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Edexcel A-level English Literature - FULL Othello scene-by-scene summary
Scene-by-scene summary of Shakespeare's Othello of all key quotes of the play - perfect for revision!
Used to achieve an A* in Edexcel A-level English Literature
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1. Summary - Edexcel a-level english literature - full othello scene-by-scene summary
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6. Exam (elaborations) - A streetcar named desire a* essay plan: past vs present
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OTHELLOSCENEBYSCENE
Act1
Scene1
● V enice,Italy:Roderigo+Iagoarearguing-RoderigopaidIagoalotofmoneytohelphim
winthehandofDesdemona,butDesdemonahaselopedwithOthello(general)
○ “Whohasthadmypurse–asifthestringswerethine”-manipulationofweakR
○ HintsatIago’sduplicity
○ Primaryreasonforhatred=jealousynotracialprejudice
● IagohatesOthello;OthellorecentlypassedhimoverforapromotionforCassio(a
“spinster” militarytheoristwithnoexperience)
○ “Iknowmyprice,Iamworthnoworseaplace”
○ IagoquestionsCassio’smanhood
○ Iago’smisogyny;spinster=oldunmarriedwomenwithnoexperienceofsex,just
asCassiohasnoexperienceofbattle
■ “Mereprattlewithoutpractice–isallhissoldiership”=plosivealliteration
○ “Florentine”; notVenetian,importanceofidentity-cityhadreputationofbeinga
collectionoffinanciersandbookkeepers
■ VSthedescriptionhegivestehMontano;“heisasoldierfittostandby
Caesar/Andgivedirection”
● Iagoaddsthatheisjustlookingoutforhisownself-interest:“"InfollowinghimIbut
followmyself[...]IamnotwhatIam";biblicalallusion-perverting“IamwhoIam”,“I
followhimtoservemyturnuponhim”
○ Revealsduplicitycapacity
○ “TolovetheMoor”
● Iago+RoderigogotoBrabantio’shouse-shoutfromstreetthatBrabantiohasbeen
robbed-Iagocrudelydescribessex(animalisticlanguage:oldblackram/istupping
yourwhiteewe-vulgar,Dhasvirginalinnocence-dominatedassheisthegrammatical
objectofthesentenceandOhtelloisthesubject,a"Barbaryhorse,“makingthebeast
withtwobacks”)
○ Usesprejudiceasatool-bestial
■ Animalisticlanguage=resonanceforaudience-GreatChainofBeing-
animalswerelowerthaneventhelowliestofhumans-Moorsareeven
lessthanhuman
○ R:“thick-lips”
○ Misogynistictodesdemona-“thieves,thieves–looktoyourhouse,your
daughterandyourbags”=objectification
,
○ lack=evil,devil-Moor’sevilnation
B
○ “ThisisVenice;myhouseisnotagrange”=AO3civilisation
○ “GrossclaspsofalasciviousMoor”=lustful,AO3stereotypes
○ Dhasmadea“grossrevolt”
○ “Wheelingstranger/ofhereandeverywhere”=wanderingforeigner,identity
unclear
BrabantiocannotfindDesdemona-hesaysthathisdaughterhasbeenstolenbymagic
●
+hewishesshehadmarriedRoderigo-ordersOthello’sarrest.Iagoleavesbeforehis
identityisrevealed
○ “Beliefofitoppressesmealready”=extentofdisgust
○ PreviouslycondemnedRoderigo-butnowseesaslesserof2evils-“Owouldyou
hadhadher!”
○ Feelshismanhoodruinedbyhisdaughter’sdeception
○ Iagoappealstodifferentpeoplebyfeigningloyalty
○ B“dreamed”it-fate
Scene2
● IagodemonstrateshisloyaltybycondemningRoderigo+warningOthellothatBrabantio
issearchingforhimandwilltrytoforceadivorce
○ Iagoduplicity-triestoprovokeOthellobysuggestingRoderigohasslightedhis
manlyhonour-butOthelloseemscompletelysecureinhimself,immuneto
challengestohismanhood
■ “Spolesuchscurvyagainstyourhonour”
● WhenmenapproachIagoadvisesOthellotogoinsidebutOhtellorefuses,preferringto
facethem,sayinghehasdutifullyservedthestateofVenice+hisconscienceisclean-
helovesDesdemona
○ “Lethimdohisspite;myserviceswhichIhavedonethesignory,shallout-tongue
hiscomplaints”
■ Confidence-howmercenariesgainstatus
○ “NotI;Imustbefound.Myparts,mytitleandmyperfectsoul/SHallmanifest
merightly”
○ OthelloknowsthathishonourablemilitaryservicewilloutweighBrabantio’s
grievance
○ Firstcharactertospeakoflove;allothermenseemtoseewomenpurelyas
possessions
■ Taglabelof“gentleDesdemona”vsI=objectification“tonighthath
boardedalandcarrack”(Cdoesn’tunderstand-morerespectful)
● Men=Cassio+servantsofDukeofVenice,senttobringOthellotomeetwiththeDuke
regardingamilitaryissueinCyprus
, ○ P roofthatthestate’sneedforOthello’smilitaryleadershipwilloutweighanyracial
prejudiceagainsthim-“hotlycalledfor”
● Roderigo+Brabantioandhismenarrive-stateOthellomusthaveenchanted
Desdemona-orwhyelse“tothesootybosomofsuchathingasthou”-ordershismen
toseizeOthello
○ Damnedasthouart,thouhastenchantedher!/“foulcharms”–sheinchainsof
magicwerenotbound,— sootybosom/Ofsuchathingasthou—tofear,notto
delight
■ Prejudice,stereotypesofwitchcraft-Oconstantlyassociatedwith
witchcraft(motif):giveshimanairofotherworldliness+exoticism
● MagicisnotacceptedbyChristianEurope-‘othering’him
○ Foulthief
○ Injuredsenseofmanhood-horroratinterracialsexuality
Othellounfazed-BrabantioaccompaniesOthellototheDuke+airhisgrievancethere
●
○ Othelloremainsconfidentthathishonourableservicewilloutweighhisoutsider
status
○ Courtoflaw=justice
○ B:“brothersofthestate”=unitywithotherslikehim
○ “Forifsuchactionsmayhavepassagefree/Bondslavesandpagansshallour
statesmenbe”;spillovereffectsofnormalisinginterracialmarriage-xenophobia
Scene3
● D ukeofVenicemeetswithsenatorsaboutaTurkishinvasionofCyprus-managetosee
throughaTurkishploy
○ Duplicity-seriousroleinpoliticsandwar+jealousyandlove=“Tisapageant/to
keepusinfalsegaze”
○ RevealsCyprusisofsupremevaluetotheVenetians;entrustedtoO
● O+Barrive:Bdemandstheydiscussthathisdaughterhasbeencorruptedtomarry-
DukepromisestohelpBprosecutethemanwhohasseducedbutwhenhelearnsisOhe
givesOachancetodefendhimself
○ DukeneedsOthello’smilitaryleadership→notsoswayedbyprejudice
■ Conditionalnatureofacceptance/status
○ BhassuchanextremereactionthatDukethinksDis“Dead?”
○ Dukewillusethe“bloodybookoflaw”-AO3witchcraftwasacapitalcrime
○ DsaysBcannotassertwith“noproof”-senatorsays“ButOthello,speak”
■ ContrastwithsilencinginAct5
● Othellodeniesusingmagictowinherlove+saysDwillsupporther.Tellsstoryoftheir
love-dramatictalesofbattle,valourwonD-Dukecommentsthathisowndaughter
mightbewonover
○ “Mostpotent,graveandreverendsignors”=highlyrespectful
, ○ " RudeamIinmyspeech,/Andlittlebless'dwiththesoftphraseofpeace:”=
falsehumilityorinternalisedinsecurity?-onlythinkhecanspeakaboutis“little
ofthisgreatworldcanIspeak”–only“Broilandbattle”
○ Honest;“unvarnishedtaledeliver”
○ Oassertsstorytellinghasaseductivepower;IagowillseduceOwithhislater
○ Oisconfident+charismatic;Dukeclearlyprefershim
○ “Sendforthelady”=confidentinherlove+givingherachancetospeak-“let
yoursentence/evenfalluponmy life”
○ “Thestoryofmylife/fromyeartoyear-thebattles,siegesfortunes”
■ Shakespearedrawsontravelwriting;Europeantravellerswouldexplore
previouslyunvisitedterritoryandwritedowntheirexperiencesina
fancifulandexoticisedway-exoticness
■ Anaphora“Ofmovingaccidents/Ofhair-breadthscapes/Ofbeingtaken”
=buildingupeffect
■ “Soldtoslavery”
■ Cannibals
■ Journey=“mypilgrimage”-assimilationintoChristianity→acceptability
○ Dwitha“greedyear/decorupmydiscourse”;suggestingDisnotsopureand
innocent(7DeadlySins),emphasiseshowtheexoticismdrewherin
■ AO3indicativeofexploration=Drakecircumnavigatingtheworld
■ SheismoreindependentthanweakimageBpaints
○ ShelovedmeforthedangersIhadpassed,AndIlovedherthatshedidpity
them.";marriageisbasedonaromanticnotionofadventure-Dhopestoescape
herfather’ssuffocatingwill-caughtupinafantasy?
○ “ThisonlyisthewitchcraftIhaveused”=deniesitbutstillassociateshimself
withit-hintsheisdefinedbyhisethnicity
○ “Ithinkthistalewouldwinmydaughtertoo”
● Darrives-confirmsherlove-saysshemustnowshiftherobediencefromBtoO(asher
motherdid):Bgrudginglygivesupgrievance
○ “Halfthewooer”=equityinrelationship
○ Women=alwaysobedienttosomeman-“dividedduty”
○ “Thyescapewouldteachmetyrannytohangclogsonthem”=patriarchal
ownership
○ D:“tomournamischiefthatispastandgone/isthenextwaytodrawmischief
on”=warningofcyclicalrevenge
DukesaysOmustgotoCyprustoleaditsdefence:DsuggestsDshouldstayathome
●
butBODallobject→DsaysshemaygowithOthello
○ Dassertsherwill-becauseshehasthebackingofmen-independence
○ “Thefortitudeoftheplaceisbestknowntoyou”
○ OlovesD;wantshertocomewithhernotto“pleasethepalateofmyappetite”
butto“befreeandbounteoustohermind”