Preparation for Othello test (AP Lang)
UPDATED ACTUAL Questions and
CORRECT Answers
Who is Othello? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- He is the tragic hero. He is a Moor (African
man), and general in Venice. He marries Desdemona and is very successful in battle but is
insecure in personal affairs.
Who is Iago? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- He is the antagonist of this play. The villian. He
is Othello's ensign in the Venetian military who wanted a promotion. However, the promotion
was given to Cassio, and now he wants revenge.
Who is Desdemona? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- She is very honest and straightforward.
She is a Venetian lady who is loyal to Othello and marries him before the start of the play.
Her father is Brabantio. She is killed by Othello at the end.
Who is Brabantio? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- He is Desdemona's father, a Venetian
senator, and is not happy with his daughter's choice of husband. But he eventually accepts
this. At first, he believed Othello had bewitched his daughter with charms in order to get her
to marry him.
Who is Roderigo? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- He is in love with Desdemona and tries to
get with her the whole play until he is killed by Iago. He pays Iago to help Desdemona fall in
love with him. He is very easily manipulated.
Who is Cassio? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- From Florence, Othello's lieutenant who is very
honorable.
Who is Bianca? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Cassio's mistress. She falls in love with him
Who is Emilia? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- She is a lady in waiting for Desdemona. She is
Iago's wife.
,Who is the Duke of Venice? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Leader of the govt of Venice. He
appoints Othello to lead soldiers against a Turkish attack on Cyprus, urges Brabantio to
accept Desdemona/Othello marriage.
Who is Gratiano? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Desdemona's uncle/ Brabantio's brother
Who is Lodovico, and why has he come to Venice? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- A Venisian
nobleman. Lodovico is Desdemona's cousin (son of Gratiano)
Who is Montano? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- former governor of Cyprus who supports
Othello.
Summary of Act 1 Scene 1 - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Othello begins on a street in Venice,
in the midst of an argument between Roderigo and Iago. The rich Roderigo has been paying
Iago to help him in his suit to Desdemona, but he has seen no progress, and he has just
learned that Desdemona has married Othello, a general whom Iago serves as ensign. Iago
reassures Roderigo that he hates Othello. Chief among Iago's reasons for this hatred is
Othello's recent promotion of Michael Cassio to the post of lieutenant. In spite of Iago's
service in battle and the recommendation of three "great ones" of the city, Othello chose to
give the position to a man with no experience leading men in battle. As he waits for an
opportunity to further his own self-interest, Iago only pretends to serve Othello.
Iago advises Roderigo to spoil some of Othello's pleasure in his marriage by rousing
Desdemona's family against the general. The two men come to the street outside the house of
Desdemona's father, Brabantio, and cry out that he has been robbed by "thieves." Brabantio,
who is a Venetian senator, comes to the window. At first, he doesn't believe what he hears,
because he has told Roderigo to stay away from his daughter before and thinks Roderigo is
merely scheming once again in order to see Desdemona. Iago speaks in inflammatory terms,
vulgarly telling the senator that his daughter and Othello are having sex by saying that they
are "making the beast with two backs". Brabantio begins to take what he hears seriously and
decides to search for his daughter. Seeing the success of his plan, Iago leaves Roderigo alone
and goes to attend on Othello. Like Brabantio, Othello has no idea of Iago's role in Roderigo's
accusations. As Iago departs, Brabantio comes out of his house, furious that his daughter has
left him. Declaring that his daughter has been stolen from him by magic "charms," Brabantio
an
Iago is offended by Othello's choice for lieutenant. Name at least three faults he finds in
Cassio's. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- - He hasn't been to war- Only good at math- Knows
nothing about war
, Why are they referring to Othello as "the Moor" and "his Moorship?" Start noticing other
examples of similar references. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- A Moor is someone who is
dark-skinned from North Africa. By calling him the Moor they are calling out his skin color
in a derogatory way.
What animal analogy does Iago make about Othello and Desdemona? Answer with a
quote. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- "You'll have your daughter covered with a barbary
horse"
"Your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs"
Why does Brabantio say Roderigo is not welcome at his home? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-
Roderigo has told Brabantio that he is interested in his daughter previously and Brabantio
said his daughter has no interest in him and rejected him. Therefore, he needs to leave.
In lines 169-174, Iago states that Othello has already gone to the Cyprus wars.
"Another of his fathom they have none
To lead their business; in which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains,
Yet, for necessity of present life,
I must show out a flag and sign of love,
Which is indeed but a sign."
Why is Iago going too? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Iago says he needs to go too because he
needs to show Othello that he is on his side, when in reality he has exposed Othello to
Brabantio.
When everyone exits Scene 1, what are they going to do? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- They
went to find Othello.
Summary of Act 1 Scene 2 - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Iago arrives at Othello's lodgings,
where he warns the general that Brabantio will not hesitate to attempt to force a divorce
between Othello and Desdemona. Othello sees a party of men approaching, and Iago,
thinking that Brabantio and his followers have arrived, counsels Othello to retreat indoors.
Othello stands his ground, but the party turns out to be Cassio and officers from the Venetian
court. They bring Othello the message that he is wanted by the duke of Venice about a matter
concerning Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea controlled by Venice. As Cassio and
