Key Ideas

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Love, Historical Context and Historicism (Act 4, Scene 3)

The Willow Song becomes a motif of both Desdemona’s true love for Othello, as well as a lament for her life.

Gender politics

Desdemona and Emilia discuss gender politics and marriage and their respective social positions and life experiences shape their beliefs.

Obedience

Even at this stage after what he has done to her, Desdemona is still forced to obey her husband in matters of love.

Dramatic irony

The key dramatic irony here is that although the handkerchief is lost, Desdemona still loves Othello.

The Willow Song

The Willow Song becomes a motif of both Desdemona’s true love for Othello, as well as a lament for her life.

Tragedy (Act 4, Scene 3)

Structurally, the scene acts as a brief pause before the structural climax of the play that comes in Act Five.

Death Song

The fact that Desdemona is singing a Death Song is of course, ominous, and it predicts her forthcoming fate.

Mothering

There is an interesting axis here of Emilia mothering Desdemona before her tragic death, as well as Iago fathering Othello before his fate.

Prophetic references

Prophetic references of the type alluded to here often refer to portents of death and suffering.
This obviously is purposeful on Shakespeare’s part considering what is about to happen in the climax of the play.

Persecutor

What makes the scene especially tragic is that Othello has now taken on the role of a persecutor instead of lover.
He has conducted an inquisition and now will enact his judgement.
In this sense, he is acting in a ‘God-like’ manner.

Pause

Structurally, the scene acts as a brief pause before the structural climax of the play that comes in Act 5.

1Context

1.1Introduction

1.1.1Specifications

1.2Background

1.2.1Shakespeare

1.2.2Love

1.2.3Tragedy

1.2.4Historical Context

1.3Othello

1.3.1Setting

1.3.2Social Issues

2Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure

2.1.2The Exam

2.2Scene One

2.2.1Key Events

2.2.2Key Themes

2.2.3Key Ideas

2.3Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events

2.3.2Key Themes

2.3.3Key Ideas

2.4Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events

2.4.2Key Events 2

2.4.3Key Themes

2.4.4Key Ideas

3Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events

3.1.2Key Events 2

3.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy

3.1.4Scene Two: Events

3.2Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events

3.2.2Key Ideas

4Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two

4.1.2Scene Three

4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas

4.1.4Scene Four

5Act Four

5.1Scene One

5.1.1Key Events

5.1.2Key Ideas

5.2Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events

5.2.2Key Ideas

5.3Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events

5.3.2Key Ideas

6Act Five

6.1Scene One

6.1.1Key Events

6.1.2Key Ideas

6.2Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events

6.2.2Key Ideas

7Character Profiles

7.1Major Characters

7.1.1Othello

7.1.2Iago

7.1.3Desdemona

7.1.4Emilia

7.1.5Cassio

7.2Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio

7.2.2Other Characters

8Key Themes

8.1Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love

8.1.2Love 2

8.1.3Tragedy

8.1.4Tragedy 2

8.2Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private

8.2.2Appearance & Reality

9Writing Techniques

9.1Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure

9.1.2Genre

9.1.3Form & Language

9.1.4Language & Imagery

10Critical Debates

10.1Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy

10.1.2Traditional

10.1.3Modern & Contemporary

10.2Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach

10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach

10.2.3Marxist Approach

11Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1Specification A

11.1.1Specification A

11.1.2Love Through the Ages

11.2Specification B

11.2.1Specification B

11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy

12Issues of Assessment

12.1The Exams

12.1.1AOs

12.1.2Mark Scheme

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