the arrangement of events in order of their occurrence.

the state of being intricate or complicated.

the ability to destroy or damage gradually.

the state of being a cuckold: a man whose wife has been unfaithful.

Analysis of the theme of jealousy in 'Othello'

English

In 'Othello', pupils learn about the conventions of a tragic hero, which allows them to judge whether the protagonist is more a victim of his own hamartia or rather of external pressures and a racist society. In 'Macbeth: A Tragic  Hero', pupils evaluate whether Macbeth's downfall is caused by his own hubris or whether Lady Macbeth and wider society can be blamed. 

In 'The Language of Protest', pupils take inspiration from protest poetry and speeches, to write an opinion article. In 'Othello', pupils use their argumentative writing skills to compose letters in defense of Othello and to write speeches campaigning for racial equality. 

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.

'Othello'

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of distress or humiliation e.g. bullying.

Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Topic sentences can be ordered according to __________ and __________.

Through Iago, Shakespeare shows how jealousy and malcontent occur simultaneously

Shakespeare reveals that jealousy is infectious, as it soon spreads to Othello 

Through the bloodshed, Shakespeare exposes the tragic ends of male jealousy

Starting with the first, order these topic sentences about 'Othello' according to chronology and complexity.

racial prejudice in the Jacobean era was rife

Jacobean people believed in the Great Chain of Being

Jacobean men feared being cuckolded and thus emasculated and humiliated

What contextual idea could you draw upon to support the idea that male jealousy is particularly destructive in 'Othello'?

''hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light'

Match the quotes from 'Othello' to those that link to the best.

''Not poppy nor mandragora shall ever medicine thee''

''Our bodies are our gardens to which our wills are gardeners''

''Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!”

''As if he plucked kisses up by the roots that grew upon my lips''

Which quote from 'Othello' is the odd one out and does not link to the other quotes?

racial prejudice was rife at the time of writing and society was insular

women were expected to be chaste and obedient

Which contextual point can you use to support Othello's perceived outsider status being more detrimental than his jealousy in the play 'Othello'?

A man whose wife has been unfaithful has been 'cuckolded'

A woman whose husband has been unfaithful has been 'cuckolded'

A man that gets passed over for a promotion has been 'cuckolded'

Jacobean men feared being 'cuckolded' because they believed it threatened their...

Othello kills Desdemona due to his jealousy

Iago seeks revenge on Othello due to suspecting he had an affair with Emilia

Bianca confronts Cassio about the handkerchief in his room

How is jealousy a catalyst for all events in 'Othello'?

that male pride affects Othello’s jealousy

that jealousy is the sole catalyst for Othello’s tragic end

Which idea can be contested in reference to Shakespeare's 'Othello'?

Which factor contributes to Othello's jealousy and plays a role in his downfall in the play 'Othello'?

women were expected to do domestic chores

Which specific Jacobean belief about women may reflect the anger in Othello upon hearing of Desdemona's infidelity in 'Othello'?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Adult supervision recommended

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Analysis of the theme of jealousy in 'Othello'

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.