A thorough analysis of Othello with key themes, characters, symbolism and historical context. Intended for English learners and IB English language and literature learners in particular.
Othello revision booklet AQA A Level English Lit B
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Othello Analysis IB English L+L
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Characters:
● Desdemona: married to Othello in secret
● Iago: backstabber, the villain, Othello’s right hand man
● Othello: the protagonist, a general,
● Emilia: Iago’s wife
● Cassio: Othello’s lieutenant
● Bianca
● Roderigo: Iago’s friend, likes Desdemona
Notes
○ context of novel:
■ catholics trying to conquer Spain from the Islamic ottoman empire
■ prejudice and suspicion against black people rampant, Queen Elizabeth
issues degree against black north africans and Spaniards from being in
England
■ tragedy
■ written during the renaissance
○ Race+Prejudice:
■ prejudiced language
■ Othello is referred to as ‘thick-lips’ by Rodrigo
■ “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe’
■ imagery, animal metaphors, contrast of white+black
■ Representation of Desdemona as innocent and thus white,
and Othello as dark and perverted and thus black
■ Animalistic, demoting othello to subhuman
■ Brabantio and Othello
■ brabantio suspects Othello of using magic on his virgin daughter
■ Othello believes that his character and actions will be enough for
Brabantio to not harm him for marrying Desdemona, is ignorant to
the racism.
, ■ Brabantio accuses Othello of enchanting Desdemona, using
magic or using drugs and minerals
■ cultural reflection of the views on black people at the time
■ Theme of white women vs black men- white women are naive,
virgins while black men are dangerous, promiscuous and
seducing.
■ Despite Othello’s good nature and service to Venice, Brabantio
sends him to prison for marrying Desdemona due to racism and
misogyny
■ disgust at interracial relationships, Eurocentrism and just plain old
racism
■ Language defines Othello as an outsider, being different, in a bad sense,
and alienates him from the White Venetians
■ Self-fulfilling prophecy
■ Stereotype threat: Othello internalises the racism and oppression
he experiences and fulfils the stereotypes, consciously or
unconsciously
■ he begins to act increasingly animalistic and feels deserving of the
terms people use to define him once he is caught with Des
■ subtle/suppressed racism
■ the speed at which citizens turn against othello and perceive him
as an irrational, monstrous animal demonstrates the internalisation
of their prejudice and the suppression they used to wrap it under
before having reason to justify their beliefs
■ any wrongdoings quickly outweigh the respected nature of the
general and his accomplishments
■ islamophobia
■ Othello boasts about once killing a Muslim Turk as a Christian
man
■ attempt to use religion as a tool of connecting with white
venetians, prove he shares their prejudices and suspicion of
Muslims
■
○ misogyny
■ Desdemona is portrayed as too innocent, naive+powerless to make her
own decisions regarding her sexuality and desires
■ there is the theme of women not being able to make bad decisions for
themselves, they must have been influenced by magic or spells
■ Dichotomy of women created, then destroyed:
■ the madonna or Mary:
■ the virtuous, loyal, complacent woman
■ embodied by Desdemona at first
■ virgin
■ the whore
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