Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-4-1-key-events [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA A Level Othello](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello.md) › Key Events # Key Events English Lit: AQA A Level Othello, topic 2.4.1 ## The Venetian Senate This scene reinforces the link between private and public conflict in this tragedy. ### Events ![Events](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/0fede71e-88bc-415d-926d-389a1427d2bf/shutterstock_784717624.jpg) - Act One Scene Three opens with the Duke and Venetian senators discussing the news of the Turkish threat before Othello’s marriage to Desdemona is formally debated in court. - Othello and Desdemona both explain their courtship, which is accepted by the Duke; they both leave for Cyprus before Roderigo and Iago further cement their scheme to destroy Othello’s marriage and Cassio’s reputation. ### Military conflict ![Military conflict](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/biology/2.4.1/knight-3002031_640-min.jpg) - As the scene opens amongst a tactical discussion between the Duke and senators, it emphasises the public and military conflict between Turkey and Cyprus as well as Venice’s defensive role in this. ### Importance of Cyprus ![Importance of Cyprus](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/a4953a66-4922-40a1-a1d6-1be56c2cbe74/cotton-plant.jpg) - In the sixteenth century, Venice valued Cyprus as a colonial outpost as a source of sugar and cotton, hence its wish to protect it for commercial reasons. ### Private and public conflict ![Private and public conflict](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/4f6d45f9-c6f9-498d-a04b-95c050b90ed0/bear.jpg) - The news that the Turks bear __‘purposes towards Cyprus’__ creates a sense of immediacy and urgency running parallel to Othello’s private strife. - The reference a Senator makes to the Turks’ attempted trickery to convince Venice they had set sail for Rhodes instead of Cyprus as a __‘pageant / To keep us in false gaze’__ links to the fraudulence of Iago against Othello, reasserting the link between private and public conflict in this tragedy. ## Othello’s Love Story The Duke and senators greet Othello as __‘valiant Othello’__, but this is interrupted quickly by Brabantio’s __‘grief’__ that __‘engluts and swallows other sorrows’.__ ### Othello's tale ![Othello's tale](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-10/519aa5da-7118-4cae-b86f-c5a5a8406b8b/love-heart-.jpg) - Othello’s impassioned, dignified and eloquent plea to his __‘most potent, grave, and reverend signiors’__ to allow himself to explain suggests modesty as he concedes he is __‘rude’__ in his __‘speech’__ and __‘little bless’d with the soft phrase of peace’.__ - However, he promises that he will try to tell an __‘unvarnish’d tale’__ of the __‘whole course of love’__, framing his and Desdemona’s relationship as a archetypal chivalric yet meaningful and loving courtship. ### Brabantio's retort ![Brabantio's retort](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/1855314d-16cc-4c0f-ab80-cd0f7102ac96/Love-Puzzle-Heart.jpg) - Brabantio dismisses Othello’s claims as __‘against all rules of nature’__ and __‘cunning hell’__. - He emphasises yet again that the love must be due to __‘some dram conjur’d’__ as Desdemona is but an innocent and vulnerable __‘maiden never bold’__. - He suggests that their marriage is mismatched due to Desdemona’s youth, that she is from an entirely different culture, and her supposed fear of men that look like Othello (__'what she feared to look on'__). ### Othello's defence ![Othello's defence](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-10/4bfec079-9d65-4a69-bd55-8aa7877ebc88/pirate-ship-.jpg) - Othello asks to __‘send for the lady to the Sagittary’__ so that she may speak for herself. - Before this, he tells his own tale, which presents their love as sprung from tales of exotic adventures – __‘the battles, sieges, fortunes’__ and of the __‘Anthropophagi’__ – which Othello has valiantly experienced. ### Othello's love ![Othello's love](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/6c30b4a9-d26f-488c-9a4b-7b88a2fec629/listen-ear-hear.jpg) - Desdemona became infatuated with him on her own accord as she listened with ‘greedy ear’ and would __‘devour up’__ his stories. - He summarises their love: __‘She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them’__, cleverly subverting Brabantio’s accusations by suggesting __‘this is the only witchcraft I have used’__. ### Impressing the Duke ![Impressing the Duke](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/7.2.2%20Alcohols%20and%20Carboxylic%20acids/soldier-294475_640-min.jpg) - Othello appears here as an eloquent, heroic soldier rather than malevolent abuser that Brabantio would have us to believe, and the Duke seems greatly impressed by this tale. - He thinks it would __‘win’__ his __‘daughter too’.__ ## Test yourself on Key Events - Events of Act One Scene Three - How does Othello refer to Desdemona when asking the Duke if he may send for her so that she may tell her own tale? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/eaa5fbae-2db3-4bc1-9205-b0228468355d/section/0e1e29d4-f55c-45e9-8846-d39163d09551/session) - Previous topic: [2.3.3 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-3-3-key-ideas.md) - Next topic: [2.4.2 Key Events 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-4-2-key-events-2.md) ## English Lit: AQA A Level Othello contents ### 1 Context - 1.1 Introduction - [1.1.1 Specifications](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/1-1-1-specifications.md) - 1.2 Background - [1.2.1 Shakespeare](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/1-2-1-shakespeare.md) - [1.2.2 Love](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/1-2-2-love.md) - [1.2.3 Tragedy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/1-2-3-tragedy.md) - [1.2.4 Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/1-2-4-historical-context.md) - 1.3 Othello - [1.3.1 Setting](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/1-3-1-setting.md) - [1.3.2 Social Issues](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/1-3-2-social-issues.md) ### 2 Act One: Summaries & Themes - 2.1 Act and Scene Summaries - [2.1.1 Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-1-1-structure.md) - [2.1.2 The Exam](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-1-2-the-exam.md) - 2.2 Scene One - [2.2.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-2-1-key-events.md) - [2.2.2 Key Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-2-2-key-themes.md) - [2.2.3 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-2-3-key-ideas.md) - 2.3 Scene Two - [2.3.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-3-1-key-events.md) - [2.3.2 Key Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-3-2-key-themes.md) - [2.3.3 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-3-3-key-ideas.md) - 2.4 Scene Three - [2.4.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-4-1-key-events.md) - [2.4.2 Key Events 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-4-2-key-events-2.md) - [2.4.3 Key Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-4-3-key-themes.md) - [2.4.4 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-4-4-key-ideas.md) ### 3 Act Two: Summaries & Themes - 3.1 Scene One & Two - [3.1.1 Scene One: Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/3-1-1-scene-one-events.md) - [3.1.2 Key Events 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/3-1-2-key-events-2.md) - [3.1.3 Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/3-1-3-key-ideas-love-and-tragedy.md) - [3.1.4 Scene Two: Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/3-1-4-scene-two-events.md) - 3.2 Scene Three - [3.2.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/3-2-1-key-events.md) - [3.2.2 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/3-2-2-key-ideas.md) ### 4 Act Three: Summaries & Themes - 4.1 Key Events - [4.1.1 Scene One & Two](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/4-1-1-scene-one-and-two.md) - [4.1.2 Scene Three](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/4-1-2-scene-three.md) - [4.1.3 Scene Three: Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/4-1-3-scene-three-key-ideas.md) - [4.1.4 Scene Four](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/4-1-4-scene-four.md) ### 5 Act Four - 5.1 Scene One - [5.1.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/5-1-1-key-events.md) - [5.1.2 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/5-1-2-key-ideas.md) - 5.2 Scene Two - [5.2.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/5-2-1-key-events.md) - [5.2.2 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/5-2-2-key-ideas.md) - 5.3 Scene Three - [5.3.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/5-3-1-key-events.md) - [5.3.2 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/5-3-2-key-ideas.md) ### 6 Act Five - 6.1 Scene One - [6.1.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/6-1-1-key-events.md) - [6.1.2 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/6-1-2-key-ideas.md) - 6.2 Scene Two - [6.2.1 Key Events](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/6-2-1-key-events.md) - [6.2.2 Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/6-2-2-key-ideas.md) ### 7 Character Profiles - 7.1 Major Characters - [7.1.1 Othello](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/7-1-1-othello.md) - [7.1.2 Iago](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/7-1-2-iago.md) - [7.1.3 Desdemona](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/7-1-3-desdemona.md) - [7.1.4 Emilia](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/7-1-4-emilia.md) - [7.1.5 Cassio](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/7-1-5-cassio.md) - 7.2 Minor Characters - [7.2.1 Roderigo & Brabantio](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/7-2-1-roderigo-and-brabantio.md) - [7.2.2 Other Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/7-2-2-other-characters.md) ### 8 Key Themes - 8.1 Love & Tragedy - [8.1.1 Love](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/8-1-1-love.md) - [8.1.2 Love 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/8-1-2-love-2.md) - [8.1.3 Tragedy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/8-1-3-tragedy.md) - [8.1.4 Tragedy 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/8-1-4-tragedy-2.md) - 8.2 Other Key Themes - [8.2.1 Public versus Private](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/8-2-1-public-versus-private.md) - [8.2.2 Appearance & Reality](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/8-2-2-appearance-and-reality.md) ### 9 Writing Techniques - 9.1 Writing Techniques - [9.1.1 Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/9-1-1-structure.md) - [9.1.2 Genre](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/9-1-2-genre.md) - [9.1.3 Form & Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/9-1-3-form-and-language.md) - [9.1.4 Language & Imagery](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/9-1-4-language-and-imagery.md) ### 10 Critical Debates - 10.1 Criticism & Performance - [10.1.1 Shakespeare's Legacy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/10-1-1-shakespeares-legacy.md) - [10.1.2 Traditional](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/10-1-2-traditional.md) - [10.1.3 Modern & Contemporary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/10-1-3-modern-and-contemporary.md) - 10.2 Approaches - [10.2.1 Feminist Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/10-2-1-feminist-approach.md) - [10.2.2 Psychoanalytic Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/10-2-2-psychoanalytic-approach.md) - [10.2.3 Marxist Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/10-2-3-marxist-approach.md) ### 11 Approaching AQA English Literature - 11.1 Specification A - [11.1.1 Specification A](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/11-1-1-specification-a.md) - [11.1.2 Love Through the Ages](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/11-1-2-love-through-the-ages.md) - 11.2 Specification B - [11.2.1 Specification B](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/11-2-1-specification-b.md) - [11.2.2 Aspects of Tragedy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/11-2-2-aspects-of-tragedy.md) ### 12 Issues of Assessment - 12.1 The Exams - [12.1.1 AOs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/12-1-1-aos.md) - [12.1.2 Mark Scheme](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/12-1-2-mark-scheme.md)