What kind of English does Shakespeare write in? | Early Modern English |
When was Othello first performed? | 1604 |
What do the following words translate to: thy, thine, thou, thee, thyself, ye | your, yours, you, you, yourself, you (plural) |
What endings were given to past tense verbs? | “en” |
What endings were given to present tense verbs? | “eth” |
What endings were given to past perfect tense verbs? | “est” |
Who formed the basis of Othello? | Cinthio Giambattista Giraldi |
What does the word “moor” refer to? | People of black descent |
Where does Othello take place? | Venice, then Cyprus |
Where does Act I take place? | Venice |
Why did Shakespeare set his stories in Italy? | Because he didn’t want to criticize his own land of England, so he had more freedom to say what he wanted |
What did Venetian women have a reputation of? | Being promiscuous |
How to cite Shakespeare? | (ACT.scene.line#) |
Characteristics of moors | culturally ambiguous, refers to someone “different” |
Stereotypes of moors | jealous, easily angered, used magic, did not practice a religion |
Why is Othello not African-American? | America didn’t exist! |
Around what age is Othello? | In his 40s |
How old is Iago? | 28 |
What is Cassio’s position? | lieutenant |
Around what age is Desdemona? | 15-16 |
Othello to Brabantio | friends |
Iago to Othello | works under him, hates |
Iago to Cassio (how does he feel toward him and why?) | hates (he lacks experience and gets ahead without trying) |
Cassio to Othello | works alongside him |
Brabantio to Roderigo (how does he feel toward him in the beginning of Scene I versus the end?) | hates, but would rather have Desdemona marry him rather than Othello by the end of Act I. |
Desdemona to Othello | married |
Roderigo to Iago | partners (not really friends… have a working relationship) |
Desdemona to Brabantio | daughter |
Why does Iago hate Othello? | He hates that Othello put Cassio before him, and he believes that Othello slept with his wife. |
Why is Othello accepted by society at the end of Act I Scene iii? | He converts to Christianity and he is useful to society |
What names is Othello referred to as before he is named? | Thick-lips, the moor, the devil, a Barbary horse, old black ram |
monologue | a one person speech (Othello’s speech) |
soliloquoy | when one person speaks directly to the audience for a purpose (Iago’s speech) |
blank verse | unrhymed iambic pentameter, spoken by people of higher status |
prose | regular speech, spoken by people of lower status that are angry |
couplets | two rhymed lines infrequently spoken -by people of education and respect |
Why are Iago and Roderigo friends in the beginning of Scene i? | Because Roderigo pays Iago to help him win over Desdemona |
How do Iago and Roderigo develop their friendship by the end of Scene iii? | Iago wants to work with Roderigo to take down Desdemona (but really, Othello) |
meaning of “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” | a racist and offensive way to say Othello is sleeping with Desdemona |
meaning of “the devil will make a grandsire of you” | Othello will make Brabantio a grandfather |
meaning of “I am not what I am” | signifies that Iago is going to lie and be dishonest in order to get what he wants, and he isn’t where he deserves to be in Othello’s eyes |
What is Iago going to tell Othello once he finds him in Scene ii? | To inform Othello that the Duke is coming to arrest him |
What is Iago’s main purpose of finding Othello Scene ii? | To further blind Othello from seeing his true plan, and to stir the pot |
Why is Othello angry when Iago shows up? | He has yet to consummated his marriage with Desdemona, which means that it could still be annulled. |
Why is Othello sure he will not get in too much trouble with the Duke? | well-known and respected |
What news does Cassio bring when he interrupts Othello (talking with Iago now) and Desdemona? | there is a war beginning in Cyprus |
What is Brabantio’s first reaction when he hears about Othello and Desdemona? | he does not believe it |
What does Brabantio believe that Othello did to his daughter in scene ii? | Believes Othello put a spell on his daughter since she was anti-marriage before she met him |
What is the difference in Brabantio and Othello’s purposes for visiting the Duke? | Brabantio – to tell the Duke about his daughter, and to possibly get him arrestedOthello – to help with the war effort of Cyprus |
In act iii, which two empires fought? | the Turks (Ottoman Empire) and Cyprus |
What does Othello’s monologue in scene iii reveal about his relationship to Desdemona? | They trust each other, and Othello loves her so much that he would risk his life her |
Why did Desdemona fall in love with Othello? | She fell in love with his fantastic tales |
What does Othello say in his speech that is untrue? | He is illiterate; he tells fantastic stories and has a long monologue |
How does Desdemona entice Othello? | Desdemona flirted with Othello, saying if he had a friend who could tell his stories, she’d love that guy.? |
How does Desdemona respond to her father? | Desdemona says she loves her father, but just like her mother, she must love her husband more than her father. |
Why does Desdemona choose to trust Othello over her father? | Like her mother trusted her father, she must trust her father |
How does Brabantio react? What important thing dos he say to Desdemona? | He is angry; he says that he’s glad he didn’t have any more children because he would make their lives miserable because of her. |
If Othello goes to Cyprus, what does Othello want? Desdemona? | Othello – for Desdemona to be taken care ofDesdemona – to go with Othello |
Who does Othello choose to escort Desdemona to Cyprus? | Iago |
When Brabantio exits scene iii what does he warn Othello about? | Says that he should watch his back, that Desdemona will deceive him |
How do the senators and the Duke describe Othello? | valiant |
Why does Roderigo want to kill himself? | he is lovesick over Desdemona |
What does Iago tell Roderigo to do? | “put money in thy purse” and promised him that Othello will get over Desdemona since moors have “changing ways” |
What does Iago reveal about his plan at the end of scene iii? | he will suggest to Othello that Cassio had an affair with his wife, and he hopes to ruin his life |
othello act I
August 11, 2019