Summary English Literature B; A-Level Aspects of Tragedy
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Course
Aspects of Tragedy
Institution
AQA
Act by act, scene by scene summary of Othello by Shakespeare, Death of a salesman by Arthur Miller and Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. Including important quotes, authorial methods, symbols and themes.
Act 1 Scene 1;
Iago is telling Roderigo that he hates Othello because he promoted Cassio to be his
lieutenant instead of him. They both go to Brabantio’s house to tell him about his daughter’s
secret marriage to Othello; Iago makes Brabantio angry by describing Othello and
Desdemona using sexual animal imagery.
“I follow him to serve my turn upon him” Iago
“I am not what i am” Iago
“Thich lips… an old black ram.. Barbary horse” Iago
Act 1 Scene 2;
Iago tells Othello that Brabantio knows about his marriage but he dismisses it. Cassio then
arrives with a message from the Duke asking Othello to come to the Senate to talk about the
war in Cyprus. Brabantio and Roderigo arrive with soldiers to arrest Othello for bewitching
his daughter but when he hears the Duke has called for Othello he allows him to go.
“Keep up your bright swords for the dew will rust them” Othello
Act 1 Scene 3;
Brabantio, Othello, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo arrive at the Senate while they are talking
about war. Brabantio tells the Duke that Othello bewitched his daughter, the Duke listens to
Othello who explains that she fell in love with him as he told her stories about his life.
Desdemona is called for and she tells the Senate she married Othello for love and her duty
is now to him rather than her father. Desdemona asks to go with Othello to Cyprus and
Othello asks Iago to bring his wife Emilia. Alone, Iago persuades Roderigo to follow them to
Cyprus by saying Othello and Desdemons’s love won’t last long. Iago tells the audience of
his plans to make Othello believe Desdemona is being unfaithful to him with Cassio.
“I hate the moor” Iago
“That i did love the Moor to live with him” Desdemona
Act 2 Scene 1;
News is brought to Montano that the war is over; the next ship arrives with Desdemona, Iago
and Emilia aboard. Cassio greets Desdemona affectionately and Iago tells the audience how
his plan can come together. Iago convinces Roderigo that Desdemona is already bored with
Othello and has switched her attention to Cassio and that he should provoke Cassio into a
fight later that evening, Iago then goes on to tell the audience more reasons why he hates
Othello.
“For that i do suspect the lusty Moor/ Hath leaped into my seat” Iago
Act 2 Scene 2;
Othello announces a party to celebrate the triumph over the Turks and his marriage to
Desdemona.
Act 2 Scene 3;
Othello leaves Cassio and Iago in charge of the party and goes to spend time with
Desdemona. Iago convinces Cassio to drink even though Cassio protests. With Cassio
clearly drunk, Iago secretly sends Roderigo to provoke a fight with Cassio, Montano tries to
stop the fight but Cassio fights him instead and injures him. Othello arrives and demands to
,know what's going on; hearing of Cassio’s drunkenness and fighting and dismisses Cassio
from his position as lieutenant. Cassio believes Iago is a friend and tells him how upset he is
so Iago suggests he asks Desdemona for help in convincing Othello to give him back his job
and Cassio agrees. Iago is left alone and tells the audience that as Desdemona pleads with
Othello on Cassio’s behalf he will pour lies into his ear. Roderigo arrives complaining he is
bruised and has no money left so it is time to go home but Iago reassures him that the plan
is working well.
“As i am an honest man” Iago
Act 3 Scene 1;
Cassio asks Emilia to help him speak to Desdemona and Iago offers further support, Emilia
tells Cassio that Desdemona is already speaking up for him to Othello, Cassio asks Emilia to
help him speak with Desdemona alone.
Act 3 Scene 2;
Othello passes through, talking to Iago and others about affairs of state.
Act 3 Scene 3;
Desdemona reassures Cassio that she will continue to speak to Othello, Iago makes sure
Othello sees the end of their conversation and notices Cassio leaving Desdemona.
Desdemona then persuades Othello to talk to Cassio. Iago immediately begins to sow seeds
of suspicion in Othello’s mind, subtly at first and then more obviously suggesting that
something is going on between Cassio and Desdemona; Iago leaves Othello convinced of
his wife’s infidelity. When Desdemona comes back with Emilia Othello complains he has a
headache and as Desdemona tries to help him she drops her handkerchief; Emilia picks it
up and tells the audience she will give it to Iago as he has said he wanted it. Iago returns
and takes the handkerchief from Emilia and he tells the audience that he is going to plant it
in Cassio’s room hoping it will provide further proof of Cassio’s affair with Desdemona.
Othello returns to see Iago, furious at the idea of his wife with Cassio, he demands that Iago
provides ocular proof. Iago pretends he has heard Cassio talking in his sleep about the affair
and he then adds that he has seen Cassio using Desdemona’s handkerchief. Othello is
convinced and vows a wide revenge, he asks Iago to kill Cassio and plans to kill Desdemona
himself.
“O beware, my lord, of jealousy” Iago
“I should be wise; for honesty’s a fool” Iago
Act 3 Scene 4;
Desdemona is upset about losing her handkerchief but Emilia pretends she knows nothing
about it. Othello comes in acting strangely and asks to borrow the handkerchief but she tries
to make him talk about Cassio but he keeps talking about the handkerchief until he walks off
and she is left confused. Iago and Cassio return and Iago leaves to find Othello after hearing
he was upset. Desdemona is confused why Othello is upset but Emilia thinks he is jealous
but Desdemona says she has never given him a reason to be. They leave and Biance
arrives, a woman who is in love with Cassio, Cassio gives her the handkerchief saying he
found it in his chamber and he asks her to copy the design.
Act 4 Scene 1;
, Iago continues to wind up Othello about Desdemona and Cassio until Othello is so disturbed
that he collapses. Iago tells Othello to hide and listen while he talks to Cassio about
Desdemona. Iago questions Cassio of Bianca and then jokes about his relationship with her,
Bianca then arrives angrily returning the handkerchief to Cassio. Othello is convinced that
Cassio was laughing about his affair with Desdemona that she gave him her handkerchief
and he gave it to Bianca. Othello is determined to kill Desdemona that night and Iago
suggests that he strangles her in bed as she has already contaminated the bed. Desdemona
enters with Lodovico and brings a letter from Venice telling Othello to travel home and leave
Cassio in command of Cyprus, Desdemona and Lodovico talk about the disagreement
between Cassio and Othello and Othello becomes so angry with Desdemona for defending
Cassio that he hits her, insults her and yells at her, he then leaves after attempting to regain
composure. Lodovico is shocked at Othello’s behaviour and Iago suggests that Othello’s
behaviour has become increasingly unpredictable.
“He strikes her”
Act 4 Scene 2;
Othello questions Emilia about Desdemona and Emilia defends her. He then goes and
questions Desdemona himself calling her an impudent strumpet and a cunning whore of
Venice but he does not ask her directly about Cassio or the handkerchief, Desdemona
pleads she is honest but Othello refuses to believe her. Desdemona asks Iago for his help.
Emilia says she is convinced Othello has been manipulated but Iago calls her a fool and
sends her away with the promise that all things shall be well. Roderigo arrives, angry that
Iago’s promises to help him win Desdemona have come to nothing but Iago convinces
Roderigo that in order to stop Othello and Desdemona leaving Cyprus, he must remove
Cassio.
“Impudent strumpet” Othello
“Cunning whore of Venice” Othello
Act 4 Scene 3;
Emilia helps Desdemona get ready for bed and expresses her concern about Othello’s
behaviour, Desdemona remains loyal to him but she can not get a song out of her head
which she heard sung by her Mother’s maid Barbary, who was in love with a man who went
mad. Desdemona says that she cannot believe that any woman would be unfaithful to her
husband, Emilia blames men for not understanding that women have feelings just like they
do.
Act 5 Scene 1;
Iago leads Roderigo to where he can find Cassio and admits to the audience that whether
Cassio is killed or Othello it will benefit him either way. Roderigo attacks Cassio but Cassio
stabs him, Iago then stabs Cassio in the back of the leg from behind then runs away. Othello
hears Cassio’s yells and thinks Iago has killed Cassio so he continues on to kill Desdemona.
Lodovico and Gratiano hear the yelling and decide to get help, they meet Iago who pretends
to be horrified at Cassio’s injuries. Iago secretly finds the injured Roderigo and kills him.
Bianca enters and is distraught at Cassio’s injuries, Iago insinuates that she was to blame
for the attack. Emilia enters and Iago sends her to tell Othello and Desdemona what has
happened.
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