English Literature - Othello

SCENE SUMMARIES - WITH QUOTES, TECHNIQUES CRITICS & CONTEXT
*I have posted this half-completed simply so it can be accessed by others at all times but I will be updating and adding to it in the next few days before the EDEXCEL A Level 'Drama' paper' (7th June)

AO1 - Informed, personal & creative responses to texts / using associated concepts and terminology / coherent and accurately written expression
AO2 - Analysis of how meanings are formed in literary texts 
AO3 - Understanding of the significance and influence of contemporary views and receptions
AO5 - Different interpretations of the literary texts in question

ACT 1

Scene 1

• Introduction to Iago's jealousy and manipulative nature
• IAGO: "I know my price, I am worth no worse a place" (10)
• IAGO: " 'I have already chose my officer' " (16)
• IAGO: "Michael Cassio, a Florentine-" (19)
• IAGO: "Mere prattle without practice" (25)
• IAGO: "his Moorship's ensign" (32) / "Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago" (57) / "It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place/ To be produced.../ Against the Moor" (144-146)
• IAGO: "I follow him to serve my turn upon him" (42) / "shows of service (52) / "I am not what I am" (65) / "I must show out a flag and sign of love-/ Which is indeed but sign." (155/156)
• IAGO: "poison his delight" (68)
• BRABANTIO/IAGO: "Thou art a villain." - "You are a senator." (117)
• An exchange of truths - hinted at through the broken poetic line
• Perhaps Iago feels free to speak the truth about himself as his identity is hidden from Brabantio and Roderigo is already aware of his villainous intent
• This could also be a sarcastic quip at the court, accusing senators of being of a similar nature to that of  "a villain" (most likely a way of criticising Elizabethan courts without suffering censorship - Shakespeare often set his plays abroad so he could address contemporary English issues in this way)
• Roderigo depicted as hopelessly besotted with Desdemona and thus easily manipulable by Iago
• RODERIGO: "Iago, who hast had my purse/ As if the strings were thine" (2/3)
• The play starts in media rez with Roderigo aware of his manipulated situation
• "strings" - idea of a puppeteer which is a stong outlook of Iago's character
• BRABANTIO: "My daughter is not for thee" (99)
• It is clear that Roderigo had been a rejected suitor for Desdemona but was not approved of, most likely due to status. This is ironic for Othello is of high status due to his military prowess yet his position as a general is unusual due to his Turkish/Muslim roots
• Contemporary Critic (1610) - academic Henry Jackson did not even trouble to notice 'race' as an issue in the play (INTRO: reception)
• Brabantio is woken and enlightened to Othello and Desdemona's secret marriage
• IAGO: "Thieves, thieves, thieves!" (79) / "Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!" (80)
• IAGO: "an old black ram/ Is tupping your white ewe" (88/89) / "you'll have your/ daughter covered with a Barbary horse" (110/111) / "making the beast with two backs" (116)
• RODERIGO: "Tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes" (134)
• BRABANTIO: "O, unhappy girl!-" (162) / "With the Moor sayst thou? - Who would be a father?-" (163) / "O treason of the blood!" (168) / "from hence trust not your daughters' minds" (169) / "property of youth and maidhood/ May be abused?" (171/172)

Scene 2

• Iago goes back to Othello and pretends to be unaware of the proceedings
• IAGO: "I lack iniquity" (3) / "By Janus" (33)
• IAGO: "Come, sir, I am for you" (58)
• The Duke requests Othello's presence for a meeting concerning the Ottoman Wars
• OTHELLO: "Let him do his spite" (17) / "men of royal siege" (22) / "My parts, my title, and my perfect soul" (31)
• OTHELLO: "unhoused free condition" (26)
• Brabantio attacks Othello for his 'thievery'
• IAGO: "the magnifico is much beloved,/ And hath in his effect a voice potential/ As double as the Duke's" (12-14)
• OTHELLO: "you shall more command with years" (60)
• OTHELLO: "I love the gentle Desdemona" (25)
• BRABANTIO: "thou hast enchanted her" (63) / "If she in chains of magic were not bound" (65) / "Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom/ Of such a thing as thou-" (70/71) / "thou hast practised on her with foul charms,/ Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals" (73/74) / "an abuser of the world, a practiser/ Of arts inhibited and out of warrant." (78/79)
• BRABANTIO: "if such actions may have passage free,/ Bondslaves and pagans shall our statesmen be." (98/99)

Scene 3

• The second narrative of the Ottoman Wars is addressed
• DUKE: "Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you/ Against the general enemy Ottoman" (49/50)
• DUKE: "(To Brabantio) I did not see you" (51)
• Brabantio appeals to the Senate on the injustice of Desdemona's marriage without his involvement
• BRABANTIO/SENATORS/BRABANTIO: "My daughter; O, my daughter!" - "Dead?" - "Ay, to me:" (60)
• BRABANTIO: "She is abused, stolen from me, and corrupted" (61)
• DUKE: "Who'er he be in this foul proceeding/ Hath thus beguiled your daughter of her self" (66/67)
• Won VS stolen debate
• OTHELLO: "I won his daughter" (95) / "Would Desdemona seriously incline" (146) / "if I had a friend that loved her,/ I should but teach him how to tell my story/ And that would woo her" (164-166)
• BRABANTIO: "she - in spite of nature,/ Of years, of country, credit, everything -/ To fall in love with what she feared to look on?" (97-99) / "Against all rules of nature" (102) / "practices of cunning hell" (103)
• OTHELLO: "How I did thrive in this fair lady's love,/ And she in mine" (126/127)
• OTHELLO: "Her father loved me" (128) / "the battles, sieges, fortunes" (130)
• Desdemona's testimony and the Duke's ruling
• OTHELLO: "let her speak of me before her father" (117)
• DESDEMONA: "I do perceive her a divided duty" (180) / "I am hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband" (184)
• DESDEMONA: "so much duty as my mother showed/ To you, preferring you before her father" (185/186)
• BRABANTIO: "I here do give thee that with all my heart/ Which, but thou hast alreaady, with all my heart" (192/193) / "jewel" (194)
• Iago discusses his plan to destroy Othello with Roderigo
• 
  

ACT 2

Scene 1

• A storm destroys the Ottoman fleet
• Desdemona asks after Othello
• Iago's misogynistic views revealed
• Romantic reunion (Othello x Desdemona)
• Iago hints at Desdemona's potential for flooziness
• Iago encourages a fight between Roderigo and Cassio

Scene 2

• Herald sums up situation

Scene 3

• Iago gets Cassio drunk
• He speaks well of Cassio so he can be devoid of blame
• Cassio fights and wounds Montano
• Othello intercepts
• Iago defends Cassio
• Cassio mourns his reputation
• Iago reveals his plans dramatically to the audience and partly to Roderigo

ACT 3

Scene 1

• Emilia gives Cassio some hope by reassuring him of Desdemona's efforts to help him

Scene 2

• Othello remains loyal to the state

Scene 3

• Desdemona promises to support Cassio in front of her husband
• Suspicions of Cassio are planted in Othello's head
• Warnings against jealousy
• Focus upon Desdemona's potential disloyalty by nature
•