othello study sheet

cassio lieutenant suspected of seducing Desdemona
lodivico desdemona’s uncle/cousin
desdemona a virtous bride slandered by iago
montano governor of cyprus replaced by othello
brabantio desdemona’s father; accuses othello of witchcraft
gratiano desdemona’s uncle
emilia iagos wife; desdemona’s lady-in-waiting
roderigo desdemonas old suitor; swindled by iago
iago ensign who plots downfall of his commander
bianca courtesan (prostitute) who pursues cassio
othello general in charge of assault force against the turks; he is in the service of the venetian state
why does iago dislike othello becayse othello has promoted a juior officer rather than iago
why is brabantio enraged because Desdemona married othello
who warns othello of brabantios approach iago
why is othello saved from arrest because his aid is needed to repel an invasion; Desdemona swears that he did not woo her with witchcraft.
in the first speech what does othello show that he is a noble character
why does iago show great concern in the affairs of desdemona because he wants revenge on othello
what does brabantio warn othello oF that he might be deceived by desdemona too
who is montano othello’s predecessor in the gov. of cyprus
what does iago advice the suicidal Roderigo to get money
where does othello go and why to cyprus to fight the turks
why are their frequent overtures of cassio to desdemona due to his desire to become reinstated in the friendship of othello
why does iago say he hates othello because othello overlooked iago for a promotion and othello is rumored to have seduced emilia
why does othello dismiss cassio for getting drunk and fighting
who stop desdemona’s hankercheif emilia
what do th words and actions of desdemona througout the play show that she has no idea of othellos jealousy
what is iago frequently called throughout the play honest
how does cassio try to win back his place by begging desdemona for help
how is emilia described loyal and full of common sense
what does iago argue that desdemona’s unfaithfullness is likely because she must want a lover as young and attractive as she is and she has also deceived her father
where does iago put the hankercheif in cassios lodging
what does iago tell othello about cassio and desdemona that cassio dreams of making love to desdemona
what does desdemona do when othello asks where her hankercheif is she tries to discuss cassio instead
why does cassio give bianca the hankercheif so she can copy th emboidery for him
what does the letter that lodivico brings from venice say it recalls othello and names cassio as governor
what does iago suggest that he kiss desdeoma by strangling
what is part of iagos plot plans to have cassio slain by roderigo
why does othello reject emilias protest that desdemona is faithful he thinks she is lying to protect desdemona
how does iago swindle roderigo by taking jewels intended for desdemona
how is desdemona’s death foreshadowed? by the willow song
what does desdemona do with her dying breath exonerates othello
why does brabantio die from greid over desdemona’s marriage
what does roderigo receive his fatal wound from the sword of iago
what do roderigo and iago do incite brabantio against othello
who does roderigo love desdemona
in the first act how is desdemona characterized as a spineless creature
what does brabantio refuse to forgive his daughter for her secret marriage
when does desdemona show great concern for her husbands expedition to cyprus
what did oago not wish to do bring his wife into the plot against othello
iago is a very practical man
the clown is not a very important character. simply there for comic relief and the scene is not even though to be shakespeare’s work
when does othello first suspect his wife when he sees cassio steal away from her
what does othello consider to be first real proof of desdemona’s insincerity the hankercheif episode
does iago have trouble making othello jealous of desdemona no
is iago sincere when he speaks approvingly of cassio no
what is the great quarell between othello and desdemona caused by the lost hankercheif
is emilia true to desdemona throughout the play yes
what happens when othello becomes convinced of his wife’s guilt he has an epilleptic seizure
what does cassios conversation with iago show that he does not love bianca
what does lodivico see othello strike desdemona
what does othello comply with the mandate given to him
when is lodivico dissapointed with othello when he sees him again in cyprus
when does the innocence of desdemona manifest itself in her conversation with emilia
who is informed that cassio is to be given othellos position iago
what does othello give desdemona time to do before he kills her pray
what does desdemona learn from othello that cassio have been put to death
who is the first to learn of the death of desdemona emilia
does othello ever learn the truth of the plot yes
at first did emilia believe iag was guilty of the cowardly plot against othello no
othello is killed by his own sword
before the end of the play iago is taken prisoner
who does othello leave his wife in the care of during the expedition iago
by her innocent pleading for forgiven what does desdemona arouse the suspicion of othello
did othello know that emilia took the hankercheif no
does iago beleve that othello is an honest man yes
after cassio recovers from his drunken state does he admit he had done wrong yes
does bianca win the respect of the reader? no
when desemona hears the mandate which is given to her husband near the end of the play .. she admits she is glad
who does othello learn the truth from emilia
what charge does brabantio lodge against othello that he has charmed desdemona with witchcraft and magic
how is desdemona first attracted to othello by his tales of his adventures
why is cassio an unlikely lover for desdemona because he is an honorable man
how did cassio know desdemona before her marriage he was one of her suitors
how does iago more quickly arrouse othellos jealousy by appearing reluctant to voice his suspicions
what does othello tell desdemona about the hankercheif that it is a magical charm which gaurantees a husbands affection
what does desdemona first believe othellos jealous is due to his concern about affairs of state
what is cassio like to bianca in private since he is spiteful in public to her he pretends to like and respect her
roderigos attack against cassio is foilder because cassio is a better fighter
what does emilia do when she learns iago accuse desdemona of adutery she tells truth about what has happened as she knows it
genre of othello tragedy in which a good man falls to ruin and death after an evil man inflames him with jealousy
composition performance dates wrote Othello between 1602 & 1604. First performance took place November 1, 1604, before King James I at Whitehall, the royal residence in London.
first printing first printed in 1622 in a quarto edition. Year later, it was printed in the first Folio, the first authorized collection of Shakespeare’s plays. The First Folio version omits oaths and curses that appeared in the quarto edition in compliance with a law passed by Parliament that forbade blasphemous language in stage dramas.
Sources Probable main source was an Italian short story, “The Moorish Captain,” published in Venice in 1565 or 1566 and written by Giovanni Battista Giraldi.
setting Takes place in Venice and Cyprus (an island in the eastern Mediterranean about 40 miles south of present-day Turkey). Venice was one of the world’s leading sea powers. Was a center of commercialism and materialism and, therefore, of corruption and conflict arising from avarice, social status, and fierce competition. Cyprus, a strategically located island which yielded rich harvests of olives, grapes, and various grains. England’s King Richard I (Richard the lion-hearted) conquered Cyprus in 1191 but later ceded it to the France. Venice seized the island in 1489 and in 1571 the Ottoman Turks brought Cyprus under their control.
tone vengeful and bitter.Iago, the antagonist, sets the tone when he plots revenge against Othello, the protagonist, after the latter promotes another man to the position that Iago wanted. Othello’s negative attitude maintains the tone after he accepts as true the false story spread by Iago that his wife has been unfaithful to him. Bitter, vengeful, and madly jealous, he vows to kill his wife.
othello Black Moor who is the greatest army general in Venice. Intelligent, courageous, and honorable. His marriage to Desdemona provokes racial slurs against him. But he carries on with nobility and dignity as he commands an army bound for Cyprus. He becomes the governor of Cyprus. His dedication to duty is eclipsed only by his de4dication to Desdemona. So passionately does he love her that he cannot endure the thought of another man even looking at her. And therein lays his Achilles’ hell, jealousy. Othello is the protagonist.
Iago military officer with the rank of ensign, or as Venetian soldiers often refer to him- ancient. He schemes against Othello because he promoted a younger man, Michael Cassio, to lieutenant, or second-in-command, even though Iago has more combat experience. Iago is evil through and through, taking great pleasure in executing his secret campaign to bring down Othello and Cassio. Iago is the antagonist.
desdemona daughter of Brabantio, wife of Othello, and victim of Iago’s machinations and Othello’s jealousy. SHE IS THE NOBLEST AND MOST UNSELFISH CHARACTER IN THE PLAY.
cassio Othello’s lieutenant or second-in-command. He is the hinge on which the play turns. On the one hand, it is his promotion that arouses Iago’s jealousy and causes him to seek revenge against both Othello and Cassio. On the other hand, it is his alleged (but nonexistent) love affair with Desdemona that arouses Othello’s jealousy
roderigo Venetian gentleman and former suitor of Desdemona. Pledging to help him win her, Iago tricks Roderigo into giving him his money and ensnares him in a plot that results in Roderigo’s death.
montano othellos predecessor as the governor of cyprus
emilia wife of Iago. She is blind to his evil until she discovers that it was he who plotted against Othello and Desdemona.
bianca prostitute who has fallen in love with Cassio during his visits. He tells her he will marry her even though he has no intention of doing so.
what is a moor A Moor was a Muslim of mixed Arab and Berber descent. Berbers were North African natives who eventually accepted Arab customs and Islam after Arabs invaded North Africa in the 7th century AD. Moors has been used to refer in general to Muslims of North Africa and to Muslim conquerors of Spain. To refer to Othello as a black Moor is not to commit a redundancy, for there are white Moors as well as black Moors, the latter mostly of Sudanese origins.
conflicts 1. Iago vs. Othello2. Othello vs. racism and ageism3. Othello vs. Desdemona after Iago poisons him with suspicion that she has been unfaithful4. Iago vs. Cassio5. Othello vs. Othello- his emotions war with him and overcome his common sense and better judgment
climax is The Climax of a play can be defined as:1. The turning point at which the conflict begins to resolve itself for better or worse2. The final and most exciting event in a series of events
climax according to the first definition, occurs in Act 3,sc. 3 when Othello becomes convinced that Desdemona has been unfaithful and resolves to retaliate against her. According to the second definition, the climax occurs when Othello kills Desdemona and discovers the horrible mistake he has made.
conclusion or denouement events that follow the murder of desdemona
themes 1. Jealousy- has the power to destroy. It destroys both Iago (jealous that Cassio received the promotion over him) and Othello (jealous that his wife may have slept with Cassio).2. Gullibility- Othello is an honest and noble leader and apparently an outstanding military tactician. Unfortunately, he is gullible—at least in his dealings with Iago. Pretending to be a loyal officer, Iago undermines Othello’s relationship with his wife and with Cassio. He correctly recognizes Othello as an easy mark, observing The Moor is of a free and open nature. So Iago drops hints and suggestions that Michael Cassio has been seeing Desdemona romantically and even plants evidence to support his story. Othello, too willing to believe his nefarious underling, falls victim to his lies and ends up killing his innocent wife.3. Racial prejudice- crucial issue in the play. It isolates Othello, making him feel like a defective and an outcast. He wonders whether he is worthy of Desdemona—and whether she has turned her attentions toward a handsome white man, Cassio, as Iago maintains. Brabantio and Iago are the most bigoted characters. Brabantio is horrified that his daughter has eloped with a Moor who will give him dark-skinned children. Iago cannot get over the fact that he must take orders from a black man. (I (Mrs. G.) totally disagree that this is an issue in the play. My take on it is that there is prejudice, but not racial. They are prejudice against Othello because of his station in life, not because of his race)
August 12, 2019