Chapter 7

Question 1

What are some key aspects of Othello’s predicament in Venetian society?

Answer 1

Answer: Othello’s predicament involves not only his ‘Africanness’ but also his position as a black man in Venetian society, where he is referred to as the Moor of Venice.

Question 2

How do Iago and Roderigo react to Othello’s blackness in the opening scene, and what impact does it have on Othello’s first appearance?

Answer 2

Answer: Iago and Roderigo express overt and vicious racism, using derogatory terms like ‘old black ram,’ ‘the devil,’ and ‘Barbary horse,’ which sets the stage for Othello’s initial portrayal and introduces animality as a lens through which he is dehumanized.

Question 3

What stereotypes are associated with Othello’s blackness in the play?

Answer 3

Answer: Othello’s blackness connotes ugliness, treachery, lust, bestiality, and the demonic, reflecting the prevailing stereotypes of the African on the Elizabethan stage.

Question 4

How does Iago contribute to shaping Othello’s self-perception?

Answer 4

Answer: Iago’s artistry extends to characterization, influencing Othello to see himself through the lens of the stereotypical image created by Iago, leading to Othello’s own judgment of himself by the end of the play.

Question 5

What is Emilia’s initial attitude towards Othello, and how does it change when he confesses to Desdemona’s murder?

Answer 5

Answer: Initially, Emilia’s relationship with Othello is unremarkable, but when Othello confesses to Desdemona’s murder, she explodes with suppressed racial hatred, referring to him as the ‘blacker devil’ and revealing latent racist feelings.

Question 6

How does Emilia’s use of the term ‘blacker’ reveal her hidden sentiments about Othello?

Answer 6

Answer: Emilia’s use of the term ‘blacker’ indicates a revulsion against Othello’s blackness that was previously masked by her cynical attitude towards men, exposing that, in her imagination, he has always been a black devil.

Question 7

What does Emilia’s outburst of racist feeling contribute to the play’s overall impact?

Answer 7

Answer: Emilia’s outburst allows audiences to vent and potentially exorcise their latent hostility, while also enhancing awareness of Othello’s humanity, even at this crucial moment in the play.

Question 8

What is the trope that occurs frequently in the scenes leading up to Desdemona’s murder and Othello’s suicide?

Answer 8

A: The trope of turning, in the sense of conversion.

Question 9

How does Iago contribute to the transformation of Desdemona’s character?

Answer 9

A: Iago converts Desdemona’s virtue, turning her from Othello’s ‘soul’s joy’ into a ‘fair devil’.

Question 10

What does Iago boast about doing to Desdemona’s virtue?

Answer 10

A: Iago boasts that he will ‘turn [Desdemona’s] virtue into pitch’.

Question 11

In what way does Othello’s heart change due to Iago’s influence?

Answer 11

A: Othello’s heart is turned to stone

Question 12

What happens to Othello’s mind as a result of Iago’s manipulation?

Answer 12

A: Othello’s mind is ‘Perplexed in the extreme’.

Question 13

What historical figure’s epilepsy is recalled by Othello’s own epileptic episodes?

Answer 13

A: Othello’s epilepsy recalls that of the ur-Moor, Mohammed.

Question 14

What Christian polemics against Islam are mentioned in relation to Othello’s epilepsy?

Answer 14

A: Christian polemics claimed that Mohammed, seen as an ur-Moor, was an epileptic who falsely claimed divine possession during seizures

Question 15

How did Christian writers criticize Islam in Shakespeare’s time regarding sexual freedom?

Answer 15

A: Christian writers criticized Islam for the supposed sexual freedom allowed under Muslim law, misunderstanding and reviling Islamic regulations.

Question 16

What is the sexual connotation associated with the expression ‘to turn Turk’ in the context of Othello?

Answer 16

A: The expression ‘to turn Turk’ carried a sexual connotation, linked to the conventional association between Islam and promiscuity.

Question 17

How does Iago depict Othello in one of his soliloquies?

Answer 17

A: Iago depicts Othello as a lust-driven dupe, vulnerable to conversion by a courtesan due to his idolatrous worship of Desdemona.

Question 18

According to Iago, what could lead Othello to renounce his baptism and convert to the ways of the Turk?

Answer 18

A: Othello’s ‘weak function,’ the same weakness that led him to worship Desdemona, could lead him to renounce his baptism and convert to the ways of the Turk.

Question 19

What is Othello’s supposed weakness for religious instability linked to?

Answer 19

A: Othello’s supposed weakness for religious instability is, at the same time, a libidinal weakness similar to that attributed to the Islamic convert.

Question 20

Question 1: What is Othello’s reason for refusing to choose life at the expense of honour?

Answer 20

Answer: Othello refuses to choose life at the expense of honour, believing that regaining his dignity is only possible by returning to his role as a defender of Venice against barbarian enemies.

Question 21

In Othello’s final speech, what historical event does he recall as a reference to his past actions?

Answer 21

Answer: Othello recalls an incident in Aleppo where he took revenge on a turbaned Turk who had insulted Venice by beating a Venetian.

Question 22

How does Othello characterize his final act of suicide?

Answer 22

Answer: Othello characterizes his suicide as a peculiarly self-dramatizing act, portraying himself as both the barbarian and the civilized warrior who executes him.

Question 23

According to the text, what duality is encapsulated in Othello’s final speech?

Answer 23

Answer: Othello’s final speech encapsulates the duality of his existence, portraying himself as both the barbarian and the civilized warrior defending Venice.

Question 24

What is the ambiguity in Othello’s understanding of his own suicide?

Answer 24

Answer: The ambiguity lies in whether Othello truly understands his suicide as an act of civic piety or if, in performing both Turk and Venetian roles, he unknowingly allows the barbarian Turk in him to kill the civilized Venetian

Question 25

How does Othello’s suicide relate to his portrayal as a lone wolf?

Answer 25

Answer: Othello’s suicide is seen as a repeat of his crime against Desdemona, as he acts alone and on his own initiative, seemingly above the law. At the moment of his death, he becomes more of a lone wolf than ever before

Question 26

What is Othello’s reason for refusing to choose life at the expense of honour?

Answer 26

Answer: Othello refuses to choose life at the expense of honour, believing that regaining his dignity is only possible by returning to his role as a defender of Venice against barbarian enemies.

Question 27

Othello’s final speech, what historical event does he recall as a reference to his past actions?

Answer 27

Answer: Othello recalls an incident in Aleppo where he took revenge on a turbaned Turk who had insulted Venice by beating a Venetian.

Question 28

Question 3: How does Othello characterize his final act of suicide?

Answer 28

Answer: Othello characterizes his suicide as a peculiarly self-dramatizing act, portraying himself as both the barbarian and the civilized warrior who executes him.

Question 29

According to the text, what duality is encapsulated in Othello’s final speech?

Answer 29

Answer: Othello’s final speech encapsulates the duality of his existence, portraying himself as both the barbarian and the civilized warrior defending Venice.

Question 30

What is the ambiguity in Othello’s understanding of his own suicide?

Answer 30

Answer: The ambiguity lies in whether Othello truly understands his suicide as an act of civic piety or if, in performing both Turk and Venetian roles, he unknowingly allows the barbarian Turk in him to kill the civilized Venetian

Question 31

How does Othello’s suicide relate to his portrayal as a lone wolf?

Answer 31

Answer: Othello’s suicide is seen as a repeat of his crime against Desdemona, as he acts alone and on his own initiative, seemingly above the law. At the moment of his death, he becomes more of a lone wolf than ever before.

Question 32

What does Emilia suggest about the behavior of men towards women in “Othello”?

Answer 32

Answer: Emilia suggests that men can be wrong in how they behave towards women, blaming husbands for the faults that lead wives to fall.

Question 33

Question: In Act 4, what does Emilia say about Desdemona’s choices in marriage?

Answer 33

Answer: Emilia questions Desdemona’s choice to forsake noble matches, including her father, country, and friends, to be with Othello, knowing that it would lead to social isolation.

Question 34

Why is Desdemona’s love affair considered admirable despite its unconventional nature?
.

Answer 34

Answer: Desdemona’s love affair is considered admirable because, as a wealthy heiress, she chooses a match with Othello that separates her from her home, friends, and family, demonstrating her commitment to love over societal expectations

Question 35

How does the war between the sexes manifest in “Othello”?

Answer 35

Answer: The enviously beautiful relationship between Othello and Desdemona turns into a disaster, symbolizing the war between the sexes in the play.

Question 36

Give an example of a poor male-female relationship in “Othello” besides Othello and Desdemona.

Answer 36

Answer: Cassio’s treatment of Bianca, whom he calls a ‘bauble’ and does not want to be seen with in public, exemplifies a poor male-female relationship.

Question 37

How does Emilia view her own marriage to Iago?

Answer 37

Answer: Emilia views her marriage to Iago as cynical and recognizes that she is merely ‘food’ for him, accepted until she disobeys him.

Question 38

In what way does Emilia educate Desdemona about married life?

Answer 38

Answer: Emilia counsels Desdemona to reset her expectations, rid herself of idealistic fantasies, and understand the complexities and challenges of marriage

Question 39

Provide a quote where Emilia describes men in marriage in “Othello.”

Answer 39

Answer: “‘Tis not a year or two shows us a man. They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full They belch us.” (Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 104-07)

Question 40

What role does male friendship play in Othello?

Answer 40

Answer: In Othello, male friendship serves as an agent of destruction, as Iago manipulates the bond between men to turn Othello against Desdemona.

Question 41

How does Iago use his position as a ‘counselor’ and ‘friend’ to achieve his destructive goals?

Answer 41

Answer: Iago exploits his privilege as a counselor and friend to manipulate Othello’s trust and turn him against Desdemona, ultimately leading to their destruction.

Question 42

Describe the homoerotic moment in Othello involving Iago and Cassio.

Answer 42

Answer: Iago describes a dream in which Cassio engages in homosexual intercourse with him while dreaming of making love to Desdemona. This moment is a strikingly homoerotic episode in the play.

Question 43

How does Cassio’s dream highlight the political implications of male relationships in Renaissance England?

Answer 43

Answer: The dream reflects the political significance of male relationships, as sharing a bed had both sexual and political implications. Cassio’s assumption of Desdemona’s access parallels his desire for political favor from Othello.

Question 44

In what way does Iago replace Desdemona in his pursuit of Othello’s love?

Answer 44

Answer: Iago, throughout the play, uses Desdemona as a stand-in for his desire to win back Othello’s love. He achieves his goal by replacing Desdemona as Othello’s intimate, ultimately engendering monstrosity in Othello.

Question 45

How does the male-male eroticism in Cassio’s dream reflect Iago’s desires?

Answer 45

Answer: The male-male eroticism in Cassio’s dream, including passionate kissing and physical intimacy with Iago, symbolizes Iago’s desire to replace Desdemona in Othello’s affections and win back Othello’s love.

Question 46

What role does the central female friendship between Desdemona and Emilia play in the play?

Answer 46

Answer 1:
The friendship between Desdemona and Emilia inspires resistance, courage to speak the truth, and ultimately leads to Iago’s exposure and Desdemona’s exoneration. It provides protection, solace, and redemption in a violent, male-dominated world.

Question 47

How do Desdemona and Emilia differ, and what qualities do they share?

Answer 47

Answer 2:
Desdemona and Emilia differ in their roles (gentlewoman and maidservant), age, and experiences. However, they share important qualities such as being wives and women, isolated in a foreign land at war. Their shared intelligence, virtue, loyalty, and generosity strengthen their bond.

Question 48

How is the bond between Desdemona and Emilia strengthened throughout the play?

Answer 48

Answer 3:
The bond between Desdemona and Emilia is strengthened through shared experiences of abuse and increasing fear of male violence.

Question 49

What is the significance of the Willow Song scene in the play?

Answer 49

Answer 4:
The Willow Song scene provides a respite from chaos and violence. Desdemona’s song underscores her innocence and fidelity. Emilia’s affection and duty to her friend inspire her to speak freely and courageously, challenging male hypocrisy

Question 50

How does Emilia’s speech in Act 4, Scene 3 represent a feminist perspective?

Answer 50

Answer 5:
Emilia’s speech represents a powerful feminist perspective. She argues that men and women are equal on the basis of humanity, challenging unfair expectations of female behavior in marriage. Emilia advocates for women’s rights and exposes the hypocrisy of male behavior