Motifs

Pride: 

• Why does Iago feel he should have been promoted? (I.i)

• Why do Roderigo and Iago's claims persuade Brabantio? How do they appeal to his instincts as a father? (I.i)

• How does Iago toy with Othello's pride? (III.iii.189-193)

• How does Iago plan to trick othello (I.iii.418-425)? 

• After getting drunk, and dealing with the repercussions, why is Cassio so worried about his reputation? (II.iii.267-270)

Jealousy 

• Who is Iago jealous of? Why? (I.i). 

• Why does Roderigo say "...to live is to torment..." (I.iii.334)? Who is he jealous of? 

Vengeful Hate

• Who is Iago out to get?  (I.i)

• What curse does Iago wish upon Othello? (I.i)

• How does Iago convince Brabantio to hate Othello too? (I.i) 

• What does Brabantio accuse Othello of doing to get Desdemona to marry him? Why would he think so? (I.ii.77)

• Ponder how the statement "She is abused, stol'n from men, and corrupted" reflects the acceptance of mixed race- marriages during this time (I.iii.68). 

• How is Othello starting to feel about Desdemona? What words suggest this? (III.iii.295-296)

• Now do you know for sure how Othello feels about Desdemona? Is there any proof of her “crime” at this point? (III.iii.343).

• Why is Othello so quick to condemn his wife without confirming it with Desdemona herself? (III.iii.429).

• How has Othello’s attitude/tone of voice towards his wife has changed throughout the play? (III.iv.112).

• What can be inferred from Othello’s word choice when describing Desdemona/Cassio? (IV.i.8-11)

• How has Othello’s tone of voice changed when talking about Cassio? Has Othello received any real proof of Desdemona’s “sins”? (IV.i.126).

• Who is Iago trying to get revenge on, and why? (IV.i.184).

• What would you call Othello's new tone towards Desdemona? (IV.ii.73).

• How does the increasing physical conflict relate to the rising tension between characters? (V.i.)

• How do you think Othello is feeling right now? (V.ii)

• What does Brabantio believe about this love affair? What does this say about mixed-race relationships during this time period? (I.iii.109).

• What does Iago assume Othello did? What is Iago’s response, and how does this develop his character (II.i.315-318)?

• "Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned to-night/ for she shall not live: no, my heart is turned to/ stone" (IV.i.195-197).

• What does Othello’s increasingly vulgar/ violent language say about his susceptibility to rumors? (IV.i.214).

Racism: 

• What connotation could "thick-lips" carry? (I.i)

• What kind of terms does Iago use to describe the relationship between Othello and Desdemona? (I.i)

• What does Iago compare Othello to? (I.i)

• When Brabantio says "to the sooty bosom/ Of such a thing is thou," is he speaking favorably or unfavorably of Othello? (I.ii.84-85)

• "Bond- slaves and pagans" (I.ii.118)

• How were mixed raced marriage viewed at this time? Use (I.iii.68) as a clue.

• What does Brabantio mean by “For nature so prepost’rously to err” (I.iii.70)?

• What is Iago implying when he says “nature will instruct her” to abhor the Moor” (II.i.253-254)?

Animal References: 

• "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram/ Is topping your white ewe." (I.i. 91-92)

• "...have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse" (I.i.119)

• "...your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs." (I.i.123-124)

• "I would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon" (I.iii.339-341). What is Iago's reasoning to referencing animals? 

• What does Iago mean when he says "drown cats and blind puppies" (I.iii.361-362)?  

• "To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail" (II.i.168). 

• Why does Iago reference animals when he is angry? What is he trying to say? (II.iii.50)

• "This honest creature doubtless/ sees and knows more" (III.iii.273-274).

• Why does Othello reference his marriage as an animals? (III.iii.300-301). 

• How is Othello starting to talk like Iago? How has Iago influenced him? (III.iii.304). 

• "Oh monstrous world" (III.iii.305). 

• What are the purposes of the animalistic similes in lines 350-351 of Act III Scene iii "Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys/ As salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross"?

• How do characters describe jealousy? (III.iv.218-220).

• What is the reasoning for referencing monsters, beasts, and creatures? (IV.i.74-76). 

• "This is the monkey's own giving out" (IV.i.145). 

• How does Othello view/reference Desdemona and how has it changed from the beginning? (IV.i.201-203)

• "...even so as one would beat his / offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion: sue/ to him again, and he's yours" (II.iii.279-281).

• Why does Iago make animal references when talking about the “affair”? (III.iii.369).

• "I see that nose of yours, but not that dog I shall/ I shall throw it to" (IV.i.158-160). 

• "If that the earth could teem with woman's tears/ Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile' (IV.i.266-267).

Ingratitude: 

• Here, Othello lists off all of his accomplishments in the military, and he is obviously an honored and praised man. Why would Brabantio still mistrust him? (I.iii.144-154).