Othello questions

Why do Iago and Roderigo wake Brabantio?

To tell him that his daughter has married Othello.

How does Brabantio believe Othello ‘won’ his daughter, Desdemona?

With witchcraft

How does Othello believe he ‘won’ Desdemona?

Through being brave when he was telling her about his stories from the past

What two reasons are there for Othello appearing before the senate?

To tell him he has to go to war and because Brabantio wanted to get a punishment for him for marrying his daughter, Desdemona.

What do we learn about Othello’s past?

That he was sold into slavery but managed to escape


What terms are used to describe Othello whilst in front of the senate?


They're all racist about him and use terms like:
"The Moor"
"The thick-lips"


What is significant about Brabantio’s rhyming couplet “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to
see. She has deceived her father, and may thee.”?


It's foreshadowing that she will be unfaithful to him.


Can you find an example of dramatic irony in Othello’s retort?


Dramatic irony is used when Othello is supposed to be the tragic hero, yet he gets his wife to speak on his behalf which doesn't make it seem that he has much power for someone who's a general.


What does Iago persuade Roderigo to do?


To give him all of his money


What do we learn from Iago’s soliloquy?


That he's manipulating Roderigo for his money and he wants Othello to be dead, he wasn't trying to help Roderigo 'win' Desdemona, he just hates Othello and wants him dead.


Pause question.
According to Aristotle, “The hero must have good qualities appropriate to his or her
station and should be portrayed realistically and consistently”, what qualities has Othello
displayed so far? Do you regard these as appropriate to his ‘station’?


He has portrayed his good qualities because he doesn't have a fight at the start but he has also portrayed his weak qualities because he gets Desdemona to speak on his behalf and doesn't speak for himself. According to Aristotle's rules, he doesn't seem to fit the description of what a tragic hero should be so therefore doesn't have all of the qualities appropriate for his 'station'.