Othello Notes

Othello OneNote notes:
Act 1 Scene 1:
The action of the first scene heightens the audience's anticipations of Othello's appearance - He is identified in terms of his rare/an outsider ('The Moor", 'the thick-lip', 'A Barbary horse' exogamous marriage. Because of this we know what Iago is like, we feel sympathy of Othello especially with him as an outsider and Iago is pretending to be his friend. Very moment he should be at his happiest, they're plotting to destroy it. Duplicity of Iago.
Two extremes; Bradley -------- Leavis
Iago plays on Senator's fears like the director of a play - Othello is presented as a barbarous, threatening Moor (animal imagery).
Iago is the villain - He establishes dramatic irony with the audience
Iago's dupicity makes him a well known character type : Machiavel - lets nothing stand in his way.
Iago's motivations - Resentment about Cassio's promotion and Class resentment (Cassio is of upper class).
Roderigo's motivations - loves/desires Desdemona
Deception is introduced by Brabantio.
Concludes with the threat of violence. Brabantio would rather a worthless man over a black man. We're left wondering how Othello will handle this situation and what he will be like. Wonder about what kind of person Desdemona is also. Negative first impression. Feel like there's some trickery.

Act 2 Scene 2
Iago's first speech - indicative of his supposed hatred towards Roderigo. Irony - he says he lacks wickedness and could not murder someone. Tattles on what he just said.
Othello's speech ; declaration of love for Desdemona. "gentle Desdemona" - ladylike, high class. Admires her. I could not give her up for the whole value of the sea - metaphor. He knows he has an excellent reputation in the state. He's worked hard for it. Descended from kings. Makes him proud and secure. Impression; strong man, powerful, loving, unworried by personal threat, courageous, proud (positive) in an emergency, self-assured. He's proud of his reputation, he's concerned about it.
Iago's first strategy against Othello fails - to make him run.
After having been prepared for a passionate and possibly violent person in Othello, the quiet calm of Othello's character - his dismissal of Roderigio's alleged insult - is surprising. How will he deal with Brabantio.
Occupies an unusual position. Outsider but also an essential to the running of the state. Iago insinuates Othello married for Desdemona's wealth - undermines.
Unworried of personal injury. Thinks about the matentience of the weapon rather than fear for himself. Positive for military man - fearless.
Brabantio drips with racism in his speech. Second time he says magic must have been involved.
Iago's impression is diminished because of Othello's actions and words.

Act 1 Scene 3
The man you want in a crisis is Othello - wonderful reputation within the city.
Crisis - turks threatened to take Cyrpus. War with Turkish empire. Unknown amount of fleet.
"This cannot be. Tis a pagaent to keep us in false gaze" symbolic of Iago and Othello.
If the wise leader Duke thinks Othello is great and sees through the Turkish trickery, then we trust the Duke and therefore think the same of Othello as he does.
OTHELLO - "Valiant Othello" (use of name, respectful, overshadows Brabantio), "brave, Othello" (291)
Begins with politeness - admits to marrying Desdemona, apologizes for un-polish manners (reminds of not being Venician) because he's been a soldier all his life (humble). Trusting of Desdemona, willing to die for that trust.
Reminded the Duke is a wise man - will not take Brabantio's word for it, saying it's not enough evidence. Model for how you should behave when false accusations are being made.
OTHELLO'S SPEECH TO SENNANT ;
First 4 lines: frequent guest to Brabantio, "her father loved me".
TO entertain his host, he tells of his life's adventures. Got sold as a slave. Slave of the Turks.
Desdemona listened too; liked to hear his tales. Enthusiastic in hearing his tales. "greedy ear" - assertive for a woman, unlike ladies of the time.
Iago charms us because he's so clever with language.
QUESTION: Othello has been charged with witchcraft (charmed her). The reason she loves him because of his past ("loved me for the dangers I had passed") .
Only magic used is his language. Even the Duke is compelled by it and does admit even Desdemona would fall in love after Othello's speech (reference pg. 22)
G WILSON KNIGHT - Othello music.
Strange that pity is the basis of their relationship (166 - why they love each other, not a strong foundation for marriage).
Even his wife identifies him by his race.
DESDEMONA; first impression is that she's respectful (she reasons out her reply to her father and the Duke), cautious, brave, intelligent, ASSERTIVE (asserts herself as an independent woman, claiming the right to choose, this is backed up with her asking to go with Othello to war), impressive, rebellious , honesty
SHAKESPEARE DOESN’T MAKE IT STEROTYPICAL, HE MAKES IT COMPLEX.
Duke demonstrates his wiseness, rhyming quintuplets, attractive to the ear, (24)
Desdemona confesses to wanting his company and sharing his bed.
Problem that he doesn't confess his wanting of Desdemona's body too - doesn’t really understand his relationship. A bit ignorant about himself and his relationship with Des.
Brabantio; "she has deceived her father, and may thee", she has deceived me so you should be careful, she might deceive you, foreshadowing.
Animal imagery from Iago (310).
IAGO'S SPEESH (319 - 333)
His philosophy. Garden imagery. Trivial. We make ourselves what we want to be. Metaphors of gardening. There's no such thing as love unless you let yourself. He believes he has complete control over his emotions. Cut-off from his emotions.
Getting Roderigo to sell his land is another demonstration of Iago's power over people and his manipulative skills.
Iago's soliloquy (375 - end)
States his use of Roderigo for his amusement and profit. Shows he likes being mean and that he takes pleasure in exploiting people. Heard that Othello has slept with Iago's wife. Has insight and uses it for evil. Means to take Cassio's position. Saying he has a number of targets. Observes characters (Cassioand Othello). Othello - friendly, trusting and open. Can believe iago as he's speaking in soliloquy. Last images of Othello being a dumb beast and hell involved in the destruction of Cassio and Othello.

ACT 1 ESTABLISHES:
Respected;
The Duke- "Valiant Othello", "Brave Othello". The Duke's use of these words have a significant impact on the audience as the Duke is an important and wise man. The fact that he is calling upon Othello when the city of Venice is threatened by war also implies how important and respected Othello is because of his military background and most gentlemanly manner. Also that everyone has something good to say about him, even Iago in his soliloquy; "The Moor is of a free and open nature"
Dignified;
Othello's response to the charges pressed upon him by Brabantio (his refusal to run from false accusations) insinuates his dignified personality; "I must be found". Othello's speeches made in the Senate, especially the one telling of Desdemona's courting, is respectful to his higher ups, but he also is still dignified to himself, relying heavily on the fact that the accusations pressed upon him are wrong and his reputation; "; true I have married her. The very head and front of my offending hath this extent, no more." Othello knows that his race is the main factor in Brabantio's response against the news of the marriage, and wishes to restore Brabantio's love in him, "I do confess the vices of my blood, So justly to your grave ears I'll present how I did thrive in this fair lady's love, and she in mine".
Rhetorical; G Wilson Knight was the first to call the way Othello speaks as music. Othello's rhetoricalness is most noticeable (within Act 1) when he is in the Senate defending his love for Desdemona; Othello makes several speeches that appeal to the audience. IN the speech of his courting, powerful images and flare that appeals to the ear, winning over the Senators and the Duke; "I think this tale would win my daughter too." That demonstrates how well Othello speaks. Act 2 Scene 1
The first act begins symbolically, just like act 1 scene 1. Symbolical when Iago speaks under the cloak of night from a moral as well as literal darkness.
Idea being communicated at the beginning of the scene is blindness - in a literal sense, they cannot see in the storm, but we know that it's going to be an emotional blindness. (foreshadowing)
"warlike Moor" (26) , "worthy governor" - OTHELLO BEING DESCRIBED. Hear about Othello before we see him, like Act 1. Identity connected with his race "the Moor".
Cassio holds Othello and Desdemona is high respect. Rich imagery "riches of the ship is come ashore".
Courtly in his behaviour with women (cassio), treats them with great extravagance and respect. Cassio reminds Iago of his higher class - this would annoy.
Othello chose Cassio over Iago to try to get his class up (insecurity with his race). His elopement also stands as proof to this - scared of Brabantio saying no.
They're joking with each other with their exchange with Desdemona - Iago is witty, people around him enjoy him; shows how manipulative he is. Anti-women jokes - nags, prostitutes, hypocrites, mothers.
IAGO'S ASIDE - 160ish and 199
Unnatural thingos in shakespeare - soliloquy and aside. Steps aside from other people and speaks to audience. Talking about Cassio. "With as little a web as this will I ensnare as a great fly as Cassio" (throughout the fly imagery of capturing, ensnaring). Shift in tone.Musical metaphors. Othello speaks in hyperbole - trying to communicate the depth of his love. Little bit public and showy. IAGO IS ALWAYS PLAUSIBLE AND THIS IS HOW HE SUCEEDS. SEEMS POSSIBLE. LIKELY. INEVITIABLE. * REVEALS CONTRASTING (ACT 2 SCENE 1) IDEAS ABOUT WOMEN IN THIS PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY. Cassio's extravagant description of Desdemona, in the courtly language of Venitian high society places women on a pedestal as Goddesses. Iago's misogynistic (fear and hatred of women) jokes represents women in an entirely different way, as scheming, lustful and untrustworthy. Understanding Othello's attitude towards women might help explain his shift from adoring husband to wife-killer. Iago depicts Othello as the Devil (as the devil was thought to be black) L225. Desdemona is being hcaracterised by Iago as driven by lust. Roderigo disagrees and sees D as a goddess (L248). IAGO'S SOLILOQUY (280)
Boasting about how clever he's been in spinning lies about Desdemona to Roderigo.
Even Iago can praise othello's qualities (his constant loving and inverted nature).
"dear" - expensive (Desdemona's death), and endearing. Already thinking about her death. Fears Othello has seduced Emilia, so he wants to have sex with Desdemona to get back at him. Metaphor. If he cant sleep with D, he'll set his mind mad with jealousy. Shows he's hyper paranoid. MAKES AUDIENCE FEEL COMPLICIENT AS IAGO SHARES HIS MOTIVATIONS AND HIS PLOTS.

Act 2 Scene 2 – just telling everyone to party

Act 2 Scene 3
Line 165. key quote. 193.
188 othello.
O first soililquy - 242. lots of doubt.
Plan to turn D's goodness against her - 250ish. O is going to misread her inentions now
290 - Emilia finds napkin. Clear plot development. Proof for Iago.

Refer to assignment