Othello = fleshed out points that can be used for essays
Most of the themes in Othello can be mentioned, regardless of the
question, therefore planning is key to boosting one’s grade.
KEY
Yellow Main point of the paragraph
Green Simplified version of quote
Blue Theme
The question that I have made-up
(1) Iago’s manipulations are evident from the very start. Though
he starts to scheme from the very first scene, his plans do not
flourish until the change in setting. What could be said about this?
Themes relevant to this question: trust, code of honour,
significance of settings, the supernatural, race, love, masculinity,
religion, war, military, otherness [...]
Past exam papers that relate to this made-up question
Explore the significance of Othello’s background and otherness to the tragedy of the
play. (Nov, 2020)
Explore the significance of the military world to the tragedy of Othello (June, 2019)
‘Venice and Cyprus are polar opposites: Venice represents civilisation and control,
Cyprus represents catastrophe and chaos.’ (June, 2018)
Paragraph one (trust)
Sign post = Iago is able to isolate Othello from the other characters and
most importantly Desdemona. This is significant as Iago uses Othello’s
loyalty to the code of honour in order to turn him against Desdemona.
Othello seems to value a fellow soldier over his own wife. The code of
honour between soldiers is alike to a brotherly bond; trusting one with his
, life without opposing why, which has biblical connotations to the story of
Abel and Cain. This forebodes Iago’s betrayal and creates a sense of irony
due to the very different backgrounds of Iago and Othello.
The change in setting exacerbates the trust between Othello and Iago as
Othello is the “alien” in a foreign land, which further isolates him from the
Venetian fleet. The strong Venetian system therefore cannot operate in
Cyprus as it once did due to the lack of structure, driving the plot to
absolute chaos.
It could also be said that Cyprus represents love as in Greek mythology it
was believed that the island was sacred to Venus – the Goddess of Love.
This contrasts with the use of the setting as it was meant to be the
battlefield between the Venetians and Turks; a place of war. This
symbolises how Othello’s perception of love morphs with war, as there isn’t
a clear line between the domestic sphere and work sphere in his life. Even
when he refers to his wife she is his “fair warrior.” It could be argued that
he does not understand the concept of love and inevitably leads to the
violent death of Desdemona as war always ends in bloodshed.
Quotes that can be used trust
“But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.” – Iago
“I kissed thee ere I killed thee: no way but this,
Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.” – Othello
“Then must you speak
Of one that loved not wisely but too well.” - Othello
Paragraph two (chaos)
Sign post = the opposing themes throughout Othello heighten the tragic
unfolding of the play. This is significant as the self-aware villain, Iago, is
completely in control of the plot and deploys subplots to speed up the
process of destruction.
The use of chaos in Othello is ironic. In Greek mythology, the world was
believed to be formed from the eruption of chaos; love was one of the
forces which manifested through chaos. This forebodes the tragic downfall
of the young lovers’ marriage, as their tragic fate seems to have been
sealed from the beginning of time. This could link to Iago’s role throughout
