Dramatic Techniques & Structure Flashcards
(22 cards)
What dramatic techniques do we see in Othello?
- Entrances/exits
- Iago’s use of aside
- Dramatic irony
- Prose vs blank verse
What structural techniques do we see in Othello?
- Rhyming couplets
- Cyclical structure of in media res
- Cyclical structure of setting at night
Rhyming couplets
“Look to her Moor, if thou hast eyes to see…’
“look to her Moor if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceived her father and may thee” a1s3 Brabantio
Dramatic irony
‘Honest ___’ (Othello)
‘Honest Iago’
Rhyming couplets
‘so let the Turk of Cyprus us beguile…’
“so let the turk of cyprus us beguile, we lost it not so long as we can smile” a1s3
Roderigo as a courtly lover
‘I will incontinently ____ myself’ a1s3
‘It is silliness to live when… a1s3
‘my sick fool Roderigo, whom love hath…
“ I will incontinently drown myself” a1s3
“ It is silliness to live when to live is torment” prose courtly lover a1s3
(Iago) ‘my sick fool Roderigo, Whom love hath turned almost the wrong side out’ a2s2
Rhyming couplets
Brabantio “For if such actions… A1S2
“For if such actions may have passage free Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be”
Staging a2s3
Desdemona
Desdemona enters when Cassio is dismissed- foreshadows D being dismissed from her role as wife next?
-a show of performative masculinity from Othello?
Dramatic irony a3s3
‘Thou dost conspire… (Othello)
‘Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago’
Handkerchief Desdemona a3s3
‘She drops her handkerchief’ after Othello complains of head pain
Iago ‘snatches’ the handkerchief off of Emilia when she takes it
Othello referring to himself in 3rd person and repetition of ‘Farewell’
‘Farewell: Othello’s occupation gone’
O doesn’t recognise himself
Levels a3s3
Othello kneels and then Iago kneels- they are ‘equal’ but Iago has the upper hand
Structure of Desdemona and Othello’s argument over the handkerchief a3s4
Repetition of Othello of ‘The handkerchief!’ shows his blindness due to jealousy. This shows there is nothing D could say to change his mind- women are powerless to the will of men
Cyclical structure of in media res
A4S1 begins in media res like A1S1 reflecting the development of Othello and Iago’s relationship. Instead of I and Roderigo plotting revenge on O, it is Othello plotting revenge on Desdemona
D and O antithesis to each other using religious imagery a4s2
‘Heaven doth ____’
‘Heaven truly knows that thou…’
‘Heaven doth truly know it’ (Desdemona)
‘Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell’ (Othello)
What is the significance of the shift from Emilia to Roderigo in Act 4 Scene 2?
Demonstrates how Iago is starting to lose his power as people start to suspect near the tragic denoument
What is the significance about a4s3?
It is one of the only intimate moments between Desdemona and Emilia where they can freely discuss their feelings about men. Contrast to Iago and Othello who have many intimate moments
Rhyming couplets- Emilia’s strong sexual politics a4s3
‘Then let them use us well…
‘then let them use us well: else let them know, the ills we do, their ills instruct us so’
What is significant about Othello’s entrance in a5s2?
He enters ‘with a light’ like Iago in A1S1. O has now become the villain
What is significant about A5S2?
It is one of the only scenes where D and O are totally alone. Iago and O have intimate scenes, E and D have intimate scenes- is Shakespeare suggesting friendship is stronger than romantic love?
Dramatic irony a5s2 Emilia
‘O my good lord…
‘O my good lord, yonder;s foul murders done’
What s the significance of Othello ‘dying upon a kiss’?
Suggests his actions were truly out of love
