The Tragedy of Othello

The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice

Act I 1. A noble Moor in the service of the Venetian state, a General. He is somewhat important to society. And he was slightly famous and well-known captain and general. To others that knew who Othello was didn’t really like him as a person but they liked him for the things that he had done for the country and the people. Also some of the people were jealous of Othello because of the fact that he was a moor and that Desdemona was in love with him. Othello manifested the character traits such as courage, dignity, and insecurity. Also Othello was naive to all effects and a pushover for bad advice. 2. Brabantio thinks Othello has cast a spell on her, has charmed her with lies, he abused her with drugs and minerals. Clearly he doesn’t want her with Othello, even thou he is royalty and a General. 3. Iago’s view of human nature is that if a person were different then what he seemed to be, his true self would come out, no matter what. This allowed Iago to convince Othello to believe in what he saw and not to consider any other possibilities. Iago’s view is that people see only what they want to see. 4. Iago is one of Othello’s men that Othello believes is loyal. Iago’s proves from his thoughts and asides to be very disloyal. The strong hatred that Iago feels for Othello comes from Iago’s jealousness of Othello’s relationship with Desdemona, the power that Othello has as a military figure, and Iago’s belief that Othello has slept with his wife. The discomfort that Iago feels about Othello and Desdemona’s relationship is seen at the beginning of the play. Iago and Roderigo spot Othello with Desdemona and go and tell Desdemona’s father Barbantio. Iago tells yet another reason why he hates Othello in an aside at the end of act one, sleeping with his wife. 5. Othello explains that, when Brabantio invited him into his house, encouraged him to speak of his life and adventures. Othello would tell the story of his life to them. A fighter since he was little, taken and sold. Othello was released from slavery, not revealing by whom, but now we know why he choose the path of a soldier. The Senators understand why Desdemona fell in love with him after this speech. He says that Desdemona would hear this stories and daydream, she would cry after his stories, from shock and sadness. Desdemona's intention is clear in telling Othello that his story could win her love: This is an indirect “flirt” declaration her love towards him and her encouragement for his proposal towards her. 6. When Brabantio warns Othello by saying, "Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see, “She has deceived her father, and may thee" it is only describing his point view and what he thinks and nothing more or maybe trying to scare him. Yes, she had betrayed her father, but that doesn’t mean she will betray Othello. She has shown loyalty to him through out the plot. Brabantio doesn’t know of Iago's plans and he even thought that it was spells that made her fall for Othello. Desdemona told her father that it was her choice and not a spell or witchcraft. It cannot be argued that it was accurate or inaccurate. Brabantio was only saying this to ease his rage after what Desdemona told him. 7. Iago gets Roderigo involved in his plan by using deceiving methods. He knows of Roderigo’s love for Desdemona and convinces him that if they rid her of Othello, she will be with him. Afterwards, we discover of Iago’s real reasons for involving Roderigo. He says he is a fool and he would not be wasting his time if he knew he wouldn’t be getting anything out of him. He tells the reader of his real plan at the end of Act I, by saying that he is not really helping Roderigo get Desdemona, but he is using Roderigo to get to her and Othello.
Act II 1. The Cypriots look at Othello as an admirable leader and with a lot of respect. They make us see him as a larger man rather than a smaller one because they talk a lot about him, admiring him and acclaiming him. When they get word from Cassio that the Turkish fleet had been defeated and depleted. When Cassio tells them that The Turkish army has been defeated and dealt with they praise Othello, thanking him for being so noble and courageous. They even start praying for Othello to return safe from sea and they do until he arrives. 2. Iago accuses his wife Emilia of her fidelity. He says that when he wants to sleep “she puts her tongue little in her heart” and in her thoughts only. She is quiet and well behaved in public, but in the parlor blaring, loud and bold. By these we may think or know that she is reserved and well behaved around Iago, but when he is not around Emilia is wild and unfaithful. Her infidelity gaudily is expressed when Iago accuses Emilia of being in bed with another man. 3. Othello thinks that Iago is his friend an honest one and cares about Othello's feelings. He also believes that Iago is being a true friend and making sure Desdemona is not going to betray Othello, but Iago a rat, betraying Othello because he gave Cassio the job that he wanted and believes that Othello is sleeping with Emilia, his wife.
Act III 1. Desdemona explains to Emilia in a passage of the Act, the great lose of her husband’s handkerchief, but Emilia does nothing to calm her. We know how valuable is that handkerchief to Desdemona that she says she would rather loose her purse than that. When Othello finds out what happens, looses it and starts fighting with Desdemona. Here Emilia and Iago get thinks inside Desdemona’s head so she can get confused, by telling her that the situation didn’t look good about Othello being so jealous. This further upsets Desdemona knowing that her love could be possibly having these feelings towards her about jealousy and fury.
Act IV 1. The evidence that is added to Othello’s case against Desdemona is the finding of Cassio with the handkerchief, an item really important to them, demonstrating their love for each other, a really sentimental valued gift. That is why he thinks his wife is having an affair. This gave him enough reason to kill Cassio and to think his wife was being dishonest. 2. Bianca throwing the handkerchief while Othello looked is believable by anyone because she was angry and what she said was pretty honest. It was placed where she would find it and the time was perfect for Iago’s plan of making Othello suspect. This handkerchief is very important because his parents used it as a symbol of their loyalty for one another in their marriage and he tried to do the same with his wife. As long as his mother kept the handkerchief, it meant she was loyal to his father. The handkerchief is a symbol of their care and loyalty to each other. When Desdemona looses it, he beings to believe she does not care about the relationship because she has not been cautious with it. The hints it gives is that it represents the beginning of the end and the end of their relationship. 3. Othello wakes up and Iago tells him Cassio has visited, but said to him to pass again later. When Cassio returns, Iago questions him about him and Bianca, while Othello is behind a door listening to the whole conversation. Iago told him that he would get Cassio to confess about him and Desdemona. Othello has also seen the handkerchief that he gave Desdemona and he is not moved by Desdemona's appeal because of what he has heard from the talk between Cassio and Iago. 4. When Roderigo grows impatient he asked Iago to ask Desdemona back for the jewelry. He calms him by saying that Cassio is being place because Othello is being sent to Africa when it is just back to Venice. Afterwards, he makes him fill important by telling him that he is the man for the job, to kill Cassio. 5. The conversation between Emilia and Desdemona’s tells us that Desdemona is very loyal. She tells Emilia that she would never be unfaithful to Othello by any means. Emilia says something referring to women as if they need to be unfaithful, that faithfulness does not exist and we see how ignorant or immature Desdemona is. Emilia’s answer shows us that she comprehends that society overlooks women’s needs and wants. 6. The dramatic ironies in these scenes are that the setting is a lovely one. When Desdemona talks to Cassio about her husband, about convincing him about their friendship and that she will have their friendship back. Also, Emilia gives in a good word to both about their future and also talks about Iago feeling sorry because he thinks it is his fault, the destruction of Cassio and Othello’s friendship. Again, Desdemona is most reassuring, stating that it is not in her character to violate a vow of friendship. Desdemona talks about dying if she doesn’t help him.
Act V 1. Emilia tells Othello Cassio killed Roderigo and he finds out that Cassio is not dead after killing his wife. Then, he admits to Emilia that he killed Desdemona because she was unfaithful. Othello still believes she was guilty and Iago was telling the truth because of the handkerchief that represented their loyalty. Emilia tries to say something and Iago stabs he and shortly after Othello stabs Iago, but he refuses to say anything. Lodovico found something in Roderigo’s pockets, revealing Iago’s true plans and learning the truth about everything. Before Cassio killing himself, Othello asks him that where did he find the handkerchief and he says that he found it in his chambers. 2. In the end, Iago ends up killing Roderigo and Cassio and Othello hears Cassio being killed and realizes is Iago killing him. This changes the outcome of the play because now Othello sees that “Iago is helping him kill Cassio”, has more motives to kill his wife, Desdemona. Before Iago dies, he says to Othello that he has done was he learned from him. 3. Together are Iago, Roderigo, and Cassio. Everything starts when Iago stabs Roderigo, because he didn’t want to kill him, only injure him to take his jewels and give them to Desdemona as a gift and end up fighting Cassio, but at the end he acted like he had nothing to do with the event. 4. I think the reason he killed Desdemona was because he was blinded by the lies of Iago even thou he knew the truth. He said something about having to kill her so she wouldn’t betray other men like she did to him. He thought of this because all of the stories that Iago had maid up. At the end, when stabbing her and she is dying he kisses her, realizing the truth about everything, he kills himself because he knows he cant live knowing he was wrong about her and killing her anyways. 5. When he says this he is saying that he should have trusted Desdemona because they loved each other so much, but driven by jealousy he made the wrong decision. He loved her so much that even a suspicion of being unfaithful to him would make him go crazy and do things before thinking straight. He realized he had done a stupid thing in not trusting her. Also, we can see that he loved her so much and regretted doing what he did so much that when killing himself he kissed he and knew that he had to suffer the consequences of his actions. 6. Yes, I think Othello’s long speech succeeded a little in restoring his dignity and nobility because he understood what he did wrong when realizing what he had done by being tricked. Also, I agree with Cassio about Othello being “great of heart”, because through out the whole plot he was the good guy, a guy madly in love, but he was a person easily tricked or deceived. This lie made him do everything he did and at the end you can see that he truly loved her and meant what he said.