Scene 1 – Critical Analysis Critical Analysis
Discuss how Shakespeare’s use of language, including imagery, plays an important part in developing our understanding of the setting and atmosphere of Act 1 Scene 1 of the play Othello.
Write a paragraph (about 150–200 words), supporting your answer with reference to the play.
Prompt!
Š Shakespeare introduces the audience to a shadowy world of intrigue and menace where nothing is as it appears to be. Iago is the master of deception.
Š Animal imagery and racist language contribute to the coarse atmosphere. Š Sharp contrasts show a divided, morally ambivalent world.
Sample Paragraph 1
Shakespeare protrays an exciting opening in Othello. He starts with the image of an argument by Iago and Roderigo because he thinks Iago has been scamming him by taking his money and not letting on what’s really going on. They both hate Othello who is not even in the scene. They decide to go to Barbantio’s house who is the father of Desdemona who has run off with Othello and tell him. Roderigo loves her, but she married Othello, an African army leader. They wake up Barbantio and use bad language to get him so angry so he gets his soldiers to look for the couple who have elloped. They all go to the local inn to arrest him. This is an exciting setting for the start of the play. (130 words)
Examiner’s Comment
Š This basic response fails to take on the question directly.
Š Some slight references to conflict and the excited atmosphere.
Š No focus on language or imagery.
Š Repetitive expression, some awkward expression and spelling errors (‘protrays’, ‘Barbantio’, ‘elloped’).
Sample Paragraph 2
The opening scene of ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare is set in Venice. Iago and Roderigo fight in a public street. Their angry language sets a violent mood. Iago is jealous that Cassio has been promoted to the senior position he wanted. Iago despises him because he has no wartime experience, ‘he never set a squadron’. Cassio only knows the theory of battle, ‘great arithmetician’. Iago is more vulgar than Roderigo, although he describes Desdemona’s secretive elopement to really annoy her father, making crude jokes about the ‘gross clasps of a lecherous Moor’. There are many contrasts in this uneasy scene, such as between daylight and darkness (‘dull watch o’ the night’). The tense mood is also caused by the racial insults against Othello by his white enemies. This shows how everything is breaking down and there is ‘gross revolt’ in the civilised city of Venice. (145 words)
Examiner’s Comment
Š This mid-grade response makes a solid attempt to address the question.
Š Some reasonably focused comments linking abusive language with the uneasy mood.
Š The point about tension is good but deserves further development.
Š Generally controlled expression throughout.
Š More supportive reference and quotation would have improved the answer.
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