Othello ​- Reading Log

Directions: ​ Please complete the following as directed in class. Prompts for “Think & Writes” and “Appendixes” will be given in class.
If you are absent for a day, you will be expected to find and complete the prompts on the daily agendas posted in Schoology.

RESEARCH PRESENTATION NOTES

THE METHODS OF CHARACTERIZATION

1. Behavior​: Actions, decisions that are put into action
2. Speech​: What they say and how they say it...
3. Perception of Other Characters​: The way other characters speak about or behave toward the character.
4. Character’s Self-Perception​: The way the character sees themself
5. Appearance​: Clothing, physical attributes, what physically is presented
6. Thoughts & Feelings​: motivations that the character thinks or feels.

Act I
THINK & WRITES

11 March 2019
“....then speak of one that loved not wisely, but too well...¨
It is quite possible to love someone too much without thinking. It’s very possible to fall in love with someone without
thinking twice. We normally never get to have a talk with our heart and mind on who to love, our heart makes that decision
for us and that’s the problem. Sometimes love can be confusing, painful, or pure bliss, but when you love too much that’s
when it becomes something of importance. Loving someone too well means you would lay your life down for them and do
anything.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. What is Iago’s complaint to Roderigo in Scene I?
Iago complains that Roderigo is doing everything wrong. He complains that he won’t get the girl and he
doesn’t have enough money, etc.
2. Who is Brabrantio, and why do Iago and Roderigo awaken him in the middle of the night?
Brabantio is the father and Iago and Roderigo were there to wake him up saying that his daughter had snuck
out and was with some man that her father would not approve of.
3. Why does Iago leave Roderigo at Brabantio’s House?
Iago left Roderigo only because Brabantio was his general leader for the military and he didn’t want to get
caught and get kicked out or punished in any way.
4. What is Brabantio’s reaction to Othello’s marriage to Desdemona?
Brabantio's reaction to Othello’s marriage to Desdemona is
5. Why does the Duke send for Othello?
Duke sends for Othello because he wanted to employ him to go against the enemy in Ottoman.
6. Brabantio complains to the Duke about Othello’s marriage to Desdemona. After listening to both sides of the story, what is
the Duke’s reply?
The Duke thinks that Othello could win the heart of his daughter if they were under the same circumstances,
but since they aren’t they decided that Brabantio would have to deal with the current situation.
7. What is Roderigo’s complaint, and what is Iago’s reply to it?
Roderigo was both love sick for Desdemona along with having depression over it. Iago tells him to hold onto
his feelings since she is already spoken for and married to Othello.

EPITHETS
Reference to Othello: Who is Speaking? Line # What does this epithet What does the reference
suggest about Othello? suggest about the speaker
of the Epithet?
ACT I Setting 3 Main Events Important Quote & Critical Analysis Method of
Speaker Characterization

Scene i “Am what I am”

(l.1.71)
-Iago

Scene ii

Scene iii

APPENDIX:
Othello - Moor, General of Venetian Army. ------<3 Desdemona (Wife) <3
Brabrantio (father) :(
Cassio - 1st Lt.

Iago - Ancient, Ensign, 3rd in command. “Brother” to Othello. Has a wife

Roderigo (“Brother” to Igo who loved Desdemona)

Appendix #1
When meeting with the court Desdemona says with full confidence that she loves Othello and is thanking her father for
raising her to be the women or girl she is and how she was raised. During that court Othello said that Desdemona loved
him and when she proved it, her father wasn’t the biggest fan of them being together
Question: Does age really not matter in that time?
 Appendix #2
“I hate Moor” Soliloquy.
During the “I hate Moor” Soliloquy when Iago talks about “He” Iago really means Othello.
“I hate Moor Speech modernised”

I’ll make a profit off the idiot Roderigo

For my own misuse of knowledge
If I were to spend my time with an idiot
I may as well make it fun and gain a profit. I hate Othello.
It is a foreign thought

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Act II
April 1, 2019
The Value of Reputation!
¨Reputation, Reputation, Reputation! O, I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains behind is bestial
(2.3.280)!¨ - Cassio

“Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft without merit and lost without deserving” (2.3.287) -Iago

Out of both these quotes I have to relate more with Cassio. When he fought someone of high power standing while drunk
he made a point in saying that the reputation that he had was now lost. Sure it may not actually affect his status since it
was a drunk brawl, but in Cassio’s mind he has been ruined for life. I can relate to this because with my high anxiety
everything I say or even do can affect how I feel towards something. If I stutter on a word for too long in my head I’m yelling
at myself that I’ll be looked at differently or the dignity that I had is now lost along with the little reputation I had is now also
lost. We should all be like Iago in this sense because he (Iago) could care less about what his reputation is or how it can
change, he is simply just saying that whatever reputation that you have is something that doesn’t matter or isn’t important,
that just because you had one drunk fight, or couldn’t say that one thing in front of people, doesn’t mean that your so called
reputation is ruined.

THINK & WRITES

Desdemona arrives first, before Othello, even though Othello left first for cyprus.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. Why did Iago want Roderigo to anger Cassio?
Iago wants Roderigo to anger Cassio in order to make him look bad in front of everyone else.
2. What was the purpose of Iago’s plan?
The purpose of this is because he thinks that Desdemona loves Cassio, because of how close they are. But
the argument there is that the kissing hand could be a courteous gesture and nothing more.
3. Why did Iago want Cassio to drink more?
Iago wanted Cassio to drink more so that he could become more drunk and easy to manipulate.
4. What lie did Iago tell Montano about Cassio?
The lie that Iago told Montano was that Cassio was a drunk and drank to get drunk each and every night. And
by appointing Cassio he said that he doubted Othello and that was the reason why he was drinking till drunk.
5. Why did Othello Strip Cassio of his rank?
Iago stripped Cassio of his rank by having him hit someone who was in a higher rank then he was.
6. Why did Iago want Cassio to ask Desdemona for help in restoring Othello’s faith in Cassio?
They thought that if Desdemona wanted to take up the cause by Cassio, she would most likely fall for him and
leave Othello. Thus making it the ultimate plan for Iago.
7. ASK YOUR OWN HIGHER LEVEL INTERPRETIVE QUESTION

ACT II Setting 3 Main Events Important Quote & Critical Analysis Method of
Speaker Characterization

Scene i -​Desdemona - Iago is little

 arrives first even controlling,
though Othello manipulative bitch
leaves before
- Cassio and - Rodrigo is easily
Desdemona are a manipulated by
little too friendly, Iago to go after a
so they might be girl he can’t have
doing the dirty.
- Desdemona
doesn’t see any
difference
between her and
Emilia even
though the social
class sets them
different.

Scene ii

Scene iii

APPENDIX

Foil:
- Roderigo:
- Unstable / Emotional
- Desdemona
- “Love Struck”

- Iago
- Self-centered
 - Cold-hearted / Logical
- Hate Struck

Video Clip notes:

- Iago is jealous that he isn’t getting the “promotion” he wants and thinks he deserves. So because of this he’ll do
anything and say anything to get people on his side or against him. We also heard that Othello has some flaws that
we didn’t know about. Othello and Iago are really close and have been together for a long time.
- Second Video:
- Iago’s actor would alter the uniform because he wanted to be in character better

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Act III

THINK & WRITES

STUDY QUESTIONS
1. Why doesn’t Iago simply tell Othello right away that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair?
- Iago didn’t tell Othello right away about the affair only because he wants to stir the pot of drama and wait till
the perfect time to let everyone know and let it all fall apart.
2. What thing does Emilia find and give to Iago? What does Iago intend to do with it?
- Emilia gave him Desdemona’s handkerchief that she dropped. Iago placed it in Cassio’s room to show that
Desdemona was not in love with Othello but Cassio.
3. What is Iago’s reply when Othello demands “ocular proof” of his wife’s disloyalty?
- He had lied and said that Cassio had a dream and was calling out to Desdemona, but also saw that Cassio
had the handkerchief that Othello had given Desdemona.
4. What does Othello decide and command at the end of Scene iii?
 -
Iago was said to kill Cassio within a certain amount of days, where Othello said he would personally kill
Desdemona. Iago was also promoted to Lieutenant.
5. What is Emilia’s relationship with Iago? Desdemona? Support your response.
- Emilia is married Iago’s wife. Everything she did was out of love but she was also a servant to Desdemona but
they were also friends. WIthin the act Emilia was more loyal to Iago and Desdemona, an example is she didn’t
tell Desdemona about her handkerchief.
6. Who has the handkerchief at the end of Act III? Why?
- Cassio ended up giving it to Bianca for her to get the design.

ACT III Setting 3 Main Events Important Quote & Critical Analysis Method of
Speaker Characterization

Scene i

Scene ii

Scene iii

Scene iv

APPENDIX

#1 “Tracing the Handkerchief / Characters’ Motives

-
#2 “Character Foils & Flaws
-
#3 Emilia- Insights & Understandings
-
#4 Response to Essential Question(s) 1 or 2
- While looking at Othello you can see that when something out of control happens to him, his true character comes
out and is shown. For example when Othello wants the handkerchief from Desdemona and she doesn’t have it he
goes to say that it’s a token for long lasting love. When Desdemona tries to defend herself he interupts her. For
 example,
- Desdemona: ​I pray, talk me of Cassio
- Othello: ​The Handkerchief!
- Desdemona: ​A man that all his time Hath founded his good fortunes on your love; Shared dangers with you

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ACT V
THINK & WRITES

STUDY QUESTIONS
1. How would Iago benefit from Roderigo’s death? Cassio’s?
​Iago benefits from the death of Roderigo because, Iago was just using Roderigo for his own personal gain and once
he killed him he didn't have to worry about anything Roderigo said or did. But the death of Cassio would be something that
would affect more people than we think. Iago wasn’t using Cassio like he was using Roderigo, so I don’t see why Iago would
want to kill Cassio.
2. Does Iago have anything to gain from Desdemona’s death? Why does he want her dead?

3. What happens when Cassio and Roderigo fight?

4. WHat does Iago do after he wounds Cassio?
5. How was Desdemona faithful to Othello in the end?
6. What was Emilia’s reaction when Othello told her that Iago had revealed Desdemona’s affair with Cassio?
7. Which characters tell the truth about Iago in the end?
8. What happens to Othello, Iago and Cassio in the end?
ACT V Setting 3 Main Events Important Quote & Critical Analysis Method of
Speaker Characterization

Scene i

Scene ii

APPENDIX

#1 Prediction- What is going to happen to your character in this act? (1-2 sentences)
- I think that within this act Othello will be going out with his plans to hurt Desdemona. When Othello got word that
Desdemona slept with Cassio, he became emotional and listened to Iago to murder Desdemona. But Desdemona
isn’t the only one that might die, we might see some characters we haven’t seen in awhile die as well.

#2 Character Foils
-

#3 Character Flaws
-

#4 Othello’s Last Monologue - Summary & Cultural Analysis

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