Extract question - mock

In this extract, Shakespeare presents the duplicity of Iago’s character through the way in which he talks to Othello in comparison to how he spoke about him in Act 1 Scene 1. In this extract he talks about Othello’s ‘honour’ whereas in the previous scene he said that he ‘hates the moor’. This shows the audience that he is an untrustworthy character and therefore may play a key role in the downfall of Othello’s character throughout the play. This line helps to lure Othello into the false pretense that Iago is a friend of Othello which helps him to later manipulate Othello into believing what he tells him. By giving Othello the idea that he is trustworthy, Iago makes Othello believe that he is able to go to him for advice and support which is important later in the play. This duplicity is also presented later in the extract when Iago talks about ‘Janus’, a two-faced God. This reflects Iago’s character as he behaves two-faced towards Othello by pretending to look up to him when in reality he is plotting behind his back. By using this reference, Shakespeare shows the audience that Iago will cause issues later in the play and throughout this extract they begin to learn of Iago's role in the play to bring down Othello as a tragic hero. 

The stage direction of 'with torches' at the start of this extract shows the audience that this scene takes play outside in the dark. Darkness represents deception and later in the play another scene takes place in the dark in which I ago is deceitful and stabs Cassio. This therefore shows the connotation that darkness has and enhances the idea that darkness is a symbol of deciet. Therefore the setting of this scene forebodes the tragic ending of the play as it shows us that iagos character will be deceitful, thus resulting in the tragic end to the play.

How does Shakespeare create a sense of fear and confusion in Act 5 scene 1?

How does Shakespeare create a sense of fear and confusion in Act 5 scene 1? 

The outside setting of this scene is important when creating a sense of fear as the characters are exposed and the darkness means that they cannot see anyone else's presence. This creates a sense of fear within both the audience and the charters as they are vulnerable to attacks without any warning. The darkness of the street creates an eerie feeling as there was not any street lighting during this time period so that following the attack, the setting creates confusion as it means that the characters do not know who performed the attack in the dark and therefore they do not understand what has happened. 

Throughout this scene, Shakespeare uses short lines with exclamation marks and question marks, 'thou diest!'
Copyright © 2016 by PlayShakespeare.com.in order to heighten the sense of fear and confusion as this gives the audience the impression that the characters feel uneasy and scared. At the start of the scene, Iago's speech is longer and contains more eloquent, however as the extract progresses this speech deteriorates to much shorter lines. This shows Iago's fear as less speech can indicates lower power and fear is a sign of weakness. 

Shakespeare uses Iago's asides throughout the play to give the audience insight into Iago's thoughts and feelings. An example of this is shown in this scene when I ago says 'This is the night That either makes me, or foredoes me quite'. This line shows Iago's fear about his plan falling apart and the effect that this will; have on him. Therefore the audience begins to feel fearful too as they aren't sure on  what will happen next.They also become fearful about what the rest of his plan will cause to happen as they know that Othello is plotting to kill Desdemona and they would ebcome fearful that this will happen next. 

In this scene again Shakespeare uses Iago's character to present the theme of appearance vs. reality. This is shown Iago claims to have discovered the fight after it took place, ' whose noise it this that cries on murder', when really he had planned the entire event so that he would not be caught out. 

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Act 3 scene 3

1. Desdemona agrees to Cassio’s case because she knows that they are close friends and due to the fact that he helped to get Desdemona and Othello together in the first place
2. When Iago say ‘ha! I like not that’ he is referring to the fact that he can see Cassio and Desdemona talking to each other. By doing this he is making Othello feel paranoid because it makes him think that they are doing something they shouldn’t instead of having a harmless conversation.
3. After Othello repeatedly urges Iago to tell him what's on his mind, Iago says "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;/It is the green eyed monster, which doth mock / The meat it feeds on." Othello responds with ‘O misery’. By saying this Othello is showing that he has fallen out of certainty of his love to Desdemona as he describes it as a misery. This could then suggest that he wants reassurance and sympathy from Iago and also the truth to what he thinks is happening.
4. Iago says that all the women of Venice ‘dare not show their husbands; their best consciousness is not to leave’t undone, but keep’t unknown’. This is then suggesting that he sees all women to be untrustworthy as they will keep secrets from their husbands. This then reinforces the doubt Othello has at it makes him believe that it is not an uncommon situation, making him question his wife’s loyalty
5. As stated by Thomas Coryat in ‘Coryats Crudities’ the women of Venice are described as Courtezan of Venice displaying them all be to prostitutes and therefore unfaithful.
6. This contextual evidence may then influence Othello’s decision to believe Iago about being unable to trust his wife because during the 1600’s this was the way Venetian women were displayed and along with the fact that Desdemona went behind her father’s back to get married with Otherllo it also suggests that she would do the same to him with another man
7. Iago echoes Brabantios earlier warning to Othello by saying ‘she did deceive her father, marrying you; and when she seemed to shake, and fear your looks, she loved them most’.
8. In this statement Iago makes the statement that it is unnatural for Desdemona and Othello to be together because of his race as he takes reference to his looks and how it was something that she should fear
9. Desdemona produces the handkerchief when Othello has a headache as during the 15th century there was not much medical knowledge and they believed that wrapping the head would cure headaches. However, the handkerchief was not big enough symbolizing that perhaps her love wasn't big enough as the handkerchief was a symbol of Othello's love. However, she is careless with the handkerchief and leaves it behind, perhaps indicating that she is discarding their love or that their love is no longer cared about and isn't strong anymore. Emilia then finds the handkerchief and knew that her husband wanted it. She however, did not know what for and therefore did not realise her contribution to the downfall of Othello and Desdemona's love. 
10. Emilia takes the handkerchief as she doesn't think her relationship is very good and therefore hopes that iago will give it to her as a token of his love. 
11. Iago knows what the handkerchief represents and therefore hopes to use it to show Iago that Desdemona does not love him. He hopes to be able to give it to Cassio so that Othello believe Desdemona gave it to him, suggesting that she loves him. 
12. When Othello returns to the scene upset and angry he holds Iago by the throat and says “Ha, ha, false to me?” meaning ‘you dare lie to me?’
13. Iago gives proof of Desdemona’s disloyalty through an unconvincing lie, however it manages to convince Othello, which raises questions about how great this tragic hero truly is. Iago says “I lay with Cassio lately, And, being troubled with a ranging tooth, I could not sleep. There are a kind of men so loose of soul, That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs: One of this kind is Cassio .In sleep I heard him say ‘Sweet Desdemona, Let us be wary, let us hide our loves’; And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand, Cry out ‘Sweet creature!’, and then kiss me hard, As if he plucked up kisses by the roots, That grew upon my lips; then laid his leg Over my thigh, and sighed, and kissed, and then Cried ‘Cursed fate, that gave thee to the Moor!’”
14. Iagos final proof is the handkerchief his wife Emilia found and gave to him. When Othello approaches Desdemona about the handkerchief and wishes her to present it she will not be able to find it meaning Othello will believe what Iago just says- “I know not that; but such handkerchief (I am sure it was your wife’s) did I today See Cassio wipe his beard with.”
15. Othello’s language is noticeable different in this scene as it become increasing monosyllabic and more like Iagos as they start to become closer and closer together. This scene is arguable homoerotic as there is a scene where Iago and Othello exchange wedding vows and become as one, reflecting their shared language type dialect.

Othello act 1 - scene 3

     How does the Duke and senators speak of Othello? (ln 46-51)

     Speak highly of him with words such as 'valiant' however still use racist terms such a

     'moor'. However this was an ordinary term used and wouldn't have been disapproved of or seen as offensive during the time of the play.

     How does Brabantio speak of his daughter? (ln 58-106)

    'corrupted', 'not deficient, blind, or lame of sense',  

     What do we learn about views towards foreigners/moors?

It's a racist society, even Othello's wife describes him as a moor.

What is ironic about Othello’s claim that “rude am I in my speech?

He claims that he can't speak well but then says long eloquent speeches.

What is startling about Othello’s decision to let Desdemona speak on his behalf? (think context)

He's living in a patriarchal society where this would have been viewed as shocking and unusual. Othello has high power so having someone of low power, a woman, speak on his behalf would show him to be weak. 

     

Othello Act 1 Scene 1 TASK

Act 1 

1.	How does Shakespeare present the world of Venice in the first act, and how does he construct the interactions of his central characters (Iago, Othello, and Desdemona) with that Venetian world and with each other. How are these interactions complicated by the fact that Othello is a Moor and that Desdemona is a young women? To begin with, Venice is shown as being quiet without much trouble. It is a shock in the first seen when there is talk of a theft as Brabantio can not believe it, showing that this is unusual. Roderigo's behaviour is not the normal behaviour in Venice and shouting on the streets would not have been allowed. This is why there is a big deal made when he wakes brabantio up. In addition, Venice is presented as a Racist place as Othello is called racist terms such as 'Moor' by other characters.In addition there is a belief in witch craft that does not help Othello as Brabantio believes that Othello charmed or gave potions to Desdemona in order to get her to love him. There is a conflict about their marriage as Brabantio does not believe that a 'moor' is good enough for his daughter and because of Iago's scheme, Brabantio did not like Othello before meeting him. It was are for a black person to marry a white person, which is what caused the beliefs of witch craft to be thought of.
2.	What sort of person is Iago, as he appears in act 1? Are you satisfied by the reasons he gives for hating Othello? What is Iago's relationship with Roderigo? In act 1, Iago is seen to be manipulative as he increases Roderigo’s negative feelings towards Othello in order to help his plan to gain power over Othello and have Othello lose his job. Iago's reasons for not liking Othello are not strong enough for him to try and destroy Othello. Iago should have thought of a better better to earn a higher rank position instead of trying to decieve and manipulate people to gain the role. Iago and Roderigo don't appear to have a good relationship, they are bought together by their own selfish wants to over throw Othello. Roderigo places a lot of trust in Iago however Iago is usi ng Roderigo for his personnal gain and to get money.
3.	What sort of language does Iago use? What sort of language does Othello use? What might be the significance of this difference? In his opening speeches in Act I Scenes 2 and 3 Othello’s characteristic idiom is shown through the use of blank verse. This suits his status in the play and his use of blank verse also helps establish his heroism. Othello speaks with clarity and purposefully. His authority comes across in these lines, and there is a sense of both danger and beauty.

Classical Tragedy

Coursework question

Larkins poetry shows 'a society pursuing its fantasies and illusory satisfactions in material possessions'
 - Andrew Swarbrick

Using ideas from the critical anthology to support your argument, to what extent do you agree

essential beauty, the large cool store, Take One Home for the Kiddies and send no money