What are the narrative purpose of Scene 2?
The narrative purpose of Scene 2 is functional because it advances the plot. It does this by have a character who is a Herald announce that the Ottomans have drown at see so their will be no more an it sets up the next setting which is a party to celebrate no war and Othello and Desdemona's nuptials.
In the opening section of scene 3 between Othello and Cassio how is dramatic irony explored?
In the opening scene of season 3 dramatic irony is explored by Othello's telling Cassio of his trust in Iago: : "Iago is most honest."(2.3.7). This is ironic because the man who he loves and and trusts and believes does the same towards tings says stuff like "I hate the Moor," and he tells the audience blatantly that he is devious and puts on an honest facade with others:"I am not what I am."
Contrast Iago and Cassio's views of Desdemona making note of the language they both use?
Iago and Cassio have very different views when it comes to Desdemona. Cassio is more respectable towards her saying things like "She is the most esquisit lady," ( 2.3.17) and that she is very modest about her looks despite her being beautiful (1.3.22). Iago on the other hand describes her in a disrespectful way as if she is a harlot, saying things like she likes to sleep around: "I'll warrant her full of game,"(2.3.18)
What strategies does Iago employ to convince Cassio to drink?
In Act 2 scene 3 Iago convinces Cassio to drink and get himself in trouble. He does this by being acting in a friendly way towards him and being jovial with Cassio: " What, man!."(2.3.37). Iago also says "but one cup,"(2.3.32) what saying just have one and it will be find. Iago also uses peer pressure to get him to drink with him by saying the gentlemen even want you to do it (3.2.32)
How does Iago show concern for Cassio while also ruining his reputation?
Iago when talking to Montano says that even though Cassio is his friend he is telling Montano about his drunkenness out of concern. So while it looks like Iago is being a good friend to Cassio by showing concern for him but telling lies about him at the same time.
How does Iago also call Othello's judgement in to question
When talking to Montano Iago brinks up Cassio being a drunk and he wonders aloud why Othello was trusting a drunk: " I fear the trust Othello puts in him."(2.3.113)
Cassio's fight scene notes:
-after Cassio get stripped of his title he cry out about how he has lost his reputation which is the immortal part of him. Iago compares his cries to those of a man who sustained an wound which shows that reputation is as valuable if not more than your life.
-The devil is used by Cassio to discribe all thing that are bad and that tempt man such as alchol and anger.
-Iago when talking to Montano uses words such as caring to show that he is a "good man," but yet spews pitch over Cassio's reputation branding him a drunk
- This section reveals Othello as a good leader who trys to keep control of things
-This section reveals Cassio of a man who changes from a polite gentle men into some angery man when he drinks. He also values his reputation.
- This section we learn Iago is good at making himself look good while bringing down otheres at the same time.
- Othello made the right decision because when your at war you need a lieutanat you can trust to do his job and not cause choas like Cassio did. Othello said even though he loved Cassio he had to take away his title.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Act 2 Scene 1 Questions
1. Re-read Act 2 scene 1 lines 95-100. What sort of person is Cassio?
In lines 95-100 Cassio is presented as a person who has good manners and respects women. When meeting Emilia he gives her a kiss which he calls "a bold show of courtesy,"(2.1.100) which shows he does not shy away from touching the women when being courteous and it is how he was brought up to be: " 'tis my breeding."(2.1.99)
2. How does Iago plan to use Cassio’s character traits to usurp and ensnare both Cassio and Othello? (Lines 167-176 will help.)
Iago plans to use Cassio's trait of being very kind and being tactile with Desdemona to bring him down and get closer to Othello. He shows this by telling the audience he will use "a little web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio,"(2.1.171) when he is holding Desdemona's hand. Iago plans to use Cassio's over the top way of being kind to Desdemona to not only get rid of him but get closer to Othello.
Iago plans to use Cassio's trait of being very kind and being tactile with Desdemona to bring him down and get closer to Othello. He shows this by telling the audience he will use "a little web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio,"(2.1.171) when he is holding Desdemona's hand. Iago plans to use Cassio's over the top way of being kind to Desdemona to not only get rid of him but get closer to Othello.
3. What does Iago tell Roderigo to do, and why does Iago say it will help Roderigo to win Desdemona’s heart? (Lines 249-278 will help you with this question.)
In line 211-212 in Act 2 Scene on Iago tells Rodrigo that Desdemona is in love with Cassio, then he gives him instructions that Rodrigo thinks will help him win Desdemona. Iago says to "anger Cassio," (2.1.257) because he will act rashly and cause a scene which will lead to his fall of grace which will put Rodrigo closer to Desdemona by getting rid of the other man she apparently loves:"So you shall have a shorter journey your desires."(2.1.267)
In line 211-212 in Act 2 Scene on Iago tells Rodrigo that Desdemona is in love with Cassio, then he gives him instructions that Rodrigo thinks will help him win Desdemona. Iago says to "anger Cassio," (2.1.257) because he will act rashly and cause a scene which will lead to his fall of grace which will put Rodrigo closer to Desdemona by getting rid of the other man she apparently loves:"So you shall have a shorter journey your desires."(2.1.267)
4. What more do we learn about the nature of Iago in Act 2? What is the effect of having him share his thoughts and plans with us through his soliloquies? Pay attention to the language used in Iago's soliloquies. What sorts of descriptive language does he use? How does it contribute to the picture of Iago that Shakespeare is drawing?
In Act 2 Scene 1 we learn more about Iago's nature that he is very cunning and intelligent. He shows this when he is coming up with his plot to usurp Cassio and Othello, the way this presents Iago as clever and intelligent is how he recognizes Cassio's character trait of being over friendly towards women (especially Othello's wife Desdemona) and is able to come up with a plan to use his nature against him: "whisper// With as little a web as this I will ensnare a great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her,do." (2.1.163-165). The soliloquies spoken by Iago in these scenes give us a look into his cunning and intelligent nature because he is letting the audience into the process of plotting Cassio's down fall and how he figured out how to do it. The picture of Iago as a scheming man is apparent when he is looking upon Desdemona and Cassio's interaction and the language he uses. He uses strong language and imagry when describing his plan to "ensnare" Cassio in a web, this might give the audience a image of Cassio as a fly who is prey for the Spider who represents Iago as a fierce predator.
In Act 2 Scene 1 we learn more about Iago's nature that he is very cunning and intelligent. He shows this when he is coming up with his plot to usurp Cassio and Othello, the way this presents Iago as clever and intelligent is how he recognizes Cassio's character trait of being over friendly towards women (especially Othello's wife Desdemona) and is able to come up with a plan to use his nature against him: "whisper// With as little a web as this I will ensnare a great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her,do." (2.1.163-165). The soliloquies spoken by Iago in these scenes give us a look into his cunning and intelligent nature because he is letting the audience into the process of plotting Cassio's down fall and how he figured out how to do it. The picture of Iago as a scheming man is apparent when he is looking upon Desdemona and Cassio's interaction and the language he uses. He uses strong language and imagry when describing his plan to "ensnare" Cassio in a web, this might give the audience a image of Cassio as a fly who is prey for the Spider who represents Iago as a fierce predator.
Analyzing Iagos speech
What is happening in this speech?
In this speech Iago is speaking to Rodrigo and trying to convince him to follows Othello and the wars in Cyprus buy putting money in Iago's purse for safe passage.
What Techniques does Iago employ to persuade Rodrigo to go to Cyprus?
Iago uses two main techniques to convince Rodrigo to go to Cyprus The first is by agenda setting which is the use of statements or questions to lead the direction of a conversation. Iago does this when he asks Rodrigo "Drown thyself?,"(1.3.331) He is setting the topic to what Rodrigo can do instead of killing himself which is putting money in Iago's purse and going to Cyprus to wait for Desdemona to get bored of Othello. The second technique Iago uses to convince Rodrigo are imperative verbs and sentences. Imperative verbs and sentences are commands, the command Iago repeats is " Put money in thy purse."(1.3.335) The word put is used as a command to tell Rodrigo to pay Iago to follow him to Cyprus. This imperative sentence is Iago telling Rodrigo what to do persuading him that Iago has the right idea to win Desdemona.
How does Shakespeare present Iago in this speech?
Shakespeare presents Iago as cunning and duplicitous in this speech by having him use different techniques such as imperative speech and lexical field to convince Rodrigo to go to Cyprus for Iago's financial gain and profit. He uses imperative speech to tell Iago to give him money to follow the wars "Put money in thy purse,"(1.3.335) But then he uses words in the lexical field of food such as " coloquintida,"(1.3.345) meaning a sour apple and "luscious," (1.3.343) to describe Desdemona's sexual appetite and how Othello will seem "luscious" to her as first but then her feeling towards him will turn sour. This shows Iago as a manipulator because he can use these techniques to convince Rodrigo to do what he tells him too .
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Act 1 Scene 3 Questions
How does the Duke and senators speak of Othello?
Unlike Brabantio who is a senator and calls him "thief,' and "an abuser of the world," The senators do not speak of him this way. Instead they describe him as valiant and trust him to go defend Cyprus for them: "Valiant Othello we must deploy you Against the general enemy Ottoman." ( 1.3.48-49)
How does Brabantio speak of his daughter?
Brabantio speaks of his daughter as " A maiden never bold," meaning she would never act out and it was against her nature. This is opposite though to her action of marrying Othello which was a bold move because she did not have the approval of her father and he was a "Moor". He also describes her as being someone who afraid of "Moors," on line 99 in Act 3; this also goes against Desdemona actions because she married Othello who is one.
What is ironic about Othello's claim that he is rude in his speech?
Back in the Renaissance era being "rude in speech," meant you were not a very good speaker, which is an ironic claim by Othello. It is ironic because Othello claims to not be a very great speaker but is able to win over the audience when he speaks of how Desdemona fell in love with him; The duke states that he thinks it would 'win his daughter too," (1.3.170) and that Brabantio should "take this mangled matter at the best," meaning he should deal with the fact that Othello and Desdemona are married.
What is startling about Othello's decision to let Desdemona speak on his behalf.
It is shocking that Othello lets Desdemona speak on his behalf due to the time period this play takes place. During the Renaissance era women didn't really have a voice. According to Venetian Courtesans (Coryat) noble women such as Desdemona where kept in the house all day and only seen at church and occasionally if their husbands rowed them in a gondola.
What stories does Othello tell the senate?
He told stories of how he was "sold to slavery,"(1.3.137) and earned his redemption and other stories of bravery. As the thinking question states being brave gets you now where in a "self centered," and "Money," driven world such as Othello lives in and this hinders him because his ideology is different then every one else.
What do we learn about views towards foreigners?
In Act 1 Scene 3 we learn that outsiders can never really fit in to Venice. We can figure this out by seeing that Othello is usually called "the moor," and not by his name. This objectifies Othello by his race and the fact that he is not from Venice.
What is significant about the rhyming couplet used by Brabantio?
Rhyming couplets are usually used in poetry and plays to mark something significant. When Brabantio says " Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:She has deceived her father may thee,"(1.3.289-29) he is saying that Desdemona tricked him and may trick Othello to. This suggest that something in the future is going to happen that Desdemona will trick Othello.
Why is Rodrigo so distraught? how (and why) does Iago convince him to keep going?
Rodrigo says to Iago in Act 1 Scene 3 "I will contingently drown myself." (1.3.302) He so upset that Desdemona who he loves is married. To this Rodrigo replies "Drown thyself? Drown cats and blind puppies,"(1.1.331) this is Iago convincing Rodrigo to not kill himself for his personal benefit. He uses Rodrigo for personal financial gain: "Thus do I make my fool my purse." (1.3.374)
What is ironic about Othello's retort and what he calls Iago?
"Honest Iago,"(1.3.291) is what Othello calls him. This is ironic because earlier in the play Iago told us that hie is not really who he says he is and is an not so honest man: " I am not what I am."(1.1.66)
What reason does Iago give for wanting revenge against Othello?
According to Iago Othello has "done his office,"(1.3.378) and " 'twixt,"(1.3.379) Iago's sheets. This could mean two thing the first is that Othello has taken his job as commander in charge of the mission to Cyprus and he was demoted to flag barrier. Another less common is that the mention of the sheets is not a metaphor but means that Othello has slept with Iago's wife. This leads the audience to feel for Iago and be able to relate with this feeling that someone stole something from you and cheer on his evil intentions almost.
Unlike Brabantio who is a senator and calls him "thief,' and "an abuser of the world," The senators do not speak of him this way. Instead they describe him as valiant and trust him to go defend Cyprus for them: "Valiant Othello we must deploy you Against the general enemy Ottoman." ( 1.3.48-49)
How does Brabantio speak of his daughter?
Brabantio speaks of his daughter as " A maiden never bold," meaning she would never act out and it was against her nature. This is opposite though to her action of marrying Othello which was a bold move because she did not have the approval of her father and he was a "Moor". He also describes her as being someone who afraid of "Moors," on line 99 in Act 3; this also goes against Desdemona actions because she married Othello who is one.
What is ironic about Othello's claim that he is rude in his speech?
Back in the Renaissance era being "rude in speech," meant you were not a very good speaker, which is an ironic claim by Othello. It is ironic because Othello claims to not be a very great speaker but is able to win over the audience when he speaks of how Desdemona fell in love with him; The duke states that he thinks it would 'win his daughter too," (1.3.170) and that Brabantio should "take this mangled matter at the best," meaning he should deal with the fact that Othello and Desdemona are married.
What is startling about Othello's decision to let Desdemona speak on his behalf.
It is shocking that Othello lets Desdemona speak on his behalf due to the time period this play takes place. During the Renaissance era women didn't really have a voice. According to Venetian Courtesans (Coryat) noble women such as Desdemona where kept in the house all day and only seen at church and occasionally if their husbands rowed them in a gondola.
What stories does Othello tell the senate?
He told stories of how he was "sold to slavery,"(1.3.137) and earned his redemption and other stories of bravery. As the thinking question states being brave gets you now where in a "self centered," and "Money," driven world such as Othello lives in and this hinders him because his ideology is different then every one else.
What do we learn about views towards foreigners?
In Act 1 Scene 3 we learn that outsiders can never really fit in to Venice. We can figure this out by seeing that Othello is usually called "the moor," and not by his name. This objectifies Othello by his race and the fact that he is not from Venice.
What is significant about the rhyming couplet used by Brabantio?
Rhyming couplets are usually used in poetry and plays to mark something significant. When Brabantio says " Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:She has deceived her father may thee,"(1.3.289-29) he is saying that Desdemona tricked him and may trick Othello to. This suggest that something in the future is going to happen that Desdemona will trick Othello.
Why is Rodrigo so distraught? how (and why) does Iago convince him to keep going?
Rodrigo says to Iago in Act 1 Scene 3 "I will contingently drown myself." (1.3.302) He so upset that Desdemona who he loves is married. To this Rodrigo replies "Drown thyself? Drown cats and blind puppies,"(1.1.331) this is Iago convincing Rodrigo to not kill himself for his personal benefit. He uses Rodrigo for personal financial gain: "Thus do I make my fool my purse." (1.3.374)
What is ironic about Othello's retort and what he calls Iago?
"Honest Iago,"(1.3.291) is what Othello calls him. This is ironic because earlier in the play Iago told us that hie is not really who he says he is and is an not so honest man: " I am not what I am."(1.1.66)
What reason does Iago give for wanting revenge against Othello?
According to Iago Othello has "done his office,"(1.3.378) and " 'twixt,"(1.3.379) Iago's sheets. This could mean two thing the first is that Othello has taken his job as commander in charge of the mission to Cyprus and he was demoted to flag barrier. Another less common is that the mention of the sheets is not a metaphor but means that Othello has slept with Iago's wife. This leads the audience to feel for Iago and be able to relate with this feeling that someone stole something from you and cheer on his evil intentions almost.
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