Othello Discussion Q's

Shakespeare's Othello
(See Paper Topics)
(See Essay on Othello )

Discussion Q's:

Part One (Acts 1-2)

Part Two (Acts 3-5)

Other Q's

Things to Consider:

Appearance vs. Reality
Iago as Puppet Master
Race
Language
Love & Sexuality (and Fear of)
Love vs. War
Roles of Women
Human Nature
Self-image/Reputation
See chart of characters

** Homework Questions: Part One **
Act One:

What is a Moor?

508:

What is the nature of the relationship between Iago and Othello?
Explain: "In following him, I follow but myself" (1.1.60).
Why does Iago hate Othello? (see also 523 & 532) Does Othello suspect?

517:

Why should Desdemona be "feared to look on" Othello (1.3.110)?

522:

Explain: "Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners" (1.3.345). What literary technique is being used here?
Why does Iago repeatedly say to "put money in thy purse"?

Act Two:
527:

Explain: "The riches of the ship is come on shore" (2.1.91).

528:

Describe the relationship between Iago and Emilia.

529:

How does Iago view women in general?

Other Discussion Questions:
Act One:
507:

Who is Iago? What is an ancient?
What is the nature of the relationship between Iago and Cassio?
Who is Roderigo? Why might he have a conflict with Othello?

509:

What does it mean to say "an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe" (1.1.92-93)?

510:

What is "the beast with two backs" (1.1.124)?

512:

Why have the officers come for Othello?
Who is Janus? What is the significance of Iago invoking him?
Why does Othello believe he'll be exonerated of Brabantio's charges?

513:

Why does Brabantio call Othello a thief?
What does Brabantio believe is the cause of Desdemona's interest in Othello?

518:

How has Othello "won" Desdemona?

519:

Describe the relationship between Desdemona and her father.
Describe the relationship between Desdemona and Othello. How is it different?
Is Brabantio appeased by Desdemona? Explain.

523:

What is Iago's plan at the end of Act One? Why is he doing this?

Act Two:
531:

Explain: "If she had been blessed, she would never have loved the Moor" (2.1.258-59).

532:

Why does Iago want to be "even" with Othello "wife for wife" (2.1.299)?

535:

Explain: "The lieutenant is to be saved before the ancient" (2.3.95-96).

539:

What, according to Cassio is "the immortal part of myself"(2.3.255)? How has he lost it? Explain his reasoning.

541:

Explain: "When devils will the blackest sins put on, / They do suggest at first with heavenly shows" (2.3.330-31).

** Homework Questions: Part Two **
Act Three (see videos (Welles 1952) (Fishburne 1995)) :

What is irony? Present an example of it from Act Three (Look on pages 543, 544, 547, 551).

548:

What is the "immediate jewel of [our] souls" (3.3.177)?
Explain: "Who steals my purse steals trash" (3.3.178).

549:

What is "the green-eyed monster which doth mock / The meat it feeds on" (3.3.187-88)? Explain.

562:

Why does Cassio give Bianca the handkerchief?

Act Four
570:

Why is Othello commanded home?
Why is it significant that Cassio will take his place in Cyprus?

573:

Why doesn't Othello directly ask Desdemona about Cassio specifically?

Act Five:
589:

Why does Othello consider Desdemona's murder a "sacrifice"?

592:

Why doesn't Desdemona implicate Othello in her death?

Other Discussion Questions:
Act Three:
549:

Explain: "To be once in doubt / Is once to be resolved" (3.3.202-3).
Explain: "She did deceive her father, marrying you" (3.3.229). How is this statement significant?

552:(See videos (Olivier 1961) (Hopkins 1981))

Why has Iago been telling Emilia to steal Desdemona's hankerchief? For how long has he been doing so?
Explain: "I nothing but to please his fantasy" (3.3.332).

557:

Why does Othello ask Iago to have Cassio killed?

560:

Explain: "They are all but stomachs, and we all but food" (3.4.111).

Act Four:
569:

Why does Othello want to kill Desdemona?
Why does Iago tell him to strangle her?

575:

Why does Desdemona ask Emilia to put on the wedding sheets that night?

580:

What is the significance of the song Desdemona discusses?

582:

Explain: "The ills we do, their ills instruct us so" (4.3.106).

Act Five:
585:

Why does Iago stab Roderigo?

587:

What is "the cause" (5.2.1)? Of what is it the cause?

588:

Why "must" Desdemona die?

594:

Explain: "Thy match was mortal to him" (5.2.237).

597:

Explain: "For naught I did in hate, but all in honor" (5.2.337).

599:

Explain: Othello "threw a pearl away / Richer than all his tribe" (5.2.394-95). Why is Othello speaking in the third person here?

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