We watched the rest of the film and took notes on the symbolic interpretations of the play. Test on Monday to show that you read the scenes. Write down notes as you can use them on your test. You may not use Spark notes on the test. Only your own interpretations.
Iago serves evil: Sees humans as ugly, jealous, dirty monsters, knows and detests his own weaknesses, has no love of honour or dignity
Othello is corrupted by Iago's perceptions of the world. He does not doubt the handkerchief in Cassio's hand. He believes it is proof of Desdemona's dishonest behaviour and adultery.
Othello believes it is his duty to kill Desdemona and Cassio--to eradicate evil.
He allows his perception of Iago as honest to overcome his view of his wife. Yet, even as he is about to kill her, her sweet kisses almost stop him. When she cries for her life and cries for Cassio's death in this plot, her tears enrage Othello as he imagines she is weeping for her lost love. Appearance and reality is a strong motif throughout the play. Our perceptions shape our world. So her honest tears shed as she realizes that she and Cassio have been betrayed are misinterpreted by Othello and his rage speeds up her death.
Homework: As you read through Act 3, scene 3, look closely at the handkerchief story. Othello and Desdemona view it differently.
Find evidence for the way each character views love from Acts 1, 2, 3, or 4:
Desdemona:
Othello:
Iago:
Emilia:
Spend time reading the text. It is not as hard as you might think. Alter your perception.
Concepts to consider as we read Act 5:
Clearly the world is not black and white. We are not all evil nor all good, right?
Perhaps Desdemona and Othello die because they are TOO good.
Let's think about that as we finalize our study of the play.
Innocence according to the great writer, William Blake, must accompany experience. Innocence without experience is simply ignornace. One has nothing to compare life to.
Othello worked for the good Italians and killed the Turks. Are the Turks evil? No.
But they were the enemy.
In this play, who is the enemy?
Othello hits Desdemona. Emilia says she wishes Desdemona had never seen her and Desdemona defends her husband. Why?
Emilia says that she believes there are unfaithful women in the world but it is their husband's mistreatment that leads women to seek love elsewhere.
Desdemona believes so much in honour that she can't even imagine the deed.
Emilia says she would sleep with someone to make her husband a monarch and yet
at the end of the play she does not obey her husband in order to stand for the injustice of Desdemona's murder.
We have a lot to think about and to discuss.
Read Act 3, scene 4 and all of Act 4 carefully. Look for clues. What happens in the play once Othello makes Iago his lieutenant during the climax of the play, Act 3, Scene 3.
