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Year 9 - English

Exploring Act 5, Scene 2 of 'Othello'

'Othello'

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore Shakespeare's 'Othello'. They start by learning about Aristotelian tragedy and how Shakespeare adapted it. They read long extracts from across the play, and consider the presentation of Othello, Iago and Desdemona. Finally, they look at key themes, such as jealousy.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explore how the character of Othello changes by Act 5, Scene 2 of 'Othello'.

Key Notes

Othello begins the scene in delusion and ends with clarity, demonstrating the impact of Iago's deceit.
Othello says he "loved" Desdemona "too well", which suggests that he doesn't understand the implications of his actions.
The negative beliefs about Othello perhaps become a self-fulfilling prophecy by the end of the play

Vocabulary To Learn

impetuous: acting quickly without thought or care
incredulous: unwilling to believe something
clarity: being able to think clearly and not be confused
delusion: being in a state where one has false beliefs about reality

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Othello is the only character that suffers a tragic fate

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Othello begins the scene in delusion and ends with clarity, demonstrating the impact of Iago's deceit. Othello says he "loved" Desdemona "too well", which suggests that he doesn't understand the implications of his actions.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'impetuous'

acting quickly without thought or care.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Othello is the only character that suffers a tragic fate. Correction: Desdemona, Emilia and Othello all suffer a tragic fate.

More Lessons In This Unit

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