Hamlet


Othello


Exam Techniques


Using Othello as a Comparative Text: Literary Genre


At the start, Othello’s language is formal and dignified. But the noble Moor, ‘free and open’, is soon corrupted by Iago’s evil insinuations, ‘I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear’. He echoes Iago’s animal imagery as he descends into depravity, becoming the ‘green-eyed monster’. Instead of affectionately thinking of her as his ‘fair warrior’, he now roars that he will ‘tear her all to pieces’. He demeans her with ‘whore’ and ‘strumpet’ as his love becomes contaminated by jealous rage.


Yet even as he plans to murder his innocent wife, he is still torn by love for her. This can be seen by his use of the gentle images of a candle and a rose to describe Desdemona. He knows he cannot give the rose ‘vital growth’ if he plucks it and it will ‘wither’. His soliloquy reveals his trauma, graphically showing the torment created by Iago. Through Othello’s transformed expression, the playwright allows the audience to see into his mind, which has been ‘poisoned’ by Iago. He was ‘wrought/ Perplexed in the extreme’.


Iago’s soliloquies and spiteful asides also reveal his depraved nature. When he observes the chivalrous behaviour between Desdemona and Cassio, he vows to use it ‘catch’ him in his ‘courtesies’. When he observes the grand passion of Othello and Desdemona, he swears to ‘set down the pegs that make this music’. The audience is shocked to observe the contempt in which he holds Roderigo, a ‘snipe’ and a ‘quat’ despite the fact the Roderigo has sold all his lands to give money to Iago to win Desdemona.


Having fascinated the audience throughout the play by informing them of what he is about to do before he does it, Shakespeare places them in the position of unwilling accomplice. They wait to see if Iago will succeed or not, ‘This is the night/ That either makes me or fordoes me quite’. His silence at the play’s conclusion leaves everyone in a state of frustration when he declares ‘From this time forth I never will speak word’. No one is to be satisfied with an explanation of why this man acted this way.


Shakespeare has created a play that has provided the audience with an awareness of what the characters thought through his use of language and imagery. (425 words)


Class/Homework Exercise


Using some of the points from the Indicative Material above, write your own response to the Part (a) question. (Aim for 150 words.)


Exam Guide To structure your comparative essay answer on Literary Genre, a useful exercise is to practise making an outline of the key points you wish to include. The following Draft Plan uses Othello as one of the comparative texts.


When I have plucked the rose, I cannot give it vital growth again


Othello Act 5 Scene 2, l.13–14


Examiner’s Comment


Š High-grade response, focusing mainly on how imagery and soliloquies reveal character.


Š Impressive overview followed by three well-illustrated discussion points.


Š Paragraph 4 lapses into more general comment and is less effective.


Š Informed use of quotes, and good understanding of Literary Genre mode.


Š Apart from some repetition in paragraph 4, overall expression is clear and varied.


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