes that Desdemona would never do such a thing as she can see how much love she has for Othello, therefore she tells Othello this and tells him how much Desdemona loves him.

1. What does Othello say to Desdemona and how does Desdemona respond? Is Othello treating Desdemona fairly?

Othello calls Desdemona a ‘subtle whore.’ But Desdemona does not really respond as she is so naive, therefore she has no idea what is going on. This then means that she does not know why her husband is saying these horrible words about her. From an audiences perspective we would say that Desdemona is being treated unfairly as we know that Iago is making things up about Desdemona’s affair. Therefore she is being treated badly by her husband as he has been made to believe that it is true. But from Othello’s view she is being treated fairly and she is getting what she deserves as he believes that she is having an affair with Cassio. Therefore he believes that she is in the wrong. 

1. When Desdemona and Emilia tell Iago about Othello’s behaviour, how does Iago respond? What does Iago say he thinks is the cause of Othello’s anger? What does Emilia think is the cause?

Iago responds to the situation of Othello’s behaviour in panic, as he has realised that they are going to be able to work out that it is him that has set the plot up about Desdemona’s affair with Cassio. Therefore he is worried that he is going to get caught out and this will make Othello very angry. He blames Othellos cause of anger on ‘the business of the state does him offence, and he does chide with you.’ This means that the letter that Othello was given has angered him and he has a bad day at work, therefore this is Iagos excuse to get himself out of trouble. But Emilia says ‘ I will be hung’d if some eternal villain, some busy and insinuating rogue, some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, have not devis’d this slander: ill be hung’d else.’ This proves that Emilia has realised that someone has lied to Othello as she is inquisitive enough to work this out. Although if she did know it was Iago she would not be able to say anything as women is inferior to men so she would not have a voice to say anything about her thoughts. 

1. Why is Roderigo angry and how does he threaten Iago? In response, what does Iago say Roderigo must do and why? According to Iago, what will be Roderigo’s reward if he follows Iago’s advice?

Roderigo is angry at Iago as at the start of the play Iago said that he was going to give the jewels to Desdemona but he did not do this which caused Roderigo to be very annoyed at him. Another reason why Roderigo is angry at Iago as at the start of the play Iago promised that Roderigo would get Desdemona but has not completed his one job that he was supposed to do. Therefore he tells Roderigo that Othello and Desedemona are leaving and the only way to get them to stay is killing Cassio, ‘non can be so determinate as the removing of Cassio.’ Therefore Roderigo is not very happy with this so he threatens Iago by saying ‘I will seek satisfaction of you.’ This means that he wants to beat him up as he is very annoyed at Iago. But the audience know that he won’t beat him up as he would not have told him he would have just hit him straight away.

Othello act 3 scene 3

For what two reasons does Desdemona agree to plead Cassio's case?

One of the reasons that Desdemona agrees to help Cassio is by talking to Othello to get Cassios job back for him. Desdemona does this because she has seen that Othello and Cassio have a good bond.  Although Desdemona can see this Cassio feels that Othello will forget about everything that Cassio does for him and has done for him, he also thinks that he will only think about the bad events that happened between them. Desdemona says that she will not let Othello think that about him. Desdemona does this because she likes Cassio so wants to help him.

What is Iago referring to when he says, "Ha! I like not that."

Iago is referring to Desdemona and Cassio being together. I ago says this because he does not want Othello to think that something is going on between Desdemona and Cassio. Iago says this though so that he comes across to Othello that he cares and is sticking up for Othello.

After Othello repeatedly urges Iago to tell him what's on his mind, Iago says "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;It is the green eyed monster, which doth mock / The meat it feeds on." What is Othello's response? What does he want from Iago?

Once Iago has told Othello to not be jealous, we can see that Iago’s plan has worked as he has made Othello fall out of love with Desdemona, as Iago has made him think that she is unfaithful towards him. Othello wants Iago to tell the truth and to be honest with him.

What does Iago say about the women of Venice?

Iago says he knows well the ways of the women of Venice: they are promiscuous, and though heaven knows their little exploits, their men don't. ‘Her own clime, complexion and degree.’ He says this because they are out of place if they are not together.

What contextual evidence do we have to support Iago's views of Venetian women?

The contextual evidence that we have to support Iagos view is that in the Shakespeare time women were not heard and did not really have a voice, they were also very rarely seen; this was because they were seen as a possession to their husband. They would follow orders of their husband and be faithful.

What does Iago plan to do with the handkerchief?

Iago plans to place the handkerchief in Casio’s room. He does this because he wants Casio to find the handkerchief. ‘I will in Casio’s lodging lose this napkin and let him find it.’ Iago does this as he knows that it will annoy Othello, once Iago has done this Othello grabs him by the throat, therefore you can see how annoyed Othello gets from Iago hiding the handkerchief.

Othello Act 1 scene 3

How does the Duke and the senators speak of Othello?
The Duke and the Senators speak of Othello in a good way, as they show respect towards him. We can see this from "duty recommends you." This shows the respect for Othello. This also shows that they look up to him as they think he is a very good man. They also know his importance, which is why they look up to him.
How does Brabantio speak of his daughter?
Brabantio speaks about his daughter in a bad way. This is because he describes her as being weak and vulnerable. he speaks about her in a bad way as she is getting married to a black man and her father is not very happy about it.
What do we learn about views towards foreigners/moors?
We learn throughout act scene 2 that the attitude towards moors is negative. Othello is a moor and many people say horrible things about him, due to him being a moor. Desdemona says that she does not find Othello physically attractive this is referring to him being black.  
What is ironic about Othellos claim that "rude i am in my speech?
He says that he can not speak well but he is very well spoken and speaks much better than any other characters. 
What is startling about Othellos decision to let Desdemona speak on his behalf?
The thing that is startling about Othello's decision to let Desdemona speak is that it is very unusual for a man to let a lady say there opinion. As the men were the dominant ones. This also makes Othello look vulnerable as he is getting a lady to speak for him.
What 'stories' does Othello tell in his speech to the senate?
Othello tells stories about when he used to be a slave and how he escaped. He also tells stories about the venetian war. 
Why do senators listen to Desdemona and what does she persuade them to do?
The senators listen to Desdemona as Othello has asked them to and Othello has a high status. She has persuaded them to let her go to Cyprus with Othello.
What praise does the Duke afford Othello?
The praise that the Duke offers Othello is that he is more white than black. He says 'your son in law is far more fair than black.'
What is significant about the rhyming couplet used by Brabantio?

What is Ironic about Othello's retort and his subsequent description of Iago?
The ironic thing about Othello's retort and description of Iago is that he calls Iago 'honest' but really Othello is betraying Iago. This show that it is ironic. 
Why is Rodrigo so distraught and how does Iago convince him to keep going?
Rodrigo is so distraught as he can seeing that everything is going really well between Othello and Desdemona. Iago convinces him to keep going by saying that he is being to emotional. Men were not seen as emotional therefore Iago uses this to manipulate him. 
Focus on Iago's Soliloquy what reasons does he give for wanting revenge against Othello?

Othello Act 1 scene 2

Our thoughts on Othello after act 1 scene 2?
In act 1 scene 2 the thoughts about Othello have changed since act 1 scene 1. This is because he is now shown to be a calm and relaxed character. Whereas in scene 1 he was shown as a horrible character.  He is also shown to not be violent as he is not into fighting.  We are also shown that he has a lot of authority and many people look up to him.
How does Othello respond to Iagos baiting?
Othello responds to Iagos baiting very calm, even though Iago is trying to show hubris. This shows that Othello is a relaxed character in scene 2.
How does Brabantio react upon meeting Othello?
Brabantio reacts badly when he meets Othello. This is because Brabantio does not like him as he has stolen his daughter. Brabantio gets very aggressive and uses aggressive words towards Othello. He is also very racist to Othello. He is very angry at Othello and wants him to go to prison. 
How does Othello react to Brabantio's charges?
Othello comes across that he reacts very well with Brabantios charges and he is calm about the situation. Othello allows Brabantio to know his powers and what he is capable off. He also tells Brabantio why he can not go to prison, this is because he is going to war. 

Othello act 1 scene 1 homework task

Our thoughts on Othello after act 1 scene 1.
Without the audience meeting Othello we are told that he is a horrible man. This is because of the way that he is described by Iago and Brabantio. Iago hates Othello therefore he speaks negatively about Othello. He calls him a 'devil' this does not put a very nice thought into the audiences head about Othello. Brabantio does also not like Othello as he is stealing his daughter and Brabantio is not happy. Brabantio is also not happy because he is black, therefore he refers to him throughout this scene as a 'moor.' This is a racist term, which is also describing Othello in a negative way.
Why do we believe Iago?
We believe Iago as he speaks very well and polite which makes him come across to the audience as a well respected man. Therefore the audience believe that he is a good character. He comes across that he is also speaking about other men in a respectful way.
Why does Brabantio react the way he does?
Brabantio reacts the way he does as he is not happy that Othello has stolen his wife. he calls Othello a 'thieve.' Therefore he believes that Othello has stolen her. The main reason that he is not happy is because he is black and he does not like the fact that his daughter is going to marry someone black. Brabantio is very racist towards Othello and often calls him a 'moor.'
What is 'wrong' with Micheal Cassio?
Micheal Cassio is shown as a weak character which means that he is wrong as he is not fit for his job to be an officer. He needs to be bigger and stronger so that he can do his job.
Why/how is Iago the perfect Venetian man?
Iago is the perfect Venetian man as he has lived in Venice for a very long time, therefore he knows his way around. He is also a military character and has many military qualities.
How does Brabantio think Othello has won Desdemona?
Brabantio thinks taht Othello has won Desdemona as he believes that Othello has used witchcraft.
Is there anything in his words and actions to make us doubt Iagos honesty?
towards the end of this scene Iagos attitude changes and he becomes a very horrible character as he says some mean things to people. This makes the audience doubt on his honesty as he comes across as a horrible character.

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.