Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Senior English
Mr. Williams
Othello: Reading Questions
Act I
Scene 1
1. Why does Shakespeare begin the play en medias res?
2. What motivates Roderigo and Iago to seek Othello’s demise?
3. What kind of man is Iago? Justify your answer with a quote from this scene.
4. Cite three quotes that illustrate the theme of racism in this scene.
5.
How do Roderigo and Iago try to undo Othello in this scene? Which one of them
incurs more risk in carrying out the plan?
6. Why does Iago believe that the plan will not completely undo Othello?
Significant Quotes: Identify the speaker and explain the significance of each quote.

“…But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve/ For daws to peck at. I am not
what I am” (1.1).

“What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe/If he can carry’t thus” (1.1)!

“…Thieves! Thieves!/ Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags”
(1.1)!

“O, she deceives me/Past thought”(1.1)!

“Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners”(1.1).
Scene 2
7. For what two reasons is Othello brought to the Duke’s court?
8. To what does Brabantio attribute Desdemona’s actions regarding Othello?
Significant Quotes

“Let him do his spite. My services which I have done the signory/Shall outtongue his complaints”(1.2).
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Senior English
Mr. Williams
Scene 3
9. Against whom is Venice preparing to go to war?
10. Is Othello an eloquent or unrefined speaker? Use examples from this scene to
justify your answer.
11. According to Othello, why has Desdemona fallen in love with him?
12. Is Desdemona a conventional or unconventional woman? Use examples from this
scene to justify your answer.
13. Explain the dynamics of the relationship between Roderigo and Iago.
Significant Quotes:

“Rude am I in speech/ And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace…”(1.3)

“My noble father, I do here perceive a divided duty”(1.3).

“And noble signor/If virtue no delighted beauty lack/Your son-in-law is far
more fair than black”(1.3).

“Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see/She has deceived her father, and
may thee”(1.3).

“My life upon her faith!-Honest Iago/My Desdemona must I leave to
thee”(1.3).
ACT II
Scene I
14. What happens to the Turkish fleet?
15. What is the significance of the weather?
16. Find evidence of Cassio’s flirtatious nature in this scene.
17. What do Desdemona, Iago, and Emilia debate about in this scene?
18. Do you think the women in this scene are conventional or unconventional?
19. How does Cassio fit into Iago’s plan to ruin Othello?
20. Identify the insecurity that is revealed in Iago’s soliloquy.
Significant Quotes: Identify the speaker and explain the significance of each quote.
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Senior English
Mr. Williams

“Let it not gall your patience, good Iago, that I extend my manners; ‘t is my
breeding that gives me this bold show of courtesy” (2.1).

“Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk: You rise to play, and go to bed to work”
(2.1).

“If she be black, and thereto have a wit, she’ll find a white that shall her
blackness fit” (2.1).

“‘T is here, but yet confused: Knavery’s plain face is never seen till used”
(2.1).
Scene II
21. What happens in this scene?
Scene III
22. How does Iago lead Cassio into a dereliction of duty?
23. How does Iago behave when Othello questions him about Cassio’s behavior?
24. What punishment does Cassio suffer for his offense?
25. What troubles Cassio the most about the whole incident?
26. What does Iago advise Cassio to do? How does this advice also help Iago?
27. Identify the following items in Iago’s soliloquy: tone, imagery, oxymoron, &
metaphor.
28. At the end of the scene, what does Iago say to assuage Roderigo’s impatience?
Significant Quotes:

“If I can fasten but one cup upon him, with that which he hath drunk tonight
already, he shall be as full of quarrel and offence as my young mistress’ dog”
(2.3).

“If consequence do but approve my dream, my boat sails freely, both with
wind and stream” (2.3).

“Are we turned Turks, and to ourselves do that which heaven hath forbid the
Ottomites?” (2.3)
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Senior English
Mr. Williams

“Honest Iago, that look’st dead with grieving, speak, who began this…” (2.3)

“Now, by heaven, my blood begins my safer guides to rule, and passion, having my
best judgment collied, assays to lead the way: if I once stir, or do lift this arm, the
best of you shall sink in my rebuke” (2.3).

“How am I then a villain to counsel Cassio to this parallel course, directly to his
good? Divinity of hell!” (2.3)
ACT III
Scene 1
29. Identify the puns in the dialogue between Cassio and the Clown. What is the Clown
trying to tell Cassio? What does Cassio want from the Clown?
Significant Quotes

“No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you” (3.1).

“I never knew/A Florentine more kind and honest” (3.1).
Scene 2
30. What does Othello ask Iago to do in this scene? How might this request cause trouble for
Othello?
Scene 3
31. What does Desdemona vow to do for Cassio? How might this vow cause trouble for
Desdemona?
32. What “seed” does Iago plant in Othello’s mind? How does he convince Othello to
believe him?
33. Othello reveals three insecurities in his soliloquy. What are they?
34. What does Emilia steal in this scene? Why does she steal it?
35. What does Iago plan to do with the object that Emilia steals?
36. What dream does Iago recount to Othello in this scene?
37. At the end of this scene, what do Othello and Iago decide to do?
38. Why is this scene the turning point in the play?

“…For thy solicitor shall rather die/Than give thy cause away” (3.3).
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Senior English
Mr. Williams

“Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul/But I do love thee! and when I love thee
not/Chaos is come again” (3.3).

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy/It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock/The
meat it feeds on…” (3.3)

“This fellow’s of exceeding honesty/And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit/Of
human dealings” (3.3).

“Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne/To tyrannous hate!” (3.3)

“O, blood, blood, blood!” (3.3)
ACT IV
Scene 1
39. How does Iago trick Othello into believing that Cassio is confessing about his affair with
Desdemona.
40. How does Iago suggest that Othello murder Desdemona?
41. What personal reward does Iago receive as a result of his deceit?
42. How does Othello abuse Desdemona? How does she respond to the abuse?

“Thus credulous fools are caught/And man worthy and chaste dames even thus/All
guiltless meet reproach” (4.1).
Scene 2
43. Who is the first character to suspect that someone has “poisoned” Othello’s mind?
44. Why doesn’t Desdemona react more strongly when Othello accuses her of infidelity?

“Faith, I have heard too much; for your words and performance are no kin together” (4.2).
Scene 3
45. As Emilia prepares her mistress’s wedding bed, Desdemona talks of her mother’s servant
Barbary who was forsaken by a mad lover; then she and Emilia talk about marriage and
fidelity. What is the significance of this conversation?

“Was this fair paper, this goodly book, made to write ‘whore’ upon” (4.3)?

“Why, the wrong is but a wrong i’ th’ world; and having the world for your labor, ‘tis a wrong in
your own world, and you might quickly make it right” (4.3).

“Then let them use us well: else let them know, the ills we do, their ills instruct us so” (Act 4.3).
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Senior English
Mr. Williams
Act V
Scene 1
1. What is Iago getting Roderigo ready for at the beginning of the scene?
2. Which two characters are wounded? Who wounds each of them?
3. How does Roderigo die?
4. What does Iago say happened?
Scene 2
1. What does Othello discuss at the beginning of the scene?
2. What does Othello say to Desdemona when she wakes up? How does Desdemona reply?
3. What does Emilia tell Othello about Cassio and Roderigo when she enters?
4. What does Desdemona say about her death?
5. How does Emilia react when Othello says Iago told him about Desdemona’s affair with
Cassio?
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Senior English
Mr. Williams
6. What does Gratiano say about Brabantio?
7. What does Othello ask for before he dies?

It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,-Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!

O, falsely, falsely murder'd!

I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known,
Though I lost twenty lives.--Help! help, ho! help!

I will not charm my tongue; I am bound to speak:

Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak:
'Tis proper I obey him, but not now.
Perchance, Iago, I will ne'er go home.

Let heaven and men and devils, let them all,
All, all, cry shame against me, yet I'll speak.

Here is my journey's end, here is my butt,
And very sea-mark of my utmost sail.

I pray you, in your letters,
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am…

Myself will straight aboard: and to the state
This heavy act with heavy heart relate.