Othello Classwork on Act 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For Tuesday, periods 1,2,3,7, read Act 3 Scene 1 aloud, and then do all of the questions for Act 3
Scene 1 AND 2. Period 5 will do this on Wednesday.
ACT 3, SCENE 1:
In class, read the following parts from this scene out loud. Please volunteer!
Cassio
1st Musician
Clown
Iago
Emilia
Then, answer the following in your notebooks:
1) Comic relief – poor Cassio is in despair while the Clown engages in some word play. He
makes crude jokes (bawdy humor) with double meanings for “wind instrument” and tail/tale and
pipes and “stirring”. One effect of this is to relieve growing tension in the drama. Some critics
argue that the dramatic function of the Clown’s puns are to foreshadow future
misunderstandings in the play. Do you agree or disagree?
2) Emilia, who is both Desdemona’s companion and Iago’s wife, plays an increasingly
important role as the play progresses. What do her lines in Act 3 Scene 1 suggest about her
relationships with Iago, Cassio, Othello and Desdemona, respectively?
ACT 3, SCENE 2:
You do not need to read this out loud, but do answer the question in your notebook.
1) What is the function of Act 3 scene 2? Consider the following: Othello’s role as a military
leader, Iago’s relationship with Othello, Desdemona’s whereabouts, the condensed time
scheme, Cassio’s whereabouts, Cyprus as a colonial outpost.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For Wednesday, periods 1,2,7, read as much of Act 3 Scene 3 in class. Periods 3 and 5 will read
this on Thursday. If you finish reading the scene, move onto the questions for this scene. You
will have the subsequent class day to work on these questions before moving onto the next
scene.
ACT 3, SCENE 3:
In class, read the following parts from this scene out loud. Please volunteer!
Desdemona
Emilia
Cassio
Othello
Iago
Then, answer the following in your notebooks.
1) What is the mood at the beginning the scene?
2) The manner and timing of characters’ entrances and exits in this moment of the play are
crucial to the dramatic development. In Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the stage had a deep
acting area and two entrances/exits in the back. This means that it is possible for Othello and
Iago to enter and pass by Cassio at a distance, allowing dialogue (like, Iago’s “Ha! I like that
not!” to work theatrically. Match at least two characters’ entrances or exits to specific lines and
discuss the impact of timing those entrances or exits.
3) As you read lines 93-259, consider who is in control, who has the power. How does this
person control where the conversation goes?
4) At line 126, Iago appears to be asserting his confidence in Cassio’s honesty. Yet if you look
carefully at the exact words he uses, he is clevery and subtley suggesting the opposite. Start
with the phrase “he is honest” and identify how Iago modifies it with phrases that signify
doubt. Then look at “I think that he is honest” and “I dare be sworn I think that he is honest”
and do the same.
5) Pay attention to Othello’s soliloquy (lines 260-281). What are some differences between this
and speech in I, iii (lines 128-170) (“Her father loved me… this only is the witchcraft I have
used”)?
This is the first chance the audience has to see into his mind and find out what he really thinks
about Iago’s ‘honest’ insinuations. We also get a glimpse of some insecurity and uncertainty in
Othello, some cracks in Othello’s noble armor.
6) Make special note what Othello says in his soliloquy and how it even has become similar to
Iago’s language and attitudes. How does his choice of imagery reflect Iago’s growing influence
over him? Look at references to animals. What references are there and what are they used to
illustrate?
****Have all of this done by MONDAY, 2/2. In class, we will work on Act 3, Scene 4 and Napoli
will be back in the classroom.
All of the past classwork will be checked that week and you will get a reading quiz some time
that week on Othello Acts 1-3 as well as all of the material that we have taken notes on. Treat
notes and these questions as study guides.
Do not forget that FOUR journals for Act 3 are due on Tuesday, 2/3; one journal must be done
for each scene.****