Self-Assessment on “Othello”

For several of the questions there are many different reasonable answers. When the answers are not matters of fact (right/wrong), you will see some sample answers, but be aware that your answers—if different-- may be valid also.

1. What are Iago's qualifications to be chosen as Othello's lieutenant and what are Cassio's qualifications?

Answer to 1: According to Iago’s statements in 1.1, Cassio is aristocratic and a ”rhetorician,” thus eloquent and formally educated. Iago is a competent warrior with long military service to Othello and several important Venetians who lobby for Iago getting the job, but he is of a lower class, not the kind of person Venice would want to leave in charge when Othello returns to Venice. (Notice that the Venetians, not knowing Cassio has been fired, send word to leave him in charge in Cyprus when Othello is ordered home.)  

2. Is the Duke of Venice fair in hearing Brabantio in Act I, scene iii, or is he trying to get rid of him to get Othello on his way against the Turks? Support your view, briefly describe how you would stage one incident (5-10 lines in 1.3) to support your view.

Some student answers from past classes:

Nagib Zahr: I think the Duke does want Othello to fight the Turks, and if needed would have found any excuse to favor Othello, but as it happens it was not necessary for the Duke to create a lie.  Everyone agrees to decide the case on the testimony of Desdemona. She speaks in a direct, tactful manner, not like someone drugged or infatuated. In lines 208-218 I would have Desdemona stand half way between her father and her husband to acknowledge both her loyalties, but then she would walk to the Moor to show her priority.

Leslie Kartholl: The Duke goes easy on Othello because Othello was crucial to their hopes of  victory against the Turks. Before he knew who the “perpetrator” was, he said that he would punish anyone, even his own son. But after he finds out that the man is Othello, he advises Brabantio to make the best of the situation, and tells him basically what’s done is done. He tries to make Brabantio  feel better by pointing out that Othello is a good man. When the duke reacts to Brabantio’s annoucement about Desdemona, I would have him be very strong and self-assured, standing close to Brabrantio, maybe even putting an arm around him. Then when Brabantio reveals that the man in question is Othello, the Duke would step away from Brabantio, and his speech would become more hesitant. As he listens to Othello describe what has happened with Desdemona, he would bgin to walk closer to Othello, allying himself with the man by his proximity.

3 . What discrepancy do you see in Othello due to Shakespeare's use of a "double clock"? That is, explain what couldn't have reasonably happened in the time shown.

Sample answer by Stephanie Orr: The problem of the "double clock" is that the time frame of which all these events were to have taken place were not possible unless everyone cloned themselves.  It is impossible for Desdemona to have committed adultery with Cassio if she sailed with Iago and not Cassio.  Cassio did not have the time to develop a relationship with Bianca.  The handkerchief pass-off was a quick "hot potato" game to get in the hands of Bianca.  It is not possible for the news about the destroyed Turkish fleet to reach Venice and messengers to reach Cyprus replacing Othello with Cassio so quickly.  The advantage of the double clock is that events take place so quickly that the emotions keep them all driving in fourth gear.      

4. Explain how the handkerchief gets from Othello's mother to Bianca.

Answer: Othello says his mother gave it to him. Then he gives it to Desdemona. When she drops it, Emilia picks it up and, following her husband’s previous request, gives it to him. He throws through the window of Cassio’s room. Cassio finds it and gives it to Bianca to “take out the work”—that is, to copy the embroidery on the found handkerchief and imitate it on a new handkerchief. She then gives it back to Cassio, unfortunately seen and misinterpreted by Othello.

5. Describe three different techniques that Iago uses to make Othello jealous of Desdemona.

Some answers (many others are possible):

• He hints at Cassio’s guilt and then refuses to give reasons until Othello forces him: “Did Cassio know of Othello’s courtship of Desdemona? Yes? Oh, I didn’t think he did.” He refuses to answer Othello’s questions because he doesn’t want to betray his friend Cassio without real proof.
• He uses Desdemona’s goodness against her. He puts Cassio up to getting Desdemona to plead for him and then, in III.iii, seeing Cassio has done so, he tells Othello to judge her by how strongly she pleads for Cassio.
• Once he gets the strawberry handkerchief, he tells Othello to ask for it and makes sure that Cassio gets it.
• When Othello asks for “ocular proof,” he sets a scene for Othello to misinterpret when he gets Cassio to talk about Bianca, knowing that Othello thinks he’s talking about Desdemona.

6. Name three incidents in which Roderigo's actions influence the course of events.

Answers:

1) He tells Brabantio that Othello and Desdemona have eloped, causing the hearing in the Senate.

2) He starts a fight with Cassio—made drunk by Iago—and the resulting riot gets Cassio fired as Othello’s lieutenant.

3) He attempts to kill Cassio at the end, but is instead killed by Iago, who needs to shut him up about all the money he’s given Iago to seduce Desdemona.