English Literature Essay feedback

Hi all,

I hope you are doing well.

I attempted to write an Othello mini practice essay for AQA English Literature Spec B. Is it possible I could get feedback?

Many thanks,

B

Read the extract below and then answer the question.
Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the tragedy of the play as a whole.
Remember to include in your answer relevant analysis of Shakespeare’s dramatic methods. [25]
❌ This essay was not timed

IAGO
Call up her father,
Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,
Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,
And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,
Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,
Yet throw such changes of vexation on't,
As it may lose some colour.
RODERIGO
Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud.
IAGO
Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell
As when, by night and negligence, the fire
Is spied in populous cities.
RODERIGO
What, ho, Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho!
IAGO
Awake! what, ho, Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves!
Look to your house, your daughter and your bags!
Thieves! thieves!
BRABANTIO appears above, at a window
BRABANTIO
What is the reason of this terrible summons?
What is the matter there?
RODERIGO
Signior, is all your family within?
IAGO
Are your doors lock'd?
BRABANTIO
Why, wherefore ask you this?
IAGO
'Zounds, sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put on
your gown;
Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
Is topping your white ewe. Arise, arise;
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you:
Arise, I say.
BRABANTIO
What, have you lost your wits?
RODERIGO
Most reverend signior, do you know my voice?
BRABANTIO
Not I what are you?
RODERIGO
My name is Roderigo.
BRABANTIO
The worser welcome:
I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:
In honest plainness thou hast heard me say
My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness,
Being full of supper and distempering draughts,
Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come
To start my quiet.
RODERIGO
Sir, sir, sir,--
BRABANTIO
But thou must needs be sure
My spirit and my place have in them power
To make this bitter to thee.
RODERIGO
Patience, good sir.
BRABANTIO
What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice;
My house is not a grange.
RODERIGO
Most grave Brabantio,
In simple and pure soul I come to you.
IAGO
'Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not
serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to
do you service and you think we are ruffians, you'll
have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse;
you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have
coursers for cousins and gennets for germans.
BRABANTIO
What profane wretch art thou?
IAGO
I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter
and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.

(Act 1 Scene 1)

Plan:

•

Iago’s as a chaotic force with a talent for manipulating - the people he manipulates-> plans and executes well

•

Image of desdemona and Othello -> very important in setting the climax for the future events

•

Toxicity of the great chain of being hierarchy -> superstitions -> who’s placed where and why -> two arguments - people who may say othello is a high rank and others ay say he a low rank because of his race

In this extract ,in the rising climax, Shakespeare uses several dramatic techniques to expose the scheming and plotting of Iago and Roderigo. This is shown through the language techniques, structuring and the staging of the play. Shakespeare intentionally crafts the extract in this way so it acts as a catalyst for the forthcoming feud between Brabantio and the ‘Moor’; This being a segment of the chain of events that will lead to Othello’s downfall.

The extract begins in medias res with Iago, the Machiacvellian villain, and Roderigo devising a plan to fool Brabantio. It is clear that Iago and Roderigo do not have an alliance of true friendship but rather a relationship of a transactional nature. Iago finds success in the naivety of others and his talent for manipulation allows him to deceive Roderigo, blinding him from the reality that Iago only sees him as the stooge and fall man in his plan. Shakespeare uses Iago’s speech as a key aspect to demonstrate his manipulative capabilities; the utilisation of this dramatic technique echoes the phrase ‘words are louder than actions’. His extensive speech shows that he has power over Roderigo's thoughts and actions.This is shown through Iago giving Roderigo detailed instructions of how to go about the plan - involving the ‘accent’ and ‘yell’ he should produce. As the contemporary audience would not have had advanced technology to create sound effects for Roderigo's yelling, the actors of the time would have had to project their voice to enhance the performance.

Iago’s wordplay is significant when looking into the dramatic effects that Shakespeare uses to craft the play. Iago’s wordplay creates a vulgar and harsh tone which reveals his motivation and desire for revenge being deep. The use of blasphemous language ,the ‘devil’, appeals to Brabantio’s fears and prejudices. Father’s in the Victorian period acted as authoritarian figures towards their daughters. Hence Roderigo listing Desdemona with Brabratio’s other possessions, such as his ‘bags’. This is used to highlight the fact that women are property of their fathers and it is heinous of Desdemona to secretly get married. In this instance Brabatntio is fearful that his bloodline will be corrupted with the devil’s DNA in it. This creates a sympathetic interjection as we know the reality of the situation is that Brabantio’s fears are being manipulated and turned against him.
Whilst approaching the middle of the extract, we see less of Iago. The conversation frequently alternates between Roderigo and Brabantio. The interpretation of this may vary, as some of the audience may see it as Iago using Roderigo as a shield to avoid being caught. However, Roderigo is so blinded by his desire and love for Desdemona. Iago as an opportunist is using this as a manipulative tactic. Some of the audience may interpret Iago’s lessened speech as resembling him shifting the power to Roderigo. However, I believe that Iago is not actually giving Roderigo power or authority but rather making him believe that he is controlling the situation meanwhile Iago is the one that had orchestrated it. Through Shakepare presenting Iago as skillful in influencing the other characters’ actions, it is clear that Othello’s fate will be inevitable.

Just before this part of the extract, we discover that Iago’s motivation for revenge is fueled from his hate for Othello not giving Iago the promotion. I agree with the critic ,Daniel Wright’s statement that ‘Iago’s racist incentive is spawned by the disappointment he suffers when Othello advances Cassio’ Iago is angered even more as he had eminent ‘three great’ mean ‘of the city’ attempt to convince Othello on his behalf. Unfortunately, this fell upon deaf ears - Cassio was rather promoted. This strengthened Iago’s Xenophobia.

Iago is smart and cunning in his ways but does not care about the extent to which his plan will harm others just as long as it does not limit him. Iago has ‘ambition, the aspiring spirit, the intellectual activity’ which prompts him to overleap moral fences’ as the critic Honimann stated. This is proven true and Iago’s characterisation from the beginning of the extract to the end proves that his moral compass is not the same as ours and that he equates honesty with roguish behaviour - by acting as the master manipulator. Iago organises and executes his plan carefully. In this extract, he conceals himself in the darkness to make sure He is not seen by Brabantio. This also creates an ominous tone that builds the pathos for when we hear of Brabantio’s daughter having been stolen by the ‘thief’, Othello. Iago’s act of manipulation now later causes Othello to become the enigma to himself. The bestail character that Iago is painting Othello as will become a reality when he murders Desdemona and then himself in Act 5, Scene 2 - the peripetia of Othello’s tragedy.

I believe Shakespeare's aim and purpose of the charachterisation of Iago in the play is to present him as a ‘character of temptation’ as the critic Mark Goth stated. Iago acts as the seed of the plot and is sowing seed of deception and jealousy. Furthermore, this gives rise to the genre of appearance versus reality which reflects his duplicitous character.