Q. 1. What was the source of Othello?
Ans. The plot of Othello was borrowed from the seventh novel, ‘ Moore of Venice’, written by Geraldi Cinthio, a Sicilian relist.
Q. 2. Who is Roderigo?
Ans. Roderigo is a rich young Venetian. He is a fool and a fabulous example of a soldier and for Iago’s purpose a perfect dupe.
Q. 3. Who is Cassio?
Ans. Cassio is a professional soldier, lieutenant to Othello, the Moorish general of the Venetian army.
Q. 4. Why and how does Roderigo wake Desdemona’s father from sleep late at night?
Ans. Roderigo at the direction of lago wakes Brabantio, Desdemona’s father from sleep late at night by making a noisy clamor.
Q.5. What message does Roderigo give to Desdemona’s father?
Ans. Roderigo tells Desdemona’s father, Brabantio that his daughter has eloped with Othello, the Moorish general.
Q.6. What is Iago’s treachery against Roderigo?
Ans. Completely treacherous to Roderigo, lago is evidently giving Othello a version of his conversation with the dupe which is designed to give the impression that lago has been shocked by Roderigo’s hostility towards Othello.
Q.7. How is Othello received by the Duke at his court?
Ans. The Duke greets Othello first, immediately enlisting his services against the Turkish threat.
Q.8. What complaints does Brabantio make to the Duke?
Ans. Brabantio complains to the Duke, accusing Desdemona’s lover of winning his daughter by unnatural, unlawful spells and medicines, and marrying her.
Q.9. What stories of his life did Othello tell while he was invited to Brabantio’s house?
Ans. Encouraged by Brabantio, Othello, while invited to the house, told about his adventures-accidents, escapes, slavery, and life in strange places among outlandish peoples.
Q.10. How did Desdemona react to Othello’s stories and adventures?
Ans. Othello’s account of his experiences brought tears and sighs from Desdemona who was distressed, yet full of admiration for the hero of these adventures, she confessed that she could love such a man.
Q.11. How does Othello explain the “witchcraft’ that he used to win Desdemona’s heart?
Ans. Othello confesses before the Duke and senators that Desdemona loved him for the dangers he had faced, and he loved her because she sympathized with him for undergoing those dangers, and this was the only witchcraft that he used to win her heart.
Q.12. Why does Desdemona beg the Duke to let her go to Cyprus with Othello?
Ans. Desdemona begs the Duke to let her go to Cyprus with Othello, saying that her love for her husband depends upon his character and profession as a soldier. If she stays at home all the things upon which her love rests will be taken from her.
Q.13. Why does Roderigo intend to commit suicide?
Ans. Failing to win Desdemona’s love, Roderigo in a hopeless and frustrated mood intends to commit suicide by drowning.
Q.14. What advice does lago give to Roderigo?
Ans. lago advises Roderigo to disguise himself, arrange for as much money as possible, and follow them to Cyprus.
Q.15. What intrigue does lago think of in his soliloquy against Othello?
Ans. Left alone, lago in his soliloquy intends to poison Othello’s ears against Cassio by telling him that he is too familiar with his wife.
Q.16. What is Iago’s misinterpretation of the innocent exchange of courtesies between Cassio and Desdemona?
Ans. When Cassio gallantly takes Desdemona’s hand as an exchange of courtesies, lago deliberately misinterprets this and gloats over the possibility of making his behavior evidence of love for Othello’s wife.
Q.17. What ill advice does lago give to Roderigo?
Ans. lago instigates Roderigo to pick up a quarrel with Cassio who would be on watch in the guard room during the night. This would cause Cassio’s dismissal.
Q.18. Why is Montano wounded by Cassio?
Ans. When Cassio follows Roderigo with a drawn sword, Montano tries to stop him but Cassio quarrels with him and wounds him.
Q.19. How does lago plan to entrap Cassio, Desdemona, and Othello in the net of his villainy?
Ans. In a soliloquy, lago says that while Cassio solicits. Desdemona for help and plead with Othello on his behalf he would make Othello jealous by falsely interpreting Desdemona’s intervention for Cassio as love, and entrap all in the net of his villainy.
Q.20. When does Desdemona offer his handkerchief to Othello?
Ans. When Othello pretends to have a severe, Desdemona offers him her handkerchief to rub his face.
Q.21. How does the handkerchief fall to the ground?
Ans. Finding Othello in an over-wrought emotional condition, Desdemona tries to soothe him by rubbing his head with her handkerchief, but he angrily throws it to the ground.
Q.22. What is special about the handkerchief?
Ans. Desdemona’s handkerchief is a very special handkerchief embroidered with a strawberry pattern and was Othello’s first present to Desdemona.
Q.23. Who picks up the handkerchief?
Ans. Emilia, Iago’s wife as well as Desdemona’s maid, picks the handkerchief up by chance.
Q.24. How does Iago procure the handkerchief?
Ans. Iago snatches away the handkerchief from Emilia’s hand and asks her not to tell her mistress that she knows its whereabouts.
Q.25. How does lago hatch an intrigue with Desdemona’s handkerchief?
Ans. lago places the handkerchief of Desdemona in Cassio’s room, for this would confirm the suspicions of the jealous Othello. Sob
Q.26. How does Othello become sure of Desdemona’s guilt?
Ans. When lago arranges for Othello to actually see the handkerchief in Cassio’s possession, he becomes sure of Desdemona’s guilt and vows to kill her. of
Q.27. Why did Lodovico and Gratiano arrive in Cyprus?
Ans. Lodovico and Gratiano, messengers from Venice, arrive at Cyprus with orders for the recall of Othello and the appointment of Cassio as the Governor in his place.
Q.28. Why does Othello slap Desdemona on her face?
Ans. When Desdemona tactlessly expresses her joy at the promotion of Cassio, the jealous Othello misunderstands her and throws all dignity and self-control, slapping her on the face before all.
Q.29. What is Desdemona’s reaction to Othello’s charge against her chastity?
Ans. Desdemona is dazed by the suddenness and violence of Othello’s accusation and is too terrified to utter even a single word in her defense.
Q.30. What is Desdemona’s irony of fate?
Ans. It is an irony of fate for Desdemona that she kneels before lago, her worst enemy, and solicits him to find a way out of the difficulty of her life.
Q.31. How is Roderigo killed and by whom?
Ans. Being instigated by lago, Roderigo thrusts his sword at Cassio on the way at night but Cassio’s coat of mail prevents the wound from being fatal. In turn he wounds Roderigo and later on lago stabs him further to death, appearing thus to avenge Cassio.
Q.32. How is Desdemona killed by Othello?
Ans. Out of his jealous passion, Othello strangles Desdemona to death in her bed.
Q.33. Who reveals the wickedness of lago?
Ans. Emilia relates the whole story and reveals the wickedness of lago with the handkerchief before Montano, Gratiano, and others.
Q.34. How does Emilia die?
Ans, Emilia is fatally wounded by lago from behind, while she is revealing the villainy of lago, her husband.
Q.35. How does Othello die?
Ans. Othello, a heartbroken man at last, stabs himself and dies with a last kiss on the chaste, cold lips of Desdemona.
Q.36. What is the ultimate fate of lago, the villain of the play Othello?
Ans. lago, the villain, is arrested by Montano but he refuses to open his lips and it is decided that he would be tortured and made to confess.
Q.37. When and where does the play ‘Othello open?
Ans. Othello opens late at night in a Venetian street outside the house of Senator Branbantio.
Q.38. Why is Cassio grief-stricken?
Ans. Having lost his lieutenant’s ship and being disgraced by Othello, Cassio is grief-stricken.
Q.39. What is Othello syndrome?
Ans. Jealousy in love is Othello-syndrome.
Q.40. What was the original title of the play “Othello”?
Ans. The original title of the play Othello was “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice ”.
Q.41. What is Othello’s tragic flaw?
Ans. Othello’s credulity, simplicity, frankness, and honesty of his heart are the tragic flaws of his character.
Q.42. Why did Othello go to Cyprus from Venice?
Ans. Othello went to Cyprus from Venice to defend the island against an expected invasion by the Turks.
Q.43. How did Desdemona fall in love with Othello?
Ans. She says she fell in love with him because of the stories he told her about his adventures as a military man. She loves him for his “qualities.” such as courage and honor.
