Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-4-4-key-ideas [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 Ideas # Key Ideas English Lit: AQA A Level Othello, topic 2.4.4 ## Love, Historical Context and Historicism (Act 1, Scene 3) Brabantio suggests that Othello and Desdemona’s 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. ### Othello’s modesty ![Othello’s modesty](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-12/8fdb1b47-979a-4b8c-8a19-739595bd2829/wedding-couple-love-black-white-wedding-marry-ring-.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 an archetypal chivalric yet meaningful and loving courtship. ### Othello's tale ![Othello's tale](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-01/d579b358-9230-42fa-8c53-71a13689e85b/sagittarius-horoscope-.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 explanation ![Othello's explanation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/6c30b4a9-d26f-488c-9a4b-7b88a2fec629/listen-ear-hear.jpg) - Desdemona became infactuated 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’.__ ### The Duke's opinion ![The Duke's opinion](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/6a99a230-6ea0-4732-817f-8ad549d83d04/shutterstock_630916760.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’.__ ### Desdemona ![Desdemona](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-10/4bfec079-9d65-4a69-bd55-8aa7877ebc88/pirate-ship-.jpg) - Desdemona seems to rejects the racism shown to Othello by others as she __‘saw Othello’s visage in his mind’__ and instead fell in love with his __‘valiant parts’__ and status as a warrior. - The Duke is swayed by her argument, and allows them to leave for Cyprus together. ### Iago's cynicism ![Iago's cynicism](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/bccf7706-aadd-4bb6-bcb5-ea440774ba02/shutterstock_566117308.jpg) - Here Iago shows that he is cynical about love. Iago responds to Roderigo saying that he __‘never found a man that knew how to love himself’__ and compares women to __‘guinea-hens’__—men’s best interests should instead be themselves. - His depraved morality is revealed as he sees human nature as characterised by __‘blood and baseness’__, __‘raging motions’__ and __‘carnal stings’__ rather than love. ## Tragedy (Act 1, Scene 3) Dramatic irony permeates the scene as we become increasingly aware of Iago’s anarchic villainy. ### Social norms ![Social norms](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/2.3.1-%20Chemical%20properties/lightning-399853_640-min.jpg) - Desdemona begins her defence by comparing her elopement as __‘downright violence’__ and a __‘storm of fortunes’__ as she has violated social norms to be with Othello. - This also foreshadows the future violence and tempestuous tragic nature of their marriage. ### Brabantio's warning ![Brabantio's warning](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/2acf5459-f97d-4548-9327-9859295a0e2a/police-crime-scene-.jpg) - Brabantio issues a final warning to Othello as Desdemona __‘has deceived her father and may thee’__, suggesting his unruly daughter will make for a promiscuous wife—and also establishing the foundations for Othello’s tortured jealousy later on in the play. ### Iago’s soliloquy ![Iago’s soliloquy](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/696e7d34-a5ce-4430-befb-9d811c7db445/shutterstock_758368624.jpg) - Iago’s soliloquy is central in setting up the later tragedy. - He reveals more of his plot to the audience; he will __‘abuse Othello’s ear’__ and manipulate his __‘free and open nature’__ by __‘hell and night’.__ ### Plot development ![Plot development](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-10/4e2d8006-0db8-4d48-9e85-ca31a6daf776/devil-satan-hell-.jpg) - The audience now becomes almost complicit in Iago’s malevolent scheme and must helplessly witness him now __‘bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light’.__ - Terms such as __‘hell’__ and __‘monstrous birth’__ highlight how terrifying events will become. ## Tragedy (Act 1, Scene 3) This scene begins to establish a growing sense of tragic unease and suspense as we see conflict and tension between private and public matters and gender relations. ### Private and public ![Private and public](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/0aff9e53-e7d3-47b6-942d-944418eebff9/sinking-ship-boat-.jpg) - 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. ### Adjectives ![Adjectives](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/ad804050-9284-4177-8311-bb11c420496b/pinky-swear-329329_1920.jpg) - Shakespeare’s constant use of the adjectives __‘honest’__ and __‘noble’__ in reference to Iago in this scene creates tension throughout as we see his outright lies and manipulations by other characters. ### Motivations ![Motivations](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/87ffde21-97fd-4551-ba97-b47ed350442d/Oath-Swearing-Bible-Book-Hand-.jpg) - Othello sincerely trusts and believes in Iago’s __‘honesty’__, yet Iago shows no remorse or hesitation in abusing this trust. - In his final soliloquy, he seems to suggest another motivation for his hatred of Othello—that he may have slept with Emilia. ### __‘Sport and profit’__ ![__‘Sport and profit’__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/445ab4b0-a69b-4dd6-9d26-3bb7a0f8d99f/plotting-plot-.jpg) - However, no other action or dialogue in the play seems to suggest this, and this cannot compensate our hatred for Iago’s deception and deceit. - Instead, it could be that Iago’s principle motive and logic for wishing to destroy Othello is simply to be evil for his own base __‘sport and profit’.__ ## Test yourself on Key Ideas - What does Iago seem to suggest as a motivation for his hatred of Othello in his final soliloquy? - Which character is seen as __‘honest’__ and __‘noble’__ yet is clearly understood by the audience to be truly wicked? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/eaa5fbae-2db3-4bc1-9205-b0228468355d/section/d10cd27a-9894-41bc-b7f0-40a95d1e780a/session) - Previous topic: [2.4.3 Key Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/othello/2-4-3-key-themes.md) - Next topic: [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) ## 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)