Othello by William Shakespeare
- Act I Notes*
-Othello (general of Venetian army) promoted Cassio (arithmetician) to lieutenant over his bff, Iago (soldier).
-Iago = ANGRY Revenge on Othello.
-Roderigo- Iago’s sidekick is in love with Desdemona (does not know he exists)
-Desdemona secretly married Othello
-Iago feelings- enraged, disrespected, betrayed
-Michael Cassio – Florentine, no battle experience, a lieutenant
-Iago’s famous quote “I am not what I am” (Iago, Act I, Scene 1, 7).
Interpretation of “quote”–pretending to be someone else, fake, façadeTo seek revenge on Othello.
-Roderigo does Iago’s “dirty work” in hopes of him getting Desdemona’s love.
-Iago’s wife and Desdemona are best friends.
-Brabantio is a Senator of Venice and Desdemona’s father.
-Brabantio is woken up by Roderigo and Iago and is “told” that Othello and Desdemona are married.
-“Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is topping your white ewe” (Iago, Act I Scene I pg. 9).
-Brabantio becomes enraged and is out to find Othello with his “crew”.
-Soliloquy- a speech given by a character to only the audience revealing their inner thought, plans, and feelings. No other characters present.
-SEE ACT I QUESTIONS WS* for additional NOTES*
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*ACT II- Class Notes
-Turks vs. the Venetians at Cyprus
-The Turkish army was wiped away at sea/storm
-The Venetians win by default
-Othello is missing, all others arrive safely
-Convo.between Cassio, Iago, Desi, and Emilia- talk about women’s role in society.
-Cassio compliments women and shows his education while Iago is insensitive and barbaric.
-Othello finally arrives safely!
- Celebration!!!!! Othello and Desdemona’s nuptials (wedding) AND the victory of Cyprus!
- Iago’s plan at celebration= Have Roderigo provoke Cassio (fight) to taint his position (lieutenant)
- Iago gets Cassio drunk. He fights Roderigo and then fights MONTANO, a fellow soldier. Not proper conduct for a lieutenant.
- Othello becomes irate and FIRES CASSIO!!!
- Cassio feels ashamed about his “REPUTATION” and that he dishonored Othello.
- Sly Iago takes this opportunity to convince Cassio to talk to Desi to get his job back.
- Iago then plans to “abuse Othello’s ear” that Cassio and Desi are having an affair (frequently talking; she speaks highly of him)
- Plant that seed of doubt -JEALOUSY.
ACT III- Othello NOTES*
-Cassio feels ashamed for his drunken behavior and for letting Othello down as his general.
-He feels remorseful so arranges a meeting with Desdemona to convince her to get his position/respect back- “reputation”
-Desdemona willfully agrees to help Cassio and convince Othello to give him his job back- persistent
-He wants to give Cassio his job back but in due time- position-authority/gossip
-Iago begins to plant seeds of DOUBT* in Othello’s mind slowly turning him into a jealous man.---- He explains that “he thinks” that Cassio and Desdemona are “too friendly”
-Venetian women (according to Iago)= deceitful & loose (get in Othello’s head)
-Othello is starting to have doubts- sad anger
-He wants PROOF from Iago that something is going on w/ Desi and Cassio. Othello believes Iago knows more than what he is telling.
-*SYMBOL- Napkin/handkerchief= first gift Othello gave Desdemona.
-Emilia steals the handkerchief because Iago had requested it- she does not know why (ill intent). She then gives it to Iago.
-Iago (soliloquy) reveals that he is going to leave it in Cassio’s lodging/room so that he could be seen w/ it- Uh oh!! ?!?
-Othello becomes ENRAGED W/ JEALOUSY!!! He is no longer at peace “farewell tranquil mind”- All he thinks about is the affair and how he’s been DECEIVED.
-(Ocular proof)
Proof #1= “Fabricated dream” in which Cassio reveals his sexual desires w/ Desi- (“overheard by Iago”)
Proof #2= Iago claims he “saw” Cassio wipe his beard with Desi’s handkerchief (set-up)
-Othello wants Cassio killed!! And Desi??? (tragedy)
-Othello confronts Desdemona about the handkerchief and its whereabouts?? She lost it (Emilia stole it)
-Othello then mistrusts her more and becomes enraged- “My lord is not my lord…” - Desi
-Emilia and Desi then talk about MEN and how they change within time- ‘love, use then abuse’… jealous creatures
-Bianca, the Cyprus hussy, confronts Cassio about his whereabouts in the past week. Cassio claims he was laying low due to the issue at the celebration.
-He gives her the HANDKERCHIEF he found in his lodging(secretly placed by Iago) to make up for not being around. Bianca now has it!! TROUBLE…
Othello- Act IV NOTES*
-Othello falls into a trance in reaction to the image of Desi & Cassio having an affair (mind overload)
-Iago sets up “proof” for Othello by having Cassio “confess” to sleeping with Desi, so Othello can hear it for himself (while hidden).
-Iago is really talking Bianca with Cassio (customer)
-Cassio claims “she” (Bianca/Desi) loves him and wants to marry him! No way! He’s using her.
-Bianca shows up and throws the handkerchief in Cassio’s face! Uh-oh.. more trouble
-Othello then wants Cassio and Desdemona DEAD!!
-Othello suggests killing her by hanging her, chopping her, or poisoning her.
-Iago suggests he kill her by STRANGLING her in “the bed she hath contaminated”
-Later, Lodovico (Desi’s cousin from Venice) arrives to tell Othello he is to return to Venice and Cassio is to lead Cyprus.
-When Desdemona mentions Cassio, Othello becomes enraged and slaps her- “Devil”
-Othello summons Emilia about Desi’s actions and whereabouts (cheating)
-Emilia believes someone is manipulating Othello’s mind. Desi is innocent and honest.
-Othello confronts Desi and calls her a “strumpet.” Desi is very hurt and numb. She even foresees her own DEATH*-- wedding sheets*
-Roderigo confronts Iago about the money that was being spent to woo Desdemona. He believes he is getting played. Threatens to confront her and expose Iago! Uh oh!
-Iago then convinces Roderigo to wait one more night (“dead”) and to help him KILL CASSIO.
-Desdemona sings the “willow song” FORESHADOWS her DEATH*- (dying for love/loyalty)
-Emilia believes that women rebel because of the actions of their men- “the ills we do, their ills instruct us so” (Emilia, Act IV, scene iii, p. 175).
Act V- Notes*
-Rodrigo and Cassio start a fight.
-Rodrigo and Cassio both wound each other. Iago comes from behind and strikes Cassio in the dark.
-Othello thinks that Iago is carrying out his mission to kill Cassio.
- Bianca comes to Cassio after hearing all the noise and finds that he has been injured
-Iago blames Bianca for what has happened to Cassio
-Othello asks Desi if she has prayed tonight? (Christian faith tells us of a pure soul to go to heaven) This indicates Othello cares about Desi’s afterlife. Worried about her soul, not flesh.
-Othello finally mentions Cassio (the affair?)
- Desi pleads for more time because she knows it not true
-Othello does not believe her and calls her a strumpet. He then strangles her and kills her
-Emilia enters to inform Othello about Cassio and Rodrigo’s status. She tells Othello that Cassio is still alive. She then discovers the murder scene of Desi.
-Desi’s last breathe states “Nobody; I myself. Farewell! Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell! (Desi, Act V, scene ii, pg. 195)
-Emilia defends Desi but bashes Iago. She states that Iago was a liar in this whole situation regarding Desi and Cassio.
-Brabantio died
-Iago stabbed Emilia from behind
--Lodovico finds letter in Rodrigo’s pocket about Iago’s plans. He told Rodrigo to kill Cassio
-Othello confronts Cassio for the first time about he and Desi
-Othello ended up taking his own life, stabbed himself