William Shakespeare "Othello"

Introduction

Great plays are full of engaging characters and dramatic plots, but examination questions will require you to demonstrate your understanding of “Othello” by focusing on how Shakespeare presents one key aspect or theme throughout the script. All of your thoughts and ideas should only refer to the key term of the essay title.

Othello

To what extent you would agree with the view that Othello is responsible for his own downfall.
To what extent you would agree with the view that Othello does not deserve to be called a tragic hero.
To what extent you would agree with the view that Othello is destroyed by his own guilt rather than the actions of other characters.
To what extent you would agree with the view that the tragic outcome of the play results from the failure of Othello’s leadership.
To what extent you would agree with the view that Othello learns through suffering.
With reference to Othello’s character arc, show to what extent you would agree with the view that Shakespeare’s play shows great men at their lowest.
To what extent you would agree with the view that Othello is destroyed by this own tragic pride rather than the actions of other characters.

Desdemona

To what extent you would agree with the view that Desdemona is the real tragic hero.
To what extent you would agree with the view that Desdemona is responsible for her own tragic ending.
With reference to Desdemona’s role in the play, show to what extent you would agree with the view that Desdemona is a tragic hero.
To what extent would you agree with the view that Shakespeare’s “Othello” is a strong criticism of attitudes towards women.

Iago

To what extent would you agree with the view that Iago is the true villain of the play.
To what extent would you agree with the view that Iago is destroyed by his own ambition.
To what extent would you agree with the view that Iago is an overreacher.
To what extent would you agree with the view that Iago was justified in attacking Othello.

Tragedy

To what extent you would agree with the view that Othello’s tragic suffering is typical of the genre.
To what extent you would agree with the view that it is important that tragedies are realistic.
To what extent you would agree with the view that there a simple binary opposition of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ in tragedy.
To what extent you would agree with the view that tragedies are exaggerated stories emphasising mankind’s destructive nature.
To what extent you would agree with the view that spectacle is important to tragedy.
To what extent you would agree with the view it is in the nature of Tragedy always to provide a clear moral message for the audience.
To what extent you would agree with the view that Othello’s tragedy teaches us to obey the will of the gods.
To what extent you would agree with the view that there is a strong sense of divine order and design in “Othello”.
To what extent you would agree with the view that the characters in each play are they merely victims of circumstance.
To what extent you would agree with the view that Shakespearean tragedies still offer a clear moral message to a modern audience.
To what extent you would agree with the view that the characters in tragedies do not change.

Themes

To what extent you would agree with the view that physical and emotional cruelty is an important feature of Traged.
To what extent you would agree with the view that tragedy is about power.
To what extent you would agree with the view that tragedy is about conflict.
To what extent you would agree with the view that tragedy is influenced by the religious and social contexts of the play.
To what extent you would agree with the view that justice delivered by the end of “Othello”.
To what extent you would agree with the view that the tragic ending of “Othello” is satisfying for an audience.
To what extent you would agree with the view that there is a strong sense of tragic closure at the end of “Othello”.