Exploring Act 1, Scene 3 of ‘Othello’
I can explore how Othello's character is established in Act 1, Scene 3.
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Printable resources
From Oak National Academy under the Open Government Licence. Some files include third-party material; see the credits at the foot of the page.
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What you'll learn
- Epithets are used to establish how characters are perceived by one another and society.
- Othello is established as calm, powerful and eloquent, which makes his later disturbance all the more shocking.
- Visually, Othello is an outsider but morally he embodies all that would be seen as respectable, chivalrous and moral.
- Othello's honourable speech contrasts the way in which Iago presented him as boastful.
Common mix-up
“Othello will live up to others' expectations and opinions of him.”
Othello is completely different to other's perceptions of him. Indeed, he must be worthy of sympathy if he is to be a tragic hero.
Keywords
See all the words in the word bank
- Epithet
- A phrase expressing an attribute considered characteristic of the person being described.
- Honourable
- Bringing or deserving respect.
- Valiant
- Possessing courage and determination.
- Eloquent
- Fluent or persuasive in speech.
Try the first question
In Shakespeare's 'Othello', what does Brabantio find out in Act 1 Scene 1 about his daughter?
- she has died
- she has eloped with Othello
- she has run away because she is in danger
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