{"id":2195,"date":"2026-07-31T17:57:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T17:57:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/classics-courses-syllabi\/othello-study-guide\/"},"modified":"2026-07-31T17:57:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T17:57:42","slug":"othello-study-guide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/classics-courses-syllabi\/othello-study-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Othello Study Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Othello Study Sheet
\n by Dr. Siegel<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Othello<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Here is an outline of Othello.\n I have summarized each scene. In bold-faced type you will find the\n quotations you are responsible for. Know the speaker and circumstances of\n each quote (including who is being addressed, why the speaker is saying\n this, and at what point in the play it is being said). You are responsible\n for the entire play Othello, even the parts we did not read aloud in\n class. This is a study guide to be used as an aid in understanding the text.\n It is not intended to be used instead of reading the text. Yes, you\n must know all these quotations IN ADDITION to the quotations on the Final\n Exam Review page.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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ACT ONE<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act I scene one (I.i): Conversation between Iago and\n Roderigo. Iago reveals his grudge against Othello and convinces Roderigo to tell Brabantio\n that his daughter has eloped with the Moor.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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an old black ram is tupping your white ewe \n (Iago,\n I.1.96)
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\n …your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs (Iago, I.1.128)\n (Iago, I.1.96)
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\n …your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs \n (Iago,\n I.1.128)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act One scene two (I.ii):\n Iago warns Othello of Brabantio\u2019s anger; Cassio arrives to tell Othello\n that a war council has been called; Brabantio then arrives ready to fight\n Othello. Othello swears his love for Desdemona is true.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her!\n (Brabantio,\n I.ii.77) (Brabantio, I.ii.77)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act One scene three (I.iii): Othello is charged with\n leading the Venetians to victory against the Turks. Othello and Desdemona publicly avow\n their love for each other. Iago privately assures Roderigo that he will have his shot at\n Desdemona, proclaims his hate for Othello, and considers plans to make Othello jealous of\n Cassio.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see.
\n She has deceived her father and may thee. (Brabantio, I.iii.317-318)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I hate the Moor;
\n And it is thought abroad that \u2018twist my sheets
\n \u2018Has done my office… (Iago, I.iii.404-6)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I have\u2019t! It is\n engendered! Hell and night
\n Must bring this monstrous birth to the world\u2019s light. (Iago, I.iii. 421-2)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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ACT TWO<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Two scene one (II.ii): All arrive safely on Cyprus\n and the war is over before it is begun. Iago convinces Roderigo that Desdemona, although\n just married to Othello, is attracted to Cassio. He outlines a plan to Roderigo that\n involves him picking a fight with Cassio in order to rid himself of this rival.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a\n fly as Cassio (Iago, II.i.197)\n (Iago,\n II.i.197)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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For I do suspect the lusty Moor
\n Hath leaped into my seat; the thought whereof
\n Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards; (Iago, II.i. 323-325)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Two scene two (II.ii):\n A party is announced to celebrate both the victory over the Turks and\n Othello and Desdemona\u2019s nuptials (wedding).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Heaven bless the isle of Cyprus and our noble general\n Othello (Herald, II.ii.10)\n (Herald, II.ii.10)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Two scene three\n (II.iii)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Iago gets Cassio, on watch,\n drunk and Roderigo picks his fight – the governor of Cyprus, Montano, is\n wounded in the process. Othello fires Cassio. Iago advises Cassio to seek\n Desdemona\u2019s aid in persuading Othello to restore his commission. Iago will\n cause Othello to think that Desdemona has ulterior motives for wishing to\n help Cassio.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Iago is most honest.\n (Othello, II.iii.7)\n (Othello,\n II.iii.7)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Are we turned Turks, and to ourselves do that
\n Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?
\n For Christian shame put by this barbarous brawl! (Othello, II.iii.172-4)\n I would rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
\n Than it should do offense to Michael Cassio. (Iago, II.iii. 225-6)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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ACT THREE<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Three scene one (III.i):\n Iago convinces Cassio to seek out Emilia\u2019s help in getting a private\n audience with Desdemona, to urge her to speak to Othello on his behalf.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Three scene two (III.ii): Othello goes on an errand\n of state business.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Three scene three (III.iii):\n Iago puts his plot in motion. His insinuations about Desdemona\u2019s\n unfaithfulness begin as he and Othello see Cassio and Desdemona talking\n together. He successfully raises doubts in Othello\u2019s mind about his wife\u2019s\n love and loyalty. Desdemona tries to comfort her obviously upset husband,\n but Othello throws her handkerchief to the ground. Emilia unwittingly plays\n into Iago\u2019s plot and gives the handkerchief to him. Iago can then show it\n as proof of Desdemona\u2019s unfaithfulness when Othello later demands such\n proof. Iago is very convincing, styling himself as a true friend to Othello,\n and gives more “proof” of this completely fictitious affair. By\n the end of the scene, Othello is convinced of his wife\u2019s infidelity and\n orders Iago to kill Cassio.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,
\n Chaos is come again. (Othello, III.iii.103-4)\n O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
\n It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock
\n The meat it feeds on. (Iago, III.iii. 191-3)\n This fellow\u2019s of\n exceeding honesty,
\n And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit
\n Of human dealings. (Othello, III.iii.293-5)\n If she be false, O, then\n heaven mocks itself!
\n I\u2019ll not believe\u2019t. (Othello, III.iii.313-314)\n Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore!
\n Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof; (Othello, III.iii. 405-406)\n All my fond love thus do I\n blow to heaven.
\n \u2018Tis gone.
\n Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell! (Othello, III.iii.498-500)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Three scene four:\n Desdemona innocently tries to speak to Othello on Cassio\u2019s behalf, but\n Iago has done a thorough job on Othello. Othello is even more convinced that\n Desdemona is being deceitful when she is unable to produce the handkerchief.\n Iago\u2019s “proof” appears true. Cassio innocently gives the\n handkerchief (which Iago planted in his room) to his girl friend Bianca.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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ACT FOUR<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Four scene one (IV.i):\n Iago drives Othello to the brink of insanity with jealousy – he falls into a\n trance. Iago has Othello hide, and he engages Cassio in a discussion of\n Bianca\u2019s love for him – Othello, of course, is made to think they are\n speaking of Desdemona. Othello strikes Desdemona in front of Ludovico, a\n visiting dignitary from Venice. Iago does his best to insinuate that Othello\n is no longer worthy of command.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Four scene two (IV.ii): Othello questions Emilia, and\n she assures him that Desdemona has never been alone with Cassio. Othello calls Desdemona a\n whore to her face, and leaves her in confusion. Emilia suggests that some plotter has been\n abusing Desdemona to Othello for some unknown reason; Iago denies this as a possibility\n and assures Desdemona that Othello is just overworked. Then Roderigo accuses Iago of\n keeping all the gifts he has sent via Iago to Desdemona. Iago tells him that the only way\n to keep Desdemona here is to kill Cassio, for then the Venetians will not have Othello go\n home.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell.\n (Othello,\n IV.ii.47) (Othello, IV.ii.47)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Moor\u2019s abused by\n some most villainous knave,
\n Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow. (Emilia, IV.ii. 162-3)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Four scene three (IV.iii): Desdemona sings the\n Willow song, a song of lost love, and she and Emilia speak on the topic of women being\n unfaithful. Desdemona reveals a sweet naivet\u00e9 about the world, while Emilia is more\n cynical, charging that women have no less a right to be unfaithful than men.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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ACT FIVE<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Act Five, scene one (V.i): Iago convinces Roderigo to\n kill Cassio. Cassio must die because he can prove that Iago is behind all this; Roderigo\n must die because Iago has robbed him blind. The wounded Cassio cries out and Othello\n assumes that Iago has fulfilled his promise to kill him. Iago himself kills Roderigo and\n then a crowd gathers, including Bianca. Iago suggests that she participated somehow in\n these events, leading the investigators even further from the truth.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This is the night
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Othello approaches Desdemona in bed and almost\n changes his mind about her infidelity. But he smothers her as an act of honor. Emilia\n enters and raises a cry, berating Othello for murdering an innocent creature. When Iago\n and others enter, Othello reveals the “truth” as told to him by Iago. Emilia\n contradicts him and Iago stabs his own wife fatally. Othello now knows the truth and tries\n to kill Iago but is restrained. Othello stabs himself instead and Iago is led away in\n chains.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Then must you speak
\n Of one that loved not wisely, but too well; (Othello, V.ii.397-8)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2167,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2195","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2195\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}