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Literature and Language Arts
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British |
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| 8-12 class days |
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| reading literary texts
critical analysis
literary interpretation
historical interpretation
drawing inferences and comparisons
Internet skills
speech and performance |
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| Date Created: 06/26/02 |
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Date Posted |
| 6/26/2002 |
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Shakespeare's Othello and the Power of Language
I am not
what I am -Iago to Rodrigo (Othello
1.1.65) IntroductionDespite
the truth of Iago's confession to Rodrigo that he is not what he appears to be,
his gullible sidekick continues to trust this two-faced "confidante" who swears
"by Janus," and who sows doubt, destruction and despair in the paths of
all he encounters. How? How is Iago able to convince one and all that he is, as
he is constantly called, "honest Iago"? Much
of the answer must lie in Iago's skillful manipulation of rhetorical skills. A
puppeteer of the psyche, Iago pulls the strings of those who should know better
with a battery of verbal weapons. In his soliloquies and dialogues he reveals
himself to the audience to be a master of connotative and metaphoric language,
inflammatory imagery, emotional appeals, well-placed silences, dubious hesitations,
leading questions, meaningful repetition, and sly hints. Indeed, Iago is so good
at lying that he is able to convince even himself that he has the soundest of
reasons to destroy Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio. Iago's
convincing rhetoric clearly reveals what a powerful-and dangerous-tool language
can be, especially when used by the eloquent, but unscrupulous, individual. In
this lesson, students explore the basis of Iago's persuasive power by analyzing
his astonishing command of rhetoric and figurative language. The diverse set of
activities below include short group performances, writing exercises, and the
guided use of online dictionaries and concordances to study Shakespeare's language.
Guiding Question:How does Iago use
language to deceive others? How does Iago convince Othello that Cassio is a drunk,
disloyal soldier, or that Desdemona is a cunning whore? Why does Iago use his
rhetoric and acting skills to destroy others? What drives him? Who and what is
Iago? Learning Objectives- Read
closely and analyze Iago's rhetoric in specific monologues and dialogues with
other characters
- Study what Iago says (his word choice) and how he says
it (his superb acting), as well as what he refrains from saying (the silence that
spurs his listeners on to imagining the worst or to realizing the worst about
themselves).
- Learn some basic rhetorical terms
- Discover the
sometimes dangerous power of language
Preparing to Teach
this Lesson- Shakespeare's works online: Standard online editions
of most of Shakespeare's works, including Othello, are available from the
MIT Shakespeare Homepage, a link on the EDSITEment-reviewed Mr.
Shakespeare and the Internet. (All links in this lesson to the text of the
play are to the MIT edition.)
- Iago's mastery of rhetoric: So they can
more fully appreciate Iago's rhetorical skill, students should be introduced to
(or reminded about) rhetoric and rhetorical devices before jumping immediately
into the play. The EDSITEment-reviewed Silva
Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric offers useful definitions and examples
of all the following terms:
appeals to reason, emotions, and character (logos,
pathos, ethos) metaphor intimation repetition (of specific words
and ideas) Other terms, not mentioned on this website but also useful for
the study of Othello, include image, connotative language, and leading
questions.
By giving their attention to Iago's rhetorical skills,
students will see how he uses language to create a convincing, albeit deceptive,
identity for himself; Iago also creates equally untrue identities for others,
resulting in a fateful-if not fatal-outcome for all concerned. One strategy for helping
students to focus on the details of Iago's language would be to provide them with
a handout of the key rhetorical terms to be used throughout the reading of Othello.
Or, if the technology is available at your school, you could display Silva
Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric via computer and LCD projector to the class
(with the webpage displayed, just click on the words that the students will need
to know).
- Othello as a stranger in a strange land: In order
to understand how and why Iago's rhetoric might work so effectively against Othello,
students should also be made aware of the powerful general's vulnerability: he
is a Moor in an alien society, first in the city of Venice and then on the isle
of Cyprus. In short, Othello is an "other," and the fact that he is a Moor surrounded
by Italians and Cypriots only emphasizes his difference.
But what
is a Moor and what did it mean to be a Moor in Shakespeare's time? In helping
the students answer these questions, the teacher could refer to three websites:
1. A remarkable resource maintained by the University of Toronto,
the Early Modern
English Dictionary Database (EMEDD) makes accessible the contents of dictionaries,
glossaries, grammars, and encyclopedias published in England from 1500 to 1660.
EMEDD is a link on the EDSITEment-reviewed Mr.Shakespeare
and the Internet. 2. Internet
Public Library, an EDSITEment reviewed site, offers a host of modern dictionaries
for reference. 3. Teaching
Shakespeare, an EDSITEment reviewed site produced by the Folger Shakespeare
Library, offers an extensive archive of lesson plans on Othello. On the
Teaching Shakespeare site, see especially a
lesson plan entitled "Othello's
Predecessors: Moors in Renaissance Popular Literature"; rather than defining
"Moor" in a simple or straightforward manner, this lesson offers teachers and
students an opportunity to consider the Renaissance view of Moors as found in
dramas by Shakespeare's contemporaries, George Peele (The Battle of Alcazar)
and Thomas Dekker (Lust's Dominion, or the Lascivious Queen). The Folger
lesson plan also offers a historical view of Moors by Leo Africanus in his The
History and Description of Africa. For other definitions of "Moor"
contemporary with Shakespeare, one's best bet is to go first to the EMEDD,
where one discovers a whole host of definitions from 1550-1598. Among these definitions
is the following: "a blacke Moore, or man of Ethiope…a Moore or blackeman, and
it signifieth also the mulberie tree." A useful follow up to the EMEDD comes from
the Internet Public Library's American Heritage
Dictionary, which offers the narrower modern definition of "Moor" as "1. a
member of a Muslim people of mixed Berber and Arab descent, now living chiefly
in northwest Africa. 2. One of the Muslims who invaded Spain in the 8th century and
established a civilization in Andalusia that lasted until the late 15th century."
- Lastly, students should be introduced to the Roman god
Janus. It is the image of Janus that Shakespeare clearly associates with Iago
to emphasize and cast a negative slant on Iago's "two-faced" speech. Bulfinch's
Mythology, a link on the Internet Public Library, contains both an explication
and illustration of Janus (go to the page on Roman
Divinities and find the entry for Janus). The visual aid should help students
better understand Iago as a man who speaks from two sides of his face; or as a
student once commented, with a "forked tongue." Further materials
related to Janus, including images, can be located on the EDSITEment-reviewed
resource, Perseus Project.
Suggested
Activities
1. Act I, scene 1, lines 86-91,
108-112 In-Class acting and discussion of Othello - Before introducing
this activity, download and copy the worksheet,
"Zounds, sir, you're robbed," available here as a pdf file. This worksheet
will be used by student groups to complete an analysis of Iago's language in the
first scene of the play.
- For the two cited passages from Act
1, scene 1, students will analyze Iago's description of Desdemona's flight
with Othello to her unknowing father, Brabantio. Have 3 students enact and read
aloud the roles of Roderigo, Iago, and Brabantio. Divide the rest of the class
into 2 groups. As the scene is acted and read aloud, group 1 should make a list
of the metaphors and images that Iago associates with Othello and Desdemona. This
group should also characterize these images. Group 2 should determine what rhetorical
appeals are used here and why.
- When the actors have completed their readings,
have group 1 use the worksheet 1,
"Zounds, sir, you're robbed," to list the metaphors that Iago uses to describe
Othello and Desdemona. As a class, discuss the images and ask, "what makes them
so offensive-especially to the father of the daughter being described?" Why doesn't
Iago just say, "Desdemona has married the noble general, Othello"? Furthermore,
how does Iago characterize Desdemona's and Othello's relationship? Through his
eyes, is their relationship one of love or lust? And how would this point of view
affect Brabantio, a proud father of a much-cherished daughter? Group 2 should
then state what rhetorical appeals Iago makes to Brabantio. Does Iago use appeals
of pathos, ethos, or logos? Which lines show these appeals? The entire class should
discuss what psychological effects Iago's words have on Brabantio.
- Conclude
the class by asking the students how they view Iago, Desdemona, Othello, and Brabantio
as based on what they have read and discussed.
2. Four key passages: 1.1.41-65; I.i.8-33; I.3.368-386; 2.1.268-294 "Knavery's
plain face is never seen till used." Either
as an in-class exercise or as homework, you can ask students to examine Iago's
speech to Roderigo (1.1.
41-65) for what he says about himself and how he describes himself. Students
should translate and rewrite what Iago says into modern English. Also,
ask students to examine and write down Iago's reasons for wishing to appear false
to Othello (see especially 1.1.8-33;
I.3.368-386;
and 2.1.268-294).
What are the reasons? Is there any evidence for these reasons? If not, how does
Iago use words to convince himself that he is completely justified in destroying
Othello? That is, does Iago use any rhetorical devices to convince himself that
he is in the right? Students' written work
can form the basis for the next class discussion. 3.
Act 1, scene 3, lines 381-82 "The Moor is of a free and open nature, / That thinks
men honest that but seem to be so." - This
activity involves research and written class work for 4 groups of students. Before
dividing students into groups, initiate a class discussion with the following
observation and question: The characters in the play refer to Iago as "honest."
What do we mean today when we say someone is honest?
- After a discussion
of what "honest" means in today's society, divide the students up into four groups.
Each group must answer in writing the following question: What did it mean to
be "honest" in Shakespeare's time? The groups will consult the Early
Modern English Dictionary Database to find the meaning(s) of "honest." (Hint:
the word may have a different meaning for a man and for a woman.)
- Each
group should also be assigned to trace one character's "honesty" throughout the
play. For example, one group should have Iago, another Othello, another Cassio,
and still another Desdemona. They should then use the The Plays of William Shakespeare, a link on Mr.
Shakespeare and the Internet, to see how many times the word "honest" appears,
and how many times it appears in regard to their character's name. The students
in each group should take careful notes of their findings not only because they
will be expected to share their findings with the rest of the class, but also
because at the play's end they may write a short essay on the honesty of their
group's character (see Suggested
Activity 7, below).
4. Act III,
scene 3, 92: "Chaos is come again" Act III, scene 3, 93-280: Iago preys upon Othello,
- Either as an in-class exercise or as a homework assignment,
students can use worksheet 2, "Chaos
is Come Again," to keep a running count of the number of times Iago uses repetition,
leading questions, hesitation, intimation, and rhetorical appeals to unsettle
Othello's mind in 3.3.93-280.
For each device, students should note the effect it is having on Othello's state
of mind.
- In class, the teacher should focus on Iago's introduction
of the words "jealousy," "cuckold" and "monster" into his rhetoric. It would be
useful for the teacher to find the definitions of these words in the Early
Modern English Dictionary Database and to share the definitions with the students
either through a handout or by a computer/LCD hook up. It would also be interesting
for the teacher to run a concordance search for the number of times the above
words are used in the play and who says them.
After
sharing the definitions of "jealousy," "cuckold," and "monster" with the class,
and after noting their prevalence in the play, begin discussion with the following
questions: How do these words affect a man such as Othello? Does Iago use other
words that would also alarm him? 5. Act
III, scene 3, line 452: "O, blood, blood, blood!" Act III, scene 3, lines 338-480:
The effect of Iago's rhetoric on Othello Act IV, scene 1, line 19-45: driving
Othello to madness In-class work with
Handout Use the worksheet 3, "O,
blood, blood, blood!", in class for student groups. Each group should use
the sheet to record their responses to the following questions: In
3.3.338-480,
which lines show that Othello is still a rational human being, but one torn by
doubt? Which lines show that Othello has turned into the "green-eyed monster"
of which Iago told him?
In 3.3.338-480,
identify the rhetorical devices that Iago uses to make sure that Othello is ensnared
in his web of deceit.
In 3.3.338-480,
identify also Othello's weaknesses that allow him to fall for Iago's evil persuasion.
In 4.1.19-45,
what are the hypothetical situations Iago imagines between a woman and a man (namely
Desdemona and Cassio)? What images does Iago use to torment Othello? Which of
Othello's many insecurities do these images affect? What is the result of Iago's
language?
6. Act V,
scene 2, line 300: "Demand me nothing; what you know, you know" Act V, scene 2,
line 337-338: "When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,/ Speak of me as I am"
(V, 2,) Act V, scene 2, lines 296-301 and 334-352: From silence to valedictory-Othello
recovers himself and his speech.. At the end
of the play Iago discovers that even his verbal sparring cannot save him, he resorts
to silence: "Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth
I never will speak word" (V, 2, 302-303). Ironically, it is his refusal to
speak that inevitably enmeshes him in his own web of deceit; it is his silence
that elicits Othello's tragic recognition of his crime and of what he has become.
Indeed, in terms of eloquence, Othello-not Iago—has the final word. In
class, reread the passages cited above. Why does Iago choose silence in lines
296-301? Does Othello's final speech redeem him? Examine the speech for the metaphors
and images he uses. To what extent has Othello become a tragic hero? 7.
Pulling it all together-the Written and the Spoken Word. Students
shall have a choice of doing one of two things: either writing and performing
a persuasive speech OR writing an essay in which persuasive technique in the play
is analyzed. - Capstone Assignment #1: Two Speech Ideas
- The
"Two-faced" Speech. This speech requires that three students and the rest
of the class to work together. One will play "Iago 1" (the persuasive Iago), in
an imagined scene wherein he tries to convince his wife, Emilia, to give him Desdemona's
handkerchief. The other student will play "Iago 2" (the truth-teller). The third
student will play Emilia, and the rest of the class will play the discerning audience.
- Iago 1 will address Emilia and ply her with as many persuasive appeals
he can think of to convince her to hand over the handkerchief.
- After
Iago 1 finishes brief parts of his plea, Iago 2 will, after Iago 1 speaks, tell
the class exactly what he is trying to do as his "good face" speaks. In other
words, Iago 2, the truth-teller, reveals what really lies behind Iago 1's blandishments.
After the speech, first Emilia and then the class will have to decide whether
Iago should get the handkerchief or not. Both Emilia and the class will have to
state their reasons for handing over the handkerchief or not.
- The
Desdemona Defense Speech. In this speech the students will each pretend to
be Desdemona. In the play, she did not effectively deter Othello from altering
his misguided opinion that she is a whore; inevitably, her failure frustrates
many students who say, "If she just spoke up for herself things will be different!".
In the students' speeches, they need to come up with the words, arguments, and
appeals that could convince a jealous man that his wife is innocent. These speeches
may also be performed for the class.
- Capstone Assignment #2:
Two Paper Topic Ideas
- The power of language. As seen throughout
the play, Iago persuades people to do his will. In your essay, write a thesis
that states exactly what it is Iago achieves—or tries to achieve—through
his use of persuasive language. Then use specific examples from the text to show
how Iago achieves or fails to achieve those goals.
- Honesty. Earlier
in our study of the play, we discussed the various meanings of "honest" and saw
how that word applied to Iago, Othello, Cassio, and Desdemona. In an essay, discuss
why honesty-or the reputation for being honest or the lack of honesty-is so important
in Shakespeare's Othello.
Extending the Lesson- For
further evidence of Iago's successful persuasive techniques, one might also profitably
examine Iago's interactions with Roderigo (see 1.3.
297-364) and with Michael Cassio (see 2.3.239-302).
(The irony of Iago's stand on reputation, in his speech to Cassio, is that it
is the exact opposite of what he does throughout the play; here as elsewhere,
he relies firmly on his reputation as being an "honest" man).
- Further
study of Iago as being an uncharacteristically compelling villain would be interesting
to pursue. See Gilchrist, K. J. Approximations:
Iago as a Plautine leno (from West Virginia Shakespeare and Renaissance
Association Selected Papers (SRASP), Volume 20, 1997), a link on Mr.
Shakespeare and the Internet. In this essay, Gilchrist argues that Iago's
literary heritage may be traced back to Plautus' leno or pimp figure, as
well as to Plautus' agelast, a non-laugher or kill-joy, someone who cannot
enjoy life or the fact that others might be happy and successful. The article
induces useful speculation about how Iago's greedy obsession with sex, money,
and jealousy might explain his ill will towards Cassio, Othello, and Desdemona.
The article is useful primarily for teachers who might wish to ask their students
why Iago behaves as he does. Is he simply evil? Are there explanations for his
behavior? Do explanations even matter?
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