Act2, Scene1 Othello questions

1. Re-read Act 2 scene 1 lines 95-100. What sort of person is Cassio?
Cassio, Othello's lieutenant, is presented as a very genuine and kind character; to everyone, he is very well mannered. When talking to Emilia, he greets her by saying 'That gives me this bold show of courtesy'. By doing this, he is showing that he is polite and being very respectful and of her presence. When doing so, he also 'kisses her' and reflects an open and confident character, welcoming everyone he meets. He does not mean to be flirtatious and points this out to Iago in reassurance 'Let it not gall your patience, good Iago.' Making sure that he does not get jealous and is aware he has only good intentions.


2. How does Iago plan to use Cassio’s character traits to usurp and ensnare both Cassio and Othello?
Iago plans to use Cassio's character traits to usurp and ensnare both Cassio and Othello by using his open and kind character to his advantage. Cassio's friendliness is his downfall and is what will drive Iago's thought through plan. Towards the end of Act2, Scene1, Iago has an offstage speech. In this he describes the actions of Casio and Desdemona together, and twists them in to sounding like there is a sexual connection between the two 'He takes her by the palm(...)Very good; well kissed, and excellent courtesy.' To make the plan work, Iago must make sure Casio is angered and manipulate Roderigo into thinking that he could truly woo Desdemona and make her fall in love with him. He tells him 'Do you find some occasion to anger Cassio' to make a scene. Iago knows that when Cassio has had a drink, he can become short tempered. He therefore uses this to make Othello and the other men lose respect for him and to also make him lose his rank and taint his reputation.


3. What does Iago tell Roderigo to do, and why does Iago say it will help Roderigo to win Desdemona’s heart?
Iago tells Roderigo to 'find some occasion to anger Casio' making him lose respect from him men and lose his rank. He persuades Roderigo that this will put Iago as Othello's new lieutenant and that he will be better of being 'ruled by me.'-it will be in Roderigo's favour and he will then be able to start the plan to woo Desdemona and win her heart. He says 'loveliness in favour, sympathy in years and manners and beauties: all which the Moor is defective in.' In doing this, he is persuading Roderigo that Desdemona needs someone more similar to her and that she will soon become bored of listening to his 'fantastical lies.' He is trying to make Roderigo believe that Casio is her second choice and therefore he must be got rid of. Using the semantic field of food, he also states 'Her eye must be fed; and what delight shall she have o look on the devil?' Here he is describing Othello and saying that he is not a pleasing sight to look at, therefore she will soon be looking for someone new to pleasure her. Using the word 'Devil' he is dehumanising Othello and making him seem abnornormal.


4. What more do we learn about the nature of Iago in Act 2? What is the effect of having him share his thoughts and plans with us through his soliloquies? Pay attention to the language used in Iago's soliloquies. What sorts of descriptive language does he use? How does it contribute to the picture of Iago that Shakespeare is drawing?
Iago is a villainous character that possesses a craft in manipulation. As he plots to rid Cassio of his rank and to make Othello believe Desdemona is not loyal, he gives the impression that he finds it more important to win the audience over rather then his fellow characters. Iago's attitudes towards women are very negative as he tends to objectify and dehumanise them, describing them as 'pictures out of doors, Bells in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchens.' He is telling proverbs and strong and unequal stereotypes. By sharing his thoughts and plans with the audience through his soliloquies, he his trying to win their favour and get them on side. He finds this more important than the characters in general. In doing this, he can also manipulate the situation and make it seem much worse or completely different to how it is supposed to be portrayed. The language he tends to use in these is rather blunt, rude and villainous 'Yet again your fingers to your lips? Would they were clyster-pipes for your sake!' He describes Desdemona and Cassio's actions and makes them sound lustful and passionate to make the audience feel as if something is going on and to also make himself start to believe the lies he is telling. He also uses the semantic field of food to make the actions of the two characters sound sexual, for example 'her eye must be fed.' All of this is drawing a picture of a cruel and self-important character. He understands people's weaknesses and knows how to gain the trust of the desperate-Roderigo.