The Analysis of Othello William Shakespeare

Review of historical and cultural connections The role of women in the Elizabethan times: 1. a dowry was paid to the husband when marriage took place 2. Women had no rights: houses wives/ in charge of children. 3. If money was in the family, women were assigned an educational tutor 4. Women obeyed/were loyal to their fathers until married; then they obeyed/had loyalty to their husbands.

The role of the Moors in Elizabethan Times Moors = North African Muslims. Most Moors were moved to England by force. Moors = The Others. Due to lack of knowledge of the Moors, Europeans such as the English reacted with 1. fear 2. defense The moors were often depicted as outcasts, separated from other characters in stories. The moors were used to explain the unexplained = magic/devilish acts.

Act One Title in your notes: Review/Analysis of Act One Who is Iago? Who is Roderigo? What is the relationship between Roderigo and Iago? (Q1)What is Iago's complaint in Scene I?

Tracking the Manipulation of Iago Act One/Scene I “I am not what I am” Iago has many faces.

Concluding Act I/Scene I 2. Who is Brabantio, and why does Iago and Roderigo awaken him in the middle of the night? 3.Why does Iago leave Roderigo at Brabantio's house? 4.What is Roderigo’s previous relationship with Brabantio and Desdemona? 5.What is Brabantio's reaction to Othello's marriage to Desdemona?

Review of Scene I and Scene II: Brabantio Copy the following questions into your interactive notebook and title “Analysis of Othello Act I” 1. At the conclusion of Act I/Scene I, how is both Roderigo and Brabantio victims to Iago’s manipulation? 2. How is the lack of knowledge and ignorance of the moors evident in the play so far?

Act I/Scene III Plot of the story: Exposition:rising action: Conflict ____________ vs ____________ external? ____________vs____________ internal?

Analysis of Brabantio’s relationship with Othello Referring to lines , copy the following question into your notebooks: 1. How is the relationship between Bra and Othello portrayed here? 2. Brabantio’s attitude has completely changed towards Othello. Why? Add a second box to your Manipulation Chart with your answer.

Othello’s Story Paraphrase in 4-5 sentences in your notebooks, Othello’s life experiences and how Desdemona fell in love with Othello. (lines )

Comprehension Questions 8. Brabantio complains to the Duke about Othello's marriage to Desdemona. After listening to both sides of the story, what is the Duke's reply?1 10.Who is Othello, and why is he so respected by the Duke? 11. What warning does Brabantio give to Othello? 12. Othello and Desdemona have just been married. Will they stay together or separate?

Bell-ringer assignment Observe the following images and identify the definition that match the content:

Announcements and Agenda Final Theatre Assignment due Oct 26 th.= test grade. Quiz on Act One/Vocabulary = Friday Comprehension Questions: due today at end of class. Today: 1. group analysis of Iago and Machaivelli. 2. Completion of Questions.

Who is Machiavelli and how can we connect him to our character, Iago? Born in Florence, lived life for politics and patriotism. Wrote a book entitled, The Prince: a political approach/idea to maintaining power/control through fear. Unpopular man.

The Machiavellian Concept The following quotations were taken from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. “Machiavelli expects princes of the highest virtù to be capable, as the situation requires, of behaving in a completely evil fashion.” “Moral values have no place in the sorts of decisions that political leaders must make”

Quotation taken from University of Virginia Library “Machiavellism has historically come to mean that effectiveness alone counts in politics; political actions should not be restricted by considerations of morality, of good or evil” -To sum it up: achieve your goal and objective by any means necessary: maintain power with fear, at a distance emotionally.

Group Activity Each of you have been given parts of the article. Read your part and write significant ideas in the right box of your analysis worksheet. In the left box, find lines of Iago’s from lines that parallel with Machaivelli’s ideas. We will discuss some of the Lines momentarily.

Bell-ringer Activity Explain how the character of Iago parallels the concepts and ideas of Machiavelli. 5 sentences minimum.

Announcements Missing Assignments: The following students HAVE SUBMITTED their Theatre Experience Assignments. Olexis Bowles, Taylor Winborne, Kora Webb, Ayanna Wilson, Rah’gier McDowell, Russell Chassney, Rachael McDermott, Kasey Bigelow, Nash McCormick, Samuel Bidwell, Triston Smith. This writing assignment is a test grade. It is 30% of your grade. YOU MUST SUBMIT THIS WORK BY NOV 2 ND

Missing Assignments Reminder: Journals are due Friday. I need to see the following students ASAP regarding missing work: 1. Joshua Guill 2. Shatavia Davis 3. Juwan Ford 4. Chelesea Harrison

Bell-ringer: date your bell- ringer: 11/8/12

A Stern Reminder/Warning. Reminders/warnings: This is an English class: it is a required course. You will need this course to graduate. I no longer want to see the following: 1. not taking notes/sleeping 2. working on other work for other classes. 3. reading books (unless specified) We currently have 5 F’s in this class. Let’s step it up.

Machavellian Articles To give you some direction, I have provided three quotes below. Write the quotes in your left box on your worksheet and match the ideas of the quotes to the ideas of Machiavelli’s philosophies. 1. ‘Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are gardens, to the which our wills are gardners’ (lines 339) 2. “If I would time expend with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit” (lines 395) 3. “Cassio’s a proper man. Let me see now: To get his place, and to plume up my will/In double knavery— How, how?—Let’s see—” (lines 402)

Analyzing significant quotes 1. ‘Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are gardens, to the which our wills are gardners’ (lines 339) What literary device does this quote reflect? 2. “If I would time expend with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit” (lines 395) How does Iago really feel about Rod?

Analyzing quotes 3. “Cassio’s a proper man. Let me see now: To get his place, and to plume up my will/In double knavery—How, how?—Let’s see—” (lines 402) What is Iago’s scheme at the end of Act I? What could this foreshadow?

Homework Read the excerpt distributed to you from Carroll Camden’s The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Identify three satirical remarks made by Iago within the play towards women. How do these remarks connect to anti- feminism?

BR: Connotation versus Denotation. Complete the following connotations and denotations for these words: 1. Superman –A. Denotation: –B. Connotation: (list a min of 4 words) 2. Spider A. Denotation: B. Connotation: (min of 4) 3. Hollywood A. Denotation: B. Connotation: (min of 4)

Announcements and Agenda 1. Please pass forward your homework from Friday. 2. Distribution of Persuasive Prompts: Select 5 from the 6. Test Grade due December 3 rd. 3. Quiz on Act II and Act III: November 20 th. Mixture of multiple-choice and short answer. Act II/Act III questions due November 20 th

Passage from lines Cut and glue the passage into your notebooks. 2. Identify the definition for analogy. 3. Locate the analogy within the passage and underline with a green pencil. 4. Write beside the underlined analogy a summary of what is being said. 5. Underline an example of Iago speaking to the audience with a red pencil.

An Artist of Evil… Is there a definite motive for Iago’s actions? Motive #1: __________ Motive # 2: __________ Stock Character from Medieval Morality Plays: “Vice” known as the devil’s messenger. Is known to speak to the audience and reveal his/her schemes. –I

Passage from line What is the difference between a soliloquy and an aside? 2. Underline with a blue pencil, evidence of internal conflict within this soliloquy. 3. What outlandish thoughts and conclusions does Iago have? What does this suggest about his character? 4. Underline with an orange pencil, Iago’s actual plan. What does he mean, by “Knavery’s plain face is never seen till used?”

Questions for Act II/Scene I Questions Who is Emilia? 7. How does Cassio greet Desdemona and Emilia? 8. Why does Iago want Roderigo to anger Cassio? 9. What is the purpose of Iago’s plan? 10. What evidence is Iago using to rationalize his plan? Is his evidence solid? 11. What keeps Roderigo from seeing the truth instead of Iago’s lies? 12. What emotion seems to be governing Iago’s thoughts and actions?

Act II/Scene III Reading (Q13). How does Cassio see Desdemona? Underline examples. –What weakness does Cassio have? (Q14) Why does Iago want Cassio to drink more wine? - lines 45: What is Iago inferring about his plots and schemes? In other words, what is he setting up?

Act II/Scene III Reading Continued (Q15) What is the outcome of Cassio’s drinking? (Q16) What lie does Iago tell Montano about Cassio? Add and build manipulation chart*

Reading Continued (Q17) Why does Othello strip Cassio of his rank? (Q18) Why does Iago want Cassio to ask Desdemona for help in restoring Othello’s faith in Cassio? (Q19) How does Iago get back in Othello’s good graces? (Q20) What is Roderigo’s complaint, and how does Iago answer it ?

The Threat… “Are we turned Turks, and to ourselves do that / Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?” (lines ) How is the above quote an example of external threats becoming internal? Who would exploit this?

Homework: Conclude Act II/Scene III by reading it and answering the following questions: 1. How does Cassio feel about his reputation now that he has been relieved of his position? 3. What is ironic about Cassio referring to the wine as the devil? 4. What does Iago suggest Cassio do to win back Othello’s affections? Infer some foreshadowing… 5. Interpret lines Describe Iago’s plan.

Going beyond the text “Were I the Moor I would not be Iago. In following him I follow but myself; Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, But seeming so for my peculiar end. For when my outward action doth demonstrate The native act and figure of my heart In compliment extern, ’tis not long after But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at. I am not what I am. (I.i.57–65)” In groups of two: analyze the above passage Write the following questions below your passage and answer them in your groups. 1. What is a paradox? 2. Identify examples of paradoxes in the passage. What does this suggest about the power of Iago’s words and trickery?

Symbols Symbols and reoccurring motives: 1. Plants 2. light and darkness: seeing and not seeing 3. Animals 4. Handkerchief and the Willow Song Can you pick out other symbols throughout the play or identify motifs used by Shakespeare?