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Year 12 Bridging WorkEnglish Literature
Introduction to William Shakespeare’s Othello
What predictions can you make about the play from these play posters? Jot down your ideas and explain with reference to specific aspects of the presentation of the posters:
What hints do they give about the following?
Character and character relationships?
Themes? Key events?
What hints do they give about the following?
Character and character relationships?
Themes? Key events?
What hints do they give about the following?
Character and character relationships?
Themes? Key events?
What hints do they give about the following?
Character and character relationships?
Themes? Key events?
What hints do they give about the following?
Character and character relationships?
Themes? Key events?
Watch the BBC Animated Tales version of Othello. Whilst you are watching use the planning sheet on the next slide to takes
notes on the following topics:
Key themes
Character names / what they are like / relationships between characters
Key events
Key places/settings
Sequence of events
Image is hyperlinked to video, or link can be found in the comments box beneath the slide.
Othello – Guided viewingMain Characters Character Facts and relationships
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Summary of Key Events
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ThemesSettings
If you would like to watch the full Othello performance, it can be accessed from Globe Player. Both images are
hyperlinked to the Othello production:
Now, use your notes and the internet to createyour own character map, showing the main characters and their relationships with each other
Your diagram should include:
All the main characters of the play. Details of their relationship with other characters. A comment about their characterisations or a key event they are
part of. A symbolic image related to their character or a picture of them.
Example character map:
Social and historical context research questions: (Assessment Objective 3)
1) Who was Machiavelli? What influential text did he write and how has Machiavellian philosophy influenced the play Othello?
2) Which of the seven deadly sins are our protagonists Othello and Iago guilty of?3) How are Jacobean beliefs in Hell and damnation represented in the play?4) What role does colour play within Othello? What things should you be looking
out for? How does this link to the themes of race and jealousy in the play?5) How would a Jacobean audience have responded to the lies and deception
which run throughout the play? Why?6) How was jealousy viewed by a Jacobean audience?7) What was the significance of appearance in Shakespeare’s day? What key
themes within Othello is tied in with this commonly held belief at the time?8) What is cuckoldry and why is it significant to the play?9) What was the role of women in Jacobean society? How is this reflected in some
of the female characters in Othello?10) What is patriarchy and why is this relevant to the Othello?
Read Act 1 Scene 1 of Othello.
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
The NoFear modern translation alongside the original script can be accessed here
Use these links (and anything else you can find online) to help you with your understanding:
IAGOO sir, content you.I follow him to serve my turn upon him.We cannot all be masters, nor all mastersCannot be truly followed. You shall markMany a duteous and knee-crooking knaveThat (doting on his own obsequious bondage)Wears out his time much like his master’s assFor naught but provender, and when he’s old, cashiered.Whip me such honest knaves. Others there areWho, trimmed in forms and visages of duty,Keep yet their hearts attending on themselvesAnd, throwing but shows of service on their lords,Do well thrive by them. And when they have lined their coats,Do themselves homage. These fellows have some soul,And such a one do I profess myself. For, sir,It is as sure as you are Roderigo,Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago.In following him, I follow but myself.Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,But seeming so, for my peculiar end.For when my outward action doth demonstrateThe native act and figure of my heartIn compliment extern, ’tis not long afterBut I will wear my heart upon my sleeveFor daws to peck at. I am not what I am.
Focus questions: What does the audience learn about Iago in his
opening speech?
What villainous qualities does he possess?
Why do you think Shakespeare introduces Iago in this way in A1S1? How do you think he wants the audience to react to him?
What is the tragic significance of this extract? Use your understanding of tragedy from your independent research project and apply any key tragic terminology and ideas in your analysis of this monologue.
New term: Antagonist – the character which stands in opposition to the protagonist.
In this extract Iago talks to Roderigo about his feelings towards Othello:
Now, read this extract and answer the questions on this slide and the next slide:
Support your ideas with evidence from the extract.• What does Iago declare about his intentions in the opening line?
• What attitude does Iago seem to have towards ‘good’ servants?
• What are the ‘other’ type of servant that Iago talks about? What does Iago’s attitude seem to be towards them?
• What is the effect of Iago’ use of language in this extract as a whole? What do you understand about his character?
Now you are ready to try Harvard’s Othello MOOC course:This course will give you an excellent overview of the play prior to starting your studies at A-level. You can register for free to complete the course here.
Course overview can be found here.
