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Assignment of literature
Name: Suzan Pathan
College Name : ~Maharani Shri Nandkuvarba mahila arts and commerce College Bhavnagar
Subject: English
Professor Name: Aamena Mam
Date of submission: 4 september 2025
T.Y B.A SEM:5
PAPER NAME: The study of drama
Othello by
William Shakespeare
Othello:
The Love Story that Turned into a Tragedy
Here’s a short introduction on **William Shakespeare**:
Born: 23 April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Known as: The “Bard of Avon” and the greatest playwright in English literature
Works:Wrote 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long narrative poems
Genres: His plays are mainly tragedies (e.g.Hamlet, Macbeth)comedies (e.g.A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and histories
Language Contribution: Introduced many new words and phrases to the English language
Legacy: His works explore timeless themes like love, power, ambition, betrayal, and human nature, making them relevant even today
Died: 23 April 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon
The summary of othello
Othello, a brave soldier from another land (a Moor), becomes a respected general in Venice. Against all odds, he falls in love with Desdemona, a young noblewoman. Their marriage is filled with passion, but also surrounded by doubt because Othello is different—older, darker, and an outsider in Venetian society.
Enter Iago, Othello’s officer, who feels jealous because Othello promoted Cassio instead of him. Iago is clever, cruel, and knows exactly how to play with people’s minds. He whispers lies into Othello’s ear, making him believe Desdemona is unfaithful.
Slowly, Othello’s love turns into jealousy. His heart, once full of trust, becomes poisoned. In the end, Othello kills Desdemona, only to realize too late that she was innocent. Heartbroken and full of guilt, he takes his own life. The love story that could have been eternal ends in tragedy.
The characters
Othello – A Moorish general in the Venetian army. Brave, noble, and respected, but easily misled by jealousy.
Desdemona– Othello’s loving and faithful wife. Innocent, kind, and loyal until her tragic death.
Iago– Othello’s ensign (soldier). Clever, manipulative, and jealous. He is the main villain who causes Othello’s downfall.
Cassio – Othello’s lieutenant. Loyal and honorable, but tricked by Iago into looking guilty.
Emilia – Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s maid. She is loyal to Desdemona and reveals Iago’s lies at the end.
Roderigo – A rich but foolish man in love with Desdemona. He is used by Iago to carry out his schemes.
brabantio – Desdemona’s father. Shocked and angry about her secret marriage to Othello.
Themes
- Jealousy → The central theme. Iago’s jealousy of Cassio and Othello leads him to plot destruction; Othello’s jealousy ruins his marriage and life.
- Betrayal & Deception → Iago betrays Othello’s trust and deceives everyone, showing how lies can destroy relationships.
- Love & Trust → Othello and Desdemona’s true love is broken because Othello loses trust in her.
- Race & Prejudice→ Othello faces discrimination as a Moor in Venetian society, which makes him insecure.
- Manipulation & Power→ Iago manipulates others to control events, showing the dangers of cunning and ambition.
- Tragedy of Human Weakness→ Othello’s downfall comes from his own insecurity and inability to see the truth.
The play warns that jealousy, mistrust, and manipulation can destroy even the strongest love.
CONCLUSION: Othello is a powerful tragedy that shows how jealousy, mistrust, and manipulation can destroy love and honor. Through Othello’s downfall, Shakespeare teaches that blind faith in lies and lack of trust in true love lead to tragedy. The play remains timeless, reminding us of the dangers of jealousy and the importance of honesty and trust in relationships.
Class assignment
Activity :1
Emoji Representation of othello characters - worksheet
✨ Part:1 Match the character to the Emojis
A.→ Desdemona
b.→ Emilia
C. →Iago
D.→Roderigo
E→Brabantio
F.→Othello
G. → The duke
✂️Part 2: who I am ? (Emoji Riddles)
Read the emoji description and write the character's name
Ans:1→ Bianca
Ans : 2 →Grabantio
Ans:3→Lodovica
Ans :4→Montago
🧠Part :3 Short Answers
Answer:1 The (key) is used to describe Emilia in Othello because she unlocks the truth—she reveals Iago’s plot, exposes the deception, and brings clarity to Othello and others.
Answer:2 The 💔 suggests Othello’s journey of love turning into jealousy, betrayal, and deep heartbreak, leading to his tragic downfall.
Answer:3 The 🤥 suggests that Iago is dishonest, deceitful, and manipulative, always using lies to control others.
Bonus: Express cassio in Emojis!
Three emojis: ⚔️🍷🙏🏻
⚔️ = his role as a noble soldier and lieutenant.
🍷 = his weakness with drinking, which causes mistakes.
🙏🏻 = his regret and desire for forgiveness and honour.
Cassio is a brave and honourable soldier, trusted by Othello.
Yet, his flaw of drinking leads to poor decisions and downfall.
He seeks forgiveness and redemption, showing his loyal heart.
MCQ test
Activity: 2
1. What is William Shakespeare often called?
Answer: C) The Bard of Avon
2. In which year was William Shakespeare born?
Answer: B) 1564
3. How many sonnets did William Shakespeare write ?
Answer: C) 154
4. What type of play is Othello?
Answer: B) Tragedy
5. In what language was the original story of Othello written?
Answer: D) Italian
6. What is the name of the Italian book that inspired Othello?
Answer: B) De gli Hecatommithi
7.When was the first published version of Othello released?
Answer: C) 1622
8. Which collection included the second version of Othello?
Answer: B) The First Folio
9. Which genre does not belong to Shakespeare’s categories of plays?
Answer: B) Epic
10. Why is William Shakespeare considered highly influential?
Answer: C) His works are studied, translated, and performed worldwide
11. How many plays did William Shakespeare write (including collaborations)?
Answer: C) 39
12. What is a “quarto”?
Answer: B) A small book format
13. In which year was Othello first written?
Answer: B) 1603–1604
14. Why is Roderigo furious with Iago at the beginning of the play?
Answer: B) Iago failed to secure Desdemona for him despite being paid
15. Why does Iago claim to hate Othello?
Answer: C) Othello promoted Cassio over him
16. What action do Iago and Roderigo take to provoke Brabantio?
Answer: C) Wake him to tell of Desdemona’s elopement
17. How does Othello defend himself against accusations of using witchcraft?
Answer: C) He recounts tales of his life that won her heart
18. What ultimately convinces the Duke and Senate of Othello’s honesty?
Answer: A) Desdemona’s own testimony
19. What event eliminates the Turkish threat to Cyprus?
Answer: C) A severe storm at sea
20. What minor gesture between Cassio and Desdemona does Iago use to manipulate Othello?
Answer: B) A handshake
21. What advice does Iago give to Roderigo about Cassio during the celebration?
Answer: C) Start a fight to discredit him
22. How is Cassio demoted?
Answer: C) He wounds Montano during a drunken fight
23. What advice does Iago give Cassio after his demotion?
Answer: B) Ask Desdemona to speak to Othello
24. How does Iago obtain Desdemona’s handkerchief?
Answer: C) Emilia picks it up and gives it to him
25. What false proof does Iago give Othello of Desdemona's infidelity?
Answer: C) Cassio wearing Desdemona’s handkerchief
26. What effect does jealousy have on Othello’s physical state?
Answer: C) He experiences an epileptic seizure
27. Why does Othello strike Desdemona in front of Lodovico?
Answer: D) Lodovico announces Cassio’s promotion
28. How does Iago use Bianca to reinforce his plot?
Answer: B) He lets her return the handkerchief Cassio has
29. What lie does Iago tell Desdemona to explain Othello’s rage?
Answer: C) That Othello is troubled by political matters
30. Why does Roderigo agree to attack Cassio?
Answer: D) To win Desdemona’s love
31. How does Iago cover his tracks after the attack on Cassio?
Answer: A) He frames Roderigo and murders him
32. What claim does Desdemona make before dying?
Answer: C) That she committed suicide
33. What final actions close the play?
Answer: A) Cassio becomes general, Iago is to be executed, and Lodovico returns to Venice
32. What claim does Desdemona make before dying?
Answer: C) That she committed suicide
33. What final actions close the play?
Answer: A) Cassio becomes general, Iago is to be executed, and Lodovico returns to Venice
34. What causes Othello to lose control of his actions?
Answer: B) Trust in Iago
35. What does Desdemona’s loyalty represent in the play?
Answer: C) True love and innocence
36. How does Iago manipulate Othello’s military mindset?
Answer: C) Turns love into a battle
37. How does Iago use the theme of “Appearance vs. Reality”?
Answer: C) He pretends to be honest
38. What object becomes a symbol of betrayal for Othello?
Answer: D) Handkerchief
39. Why is Othello’s idea of justice flawed?
Answer: C) He acts on anger, not truth
40. What does the play teach about judging people by looks?
Answer: C) Outer appearance can deceive
41. Who originally gave the handkerchief to Othello’s mother?
Answer: C) An Egyptian sorcerer
42. How does Iago use the handkerchief in his plan?
Answer: C) He plants it with Cassio
43. What animal is Othello compared to in the play?
Answer: B) Horse
44. What does animal language in the play mostly represent?
Answer: C) Prejudice and racism
45. What does the symbolic use of animals reveal about Iago’s language?
Answer: C) It shows his use of dehumanizing insults
46. What happens to the meaning of the handkerchief by the end of the play?
Answer:C) It symbolizes lies and jealousy
47. Why does Iago hate Othello?
Answer: C) Othello didn’t promote him
48. Who is the "Moor of Venice"?
Answer: C) Othello
49. What kind of person is Desdemona?
Answer: B) Kind and loyal
50. What does Iago do throughout the play?
Answer: C) Tricks people and causes destruction
51. Who is Emilia?
Answer: C) Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s maid
52. What is Cassio’s main problem in the play?
Answer: B) He loses his job after a fight
53. What does Roderigo want most?
Answer: D) To win Desdemona’s love
54. Who is Bianca in the play?
Answer: B) A prostitute who loves Cassio
55. What is Brabantio’s reaction to Desdemona’s marriage?
Answer: C) He is angry and shocked
56. What role does Lodovico play at the end of the play?
Answer: B) He gives Othello’s property to Graziano
Essay : A Doll's House by henrik ibsen
Introduction of an Author
Henrik Ibsen was a major Norwegian playwright of the late 19th century who introduced to the European stage a new order of moral analysis that was placed against a severely realistic middleclass background and developed with economy of action, penetrating dialogue, and rigorous thought. He is often referred to as “the father of realism” and one of the most influential playwrights of his time. Some of his notable works include A Doll’s House, Peer Gynt, Hedda Gabler, Ghosts, and The Master Builder. He wrote his plays in Danish, the common written language of Denmark and Norway during his lifetime, and lived for 27 years in Italy and Germany. He died in 1906 in Kristiania
Summary of A doll house
Nora Helmer lives happily with her husband Torvald and their children. Torvald treats Nora kindly but also like a child or “doll,” making all decisions for her.
Years earlier, when Torvald was sick, Nora secretly borrowed money from Krogstad to pay for his treatment. She forged her father’s signature to get the loan. Nora has been secretly working to repay the debt.
Now, Krogstad threatens to reveal the secret unless Nora helps him keep his job at the bank. Nora becomes desperate, but Torvald discovers the truth. Instead of understanding, he scolds Nora for ruining his reputation and calls her unfit as a wife and mother.
Later, when Krogstad decides not to expose her, Torvald forgives Nora. But by then, Nora realizes the truth: her marriage is built on control, lies, and appearances. She feels like a “doll” in Torvald’s house, with no real freedom or respect.
In the end, Nora makes a bold decision. She leaves Torvald and her children to find her own identity and independence.
Character:
Here are some of the main characters with two-line descriptions:
NORA HELMER: The protagonist of the play and the wife of Torvald Helmer. She appears to be a happy and obedient wife, but she secretly rebels against her husband’s authority and society’s expectations.
TORVALD HELMER: Nora’s husband and the newly promoted manager of the local joint stock bank. He is proud of his status and reputation, and he treats Nora like a child or a doll, not as an equal partner.
DR. RANK: A rich family friend, who, unlike Torvald, treats Nora as an intelligent human being. He suffers from spinal tuberculosis, a condition he believes was caused by his father’s vices.
KRISTINE LINDE: An old friend of Nora’s. She is a practical and independent woman, who married for money but was widowed. She rekindles her love with Krogstad, whom she had rejected for a richer man.
NILS KROGSTAD: A lawyer who went to school with Torvald and holds a subordinate position at Torvald’s bank. He is a disgraced and desperate man, who blackmails Nora over a loan she took from him with a forged signature
THEME: the main themes of A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen:
Gender Roles & Inequality → Shows how women were treated as possessions or “dolls” without independence.
Marriage & Power → Nora and Torvald’s marriage is built on control and appearances rather than equality and respect.
Identity & Self-Discovery → Nora realizes she must discover who she truly is beyond being a wife and mother.
Deception & Secrets → Nora hides the loan and forgery, showing how lies and social pressure shape lives.
Individual vs. Society → Nora’s decision to leave challenges society’s strict expectations of women and family.
Freedom & Independence → The ending emphasizes personal freedom, especially for women, to choose their own path.
Conclusion:
Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House shows the struggle for freedom and identity in a society that limits women. Nora’s decision to leave her family highlights the importance of self-respect, independence, and equality, making the play timeless and powerful.
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