An A- Level revision document on Othello by Shakespeare !
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Othello revision -
Timeline - Act one - set entirely at night
(balcony scene in darkness) - Iago & Roderigo are arguing
1. Roderigo thinks Iago cheated him
2. Iago explains his hatred for Othello via monologue ( about how he was passed
over for lieutenancy)
3. Iago tells Roderigo who tells Brabantio (Des’ father) that Desdemona + Othello
have eloped
4. Brabantio horrified - sets out to find Othello
The play opens as Iago is telling Roderigo Othello has promoted Cassio to be his lieutenant
instead of him, even though Cassio ‘never set a squadron in the field’. Iago tells Roderigo 'I
follow him to serve my turn upon him’ . The two men stand outside Brabantio’s house and tell
him about his daughter's secret marriage to Othello. Iago makes Brabantio angry by describing
Des+ Othello as ‘making the beast with two backs’ and using other racial + sexual imagery.
Brabantio eventually recognises Roderigo and the scene ends with Rod offering B to help find
Othello and Des.
Act 1 , scene 2-
1. Othello introduced - enters with Iago
2. Iago provokes Othello says Brabantio used ‘scurvy terms against his honour’
3. Iago pretends to be a faithful supporter of Othello - warns him that Brabantio will try to
break up his and Desdemona’s marriage.
4. Othello is confident - his service to venice & noble descent will make it all okay
5. Cassio comes to call Othello to the duke’s for a ‘business of some heat’
6. Brabantio arrives with his officers & accuses Othello
7. Othello commands peace , handling all his , Cassio and Brabantio’s officers to the
duke’s chambers.
Iago tells Othello that Brabantio knows about his marriage and spoke "scurvy & provoking terms
against his honour” but Othello dismisses this - ‘let him do his spite’. Cassio then arrives with a
message from the duke asking Othello to come to the senate to talk about the war in Cyprus.
Just as they are about to leave, Brabantio and Roderigo arrive with soldiers to arrest Othello for
bewitching Desdemona. When he hears that the duke has called for Othello, Brabantio allows
him to go.
Act 1, scene 3 -
1. Desdemona & Othello convince the duke of the integrity of their marriage in the council
chamber
2. Othello + entourage sent to cyprus for war
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