A level English literature exam question

3

Hi. Just wondering if anyone is able to tell me any improvements I could make to this Othello question this is the question and extract:

‘Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the tragedy of the play as a whole’

(Act 3, Scene 3)

Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA

OTHELLO
Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul,
But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.
IAGO
My noble lord--
OTHELLO
What dost thou say, Iago?
IAGO
Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady,
Know of your love?
OTHELLO
He did, from first to last: why dost thou ask?
IAGO
But for a satisfaction of my thought;
No further harm.
OTHELLO
Why of thy thought, Iago?
IAGO
I did not think he had been acquainted with her.
OTHELLO
O, yes; and went between us very oft.
IAGO
Indeed!
OTHELLO
Indeed! ay, indeed: discern'st thou aught in that?
Is he not honest?
IAGO
Honest, my lord!
OTHELLO
Honest! ay, honest.
IAGO
My lord, for aught I know.
OTHELLO
What dost thou think?
IAGO
Think, my lord!
OTHELLO
Think, my lord!
By heaven, he echoes me,
As if there were some monster in his thought
Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something:
I heard thee say even now, thou likedst not that,
When Cassio left my wife: what didst not like?
And when I told thee he was of my counsel
In my whole course of wooing, thou criedst 'Indeed!'
And didst contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit: if thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.
IAGO
My lord, you know I love you.
OTHELLO
I think thou dost;
And, for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty,
And weigh'st thy words before thou givest them breath,
Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more:
For such things in a false disloyal knave
Are tricks of custom, but in a man that's just
They are close delations, working from the heart
That passion cannot rule.
IAGO
For Michael Cassio,
I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.
OTHELLO
I think so too.
IAGO
Men should be what they seem;
Or those that be not, would they might seem none!
OTHELLO
Certain, men should be what they seem.
IAGO
Why, then, I think Cassio's an honest man.:

And this is my response:

In this extract, from act three scene three, Shakespeare uses dramatic tragedy to enhance Iago’s corruption of Othello. He uses dramatic methods such as dialogue and dramatic irony particularly to exemplify Iago’s duplicitous nature. His manipulation serves as a catalyst for the tragedy that unfolds which results in Desdemona’s murder. Through this conversation we see Othello’s emotional dependence on Desdemona, which Iago skilfully undermines. This scene plays a crucial role in the play as it marks the turning point where Othello’s trust in Desdemona begins to erode. This sets off a chain reaction of jealousy and tragedy that leads to the climax devastating climax.

Within this extract we see the success of Iago’s calculated plan unfolding through an interaction between him and Othello. Shakespeare uses dialogue through this conversation to show Othello’s vulnerability, specifically when he exclaims ‘But I do love thee! And when I love thee not, Chaos is come again’. This emphasizes Othello’s love for Desdemona and vulnerability that suggests his emotional stability is tied to their love. This emphasises the tragedy of their relationship as Iago’s manipulation and Othello’s later doubts lead him to betray his once cherished love. The phrase ‘Chaos is come again’ forebodes the tragedy that inevitably will occur due to Othello’s falsely crafted view of Desdemona. This moment illustrates Shakespeare’s teaching that love can be a source of strength or also an incentive for destruction when it is obscured by insecurity and deceit. As Othello’s self-doubt begins to surface due to Iago’s manipulation, he begins to question Desdemona’s fidelity. His internal conflict is worsened by societal prejudices against his race which makes him feel vulnerable and isolated, these emotions of love and jealousy drive him toward a tragic conclusion that highlights the destructive powers of emotions alongside manipulation. Othello’s tragic fall is foreshadowed in ‘men should be what they seem’, he has been completely blindsided to Iago’s true intentions and has an unconscious bias towards the potential harm that Iago could do.

Additionally, Iago uses dialogue as a tool of manipulation as his speech often is mixed with irony and double meanings which allows him to control the situations around him. This can be illustrated through ‘Men should be what they seem; Or those that be not, would they might seem none!’ which showcases his hypocrisy, as he himself is not what he appears to be. This is parallel to Iago in Act one when he says ‘I am not what I am,’ this directly juxtaposes what he is now saying. Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony within this moment underscores the tragedy of Othello’s situation, as he is misled by Iago’s façade , leading to is inevitable downfall. This emphasises the recurring theme of appearance versus reality which is in correlation to Iago’s manipulation of Othello throughout the play. Iago’s deceit not only unravels Othello’s life but also brings about the tragic fate of Desdemona and Cassio, illuminating the widespread consequences of his actions.

In conclusion, this extract serves as a pivotal moment which encapsulates Othello’s internal struggle due to Iago’s manipulation of reality. The extracts reflection of Othello’s emotional turmoil foreshadows the tragic events that ultimately lead to his downfall.

I honestly would appreciate any feedback, positive or negative, things to add in or takeout etc. I’m always stuck getting marks around 12-13 out of 25 and I’m trying my best to improve the quality of my writing, although I don’t know how I will do so in timed conditions during the exam 🫣. Thanks again, any feedback is MUCH appreciated 🙏😊

Reply 1

Bbb7777778

5

Hello!! I do Edexcel but did AQA at GCSE and a lot of it is transferable
First of all, check your exam board and the marking scheme for what theyre looking for! Your analysis here is good but some exam boards want a deeper look into context (you've mentioned social norms towards race, of what era and what were some of these prejudices? Why do they believe this? For Shakespeare its useful to mention either cuckoldery, religion, class or racism at ANY point. Throwing the year the play was released in the opening paragraph is also useful)
Furthermore, you should be looking at 3 paragraphs minimum, 4 if you can !! I remember also from AQA with extract questions they would ask for these to be at different points in the play, preferably start, middle and end for a satisfying essay
You should divide your exam time by paragraph, in Edexcel we get 1hr 15 so i I dedicate 15 minutes to planning and then 20 mins (ish) for each paragraph if Im looking for 3 paragraphs
A good paragraph structure can also keep you on track, I use either P (point) E(evidence) E(explain) L(Link) OR P(Point) E(Explain) T(Technique) E(Effect on Reader) L( Link to question/Writers aims)
What also helps me is being able to mentally tick off A01, A02, A03 and A04 as thats what is on the mark scheme.
Looking at examplar essays is what really helped me, but I was lucky enough to have covid online tutoring with a woman that was just brilliant at explaining things. Jen Chan on youtube also has some good ideas for streetcar and Othello, I was always a Mr Salles highschooler ha ha ha.
Hope this helps !!

Reply 2

abimx7

OP

3

Original post

by Bbb7777778

Hello!! I do Edexcel but did AQA at GCSE and a lot of it is transferable
First of all, check your exam board and the marking scheme for what theyre looking for! Your analysis here is good but some exam boards want a deeper look into context (you've mentioned social norms towards race, of what era and what were some of these prejudices? Why do they believe this? For Shakespeare its useful to mention either cuckoldery, religion, class or racism at ANY point. Throwing the year the play was released in the opening paragraph is also useful)
Furthermore, you should be looking at 3 paragraphs minimum, 4 if you can !! I remember also from AQA with extract questions they would ask for these to be at different points in the play, preferably start, middle and end for a satisfying essay
You should divide your exam time by paragraph, in Edexcel we get 1hr 15 so i I dedicate 15 minutes to planning and then 20 mins (ish) for each paragraph if Im looking for 3 paragraphs
A good paragraph structure can also keep you on track, I use either P (point) E(evidence) E(explain) L(Link) OR P(Point) E(Explain) T(Technique) E(Effect on Reader) L( Link to question/Writers aims)
What also helps me is being able to mentally tick off A01, A02, A03 and A04 as thats what is on the mark scheme.
Looking at examplar essays is what really helped me, but I was lucky enough to have covid online tutoring with a woman that was just brilliant at explaining things. Jen Chan on youtube also has some good ideas for streetcar and Othello, I was always a Mr Salles highschooler ha ha ha.
Hope this helps !!

Thank you so much! This is honestly so so helpful for me, I can’t thank you enough. Yes I often feel like during my essays I do go off point and end up drifting from the question so hopefully your structures will help me for all my essays.
Thanks for giving me the YouTube information also, I’ve been trying to find someone will actual useful information so I’ll check them out.
Thanks again!! 🙏

A level English literature exam question

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