Othello: the Moor of Venice
Literary Terminology
You will want to recognize how these elements are used by Shakespeare in the play and take notes on specific examples.
Alliteration – the repetition of the same sounds, usually initial consonants, in neighboring words.
Allusion – an indirect or passing reference to an event, person, place or artistic work that the author assumes the reader will understand.
Aside – a short speech or remark spoken by a character in a drama, directed either to the audience or to another character, which by *convention is supposed to be inaudible to the other characters on stage. See also soliloquy.
Irony – in its broadest sense, the incongruity, or difference, between reality (what is) and appearance (what seems to be).
Ø Dramatic irony – a situation in which the audience knows more about a character’s situation than the character does, foreseeing an outcome contrary to the character’s expectations.
Ø Situational irony – the contrast between what is intended or expected and what actually occurs.
Ø Verbal irony – a contrast between what is said and what is actually meant.
Metaphor – the most important and widespread figure of speech in which one thing, idea, or action is referred to by a word or expression normally denoting another thing, idea or action, so as to suggest some common quality (qualities) shared by the two. “He is a pig.”
ØExtended metaphor – an idea sustained throughout the work
ØDead metaphor – one that has been used so much it has lost its figurative meaning and is taken literally (eye of a needle, head of the class)
ØMixed metaphor – a combination of two or more inconsistent metaphors in a single expression (He’ll have to take the bull by the horns to keep the business afloat.)
Monologue – an extended speech uttered by one speaker, either to others or as if alone. See also soliloquy.
Oxymoron – A figure of speech in which two contradictory words or phrases are combined in a single expression.
(wise fool, living death, etc.)
Pun – a form of wit, not necessarily funny, involving a play on a word with two or more meanings.
Simile – a less direct metaphor, using like or as. “He is like a pig.”
Soliloquy – a dramatic speech uttered by one character speaking aloud while alone on stage, or while under the impression of being alone. The soliloquist thus reveals his or her inner thoughts and feelings to the audience, either in supposed self-communion or in a consciously direct address.
*Tragedy – a type of drama in which the protagonist, a person of unusual moral or intellectual stature or outstanding abilities, suffers a fall in fortune due to some error of judgment or flaw in his or her nature.
*Tragic Flaw – the defect of character that brings about the protagonist’s downfall in a *tragedy.
-Adapted from Mrs. Frank 2012
I.i Compare this scene to similar scenarios in American high schools. What do these similarities show?
1.) Roderigo starts the play by complaining that Iago has control over his _____________________.
2.) Iago starts the play by bitterly complaining that ______________________________________.
3.) Iago’s main reason for disapproving Othello’s choice is that ____________________________.
4.) Why does Iago continue to serve Othello?__________________________________________
5.) How does Iago plan to act toward Othello? __________________________________________
6.) Who do Iago and Roderigo plan to turn against Othello? ________________________________
7.) What do Iago and Roderigo let Brabantio know? ______________________________________
8.) In what ways does Shakespeare display Iago’s racism in this scene? ______________________
I.ii Considering the formula for tragedies, which characters do you predict will die? Why?
9.) Iago starts the scene by telling Othello what? ________________________________________
10.) What does Iago warn Othello?____________________________________________________
11.) What is Othello’s response to this? ________________________________________________
12.) Why is Iago’s allusion to Janus significant? __________________________________________
13.) What news does Cassio bring? ___________________________________________________
14.) What is the meaning of Iago’s metaphor? ___________________________________________________
15.) Review: what is the relationship between Cassio, Othello, and Iago? _______________________
16.) How are Brabantio and Othello’s men prepared to resolve this conflict? ____________________
17.) According to Brabantio, how is it possible that Othello married Desdemona? ________________
I.iii
18.) What military concern is the Duke discussing? _________________________________________
19.) “Bloody book of the law” is an example of ___________________ and it means Othello’s consequence for eloping with Desdemona will be _____________________
20.) How does Othello defend himself? __________________________________________________
21.) Who is called to testify on Othello’s behalf? __________________________________________
22.) Othello says that Desdemona fell in love with him because ______________________________
23.) This speech is a ________________ in ___________________________ (format)
24.) Why is Desdemona’s duty and obedience divided? _____________________________________
25.) The Duke of Venice and Brabantio’s lines 205-223 are __________________because they _____________
26.) What can you infer about the setting based on obedience being an issue? __________________
27.) “I never yet did hear/ That the bruised heart was pierced through the ear” (I.iii 221-222) is ____________
28.) Overall, which conflict is more important to the Duke and Brabantio? ______________________
29.) Desdemona pleas to the Duke for permission to do what? _______________________________
30.) The fact Othello trusts Iago to transport Desdemona is an example of _______________
31.) What is the Duke’s racist compliment [oxymoron] Othello? ______________________________
32.) What are Brabantio’s last words to Othello? __________________________________________
33.) What does Brabantio’s warning foreshadow? _________________________________________
34.) Why does Roderigo want to die? ___________________________________________________
35.) Quick math: how old is Iago? ______________________________________________________
36.) What philosophy is Iago expressing when he says, “’Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus”? (322-323) ___________________________________________________________________
37.) Why is Roderigo so depressed? _____________________________________________________
38.) What are three pieces of advice Iago gives Roderigo? ___________________________________
39.) Which piece of advice is self-serving? Think back to I.i__________________________________
40.) When Iago suggests Roderigo cuckold Othello, what does he mean? ______________________
41.) After Roderigo leaves, Iago speaks in a _________________________________ and reveals that he plans to deal in “double knavery” (395) which is to _______________________________and _____________________________________________________________________________.
II.i
1.) As Act II starts, who has won the war? _______________________________________________
2.) Cassio is worried about __________________________________________________________.
3.) How would you characterize Cassio’s opinion of Desdemona? ____________________________
4.) How does Iago feel about Emilia? ___________________ and about women?_______________
5.) What puns does Iago say, and what is their double meaning? ____________________________
6.) What is Cassio’s opinion of Iago’s jesting? ____________________________________________
7.) How are Othello and Desdemona feeling ? ___________________________________________
8.) What plot is revealed in Iago’s aside? ________________________________________________
9.) Where is this scene (and the rest of the play) set? ______________________________________
10.) Iago tells Roderigo what about Desdemona? __________________________________________
11.) What does Iago tell Roderigo to do tonight? __________________________________________
12.) Iago says be removing _______________________, Roderigo will be closer to _______________
13.) Iago likes/respects ________________________, but he will use her for ___________________
14.) Iago believes Othello ___________________and that Cassio would________________________
II.ii
15.) What is the meaning of perdition? __________________________________________________
16.) The herald announces the night will be filled with celebrations for _________and ____________
II.iii
17.) Othello reminds his troops to use___________________________________ during the celebration; this foreshadows ______________________________________________________
18.) Ironically, Othello calls Iago ___________________________ which we know is _____________
19.) After Othello and Desdemona leave, Cassio and Iago discuss _______________then__________
20.) In his ________________________, Iago reveals his plan is to ____________________________
21.) In what condition does Cassio go stand duty? _________________________________________
22.) Iago misinforms Montano by telling him what? ________________________________________
23.) What and why is there a disagreement between Cassio and Roderigo? _____________________
24.) How is the way Othello stops the fight ironic? _________________________________________
25.) Who did Cassio injure and why is that significant? ______________________________________
26.) What does Iago report about the brawl? _____________________________________________
27.) What does Othello decide about the brawl? __________________________________________
28.) Cassio’s primary concern is his _____________________________________________________
29.) Cassio regrets what decision? ______________________________________________________
30.) Why is it odd that Iago is consoling Cassio? ___________________________________________
31.) In Iago’s ____________________, he reveals _________________________________________
32.) What two reasons does Roderigo have for returning to Venice? ____________+_____________
33.) What is Iago’s advice to Roderigo? _________________________________________________
34.) What will Iago tell Emilia? _________________________________________________________
35.) Why does Iago tell her this? _______________________________________________________
III.i
1.) Infer why Cassio hired the musicians. _________________________________________________
2.) What do the clown and musician add to the start of this scene? __________________________
3.) How does Emilia reassure Cassio? __________________________________________________
4.) Where will (and how) Cassio talk to Desdemona? _____________________________________________
III.ii
5.) What does Othello have Iago do? __________________________________________________
III.iii
6.) Emilia says Iago feels _____________________________________________________________
7.) Desdemona says Iago is ______________________________, and that’s ___________________
8.) Two important lines of Desdemona’s are “If I do vow a friendship I’ll perform it/ To the last article” (III.iii 21-22) and “Thy solicitor shall rather die/ Than give thy cause away” (iii.iii 27-28). With these lines, what do we learn about Desdemona? _________________________________
9.) With these lines, what is foreshadowed? _____________________________________________
10.) What does Desdemona tell Othello caused Cassio’s mistake? _____________________________
11.) Othello repeatedly tells Desdemona that _____________________________________________
12.) How does Iago make Othello doubt Cassio? ___________________________________________
13.) What do you think of Iago’s line, “Men should be what they seem;/ Or those that be not, would they might seem none!” (III.iii 139-140)? _____________________________________________
14.) What is Iago saying when he talks about jewels and souls? _______________________________ lit term = _________
15.) What does Iago warn Othello? _____________________Why is this ironic?_________________
16.) What does Othello want before he will believe? _______________________________________
17.) How does Iago finish manipulating Othello? __________________________________________
18.) In his ________________________, Othello wonders __________________________________
19.) In his next __________________________, Othello sounds determined to __________________
20.) What happens to the handkerchief? _________________________________________________
21.) Whose fault is what happens to the handkerchief? _____________________________________
22.) What does Emilia do with the handkerchief? __________________________________________
23.) In his ________________________, Iago’s decides to ___________________________________
24.) Othello is more upset to know ____________________________ than to be _____________________________
25.) What does Othello ask/beg for? ____________________________________________________
26.) What is the effect of the allusion to Diana? ___________________________________________
27.) What lie does Iago make up? ______________________________________________________
28.) What second lie does Iago make up? ________________________________________________
29.) How does Othello describe vengeance? ______________________________________________
30.) What does Iago promise to do within three days? ______________________________________
31.) Has Othello had his “ocular proof”? _________________________________________________
III.iv
32.) What unfortunate pun does the clown play on? _______________________________________
33.) Desdemona knows that Othello will feel _________________because she lost the ___________
34.) Why is Othello angry with Desdemona? ______________________________________________
35.) Why was the handkerchief important to Othello’s mother? ______________________________
36.) With bad timing, what does Desdemona want to talk about? ___________________________________
37.) What does Emilia say about men? __________________________________________________
38.) What doesn’t Emilia tell Desdemona? _______________________________________________
39.) After Iago leaves, Emilia gives Desdemona advice about _________________________________
40.) Bianca feels _________________________ because ____________________________________
41.) Why does Cassio ask Bianca to leave? _______________________________________________
42.) Why is this a bad decision? ________________________________________________________
IV. i
1.) Othello views the handkerchief as a sign of ___________________________________________
2.) What is the meaning of Othello’s puns? ______________________________________________
3.) How does Cassio’s timing NOT prevent conflict? _______________________________________
4.) When Cassio comes back, what will Iago do? _______________________________________
5.) How does Iago manipulate the scene? _______________________________________________
6.) Othello eavesdrops and interprets what Cassio says as __________________________________
7.) This evidence encourages Othello to make his (literary term) _____________________________
8.) What two reasons do readers have to empathize with Bianca? ___________________________
9.) How does Othello compliment Desdemona? __________________________________________
10.) What does Iago encourage Othello to do? ____________________________________________
11.) Evaluate Iago’s actions (above)_____________________________________________________
12.) What do these compliments reveal about Othello? _____________________________________
13.) Othello is commanded to return to ____________ and leave ____________in charge of Cyprus.
14.) What does Lodovico witness after arriving in Cyprus? ___________________________________
15.) Lodovico describes Desdemona as __________________________________________________
16.) This is an unfortunate turn of events for _____________________________________________
17.) Iago hints to Lodovico that ________________________________________________________
IV.ii
18.) Emilia tells Othello _______________________________________________________________
19.) Emilia’s answer includes the phrase “I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest,/ Lay down my soul at stake” as an example of _______________________________
20.) What does Emilia want Othello’s corrupter’s consequence to be? _________________________
21.) Because the corrupter is ___________________, this is an example of _____________________
22.) Line 42 is an excellent example of ____________________________________
23.) What does Desdemona know? _____________________________________________________
24.) In her ______________________, Desdemona wonders ________________________________
25.) What does Iago learn from Emilia? __________________________________________________
26.) Ironically, Emilia tells Iago _________________________________________________________
27.) When Roderigo enters, he is _______________________________________________________
28.) Roderigo threatens to ____________________________________________________________
29.) Iago begs Roderigo to ____________________________ and ____________________________
IV.iii
30.) Othello commands Desdemona ____________________________________________________
31.) Oddly, Desdemona disagrees with Emilia by saying _____________________________________
32.) Where did “Willow” come from? ___________________________________________________
33.) What does “Willow” foreshadow? __________________________________________________
34.) What does Desdemona ask Emilia? _________________________________________________
35.) What is Emilia’s advice about gender equality? ________________________________________
V.i
1.) What is Iago telling Roderigo to do? ________________________________________________
2.) How does Roderigo feel about this task? _____________________________________________
3.) Iago seems to hope for what result? _________________________________________________
4.) In the fight, _______________ injures ________________ then __________wounds _________
5.) Othello leaves the tumultuous scene to ______________________________________________
6.) Iago pretends that ______________________________________________________________
7.) Then Iago goes to help __________________, but _____________________________________
8.) Iago blames _____________________________ for causing Cassio’s injury
9.) What does Iago ask Cassio about Roderigo?__________________________________________
10.) Iago continues to insinuate ____________________________________________is guilty in this
11.) Why do you suppose Iago turns Emilia against Bianca? __________________________________
12.) In his ____________________, Iago reveals __________________________________________
13.) Write two examples of dramatic irony from this scene ________________________________ and___________________________________________________________________________
V.ii pernicious and odious
14.) What does Othello vow? _________________________________________________________
15.) Using a _____________, how does Othello describe Desdomona’s skin? ____________________
16.) Othello believes he can prevent Desdemona from _____________________________________
17.) What does Othello ask Desdemona? ________________________________________________
18.) Desdemona notices Othello seems _________________________________________________
19.) Desdemona promises ____________________________________________________________
20.) Othello reports that Cassio ________________________________________________________
21.) Why can’t Cassio corroborate Desdemona’s story? _____________________________________
22.) Othello doesn’t give Desdemona time to ____________________before he _________________
23.) Dramas are known for their impeccable/horrible ______________- as Emilia knocks on the door.
24.) Othello appears __________________________________________ in his __________________
25.) Review: Diana is the goddess of ______________________ and __________________________, so when Othello blames the ____________ for madness, he is making an __________________.
26.) Emilia reports that _________________ killed ______________and that _____________is alive.
27.) Desdemona describes her death as _____________________ and blames __________________ which upsets Othello, and he admits he killed her because ______________________________.
28.) Emilia finds it difficult to believe that _________________ told Othello ___________________.
29.) Despite being threatened ___________________ Emilia calls ____________________________.
30.) Emilia says if he’s a man, Iago will __________________________________________________.
31.) Iago says for Emilia to charm her tongue which means _________________________________.
32.) Gratiano reports that Desdemona’s marriage killed ____________________________________.
33.) Othello tells Emilia that his proof was the ______________ and Iago _________________ Emilia.
34.) Emilia admits __________________________________________________________________.
35.) Emilia confronts Othello who tries to attack ___________ but is disarmed by _______________, meanwhile _________________ stabs _______________ then he ________________________.
36.) Othello injures_____________________ and asks ________________________ for forgiveness.
37.) How does Roderigo provide evidence against Iago? ____________________________________
38.) Othello ________________________________________________________________________
39.) Lodovico tells Iago to _____________________________________________________________
40.) Cassio is in charge of _____________________________ and ____________________________