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Courses Taught INTELLECTUAL HERITAGE (at Temple
University) Delphi- A Focal Point for IH 51 Texts Subject Study Aids: Aeschylus' Libation Bearers Study Guide Sophocles' Oedipus and the Sphinx Lecture Dr. J's Illustrated Pericles' Funeral Oration Dr. J's Illustrated Pericles and America Dr. J's Illustrated Pericles and Philadelphia Dr. J's Illustrated Aeschylus' Oresteia Dr. J's Curse of the House of Atreus Outline Dr. J's Background Lecture on Greek Philosophy Dr. J's Apology Study Questions Dr. J's Illustrated Plato's Apology Socrates and the Apology Lecture Epic Qualities of the Sundiata Lecture RELIGIOUS FOUNDATIONS OF CLASSICAL GREECE Courses Proposed Religious Foundations of Greek Culture The Intersection of Myth and History The Ancient Greek Cultural Nexus- Art, Archaeology, Literature and Topography |
From 1996-2001 I taught in the Intellectual Heritage Program at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This page is part of my teaching materials for Intellectual Heritage 51, a course covering literature and ideas from Sappho through Shakespeare... Othello Study Sheet Othello Here is an outline of Othello. I have summarized each scene. In bold-faced type you will find the quotations you are responsible for. Know the speaker and circumstances of each quote (including who is being addressed, why the speaker is saying this, and at what point in the play it is being said). You are responsible for the entire play Othello, even the parts we did not read aloud in class. This is a study guide to be used as an aid in understanding the text. It is not intended to be used instead of reading the text. Yes, you must know all these quotations IN ADDITION to the quotations on the Final Exam Review page. ACT ONE Act I scene one (I.i): Conversation between Iago and Roderigo. Iago reveals his grudge against Othello and convinces Roderigo to tell Brabantio that his daughter has eloped with the Moor. an old black ram is tupping your white ewe
(Iago,
I.1.96) Act One scene two (I.ii): Iago warns Othello of Brabantio’s anger; Cassio arrives to tell Othello that a war council has been called; Brabantio then arrives ready to fight Othello. Othello swears his love for Desdemona is true. Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her! (Brabantio, I.ii.77) (Brabantio, I.ii.77) Act One scene three (I.iii): Othello is charged with leading the Venetians to victory against the Turks. Othello and Desdemona publicly avow their love for each other. Iago privately assures Roderigo that he will have his shot at Desdemona, proclaims his hate for Othello, and considers plans to make Othello jealous of Cassio. Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. I hate the Moor; I have’t! It is
engendered! Hell and night
ACT TWO Act Two scene one (II.ii): All arrive safely on Cyprus and the war is over before it is begun. Iago convinces Roderigo that Desdemona, although just married to Othello, is attracted to Cassio. He outlines a plan to Roderigo that involves him picking a fight with Cassio in order to rid himself of this rival. With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio (Iago, II.i.197) (Iago, II.i.197) For I do suspect the lusty Moor Act Two scene two (II.ii): A party is announced to celebrate both the victory over the Turks and Othello and Desdemona’s nuptials (wedding). Heaven bless the isle of Cyprus and our noble general Othello (Herald, II.ii.10) (Herald, II.ii.10) Act Two scene three (II.iii) Iago gets Cassio, on watch, drunk and Roderigo picks his fight - the governor of Cyprus, Montano, is wounded in the process. Othello fires Cassio. Iago advises Cassio to seek Desdemona’s aid in persuading Othello to restore his commission. Iago will cause Othello to think that Desdemona has ulterior motives for wishing to help Cassio. Iago is most honest. (Othello, II.iii.7) (Othello, II.iii.7) Are we turned Turks, and to ourselves do that I would rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
ACT THREE Act Three scene one (III.i): Iago convinces Cassio to seek out Emilia’s help in getting a private audience with Desdemona, to urge her to speak to Othello on his behalf. Act Three scene two (III.ii): Othello goes on an errand of state business. Act Three scene three (III.iii): Iago puts his plot in motion. His insinuations about Desdemona’s unfaithfulness begin as he and Othello see Cassio and Desdemona talking together. He successfully raises doubts in Othello’s mind about his wife’s love and loyalty. Desdemona tries to comfort her obviously upset husband, but Othello throws her handkerchief to the ground. Emilia unwittingly plays into Iago’s plot and gives the handkerchief to him. Iago can then show it as proof of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness when Othello later demands such proof. Iago is very convincing, styling himself as a true friend to Othello, and gives more "proof" of this completely fictitious affair. By the end of the scene, Othello is convinced of his wife’s infidelity and orders Iago to kill Cassio. But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! This fellow’s of
exceeding honesty, If she be false, O, then
heaven mocks itself! Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore! All my fond love thus do I
blow to heaven. Act Three scene four: Desdemona innocently tries to speak to Othello on Cassio’s behalf, but Iago has done a thorough job on Othello. Othello is even more convinced that Desdemona is being deceitful when she is unable to produce the handkerchief. Iago’s "proof" appears true. Cassio innocently gives the handkerchief (which Iago planted in his room) to his girl friend Bianca. ACT FOUR Act Four scene one (IV.i): Iago drives Othello to the brink of insanity with jealousy - he falls into a trance. Iago has Othello hide, and he engages Cassio in a discussion of Bianca’s love for him - Othello, of course, is made to think they are speaking of Desdemona. Othello strikes Desdemona in front of Ludovico, a visiting dignitary from Venice. Iago does his best to insinuate that Othello is no longer worthy of command. Act Four scene two (IV.ii): Othello questions Emilia, and she assures him that Desdemona has never been alone with Cassio. Othello calls Desdemona a whore to her face, and leaves her in confusion. Emilia suggests that some plotter has been abusing Desdemona to Othello for some unknown reason; Iago denies this as a possibility and assures Desdemona that Othello is just overworked. Then Roderigo accuses Iago of keeping all the gifts he has sent via Iago to Desdemona. Iago tells him that the only way to keep Desdemona here is to kill Cassio, for then the Venetians will not have Othello go home. Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell. (Othello, IV.ii.47) (Othello, IV.ii.47) The Moor’s abused by
some most villainous knave, Act Four scene three (IV.iii): Desdemona sings the Willow song, a song of lost love, and she and Emilia speak on the topic of women being unfaithful. Desdemona reveals a sweet naiveté about the world, while Emilia is more cynical, charging that women have no less a right to be unfaithful than men. ACT FIVE Act Five, scene one (V.i): Iago convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio. Cassio must die because he can prove that Iago is behind all this; Roderigo must die because Iago has robbed him blind. The wounded Cassio cries out and Othello assumes that Iago has fulfilled his promise to kill him. Iago himself kills Roderigo and then a crowd gathers, including Bianca. Iago suggests that she participated somehow in these events, leading the investigators even further from the truth. This is the night Othello approaches Desdemona in bed and almost changes his mind about her infidelity. But he smothers her as an act of honor. Emilia enters and raises a cry, berating Othello for murdering an innocent creature. When Iago and others enter, Othello reveals the "truth" as told to him by Iago. Emilia contradicts him and Iago stabs his own wife fatally. Othello now knows the truth and tries to kill Iago but is restrained. Othello stabs himself instead and Iago is led away in chains. Then must you speak
copyright
2001 Janice
Siegel,
All Rights Reserved
date this page was edited last:
10/25/2005 |
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