Seminar Questions for Othello (up through act 4 scene 2)

These are the questions we, as a class, chose to focus on for our up-coming graded discussion. 

For our discussion you need to prepare notes. 

For each question, write down your ideas, page numbers with passages you want to examine, and connections you want to make.  You should write either a lengthy paragraph or a lengthy list of developed items for each question.

Do your prep work on a piece of paper that you can bring to seminar, not as a comment on this blog.

Please note:  if you do not come to class with the prep work completed, you cannot participate in seminar & you will receive a zero for that activity.


QUESTIONS:

1.  What is the root of Iago's evil? Is he a psychopath?  What does the evidence in the play suggest about who he is?   What does Iago really want to happen; does he expect to face repercussions?

2.  Is it possible for Othello to overcome his jealousy? What would make him look past his suspicions? Does Othello have the ability to kill Desdemona--what would prevent/encourage him to do so?

3. Did Othello change his identity completely due to jealousy, or did he always have some darkness, and where did that come from? What outside forces influenced Othello's identity, and how do they affect him; where do we see that influence in the play?


4.  Did Othello ever really truly love Desdemona? What does Desdemona signify to Othello?  Is that true love?


5.  Why would Othello allow Iago to come between him and Desdemona, yet not allow Brabantio to ruin the relationship?


6. . Did Othello sense that Iago wasn't worthy of trust from the beginning; what caused that to change; did it change?


7.  What is Shakespeare's message about evil/corruption?  Where do you see that developed in the details of the play?


8. Is Shakespeare relying on stereotypes to construct his characters, or does he attempt to deconstruct these stereotypes?  Is Shakespeare a racist/misogynist?  Is he trying to be ahead of his time--does he construct plays that cause controversy to further thinking?


9. How are we as an audience being set up to respond to Desdemona's character?  How do the two women (Emilia and Desdemona) reaction to the Othello's abuse?