Hello, everyone, and welcome to your lesson today on reading Act 1, Scene 3 of Othello.

I'm Miss Sutherland and I'll be teaching you today.

In today's lesson, I'm really looking forward to exploring how Othello's character is established in Act 1, Scene 3 with you.

And we are going to be reading Act 1, Scene 3.

And the character we'll be looking at in lots of detail is indeed our protagonist, Othello.

We have four keywords today.

They are epithet.

That's a phrase expressing an attribute considered characteristic of the person being described.

Now, what that means is a person might be described as something and the people that use that term for them think that that summarises them as a person.

The next keyword is honourable.

Honourable means bringing or deserving respect.

Next we have valiant.

Valiant means possessing courage and determination.

And lastly, eloquent.

Eloquent means fluent or persuasive in speech.

Pause the video and jot down any keywords that you need to.

Nice.

Let's move on to today's lesson.

So in the first learning cycle, we'll be reading Act 1, Scene 3.

We'll be finding out what happens next in the play Othello.

And in the second learning cycle, we will be delving into a Othello's presentation.

So let's start with our reading of Act 1, Scene 3.

Now, before we do so, we need to recap the previous scene.

So in Act 1, Scene 3, the Duke of Venice and senators are talking about the Turkish fleet on their way to Cyprus.

So the Turkish fleets are on their way to Cyprus.

And since the Venetian Army protect Cyprus, the Duke of Venice and the Senators really need to discuss this pressing matter.

During this discussion, Brabantio and Othello enter.

After Act 1, Scene 1, what feelings will there be between Brabantio and Othello? So knowing what you know about Act 1, Scene 1 and what happened, what feelings will there be between Brabantio and Othello? Pause video and have a think.

So remember in Act 1, Scene 1, Brabantio was told that Desdemona and Othello had eloped and he wasn't very happy about this.

So he sent armed men to look for Othello.

So we could say there's a lot of hostility coming from Brabantio towards Othello, and there likely is still to be in this scene too.

Let's begin reading.

"Valiant Othello, we must straight implore you against the general enemy Ottoman.

To Brabantio.

I did not see you.

Welcome, gentle signior.

We lacked your counsel and your help tonight." So here the Duke is addressing Othello, saying they really need his help to defend Cyprus.

And the Duke is saying to Brabantio that they could have really used his help in such oppressing matter.

Brabantio replies, "So did I yours.

Good your grace, pardon me.

Neither my place nor aught I heard of business have raised me from my bed, nor doth the general care take hold on me, for my particular grief is of so floodgate and overbearing nature that it engluts and swallows other sorrows and it is still itself." So Brabantio is basically saying that he couldn't have been involved in this matter regarding Cyprus because he's got his own problem to deal with.

And of course we know that is the elopement of his daughter.

The Duke of Venice replies.

"Why? What's the matter? My daughter! O, my daughter! Dead?" Let's go back to the beginning of this scene quickly.

The Duke calls Othello valiant.

What do you think Othello's reputation is more generally and widely in this play? Pause video and have a think.

So, although Iago and Brabantio have prejudiced feelings towards Othello, we can assume that he's actually known as a brave and noble warrior, someone who the city relies on for defence and actually respects for his skills in battle.

Brabantio replies, "Ay, to me, she's abused, stolen from me and corrupted by spells and medicines bought of mountebanks, for nature so preposterously to err, being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense, Sans witchcraft could not.

Whoever he be that in this foul proceeding hath thus beguiled your daughter of herself and you of her, the bloody book of law you shall yourself read in the bitter letter after your own sense, yea, though our proper son stood in your action." What does Brabantio say has happened to his daughter? Have a look at that highlighted section there, and how does he believe Othello has won Desdemona over? Pause a video and discuss that question.

Now, we can see that Brabantio says that Desdemona is abused, stolen from him, and corrupted by spells.

So, he's basically saying that his daughter has been taken advantage of and he thinks that Othello has used witchcraft to win Desdemona over.

Now, that shows that he does not believe Desdemona has fallen for Othello by herself.

He believes that Othello has manipulated his daughter, which again shows his prejudice towards Othello.

"Humbly I thank your grace.

Here is the man, this Moor, whom now, it seems, your special mandate for the state affairs have hither brought.

We are very sorry for it.

What in your own part can you say to this," the Duke ask that of Othello.

Brabantio says, "Nothing, but this is so.

So Brabantio is basically saying that Othello cannot answer because Brabantio thinks that the whole story's been told.

Brabantio thinks he knows the reality of events.

Let's zoom in to this epithet that Brabantio and Iago both use to describe Othello, and that is the Moor.

So they refer to him all the time throughout this play as the Moor.

They think that is the characteristic that summarises who he is.

I want you to think about what does that show about how society viewed Othello? Pause the video and have a think.

Now, it shows that society very much view Othello as an outsider because they're defining him by his race.

They're defining him as being a man of North African heritage and they're singling him out based on that one aspect of who he is.

Now it's time for Othello to give his side of the story.

So after being accused by Brabantio, he replies, "Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, my very noble and approved good masters, that I have taken away this old man's daughter, it is most true, true, I have married her.

The very head and front of my offending hath this extent, no more.

Rude am I in my speech, and little blessed with a soft phrase of peace, for since these arms of mine have seven years pith, 'till now some nine moons wasted.

They have used their dearest action in the tented field and little of this great world can I speak, more than pertains to feats of broil and battle, and therefore little shall I grace my cause in speaking for myself.

Yet, by your gracious patience, I will round an unvarnished tale deliver." Let's zoom into that first opening line by Othello.

How does he address everyone despite being accused of some really serious stuff by Brabantio, and what is your first impression of Othello? Pause video and discuss those two questions.

You may have said that Othello comes across as very respectful in that opening line.

And if we were being accused of something so severe, we may not reply in such a dignified way.

Othello then says that he has married Desdemona, but that is all he has done.

He says, "That is the extent of my offending and no more." He goes on to say that his only talent is his skill on the battlefield, not spells and charms. Let's continue with the reading.

Othello then says, "I will a round unvarnished tale deliver.

Of my whole course of love, what drugs, what charms, what conjuration, and what mighty magic for such proceeding I'm charged withal, I won his daughter." So Othello then says he will tell the complete truth.

He'll tell an unvarnished tale about how the two fell in love.

Let's take your understanding of what we've read so far.

What does Brabantio accuse Othello of? Pause the video and answer that question there.

Well done if you said Brabantio accuses Othello of putting a spell on his daughter to make her fall in love.

Brabantio accuses Othello of witchcraft.

How is Othello presented when he addresses the room? Remember what he says in that opening line.

Pause a video and answer that question.

Well done if you said Othello is presented as respectful when he addresses the room.

This is because he addresses all of the people in the room by their titles, calling them noble, saying he wants their grace.

He is very respectful and polite when he addresses the room.

And this presents him as a very different character to who Iago and Brabantio have made him out to be.

It seems that their conception of him is slightly unfair.

It's now time for you to take over the reading.

I want you to read from "A maiden never bold" to "I humbly beseech you proceed to the affairs of state." You have five questions to answer as you read that part of the text.

Here are your questions, make sure you are focusing on them throughout the reading.

Number one, what does Othello say when Brabantio continues to accuse him of witchcraft and giving potions to Desdemona? Number two, what does Othello say that shows his confidence that Desdemona's words will be consistent with his own? Number three, what is Othello's story of how he and Desdemona fell in love? So I want you to summarise what he says.

Number four, what does the Duke say that testifies to Othello's eloquent speech? So what does the Duke say that makes you think that Othello was indeed fluent and persuasive in what he says? And lastly, what does Desdemona say to show her duty and love for Othello? Pause the video, get on with the reading, and answer those five questions.

Wonderful reading, everyone.

Let's go through some answers to those questions.

So number one, When Brabantio continues to accuse Othello of witchcraft and giving potions to Desdemona, Othello says, "Send for the lady and let her speak of me before her father." Meaning let Desdemona tell her side of the story.

So he's coming across as a very fair, balanced person here.

He's saying, "I've done what I can to persuade you.

Let someone else vouch for me now." Othello shows his confidence that Desdemona thinks highly of him and their relationship when he says, "If you find me foul in her report, let your sentence even fall upon my life." That means he's willing to die if she doesn't speak highly of him.

So he's very confident that she will, otherwise he's sacrificing his life away when he says that.

Number three.

Othello's story of how he and Desdemona fell in love.

Othello states that he and Desdemona fell in love when Othello would come to Brabantio's house, telling his war stories.

And Desdemona fell in love with Othello because of the dangers he found himself in and she started to pity him for that.

And Othello love Desdemona because she pitied him.

What does the Duke say that testifies to Othello's eloquent speech? The Duke says that this tale, i.

e.

, the one that Othello tells of war, would win his own daughter too.

So the Duke is very convinced by Othello's story, showing Othello speech was convincing because the Duke is saying, "What daughter would not be won over by Othello's remarkable war stories." He's saying, "My daughter would certainly be won over, so I believe that Desdemona was too won over.

I think that this story is the truth." So the Duke defends Othello.

Number five, what does Desdemona say to show her duty and love for Othello? Desdemona says that "Here's my husband and so much duty as my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor my Lord." This means that she will show her loyalty to Othello just as her mother did to Brabantio.

So we see Brabantio demanding obedience from his daughter and his daughter saying, "No, I must give respect and loyalty to my husband here, because that's what my mother did to you.

She preferred you over her own father, so I will do the same." Now, we know that this was a patriarchal society and fathers had a lot of say over their daughter's lives.

So Desdemona is really making a bold move here in her declaration of loyalty and love to Othello.

Now, we are moving on to our second learning cycle where we are looking at Othello's presentation, because of course, in the scene we just read, that section is actually the first time we meet our protagonist Othello.

So that's a really interesting section to look at.

So we have now met Othello.

But before meeting him, we only hear of him through other characters.

So I've put four quotes from other characters on the screen there because that's how we know him before we meet him.

What do other characters think of him? Pause a video and answer that question.

You may have said that other characters tend to view Othello in a negative way.

They tend to view him as maybe a bit sinister, as gullible, as weak, and just as someone that is dislikable.

I want you to answer this question.

Othello's presentation in Act 1, Scene 3 is in line with how the other characters perceive and treat him prior to us meeting him.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and have a think.

Well done if you said it's false.

Othello comes across as respectful, as honourable, as noble in Act 1, Scene 3.

And that is not how we see others speak of him beforehand.

Now, justify your answer.

How do you know that is the case? Pause the video and have a think.

We know that Othello's presentation in Act 1, Scene 3 is not in line with how the other characters perceive and treat him, because other characters perceive Othello as a malevolent presence and we see that through what they say about him.

But in Act 1, Scene 3, when we meet him, he shows himself as honourable and respectful, and a noble character.

I now want you to answer these questions to show your understanding of Othello in Act 1, Scene 3.

So all these questions are going to help you explore what kind of person Othello is, what kind of person he presents himself to be and how that might be different to the way that other characters perceive him.

So pause the video and answer those six questions.

Off you go.

Great job, everyone.

I really liked how you used quotes to back up your answers.

Let's go through some of the answers then.

What does the epithet "The Moor", commonly used when referencing Othello show about attitudes towards him? The epithet "The Moor" shows that other citizens label and single out Othello due to his race, showing they view Othello as an outsider.

They're not viewing him as a noble, honourable general.

They're viewing him as simply an African man.

And that says a lot about the prejudice in this society.

Why does Brabantio accuse Othello of bewitching, abusing, and corrupting Desdemona? Brabantio does not believe Desdemona would've fallen in love with Othello by her own will, perhaps due to his race.

As we mentioned, this is a prejudiced society.

Thus, he says Othello must have abused, stolen, and corrupted her.

Of course, he's proven wrong when Othello and Desdemona tell their side of the story.

Number three, how does Othello respond after being accused by Brabantio? Is this typical of how someone accused of these things might react? Othello responds calmly after being accused, which shows his honour, as it would not have been unusual for someone to get defensive or frustrated being accused of such things.

We see Othello's grace and dignity.

He doesn't get angry, he doesn't get bitter, he just responds carefully, calmly, and respectfully.

How is Othello presented as powerful in this scene? Othello is presented as powerful as he's able to get everyone on his side simply by his honest and eloquent speech.

He doesn't manipulate anyone, he doesn't trick anyone.

He doesn't tell lies.

He is simply himself and people believe his story.

People show sympathy for him.

What is interesting about Iago and Brabantio's perception of Othello and Othello's presentation in this scene? It is very interesting that Iago and Brabantio perceive Othello as a malevolent presence, but yet he doesn't present himself in this way at all.

So their perception of him is shown to be very unfair, as it's not representative of Othello's true nature as we see it.

And lastly, after this scene, why might Othello's downfall be all the more tragic? Othello's downfall may be more tragic after this scene, as this is the moment the audience begin to sympathise with Othello.

They see his true nature.

They see what honourable and noble man he is, and that will make them feel more sympathy, feel more pity and more fear as he falls from grace.

This is a man that the audience do not want to experience suffering, but yet he will.

Well done on answering those questions, everyone.

Let's go through what we've learned today.

Epithets are used to establish how characters are perceived by one another and society.

Othello is established as a calm, powerful, and eloquent man, which makes his later disturbance all the more shocking.

Visually, Othello is an outsider, but morally, he embodies all that would be seen as respectable, chivalrous, and moral.

And lastly, Othello's honourable speech contrasts the way in which Iago and Brabantio talk of him.

Well done on all your hard work today.

Thanks for joining me in today's lesson.