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A Level English Literature > Othello A02 > Flashcards

Othello A02 Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Dialogue

A

Examples:
1. Iago and Roderigo (Act 1)
Power Imbalance
Establishes an unfavourable impression of Othello to the audience. -> Subverted to amplify the later tragedy.
2. Othello and the Senators (Act 1)
Othello’s nobility is established as well as his arguably hubristic attitudes to his position as general. -> Though, Othello is a highly regarded general who is ‘hotly called for,’ so he might just being stating his worth.
3. Iago, Desdemona and Emilia. + Cassio (Act 2)
Iago and Desdemona bawldy jest at Emilia’s expense. –> Reveals Iago’s misogynic attitudes.
Cassio takes Desdemona aside which Iago notices. Iago then plots to ‘ensnare as great a fly as Cassio,’ framing him and Desdemona in an affair.

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2
Q

Foreshadowing

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  • ‘Look to her, Moor if thou hast eyes t see: She has deceived her father and may thee.’ -> Foreshadows the paranoia and jealously felt by Othello after he is manipulated into believing that Desdemona has been disloyal by Iago.
  • ‘When I love thee not, Chaos is sure to come again.’
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3
Q

Sentence types/structures

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  • Short and blunt sentences, e.g. Othello, indicates panic, madness, fear and stress.
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4
Q

Length of speeches – balance of lines

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Iago vs Roderigo
Iago vs Othello
Power dynamics

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5
Q

Progression/development/perpetuation of/intensifying of/ increase in

A
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6
Q

Climax

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  • Othello murdering Desdemona in their shared chambers with their wedding sheets on the bed.
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7
Q

Beginning and ending

A
  • Othello is cyclical
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8
Q

Crisis points

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-

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9
Q

Stage directions

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  • E.g. ‘[Othello kneels]’
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10
Q

Prose/verse

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  • Shakespeare utilises Verse when portraying Othello as well-spoken and admirable
  • Shakespeare utilises Prose when portraying Othello as irrational, jealous and
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11
Q

Semantic fields, imagery, motifs, symbolism

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  • The Handkerchief:
    Symbolises Othello’s love to Desdemona since it was his first gift for her. Othello thinks it is quite literally Desdemona’s love.
    Later becomes a symbol of Desdemona’s alleged betrayal.
    Patterns of strawberries (dyed with virgin’s blood) on white background . Alludes to bloodstains left on the bedsheets of a virgin’s wedding night. -> Suggest a guarentee of virginity as well as fidelity.
    ‘Your napkin is too little.’ –> Ironic as this is the catalyst for Othello and Desdemona;s destruction and it is caused by Othello who pushes Desdemona away, causing her to drop the handkerchief thus losing it in the process.
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12
Q

Dramatic irony

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  • “Honest Iago,”
  • “a fellow of exceeding honesty.”
  • “Never met a man so honest.”
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13
Q

Setting

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  • Venice versus Cyprus
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14
Q

Positioning on the stage

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  • Othello and Iago kneeling (Act)
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15
Q

Props

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  • The pillow which Othello smothers Desdemona with: Inconspicious weapon, heightens the tragedy, a brutal murder which took place in a vunerable setting; i.e the bed.
  • The Handkerchief: Represents Othello’s devotion to Desdemona. Later acts as a catalyst to Othello’s downfall, representing Desdemona’s loyalty.
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16
Q

Physical actions – e.g. kneels, strikes, falls in a trance

A
  • “[He (Othello) kneels],”
  • “[They (Othello and Iago) rise.]”
  • [He (O) falls in a trance.]”
  • “[He (O) strikes her]”
  • “[He (R) lunges at Cassio.]”
  • “[He (C) wounds Roderigo.”
  • “[Iago wounds Cassio is the leg and exits.]”
  • “[He (R) faints.]”
  • “[He (O) unlocks the door.]”
  • “[She draws the bed-curtains]
  • “[Othello falls on the bed.]”
  • “[Iago draws his sword and threatens Emilia.]”
  • “[Othello runs at Iago; Montano disarms him; Iago stabs Emilia from behind and exits.]”
  • “[He (O) stabs himself.]”
17
Q

Timing

A

E.g.

18
Q

Entrances and exits

A
  • Act 2 Scene 3, OTHELLO: Iago is most honest. […] [Exeunt Othello, Desdemona [and Attendents]” then… “[Enter Iago] […] She is sport for Jove.” “And I’ll warrant her full of game.” –> Dramatic Irony, Othello believes Iago is honest but he appears immediately after, disproving that. Iago attempts to manipulate Cassio, using intentionally provocative and sexual language to describe Desdemona.
  • After Cassio’s demotion, the crowd of witnesses, including Othello and Desdemona, all leave apart from Cassio and Iago. –> Cassio is most vunerable and suseptible to Iago’s manipulation. –> allows Iago to put his vicious plan into motion, urging Cassio to seek Desdemona out in order to gain his job back. Iago justfiys his advice claiming that “the general’s wife is now the general.” as she has Othello’s ear and heart - He will “deny [her] nothing.”
  • Act 3 Scene 3, “Enter Othello and Iago.” CASSIO: “Madam, I’ll take my leave. […] [Exit Cassio] IAGO: Ha! I like not that.” –> Cassio leaves as Othello and Iago enters which, despite it being a completely innocent action, is suspicious - Iago voicing this concern to Othello in order to plant the seed of doubt in his mind.
19
Q

Soliloquy, asides

A
  • Iago’s Solioquoys:
    1. Iago begins to plot his wicked plan - Turning point = Everything begins to change after this point.
    2. Iago establishes what his wicked plan entails: His plan to manipulate Othelllo and get Cassio fired.
    3. Iago’s plans to ensnare Cassio with alcohol, causing him to lose his job.
    4. Iago’s plan to ensnare Othello, using his love for Desdemona against him.
  • Othello’s Soliloquoy:
    1. Othello is suspicious of Desdemona after Iago has poisoned his mind with lies about Cassio and Desdemona.
20
Q

Racist Language/Imagery

A
  • ‘Barbary Horse,’
  • “what full fortune do the thick lips owe,”
  • “Lavicious Moor,”
  • “Old Black Ram,”
  • “The Moor,”
21
Q

Verse/Prose

A
  • Shakespeare traditionally gave verse to his high-status characters. Othello’s early speeches are in iambic pentameter. Abundance of enjambement as ideas are developed in a coherent and confident manner.
  • Prose is commonly used by comic or low-status characters (e.g the clown and the musician). However, Shakespeare also alternated from prose to verse in order to change the mood and tone of a scene. (E.g. Othello and Cassio converse in verse in Act 2 Scene 3, but as the scene progresses and Cassio becomes more drunk, he switches to prose. Iago skilfully switches between the two. Iago uses prose to give the impression of informal talk (sincerity and relatability) as he talks to others in his confidence, whereas his soliloquies are in verse.
  • Othello’s speech deteriorates from verse to prose as he grows more paranoid and jealous of Desdemona and Cassio’s alleged affair. —> his speech reflects his crumbling mental state and gradual loss of identity and power.
22
Q

Animal imagery

A
  • Extremely insulting as animals are positioned under humans in the Great Chain of Beings in the Jacobean period. “An old black ram is tupping your white ewe.” “Plague him with flies.” “Barbary horse.”
  • As Othello falls under Iago’s influence, he echos Iago’s choice of image: ‘I had rather be a toad/ And live upon the vapour of a dungeon.” “As prime as goats, as hot as monkeys.”
  • When he is exposed as a villain, Iago is called “inhuman dog,” and “viper.”
23
Q

Poison and disease imagery

A
  • Disease reflects the supposed corruption of Venetian society, and becomes a metaphor for the corruption of Othello’s mind.
  • Iago’s words act as poison: “poison his delight.” “Pour this pestilence into his ear.”
  • Othello’s jealously acts like a poison: ‘Poison or fire… I’ll not endure it.
  • Othello asks Iago for real poison: Get me some poison, Iago, this night.
  • Ironically, in Act 1 Othello is falsely accused by Brabantio of drugging Desdemona: “corrupted/ By spells and medicines.”
24
Q

Hell and the Devil imagery

A

Iago to Brabantio: “the devil will make a grand side of you.”
Brabantio to Othello: “Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her.”
Iago about himself: “Divinity of hell!/ When devils will the blackest sins put on,/ They do suggest at first with heavenly shows/ As I do now.”
Othello on Vengeance: “Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell.”
Othello on Desdemona: “The fair devil.”
Emilia to Othello: “thou art a devil.”
Iago is revealed to be “that Demi-devil;” “this hellish villain.”

25
Q

Speeches

A
  • Othello’s speeches:
    1. Othello utilises measured and well-controlled language when addressing the Senate. –> Subverts
26
Q

Black and White imagery

A
  • At the heart of the play, there is Othello (a black man) and Desdemona (a white woman whose marriage is seen by many characters of the play to be ‘against the rules of nature’ (Brabantio). This opposition is emphasised by the black and white imagery interwoven with the fabric of the play’s language.
  • Contextually, black and white can be equated with light and darkness , heaven and hell, good and bad. Shakespeare intensifies this contrast by the use of an antithesis such as ‘black ram’ against ‘white ewe.’
  • Shakespeare utilises this device frequently throughout the play as antithesises express conflict, and conflict. -> Themes which are commonly at the heart of all dramas.
  • It has been suggested by some commenters that Othello’s bravery and virtue signify that, at the beginning of the play, he is able to overcome colour prejudice. As a general in Venice, Othello is confident and confident. He speaks with calm authority, even when challenged by Brabantio in front of the Senate. However, away from the normality and civilised confines of Venice, Othello is corrupted by Iago. As his relationship with Desdemona is blackened by lies, Othello grows more conscious of his skin colour and begins to conform to racist stereotypes . He, too, begins to regard ‘black’ as a negative term:’ Her name that was as fresh/ As Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black/ As mine own face.’
27
Q

Seeing and not seeing

A
  • Sight, or the perceptio of things as they really are works oo an increasingly metaphorical level throughout the play, infusing the language and driving the plot.
  • At the beginning of the play, Desdemona is very explicit about what she sees in Othello: ‘I saw Othello’s visage in his mind/ And to his honours and his valiant parts/ Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate.’ She disregards outward appearance, for example his black skin.
  • Othello, though he demands ‘ocular proof’, is frequently conivinced by things he does not see.
  • After Othello has killed himself , Lodovico says to Iago: ‘Look on the tragic loading of this bed/ This is thy work. The objects poison sight./ Let it be hid.’
  • Even at a public level, seeing is portrayed as a very misleading sense: in Act 1 Scene 3, a senator suggests that the Turkish retreat to Rhode is ‘a pageant/ To keep us in false gaze.’

A Level English Literature (81 decks)

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