Readers often feel that Othello is a fool for trusting Iago – that he should have believed Desdemona. What do you think, though? Does he have reason to trust Iago?

The book named:Othello. William Shakespeare.

1.Othello: Anatomy of a scene

This discussion thread will focus on just one long, pivotal scene: Act III, Scene 3. (Sometimes the numbering changes in different editions, so to be clear – this is the scene in which Iago works his poison on Othello. It starts in the garden of the castle, with Desdemona assuring Cassio that she will intercede for him; it ends with Othello denouncing her as a “lewd minx.”
Read this scene carefully, and then comment on one or other of the following questions (you don’t have to address them all): writer at least 5 sentences for the questions.

1. “Ha! I like not that.” — Iago doesn’t tell Othello that he thinks Desdemona is unfaithful. Instead, he drops hints, insinuates, looks reluctant, and coaxes Othello into forcing it out of him. — Find some specific examples of Iago’s method, and discuss why you think it works.
2. When Othello finally understands that Iago is talking about Desdemona, he reacts with amusement. “Thinks’t thou I’d make a life of jealousy / To follow still the changes of the moon / With fresh suspicions?” Once the idea takes root, and he is tormented by it, he says “What sense had I of her stolen hours of lust…? / I [would have] been happy if the general camp, / Pioners and all, had tasted her sweet body, / So [long as] I had nothing known.” In other words: His first reaction is to laugh off the idea that she’s unfaithful – and when he can’t laugh it off, his reaction is to wish that he just didn’t know – that he’d have been happy for the whole army to have slept with her, so long as he didn’t know about it. — So: What do you think is driving Othello so wild here? Is this jealousy? Is it something else? What is Othello’s weakness?

Explain3. Readers often feel that Othello is a fool for trusting Iago – that he should have believed Desdemona. What do you think, though? Does he have reason to trust Iago?

2.Othello: Anatomy of a speech

Pick one of the speeches below (included as different “replies”), and write a brief but reasonably detailed discussion (1-2 paragraphs) of what you think is happening in the speech: why it’s significant, what it tells us about the speaker’s character, motives, mood, or other themes.(this one you need to log in my account to see teacher’s post than write a 5 sentences response)

3.Othello: Anatomy of a theme

Post a subtantial comment and/or response to one of the themes below – a paragraph with a few details / quotes.(this one you need to log in my account to see teacher’s post than write a 5 sentences response)

 

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