Take notes especially……
Think about post-its, mind maps, scribbled lists etc –
whatever enables you to engage and learn with the
material
Yeah..
NOTED!
See that
Frog?
Revision
Background to tragedy and the play
In Shakespeare’s time audiences were interested in powerful men and
playwrights assumed that in tragedies the heroes would be kings,
generals, etc. men whose lives influence others.
DEFINITION
• He should be basically GOOD but have some weakness or fatal flaw or
make a fatal mistake (HAMARTIA) which circumstances will emphasise.
• This will lead to his DOWNFALL and usually death.
• FATE may play a part in his downfall.
• Throughout the play we should feel some SYMPATHY with him. This
should mean that we could see ourselves doing the same things, making
the same mistakes given the same circumstances.
• We should feel PITY because he should represent all men and we should
be able to say “There but for the grace of God go I.” Othello is clearly an
example of a tragic hero.
Catharsis
Emotional cleansing/a kind of ‘healing’ for the
audience –they will experience certain emotions in
response to the suffering of the characters in the drama.
What are these emotions at the end of Othello?
Relief? Sadness? Did they feel frustration especially after
Act 3 when they as an audience can SEE what is
happening to him?
Possible question(s)
Answers to questions on drama should address relevantly
the central concern(s) / theme(s) of the text and be
supported by reference to appropriate dramatic techniques
such as: conflict, characterisation, key scene(s), dialogue,
climax, exposition, denouement, structure, plot, setting,
aspects of staging (such as lighting, stage set, stage
directions…), soliloquy, monologue…
• The structure of the question If you look at any Question Paper, you
will see that all the questions are structured in a very similar
way. There are two sentences:
• The second sentence is the one that provides the key instruction for
what you have to do, and your essay will be judged on how
successfully you handle this part. You must not think that anything
you write will automatically be relevant just because the text fits the
definition in the first sentence. You must do exactly what is asked for
in the question. Notice that the question may contain more than one
instruction and that you must address the whole question.
• Relevance Above all else, strive to write a relevant essay. This
means you are unlikely to be able to write everything you might want
to say, but it’s much better to write an essay of modest length which
is clearly relevant than a long essay which says everything you know
and ignores the question. The former is likely to pass; the latter will
definitely fail.
A possible question – break it down
• In Shakespearean tragedy such as Othello, the tragic hero often falls
due to his fatal flaw or hamartia. It could be said that Othello’s
hamartia is his unwillingness to accept advice from anyone but Iago.
• Discuss how much truth you think there is in this and if Othello
causes his own downfall because of this blindness to taking or asking
for advice from anyone else.
A possible question – break it down
• Choose a play which has a character who has a fatal flaw.
• Describe the nature of the flaw and how it contributes to your
understanding of the play as a whole.
Remember
Include critical terms for drama – protagonist/hero, heroic, villain/
antagonist, fatal flaw, love/domestic tragedy, exposition, climax, turning point,
resolution, Act, Scene…
Protagonist –The character who initiates the action; carries the story forward;
the main character. (Othello)
Antagonist - A character who opposes the values of the protagonist. One who
causes problems for the main character (Iago)
Dramatic Irony
when the audience knows more than the main
character. This means that the main character does not realise the full
significance of what he is saying. E.g. “Honest Iago” or “Good Iago” – Othello
does not realise the irony in these words until the end of the play (unlike the
audience)
What do we know about Othello?
Othello’s insecurities
• He is black/ He is old and is not cultured “Haply for I am black and have not these soft
parts of conversation that chamberers have; or for I am declined into the vale of years.”
He shows theses insecurities when Iago convinces him that Desdemona is having an affair
with Cassio. He thinks these are the reasons why she is having an affair.
Othello’s background
• He is a Soldier – he makes decisions quickly because of this/ He’s from Africa – A very
different culture/ He has Royal blood
Convincing Othello about the affair
• Iago shows reluctance when speaking to Othello and only describes what he sees.
Reminds O that Desdemona deceived Brabantio. “She did deceive her father, marrying
you, and when she seemed to shake and fear your looks she loved them most.” He leaves
Othello for a moment after speaking but soon returns so he doesn’t have much time to
think. Iago tells Othello that he is telling him all this because he is a good friend. (Dramatic
Irony) “I humbly do beseech you of your pardon for too much loving you.” Iago uses short
sentences to show his reluctance but soon increases the length of his speeches. This makes
Othello wonder what might be happening with Iago actually telling him.
He mentions to Othello how he must not be jealous
about the situation. This was when Othello wasn’t
jealous and now he will be.
“Oh, beware, my Lord, of jealousy! It is the green eyed
monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”
Obsession
“dominate or preoccupy the thoughts, feelings, or de
sires of (a person); beset, trouble, or haunt
persistently or abnormally: Suspicion obsessed him.”
“to think about something unceasingly or persistently
; dwell obsessively upon something.”
Brabantio: She has
deceived her Father,
and may thee.
Othello: A horned man’s
a monster and a beast.
Othello: I will chop her
into messes. Cuckold
me!
Brabantio’s warning to Othello. An
ominous hint of what Othello will later
believe.
Othello’s self-loathing. He thinks he is a
‘horned’ man i.e. a cuckold.
Othello will punish Desdemona. Note his
wounded pride.
Iago: The Moor, …..Is of a
constant, loving, noble
nature,
Even Iago recognizes Othello’s nobility.
Othello: Then you must Othello’s own “obituary”.
speak of one that loved
not wisely, but too well;
Key Scene
• Act 3, Scene 3 depicts one of the most dramatic transformations of a
man in all of Shakespeare. Often called the "Temptation Scene," it is
both the literary and ideological centre of the play. In the space of one
scene, Othello goes from a calm, decisive military leader to a disbelieving
and crazed husband thirsting for his wife's violent death.
• A power shift occurs in the scene, as Othello is gradually transformed
from commanding leader who can demand information to a weak,
broken and almost helpless man who must wait for and be led by Iago's
interpretation of events. This is clear evidence of his fatal flaw
(Hamartia) : his willingness to believe Iago because of his own
unfounded jealousy.
• It becomes apparent throughout the scene that Othello's military
prowess is not matched by a similar depth of emotional security or selfknowledge. Othello is far more skillful in the art of war than in the
world of relationships and interpretation.
Othello is so angry when he thinks Desdemona has been unfaithful because he is so
much in love with her. He cannot control his jealousy as he has never experienced it before.
This leads to him wanting to kill her because in his mind she has been unfaithful and abused
his love and trust. He is very hurt by the idea of her jilting him, but also his pride as a man
comes in, as he is very angry that she has cuckolded him, ruining his reputation. (Othello – “I
will chop her into messes! Cuckold me!) He persuades himself that he doing it for noble
reasons ‘else she’ll betray more men’ and tarnish their reputations also. In a way Othello’s
high regard for reputation is what leads to his downfall and the ultimate destruction of his
own good reputation.
At the end of the play, after the killing of Desdemona, Othello becomes concerned with the
fact that he must punish himself for what he’s done. He realises that the damage done to his
reputation is irreversible and he will never be respected or looked at in the same way again.
However, before he kills himself, he reminds Lodovico and the others in the room that he has
‘done the state great service’ and wants to be remembered as the great general he was and
not a murdering husband gone insane, as he asks them to ‘Speak of me as I am’.
Climax
• The end of Act 3, scene 3, is the climax of Othello. Convinced of his
wife’s corruption, Othello makes a sacred oath never to change his
mind about her or to soften his feelings toward her until he enacts a
violent revenge. At this point, Othello is fixed in his course, and the
disastrous ending of the play is unavoidable. Othello's soul is so
hopelessly ensnared in Iago's web of treachery that he proclaims Iago
as his new lieutenant and states tragically, "I am your own for ever"
(3.3.449). Iago has secured a shaky dominance over Othello. He is
within reach of his original objective of driving Othello to despair, but
his victory is not secure, as Othello may yet think to blame Iago again
for his suffering and turn against him. While Cassio and Desdemona
live, Iago has gained only a little time in which to secure his position.
Example paragraph
• The key scene, Act 3 Scene 3 is a scene which could be described as
particularly shocking. It depicts the Tragic Hero Othello as he
succumbs to his hamartia, where the Machiavellian Iago manages to
turn the loving and honourable Othello into a crazed and vengeful
monster. By the end of the scene he plans to murder both his wife
and his friend Cassio. As this is what happens at the climax of this
tragic play it is clear that this scene is indeed important to the play as
a whole as it shows how Othello’s downfall begins.
One wee thing (that was, like, dead frustrating) was your use of
the phrase 'bring him down,' as in: 'Iago was determined to bring
him down.' Here's the result of the pair-task to think of alternative
(more literary) phrases:
• diminish his reputation
• bring about his demise
• tarnish his good name
• usurp his authority
• ruined his reputation
• end his feelings of
euphoria
• usurp his power
• continue his vendetta against him
• cloud his nature in the eyes of others
• downgrade him from his position of
power
• lessen him in Othello's eyes
• destroy his career / reputation
• emotionally cripple him
• bring about his downfall
Personal response is a key aspect of your Critical
Essay. A marker must see that you have engaged
with the text. A very structured way to achieve
this is to make one of the following statements
towards the end of your evaluation prior to the
part where you link to the question:
*This forces the reader to consider that...
*It is therefore apparent to the reader that...
*As such, the reader must consider...
*This shows the reader that...
How to say a LOT about a LITTLE
Does this quote
link one character
to another?
Who Says it?
Character?
Narrator? Stage
Direction
What is happening
at the time?
What does it
show about the
character?
What does it
mean?
How does it fit in
with other quotes,
themes or ideas in
the play?
Exploding
Quotations!
What does it tell
you about events
in the play?
What is the effect?
How does it work?
Is it a comparison?
Does it give a
strong picture?
Possible questions
• Choose a play which has a character who has a fatal flaw. Describe
the nature of the flaw and how it contributes to your understanding
of the play as a whole.
• Choose a play where a character is obsessed. Describe the nature of
the obsession and how it affects the character and the plot of the
play.
• Choose a play where characters are engaged in a battle of wits or are
otherwise opposed to each other.
• Choose a play where one character is changed by another’s words or
actions.
Essay starters
“Othello” by William Shakespeare
is a tragedy caused by the main
character’s fatal flaw, or hamartia,
when he allows himself to be
manipulated by Iago into believing
lies about his wife and friend,
which results in his downfall and
tragic end.
• A play which is about a character
with a fatal flaw is “Othello” by
William Shakespeare. The tragic
hero, Othello is a Moor and the
General of the Venetian Army
fighting the Turks. He allows
himself to trust Iago rather than
his wife and other friends and
this leads to his downfall and
death.
For Watching the
Presentation Thank You
Young Ones
What’s the flaw?
What causes this flaw in the first
place? (Jealousy, own fears,
isolation etc)