Act+-+Jennie+and+Sally

Othello


=__Act I, scene i __=

//In following him I follow but myself; // //Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, // //But seeming so for my peculiar end. //

Othello begins on a street in Venice, in the midst of an argument between Roderigo and Iago. The rich Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him in his suit to Desdemona, but he has seen no progress, and he has just learned that Desdemona has married Othello, a general whom Iago serves as ensign. Iago reassures Roderigo that he hates Othello. Chief among Iago's reasons for this hatred is Othello's recent promotion of Michael Cassio to the post of lieutenant. In spite of Iago's service in battle and the recommendation of three "great ones" of the city, Othello chose to give the position to a man with no experience leading men in battle. As he waits for an opportunity to further his own self-interest, Iago only pretends to serve Othello.  Iago advises Roderigo to spoil some of Othello's pleasure in his marriage by rousing Desdemona's family against the general. The two men come to the street outside the house of Desdemona's father, Brabanzio, and cry out that he has been robbed by "thieves." Brabanzio, who is a Venetian senator, comes to the window. At first, he doesn't believe what he hears, because he has told Roderigo to stay away from his daughter before and thinks Roderigo is merely scheming once again in order to see Desdemona. Iago speaks in inflammatory terms, vulgarly telling the senator that his daughter and Othello are having sex by saying that they are "making the beast with two backs" (I.i.118). Brabanzio begins to take what he hears seriously and decides to search for his daughter. Seeing the success of his plan, Iago leaves Roderigo alone and goes to attend on Othello. Like Brabanzio, Othello has no idea of Iago's role in Roderigo's accusations. As Iago departs, Brabanzio comes out of his house, furious that his daughter has left him. Declaring that his daughter has been stolen from him by magic "charms," Brabanzio and his men follow Roderigo to Othello.

 __**Act I, scene ii**__  Iago arrives at Othello's lodgings, where he warns the general that Brabanzio will not hesitate to attempt to force a divorce between Othello and Desdemona. Othello sees a party of men approaching, and Iago, thinking that Brabanzio and his followers have arrived, counsels Othello to retreat indoors. Othello stands his ground, but the party turns out to be Cassio and officers from the Venetian court. They bring Othello the message that he is wanted by the duke of Venice about a matter concerning Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea controlled by Venice. As Cassio and his men prepare to leave, Iago mentions that Othello is married, but before he can say any more, Brabanzio, Roderigo, and Brabanzio's men arrive to accost Othello. Brabanzio orders his men to attack and subdue Othello. A struggle between Brabanzio's and Othello's followers seems imminent, but Othello brings the confrontation to a halt by calmly and authoritatively telling both sides to put up their swords. Hearing that the duke has summoned Othello to the court, Brabanzio decides to bring his cause before the duke himself.

__**Act I, scene iii **__  //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">But here's my husband, // //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">And so much duty as my mother showed // //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">To you, preferring you before your father, // //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">So much I challenge that I may profess // //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Due to the Moor my lord //

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Duke's meeting with his senators about the imminent Turkish invasion of Cyprus takes an unexpected turn when a sailor arrives and announces that the Turks seem to have turned toward Rhodes, another island controlled by Venice. One of the senators guesses that the Turks' change of course is intended to mislead the Venetians, because Cyprus<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> is more important to the Turks and far more vulnerable than Rhodes<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">. This guess proves to be correct, as another messenger arrives to report that the Turks have joined with more forces and are heading back toward Cyprus<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> This military meeting is interrupted by the arrival of Brabanzio, Othello, Cassio, Iago, Roderigo, and officers. Brabanzio demands that all state business be put aside to address his own grievance—his daughter has been stolen from him by spells and potions purchased from charlatans. The duke is initially eager to take Brabanzio's side, but he becomes more skeptical when he learns that Othello is the man accused. The duke gives Othello the chance to speak for himself. Othello admits that he married Desdemona, but he denies having used magic to woo her and claims that Desdemona will support his story. He explains that Brabanzio frequently invited him to his house and questioned him about his remarkable life story, full of harrowing battles, travels outside the civilized world, and dramatic reversals of fortune. Desdemona overheard parts of the story and found a convenient time to ask Othello to retell it to her. Desdemona was moved to love Othello by his story. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> The duke is persuaded by Othello's tale, dismissing Brabanzio's claim by remarking that the story probably would win his own daughter. Desdemona enters, and Brabanzio asks her to tell those present to whom she owes the most obedience. Brabanzio clearly expects her to say her father. Desdemona, however, confirms that she married Othello of her own free will and that, like her own mother before her, she must shift her primary loyalty from father to husband. Brabanzio reluctantly resigns himself to her decision and allows the court to return to state affairs. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> The duke decides that Othello must go to Cyprus<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> to defend the island from the Turks. Othello is willing and ready to go, and he asks that appropriate accommodations be provided for his wife. The duke suggests that she stay with her father, but neither Desdemona nor Brabanzio nor Othello will accept this, and Desdemona asks to be allowed to go with Othello. The couple then leaves to prepare for the night's voyage. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> The stage is cleared, leaving only Roderigo and Iago. Once again, Roderigo feels that his hopes of winning Desdemona have been dashed, but Iago insists that all will be well. Iago mocks Roderigo for threatening to drown himself, and Roderigo protests that he can't help being tormented by love. Iago contradicts him, asserting that people can choose at will what they want to be. "Put but money in thy purse," Iago tells Roderigo repeatedly in the paragraph that spans lines 329–351, urging him to follow to him Cyprus<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">. Iago promises to work everything out from there. When Roderigo leaves, Iago delivers his first soliloquy, declaring his hatred for Othello and his suspicion that Othello has slept with his wife, Emilia. He lays out his plan to cheat Roderigo out of his money, to convince Othello that Cassio has slept with Desdemona, and to use Othello's honest and unsuspecting nature to bring him to his demise.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> __**Focusing questions**__ ** Act I, Scene1 ** In Act I, scene 1 why does Iago say he hates Othello? What are all the charges he makes against the general? Why is the speech by Iago, lines 38 – 62, important in explaining what happens later? Why should Roderigo pay particular attention to Iago’s speech? In Act I, scene 1, what is Iago’s master plot to annoy Othello and Desdamona? How do you think this will end? Find all the references in I, 1 of Othello as a devil. Find Iago’s use of “taboo words.” Explain the contrast in the way Iago speaks to Brabantio and the way Roderigo speaks to him. How does Brabantio’s attitude toward Roderigo change in the course of this scene? What is Brabantio’s explanation of why his daughter has run off with Othello? Why does this scene begin in the middle of a conversation? ** Act I, Scene 2 ** Who does Iago tell Othello badmouthed him to Brabantio? Everyone says Othello is lucky to wed the daughter of the rich Brabantio, except Othello. Why is he not impressed? List all of the negative comments or words Brabantio uses to describe Othello. does Othello react to the provocation of Brabantio’s attack? Find five places in I, 2 where Othello exercises authority. ** Act I, Scene 3 ** At the beginning of I, 3 what do the duke and the council of Venice determine the Turks’ military objective to be? How does this relate to what happens later? What is effective in Othello’s first speech of justification (lines 76 – 94)? Explain how the relationship between Othello and Desdamona began. Who first initiated the idea of love? How do we know Othello’s second speech of justification (lines 127 – 169) was effective? In this scene what does Desdamona tell us attracted her to Othello? What attracted her to him? How does Desdamona argue that she should be allowed to accompany her husband to Cyprus? What assurances does Othello offer the Council that he will take care of business, even if his wife is with him? Find all Iago’s uses of the word “love” in this scene. What’s unusual about them? How does Iago manipulate Roderigo in the lines 329 – 370? What is the “real reason” Iago hates Othello? Why is Cassio a particularly handy scapegoat for Iago’s plot?

__**Other resources**__ media type="custom" key="7335565"
 * Pre Reading Othello Act 1 **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. In order for students to understand the subtleties of the play, they should understand something about the culture about which it was written and in which it was produced. Put students into groups of three to do mini-research projects, primarily from encyclopedias and specialized reference texts. A quick turn around time, 24 to 48 hours, will keep students from bogging down in this preliminary activity and allow them to focus on the play itself. Students can report orally on the material they gather. The topics should all originate from the play. One topic per group


 * Who were the Moors?


 * Who were the Venetians?


 * How were the Moors/Venetians regarded in Shakespeare's day?


 * What were the military duties of ranked officers?


 * What was the military hierarchy?


 * What was the role of women?


 * What was expected of a daughter?


 * What was expected of a bride?


 * What relationships between men and women were considered above reproach?


 * What rules for getting married existed at the time of the play?


 * What were the rules of courtship?

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. Teacher divides students into pairs, each pair takes one to two pages from the text (depending on class size) and reads their passage, pair discusses what is happening and their understanding of their extract and forms a presentation for the class. The pairs present their passage to the class in chronological order so they have an overview of the passage.


 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">During reading **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. The groups the students were placed in to research the different elements of Venetian society are separated. They are now put into separate groups so that there are three groups, each group should have one person for each topic. That person recaps what they learnt about their topic. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 2. Teacher places YouTube clip of 1995 version of Othello of ACT 1 students watch through to get themes and ideas of the hole Act <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Act 1 scene’s 1-2 [] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Scene 3 []

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 3. Separate class into groups of four each group is to look closely at one element of the video <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> - Colour <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Sound effects <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Shot <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Lighting <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Appearance and costume <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">4. Students now watch the video clips again with their prescribed element in mind, once they have watched the clips students discuss what they noticed within their group, then report back to class.


 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Post Reading **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Class is divided into groups each group takes a character the characters to choose from are <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Desdemona <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Othello <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Iago <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Brabanzio <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Rodrigo <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- The Duke

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. Each group decides on questions based around predictions, the characters feelings and opinions, and what has happened. Each group must come up with at least 3 questions for each character. They have 20 minutes to discuss their character and use the text to gain a good understanding. The group then sits at the front of the class and is asked the questions by entire class. Group are allowed one minute (timed using a sand timer) to discuss their answer to the question. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 3. Create a group twitter account for character your group studied. Each group must create three tweets <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- One based around how your character is feeling at the end of this scene <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- One based around the events that have occurred in this scene <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- The last based around your characters prediction ( you must mention the name and fate of another character)