Lesson 4: Prepare Your Othello Essay
Select one of the following topics and create your own thesis and outline for an in-class essay. Your development and support must include textual evidence from the play. When quoting, cite all passages by act, scene, and line (2.4.34-37). This essay will be marked for content as well as style and organization.
1. Is Othello a tragic hero or a cruelly manipulated victim?
2. Is Desdemona a tragic hero or a cruelly manipulated victim?
3. Iago is the master of manipulation.
4. Discuss Shakespeare’s use of irony in the play.
5. Discuss Shakespeare’s use of imagery in the play.
6. Emilia is the strongest character in the play.
7. Compare and contrast Iago and Desdemona as symbols of good and evil.
8. Discuss jealousy as a theme in the play.
9. Discuss the play as a descent from heaven into hell.
10. Discuss the issue of racism is a major theme in the play.
11. Discuss Iago’s character and the possible motivations for his actions.
12. Discuss the theme of appearance versus reality in Othello.
Click here to view the rubric I will be using to mark your next two assignments.
1. Is Othello a tragic hero or a cruelly manipulated victim?
2. Is Desdemona a tragic hero or a cruelly manipulated victim?
3. Iago is the master of manipulation.
4. Discuss Shakespeare’s use of irony in the play.
5. Discuss Shakespeare’s use of imagery in the play.
6. Emilia is the strongest character in the play.
7. Compare and contrast Iago and Desdemona as symbols of good and evil.
8. Discuss jealousy as a theme in the play.
9. Discuss the play as a descent from heaven into hell.
10. Discuss the issue of racism is a major theme in the play.
11. Discuss Iago’s character and the possible motivations for his actions.
12. Discuss the theme of appearance versus reality in Othello.
Click here to view the rubric I will be using to mark your next two assignments.
Assignment 24F: (email to your teacher when finished)
Create an outline and rough draft for your Othello essay. Hand these in to your teacher for feedback prior to submitting your good copy. You will receive a mark out of 10 - 4 points for the completion of an outline and 6 points (based on the rubric above) for your rough draft.
If you are unsure, here is an example of an essay outline template and essay from Julius Caesar. Please refer to the attached document.
Assignment 25S: (email to your teacher when finished)
Hand in a completed good copy for the Othello essay. Essay should be double spaced. You will be evaluated using the rubric above. .