5.3.1

Key Events

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The ‘Willow’ Scene

This scene is sometimes labelled the ‘Willow’ scene. It is a scene of high tension and pathos. The two wives are forced into a bond of ignorance and passivity, as a contrasting parallel to that between their husbands.

Death song

Death song

It is night and Othello orders Desdemona to go to bed.
She is told to dismiss Emilia and wait for him.
As she is being prepared for bed, Desdemona sings a death song.
Emilia disagrees with Desdemona that adultery could never be justified, but blames men for women’s faults.

Desdemona and Emilia

Desdemona and Emilia

There is a flow of warmth and tenderness between Desdemona and Emilia, which is ironic in many different ways.
Emilia has taken on the dominant role of mother figure (as Iago has ‘father’d’ Othello), soothing, counselling and undressing, while Desdemona, in her white nightdress, is the pious and vulnerable child at bedtime, as well as the virgin sacrifice being prepared.

Gothic atmosphere

Gothic atmosphere

Desdemona thinks she is preparing for love, but is in fact preparing for her death, which is emphasised by the Gothic atmosphere—complete with superstition, a wind and a phantom—knocking on the door.

The tragic song

The tragic song

The tragic Willow song of her mother’s maid, which has prophetic references to the death of a woman caused by the betrayal of a lover, is Desdemona’s swan song.

1

Context

1.1

Introduction

1.1.1Specifications

1.2

Background

1.2.1Shakespeare 1.2.2Love 1.2.3Tragedy 1.2.4Historical Context

1.3

Othello

1.3.1Setting 1.3.2Social Issues

2

Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1

Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure 2.1.2The Exam

2.2

Scene One

2.2.1Key Events 2.2.2Key Themes 2.2.3Key Ideas

2.3

Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events 2.3.2Key Themes 2.3.3Key Ideas

2.4

Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events 2.4.2Key Events 2 2.4.3Key Themes 2.4.4Key Ideas

3

Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1

Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events 3.1.2Key Events 2 3.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy 3.1.4Scene Two: Events

3.2

Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events 3.2.2Key Ideas

4

Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1

Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two 4.1.2Scene Three 4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas 4.1.4Scene Four

5

Act Four

5.1

Scene One

5.1.1Key Events 5.1.2Key Ideas

5.2

Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events 5.2.2Key Ideas

5.3

Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events 5.3.2Key Ideas

6

Act Five

6.1

Scene One

6.1.1Key Events 6.1.2Key Ideas

6.2

Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events 6.2.2Key Ideas

7

Character Profiles

7.1

Major Characters

7.1.1Othello 7.1.2Iago 7.1.3Desdemona 7.1.4Emilia 7.1.5Cassio

7.2

Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio 7.2.2Other Characters

8

Key Themes

8.1

Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love 8.1.2Love 2 8.1.3Tragedy 8.1.4Tragedy 2

8.2

Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private 8.2.2Appearance & Reality

9

Writing Techniques

9.1

Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure 9.1.2Genre 9.1.3Form & Language 9.1.4Language & Imagery

10

Critical Debates

10.1

Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy 10.1.2Traditional 10.1.3Modern & Contemporary

10.2

Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach 10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach 10.2.3Marxist Approach

11

Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1

Specification A

11.1.1Specification A 11.1.2Love Through the Ages

11.2

Specification B

11.2.1Specification B 11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy

12

Issues of Assessment

12.1

The Exams

12.1.1AOs 12.1.2Mark Scheme

Jump to other topics

1

Context

1.1

Introduction

1.1.1Specifications

1.2

Background

1.2.1Shakespeare 1.2.2Love 1.2.3Tragedy 1.2.4Historical Context

1.3

Othello

1.3.1Setting 1.3.2Social Issues

2

Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1

Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure 2.1.2The Exam

2.2

Scene One

2.2.1Key Events 2.2.2Key Themes 2.2.3Key Ideas

2.3

Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events 2.3.2Key Themes 2.3.3Key Ideas

2.4

Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events 2.4.2Key Events 2 2.4.3Key Themes 2.4.4Key Ideas

3

Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1

Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events 3.1.2Key Events 2 3.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy 3.1.4Scene Two: Events

3.2

Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events 3.2.2Key Ideas

4

Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1

Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two 4.1.2Scene Three 4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas 4.1.4Scene Four

5

Act Four

5.1

Scene One

5.1.1Key Events 5.1.2Key Ideas

5.2

Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events 5.2.2Key Ideas

5.3

Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events 5.3.2Key Ideas

6

Act Five

6.1

Scene One

6.1.1Key Events 6.1.2Key Ideas

6.2

Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events 6.2.2Key Ideas

7

Character Profiles

7.1

Major Characters

7.1.1Othello 7.1.2Iago 7.1.3Desdemona 7.1.4Emilia 7.1.5Cassio

7.2

Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio 7.2.2Other Characters

8

Key Themes

8.1

Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love 8.1.2Love 2 8.1.3Tragedy 8.1.4Tragedy 2

8.2

Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private 8.2.2Appearance & Reality

9

Writing Techniques

9.1

Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure 9.1.2Genre 9.1.3Form & Language 9.1.4Language & Imagery

10

Critical Debates

10.1

Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy 10.1.2Traditional 10.1.3Modern & Contemporary

10.2

Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach 10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach 10.2.3Marxist Approach

11

Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1

Specification A

11.1.1Specification A 11.1.2Love Through the Ages

11.2

Specification B

11.2.1Specification B 11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy

12

Issues of Assessment

12.1

The Exams

12.1.1AOs 12.1.2Mark Scheme

Practice questions on Key Events

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1
What is Act Four Scene Three sometimes known as?Multiple choice
2
Events of Act Four Scene ThreePut in order

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Key Ideas

Key Ideas