Paper 1 - Othello Flashcards
What happens in Act 1, Scene 1
- Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him win Desdemona’s hand in marriage, but he has seen no progress, and he has just learned that Desdemona has married Othello.
- Iago reassures Roderigo that he hates Othello and only cares about his own gain.
- Othello recently promotes Cassio to the post of lieutenant, in spite of Iago’s service in battle and Cassio’s lack of experience.
- The two men come to the street outside the house of Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, and cry out that he has been robbed by “thieves.”
- Brabantio comes out of his house, furious that his daughter has left him. Declaring that his daughter has been stolen from him by magic “charms,” Brabantio and his men follow Roderigo to Othello.
What happens in Act 1, scene 2
- Iago arrives at Othello, he warns him that Brabantio will not hesitate to force a divorce between Othello and Desdemona.
- Othello stands his ground.
- Cassio and officers from the Venetian court bring Othello the message that he is wanted by the duke of Venice about a matter concerning Cyprus.
- Iago mentions that Othello is married, but before he can say any more, Brabantio, Roderigo, and Brabantio’s men arrive to accost Othello. Brabantio orders his men to attack Othello.
- Hearing that the duke has summoned Othello to the court, Brabantio decides to bring his cause before the duke himself.
What happens in Act 1, scene 3
- The Duke promises to help Brabantio but when he learns that the accused man is Othello he gives Othello a chance to defend himself.
- Othello admits that he married Desdemona. But he denies using any magic to win her love, and says that Desdemona will support his story.
- As they wait for Desdemona to arrive, Othello says that Brabantio used to invite him to his house to hear his life story.
- The Duke comments that he thinks his own daughter might be won over by Othello’s story.
- Desdemona responds that she must shift her obedience from Brabantio to Othello.
- Brabantio gives up.
- Duke says that Othello must go to Cyprus to lead its defence, Desdemona will also go.
- Roderigo, convinced his chances with Desdemona are now hopelessly lost, talks of drowning himself.
- Iago tells Roderigo to follow them to Cyprus, where he will make sure that Desdemona will end up with him.
- Iago delivers a soliloquy in which he says again that he hates the Moor. He notes that there are rumours that Othello has slept with his wife. He says that he will take Roderigo’s money, and decides that he will convince Othello that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona
Main quotes from/about Iago in act 1
“loving his own pride and purpose”
“ I follow him to serve my turn upon him”
“whip me such honest knaves”
“i am not what i am”
“old black ram is tupping your white ewe”
“making the beast with two backs”
“our bodies are gardens to which our wills are gardeners”
“cuckhold him”
“thus do i ever make my fool my purse”
“it is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will”
Main quotes from/about Desdemona in act 1
“She is abused, stol’n from me and corrupted”
“To fall in love with what she fears to look on ?”
“With greedy ear”
“She gave me for my pains, a world of sighs”
“divided duty”
Main quotes about Cassio in act 1
“a florentine”
“never set a squadrant on the field” “a spinster”
Main quotes from/about Othello in Act 1
“it is most true; true i have married her”
“her father loved me, oft invited me”
“sold to slavery”
“she loved me for the dangers i had passed and i loved that she did pity them“
“thou hast enchanted her”
“my past, my title and mu perfect soul shall manifest me rightly”
“old black ram”
“my life upon her faith”
Main quotes from Brabantio in Act 1
“corrupted by spells and medicines”
“in spite of nature”
“i had rather adopt a child than get it”
“she has deceived her father and may thee”
“to fall in love with what she feared to look on?”
main quotes from Roderigo in act 1
“i will incontinently drown myself”
“i’ll sell all my land”
What happens in Act 2, Scene 1
- From Cyprus, Montano states that he does not think the Turkish fleet could withstand the storm. They worry that Othello might have been lost at sea.
- As they wait for Othello to arrive, Iago and Desdemona banter. Iago portrays all women as generally deceptive and sex-starved. But he also says that a woman with perfect virtue would be boring. Desdemona defends women against him, though she’s clearly amused by Iago.
- Cassio takes Desdemona’s hand and speaks with her privately for a moment. Iago notices and has an ‘aside’ in which he plans to trap Cassio and use him to distress Othello.
- Othello is overjoyed to see Desdemona.
- Iago tells Roderigo that Desdemona is bound to tire of Othello, and will want Cassio.
- Iago convinces Roderigo to provoke Cassio into a fight with him that night.
- Iago delivers his second soliloquy. He says that he himself loves Desdemona because he wants revenge on Othello for possibly sleeping with Emilia.
what happens in Act 2, scene 2
A herald reads a proclamation that Othello has called for a night to celebrate the annihilation of the Turkish fleet as well as his recent marriage.
what happens in Act 2, scene 3
- Iago praises Desdemona’s beauty while also slyly suggesting that she might be a seductress. Cassio agrees that Desdemona is beautiful, but believes her to be modest.
- Iago tries to convince Cassio to take a drink even though has no tolerance for alcohol.
- Iago addresses the audience: Once he has gotten Cassio drunk, he will create some event that results in Cassio offending the people of Cyprus.
- Cassio chases Roderigo onstage, cursing at him. Montano tries to intervene. Cassio injures Montano.
- Othello immediately puts an end to the fighting, and demands to know how the fighting began.
- Iago says that it pains him to cause any harm to Cassio but that he must tell the truth.
- He says that he loves Cassio as well, but that he must dismiss Cassio as an officer.
- Iago counsels him to approach Desdemona for help.
- Iago delivers another soliloquy, in which he says that his advice to Cassio is actually good advice but he adds that as Desdemona tries to help Cassio, Iago will convince Othello that she does so not out of goodness but lust for Cassio.
- Roderigo is angry that he has gotten himself beaten by Cassio and given Iago almost all his money, but does not have Desdemona. Iago tells him to be patient.
- Iago addresses the audience, outlining his plan: he will get his wife to set up a private meeting between Cassio and Desdemona, then make sure that Othello observes this meeting.
main quotes from Iago in act 2
“you rise to play and go to bed to work”
“to suckle fools and chronicle small beer”
“with as little as a web as this i will ensnare as great a fly as Cassio”
“i will gyvee thee in thine own courtship”
“O, you are well tuned now! But i’ll set down the pegs that make this music, As honest as i am”
“what delight shall she have to look upon the devil ?”
“a most pregnant and unforced position”
“if she had been blest she would never have loved the Moor”
“provoke him”
“Now i do love her too, not out of absolute lust [..] but partly led due to my revenge”
“hath leaped into my seat […] a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards”
“evened with him wife for wife”
“into a jealousy so strong that judgement cannot cure”
“for i fear Cassio with my nightcap”
“ i could heartily wish this had not befallen”
“our general’s wife is not the general”
“confess yourself freely to her”
“i’ll pour this pestilence into his ear”
“make the net that shall enmesh them all”
main quotes from Cassio in act 2
”the riches of the ship is come on shore”
“i have poor and unhappy brains for drinking”
“ i have lost my reputation”
“ i will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me”
main quotes from Roderigo in act 2
“ i have been tonight exceedingly well cudgelled”
“i shall have so much experience for my pains; and so with no money at all”