1. othello by William Shakespeare

2. Who would you trust?

3. OTHELLO IS BASED UPON THE UNIVERSAL THEME-- LOVE. WITH ITS “RELENTLESS EMOTIONAL GRIP” ON ITS AUDIENCE OTHELLO HAS NEVER GONE OUT OF FASHION LIKE SOME OF SHAKESPEARE’S OTHER PLAYS. THIS IS A TRAGEDY BASED UPON THE DESTRUCTION OF A NOBLE MAN AND HIS MARRIAGE DUE TO PASSION, HATRED, ENVY, REVENGE AND JEALOUSY. SHAKESPEARE ALSO FOCUSES ON THE THEME OF APPEARANCES VS. REALITY, SHOWING JUST HOW IRONIC THESE TWO OPPOSING ELEMENTS CAN BE. THIS PLAY IS THOUGHT TO BE WRITTEN BETWEEN 1603 & 1604, DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS FIRST PERFORMED IN FRONT OF JAMES I, WHO CAME FROM SCOTLAND TO RULE ENGLAND AFTER THE DEATH OF ELIZABETH I BECAUSE SHE DIED WITHOUT AN HEIR TO THE THRONE. THE PLOT IS TAKEN FROM A COLLECTION OF TALES BY THE ITALIAN WRITER GIAMBATTISA CINZIO GIRALDI (1565)

4. CHARACTERSCHARACTERS You see, it is kind of complicated... complicated

5. THE ESSENCE OF THE PLAY Has the Bard depicted human nature skillfully? Is Othello’s character credible and true to life? Do soldiers really behave as such? Is the Othello a noble hero who is brought down by a devil? Or is Othello flawed and self-regarding rather than inherently noble; perhaps weak and inadequate? Does Iago operate without adequate motivation? Is Iago bad, because he is bad? Or is he an example of typical stage Machiavel who personifies rationality, self-interest, hypocrisy, and cunning, expediency “policie”? Is Desdemona sheer goodness and purity, whose self- control and innocence are praiseworthy?

6. THEMES Jealousy vs Trust Men & Women Race & Color Appearance vs. Reality Difference & Outsiders Love

7. IMAGERY Poison, Corruption & Disease Hell and the Devil Animals & Insects The Sea & Military Heroism Black & White

8. LANGUAGE & STRUCTURE Blank Verse & Prose Dramatic Structure--claustrophobia & Tension Irony

9. Act1GlossaryAct1Glossary LineWordDefinition 9Off-cappedShowed respect by removing hats 13EpithetsTerms or phrases 24TogedWearing official dress (togas worn by Roman senators were the garb of peace) 30Counter-casterAccountant 38AffinedBound 47CashieredDismissed or cast off 74TimorousFrightening 98DistemperingExciting 110Barbary horseArabian thoroughbred (this reference is designed to evoke Othello’s barbarism) 112JennetsSmall Spanish horses 156SagittaryThe house where Othello & Desdemona are staying, named after the sign of Sagittarius, the centaur.

10. ACT I, SCENE I Setting: a street in Venice at night Roderigo is displeased with Iago because he did not come through on his part of the bargain; convince Desdemona’s dad to allow him to marry her. Instead he finds out the Desdemona has defied her father and married a moor. Roderigo is now indignant that his money has been wasted. Iago tries to restore Roderigo’s faith in him by telling him how much he hates Othello, for he has passed over Iago in promoting to lieutenant, by appointing Cassio instead. Now Iago wants revenge This when Roderigo wakes up Brabantio to tell him his daughter had eloped.

11. ACT I, SCENE I The mood of this scene is one of conflict, intrigue and confusion Othello is never really mentioned by name, so the audience is unclear as to who or what is causing all the conflict; the moor Iago’s character is established in this first scene as being a “self- serving deceiver” and he looks like a mercenary taking money from Roderigo even though he knows Brabantio does not think Roderigo suitable to marry his daughter. He also is a cynical malcontent. Iago is crude and unable to understand love or loving relationships. He has no tolerance for man who wears his emotions on his sleeve Iago actually admires men who can exploit their masters and line their pockets by pretending to be honest and trustworthy.

12. ACT I, SCENE I Take a look and determine what Animal Imagery is used here and how it is used. Discuss your findings Review Iago’s words one more time. What can you detect about his character by the why Shakespeare has him speak? What effect does this have on Roderigo? How does Iago manipulate him? What effect do his words have on Brabantio? What is Iago able to accomplish here? He loves to create chaos and trouble but also knows how to escape blame or trouble. Determine when we first learn about this “talent” of Iago’s. Dramatic Irony exists in heaps throughout this scene. What are a few examples?