Othello

Question 1

Jealousy quote 1 (Emilia)

Answer 1

“They are not ever jealous for the cause, but jealous for they are jealous. Tis a monster begot upon itself, born on it self.”

Question 2

Jealousy quote 2 (Iago)

Answer 2

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster”

Question 3

Jealousy quote 3 (Iago)

Answer 3

“Ha, I like not that.”

Question 4

Jealousy quote 4 (Othello)

Answer 4

“Haply for I am black and have not those soft parts of conversation that chamberers have.”

Question 5

Jealousy quote 5 (Iago)

Answer 5

“As I confess my nature’s plague to spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy shapes faults that are not.”

Question 6

My view on jealousy

Answer 6

jealousy isn’t begot upon itself but led off other people’s jealousies. This is seen through Iago’s ability to corrupt Othello, causing Othello jealousy based off his own.

Question 7

Prejudice quote 1

Answer 7

“You’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse…making the beast with two backs”.

Question 8

Prejudice quotes 2

Answer 8

“Old black ram” “Moor” “Thick-lips”

Question 9

Reputation quote 1

Answer 9

“Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe”

Question 10

Reputation quote 2

Answer 10

“I will a round unvarnished tale deliver of my whole course of love: what drugs, what charms, what conjuration and what mighty magic.”

Question 11

Deception quote 1

Answer 11

“Honest Iago”

Question 12

Deception quote 2 (Iago)

Answer 12

“the Moor is of a free and open nature/ That thinks men honest that but seem to be so; and will as tenderly be led by th’ nose/ As asses are”

Question 13

Justice quote 1

Answer 13

“Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore; Be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof.”

Question 14

Justice quote 2

Answer 14

“An honourable murderer”

Question 15

Ambiguity

Answer 15

more than one interpretation.

Question 16

Psychoanalytical view on Othello

Answer 16

Iago prompts Othello into jealousy, making Othello question his own thoughts and feelings  proving Desdemona’s deception of the past and the duplicity of her character  reverse psychology “Long live she so, and long live you to think so!” – subtly degrade Othello until he questions his own self worth (insecurity based off otherness)

Question 17

Psychoanalytical view on Iago

Answer 17

Iago is not as subtle or clever as we are led to believe – his actions and words are incredible simplistic (Paul Prescott) the ironic equation is that all characters mistake illusion for reality (Estelle Taylor)

Question 18

Feminist view on females

Answer 18

Each of the female characters are introduced through the man she is associated with
 Explores the theme of women being subject to men’s whims and desires

Question 19

Feminist view on men’s view of women

Answer 19

Physical wealth vs wife’s faithfulness  loss of symbol and title rather than loss of wife’s character

Question 20

Post-colonial view of the play

Answer 20

‘Othello didn’t begin as a play about race, history has made it one.’ (Ben Okri)

Question 21

Post-colonial view on Iago and Othello

Answer 21

“Iago is represented as a white man with a black soul, whilst Othello is the black man with a white soul.” Othello’s blackness makes the audience work harder to believe in his heroism, but achieving this is a greater success than if he were white (G K Hunter)

Question 22

Handkerchief reading

Answer 22

The “spotted” handkerchief “is potent as visible proof of Desdemona’s adultery largely because it subconsciously evokes for Othello the blood-stained sheets of the wedding-bed and his wife’s loss of virginity there.” – Edward A. Snow