This is a character grid which identifies six key themes in relation to the character of Othello in the play, exploring these in detail. These headings make the basis for a thorough essay/exploration of the character and all assessment objectives required in the A level exam are touched upon. Hence...
First impression of Othello: The Moor in Venice Othello’s perso
The eponymous character does not appear on stage until Act Xenophobia, racism, zoomorphism, dehumanisation. Act 1.3- ‘Ru
1:2, meaning our first impressions are from Iago, who makes Race is important not because it makes him a savage but because it of peace’ ‘L
him seem bombastic, conceited and animalistic. exposes him to the psychic vulnerability of being an outsider. place, and
He is the antithesis of Iago’s descriptions, highlighting how Othello’s otherness is established through references to him as ‘the The qualitie
Othello does not conform to early modern stereotypes. Moor’, ‘the thicklips’, ‘barbary horse’ ‘beast with two backs.’ downfall. H
Instead he is an impressive figure with a natural authority and Dehumanisation and also anonymity- as if he is undeserving of an takes advan
respectability. identity because he is black. Othello’s in
‘Valiant Othello’- Othello speaks and acts powerfully and in a He is a ‘wheeling stranger’- outcasted. life.
way that inspires confidence in his character. Contrast of Othello to the pure Desdemona- ‘black ram’ ‘white Othello is t
His positive attributes at the start of the play indicate we ewe’. ironically th
should view him as a hero. Iago tells Brabantio: ‘the devil will make a grandsire of you’. By act thre
He speaks in calm and measured blank verse, which is Blackness was associated with the devil. romantic an
symbolic of status in Shakespeare’s plays. Shakespeare at first encourages the audience to view the Moor’s emotions t
Act 1.3- speech where he defends his marriage and charms race positively, as Othello does himself- eg when he reminds Iago ‘Perdition c
the members of the senate- the Duke says: ‘I think this tale ‘she had eyes and chose me.’ By the end however, his Chaos is co
would win my daughter too’ ‘noble signior, If virtue no unsophistication and animalistic likeness may suggest that ‘chaos’ fore
delighted beauty lack Your son-in-law is far more fair than Shakespeare is suggesting he would never have properly integrated juxtaposed
black.’ into society. Iago remind
Act 1.2- he defends his love for Desdemona simply and Brabantio brands Othello as a ‘thing’- Mason suggests that this ordinary, fo
clearly- ‘I love the gentle Desdemona.’ demonstrates Brabantio’s belief that Othello is ‘bestial’ and this intoler
Before Iago’s corruption, the relationship between Othello ‘subhuman.’ A05 Othello like
and Desdemona is presented as strong and pure. This is A03- Africans were a visible minority in 17 th century London, but in outsider, p
demonstrated in Act 1.3 when they both confess their love to the theatre Othello would have been an unusual tragic hero. about the r
the senate, and in Act 2.1 with their language of love. Othello A03- In medieval England black was associated with the demonic, eventually
greets Desdemona as his equal- ‘fair warrior’- and calls her sin and death- all the opposite characteristics of ‘white.’ suitor like C
his ‘soul’s joy.’ He believes he will never be as happy as in that A03- There were a fair few black characters in plays of the time, but father, mar
moment with her. generally they were morally deficient, sexually active and attracted Sees himse
Their love is like a healing agent: ‘she loved me for the to white women. am black A
dangers I had passed I loved her that she did pity them’ (Act A03- The only other black character in Shakespeare is Aaron in Titus chamberer
1.3)- reciprocal nature of their love highlighting it is based on Andronicus who is a villain rather than a hero. Is Othello too meant
understanding. Their exchanges are also equal and both seem to be a black villain or hero? Changes into villain by the end- is this A03- the st
to share equal power- idea of their unity. Othello loves implying that black men cannot be good? A03- Othel
Desdemona for her feminine grace and sympathy; she loves A05- Emma Smith 2019: ‘tragedy of a black man in a white world.’ because he
him for his masculine heroism. Essentially, Othello and AO5- Caryl Phillips believes that ‘the pressures placed upon him Key alternating inte
Desdemona love each other harmoniously because of the rendered his life a tragedy.’ This refers to the pressures of being a A05- Bradle
differences they perceive in each other. black man in a white world. Phillip’s sees his tragedy as a result of blameless.
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