GCSE: Othello

Conclusion analysis

Good conclusions usually refer back to the question or title and address it directly - for example by using key words from the title.
How well do you think these conclusions address the title or question? Answering these questions should help you find out.

1. Do they use key words from the title or question?
2. Do they answer the question directly?
3. Can you work out the question or title just by reading the conclusion?

• "The motive-hunting of a motiveless malignity" was Coleridge's comment on the Iago soliloquies. Evaluate this and other views of these and of Iago as a character in the play.

  "Since the play was first written, critics have worked to assign psychological motivation and grounding to the conundrum that is Iago. Yet perhaps the most satisfying conclusion that can be drawn is in the ambiguity and elusiveness of the character, and the questions that these in themselves raise about the nature of evil, of sins, and of the nature of mankind. For as Coleridge said, "How many among our modern critics have attributed to the profound Author this, the appropriate inconsistency of the character itself!""

• Analyse the significance of Act 3 Scene 3 of Othello commenting on plot, characters, themes, language and structure.

  "After spending a long time studying Othello I have come to the conclusion that all of Shakespeare's plots for his plays follow a genetic pattern. All of them have a character trying to achieve a goal or ambition and in the end their hunger for their ambitions drives them to either murder or even suicide. For example in Macbeth, he wants to be king (ambition) so he kills Duncan (death); Romeo and Juliet want to fall in love and be accepted by their families (ambition) that results in two suicides (deaths) and then finally in Othello Iago wanted lieutenancy (ambition) consequences for his desire are two murders to two innocent wives and one suicidal act due to guilt (deaths). Have you ever thought about it? Hayley Anstee"

• Explain and analyse the factors and characters which play a role in the creation of Othello's jealousy, hate and in the end the murder of his wife and his suicide.

  "In conclusion I think that Othello is not a jealous man but he was quite quick to become jealous and his jealously also got very out of hand in the killing of his wife. I think his jealousy was goaded on, not just by Iago and he had no controll over himself after a certain period of time was not responsible for his actions and were it not for the sadist snake Iago, none of Othello's jealousy would have been created."