Othello 2 - Female Characters

• English
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Introduction

Welcome to this interactive lesson on Othello! It's female characters this time round. It still has the near future theme but don't be fooled by the snazzy animations, it's style AND substance! There's a range of activities here - mind maps, quizzes, polls, a creative activity and even a form of roleplay that even the shyest student can join in with! There's critical opinion here as well which some specifications require. Even if it's not part of the assessment it will still be useful and interesting. I hope you and you learners enjoy this lesson. I'm imagining that the learners have at least seen and/or read through the play. Adapt it to your needs!

Instructions

More detailed instructions can be found on the notes on each slide. 

Hello and welcome to this interactive lesson on Othello!

Again this is more of an overview but you could use this as a springboard for more specific elements of exploring female characters in Othello. There's deliberate consistency with the Othello 1, so there are a lot of AI images here. I wanted to make the play seem very real and very 21st century.

So I'm continuing the near future theme! I'm proud of a new way of using mind maps here! You will find notes for every slide and more detailed guidance for anything that needs it!

Again I am expecting learners to have at least seen or read the play for this to work best. Otherwise it could still work if broken up into chunks.

Hope you and your learners find it useful.

Which female character do you think has most power in the play?

Very simple starter activity with a poll. This will still work without student devices. 

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Learning Objectives

• Analyse how Shakespeare presents the characters of Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca. 
• Consider how their portrayals link to the play's themes of power, love, and societal expectations.

The learning objectives page! Classic. With added graphics!

What qualities do you think an Elizabethan wife would have been expected to have?

What qualities do you think an Elizabethan wife would have been expected to have?

A mind map activity here - This could be repositionied before the LOs if you wanted it as a more substantial starter.

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Context: John Knox

Historical Figures > Reformation Leaders

Name: John Knox

Date of Birth: c. 1514

Date of Death: 24 November 1572

Nationality: Scottish

Occupation: Theologian, Reformer, Preacher

ADDITIONAL DATA

My students often couldn't tell the difference between referring to Knox as context or as a critic. Some of my students would think they were covering critical opinion, hence I've flagged this up as context here. 

To what extent does Shakespeare present Desdemona as conforming to the ideas of Knox?

To what extent does Shakespeare present Desdemona as conforming to the ideas of Knox?

A mind map follow up to the last slide.

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Context: Servants

Database Entry> Elizabethan Servant

Position: Domestic servant in Elizabethan households

Period: 1558–1603 (Elizabethan Era)

Duties: Cooking, cleaning, personal assistance, and household management

Key Expectations: Loyalty, discretion, obedience, and subordination to masters

Gender Roles: Men typically served as stewards or footmen; women served as maids or personal attendants

Social Status: Varied based on role, with higher status for managerial servants like stewards

ADDITIONAL DATA

Context about servants. I wanted to get across the idea of how the male social hierarchy in the play is reflected with the female characters.

How does Shakespeare depict the social status of Emilia and what does it add to the play?

How does Shakespeare depict the social status of Emilia and what does it add to the play?

This mind map develops the themes of the last slide more specifically.

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Context: Courtesans

Database Entry> Veneitian Courtesan

Position: High-status 'entertainer' and companion to wealthy or noble patrons

Period: 1558–1603 (Elizabethan Era)

Duties: Providing 'companionship', engaging in intellectual conversations, and entertaining through music, dance, or performance and <<REDACTED>>

Key Expectations: Charisma, cultural refinement,  discretion and <<REDACTED>>

Gender Roles: Primarily women who navigated complex social and moral perceptions

Social Status: Marginally elevated compared to common prostitutes due to relationships with influential figures

Cultural Context: Often admired for their beauty and wit but socially stigmatized due to perceived immorality.

ADDITIONAL DATA

I've presented the information here about what a courtesan sensitively - there's a wide variety of what might be acceptable in the classroom. 

This page is designed to be as flexible as possible!

Why has Shakespeare included the character of Bianca, a courtesan?

Why has Shakespeare included the character of Bianca, a courtesan?

Bianca mind map. I find her very interesting as a minor character. This discussion could spiral off into all sorts of ideas, e.g. how her introduction changes audience perception of Cassio.

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Desdemona, Emilia, Bianca

In groups you will focus on one of the characters.

Be prepared to feedback!

This is just a simple slide setting up the next activity. It would also work quite well as a template if you favourite it.

DESDEMONA

How does her loyalty to Othello shape her actions? How does her background as a noblewoman influence her treatment?

EMILIA

What do her actions and dialogue reveal about her views on marriage and fidelity?

BIANCA

How does her jealousy reflect societal views of courtesans in contrast to noblewomen?

I made this slide with a custom looping gif as a different way of presenting the questions. 

The idea is it loops as students are working. If you want to share the screen or display the questions all the time I included moveable hotspots at the bottom of the screen. 

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Desdemona, Emilia, Bianca

Feedback time:

Feedback slide: 

Two spinners either to choose groups with the character names or there is a student name picker as an alternative.

Does her association with the handkerchief enhance or diminish her agency? Why/why not?

You might need to explain this question - 

I was thinking of creating a separate slide on the handkerchief but it felt like content for a future lesson! A brief introduction and discussion before starting the activities here should do!

Why does she steal the handkerchief? Does this action reflect loyalty, betrayal, or something else?

Emilia focused open question.

How does the handkerchief fuel her suspicions and insecurities about Cassio?

Bianca focused open question.

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Critical Opinion - DESDEMONA

AGREE

DISAGREE

MARILYN FRENCH

(Feminist Critique, 1982)

French argues that "Desdemona accepts her culture’s dictum that she must be obedient to males," which seals her tragic fate. Desdemona's line, "His unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love" (Act 4, Scene 2), reflects this submission even in the face of Othello's cruelty.

LISA JARDINE

(Reading Shakespeare Historically, 1996)

Jardine notes that Desdemona's marriage to Othello is a "bold transgression" against patriarchal norms. However, Jardine asserts that her eventual passivity signals her reintegration into the traditional role of a submissive wife. Her declaration, "I am obedient" (Act 3, Scene 3), encapsulates this shift.

ANIA LOOMBA

(Gender, Race, Renaissance Drama, 1987)

Loomba emphasizes that Desdemona becomes "the site upon which racial anxieties converge." Her love for Othello disrupts societal expectations, and Loomba contends that this destabilization partly fuels Iago's manipulation. The reference to Desdemona as a "fair warrior" by Othello (Act 2, Scene 1) illustrates her symbolic challenge to racial and gender norms.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Now find evidence from the play to demonstrate why you agree/disagree/partially agree with the critic. Be prepared to report your findings!

Ideally share the screen with the students but it will work without devices, either as a whole group discussion or asking individual students or groups.

The hotspots will expand and are moveable into the hexagonal 'Venn' diagram.

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Critical Opinion -EMILIA

AGREE

DISAGREE

CAROL THOMAS NEELY

(Shakespeare Without Women, 2000)

Callaghan argues that Bianca's treatment by Cassio and the court mirrors the play’s "obsession with female chastity." Cassio’s dismissive comment — "This is the monkey’s own giving out" (Act 4, Scene 1) — underscores how women like Bianca are trivialized and denied emotional legitimacy.

MARILYN FRENCH

French asserts that Emilia "speaks for women when she denounces men’s treatment of them as objects." Emilia's scathing critique in Act 4, Scene 3 — "They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; / They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, / They belch us" — reveals her disillusionment with patriarchal norms.

KAREN NEWMAN

(Feminism and Renaissance Studies, 1991)

Newman notes that Emilia's exposure of Iago's treachery "momentarily subverts patriarchal power structures." Emilia's final stand — "You told a lie, an odious, damned lie!" (Act 5, Scene 2) — embodies a rare triumph of truth-telling, albeit at the cost of her life.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Now find evidence from the play to demonstrate why you agree/disagree/partially agree with the critic. Be prepared to report your findings!

More moveable hotspots with critical opinion!

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Critical Opinion -BIANCA

AGREE

DISAGREE

DYMPNA CALLAGHAN

(Shakespeare Without Women, 2000)

Callaghan argues that Bianca's treatment by Cassio and the court mirrors the play’s "obsession with female chastity." Cassio’s dismissive comment — "This is the monkey’s own giving out" (Act 4, Scene 1) — underscores how women like Bianca are trivialized and denied emotional legitimacy.

EMILY BARTELS

(Strategies of Difference, 1993)

Bartels suggests that Bianca serves as a counterpoint to Desdemona and Emilia, embodying jealousy from a marginalized perspective. Her line, "I am no strumpet, but of life as honest / As you that thus abuse me" (Act 5, Scene 1), highlights her struggle for dignity despite societal assumptions about her virtue.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Now find evidence from the play to demonstrate why you agree/disagree/partially agree with the critic. Be prepared to report your findings!

And critical hotspots for Bianca!

According to Marilyn French, what does Emilia's critique reveal?

According to Marilyn French, what does Emilia's critique reveal?

1. Admiration for Othello
2. Disillusionment with patriarchal norms
3. Approval of Desdemona's fate
4. Support for male authority

Quiz slides based on the critics.

How is Bianca treated by Cassio?

According to Marilyn French, what does Emilia's critique reveal?

1. As a heroine
2. As a noblewoman
3. As a loyal friend
4. As a trivialised character

Quiz slides based on the critics.

Which Emilia line does Newman state "mometarily subverts patriarchal structures" in Act 5, Scene 2?

Which Emilia line does Newman state "mometarily subverts patriarchal structures" in Act 5, Scene 2?

1. You told a lie, an odious, damned lie!
2. I will speak as liberal
3. His unkindness may defeat my life
4. I am obedient

Quiz slides based on the critics.

Which critic noted Desdemona's marriage was a bold transgression?

Which critic noted Desdemona's marriage was a bold transgression?

1. Marilyn French
2. Carol Thomas Neely
3. Ania Loomba
4. Lisa Jardine

Quiz slides based on the critics.

According to French, what does Desdemona's submission reflect?

According to French, what does Desdemona's submission reflect?

1. Her defiance against Othello
2. Her independence
3. Her tragic fate
4. Her ambition

Quiz slides based on the critics.

Learning Objectives

OTHELLO

FEMALE CHARACTERS

Creative Activity

Creative Task: Design a social media profile for one of the female characters, imagining how they would present themselves in today’s world. Include key posts, hashtags, and quotes.

A creative task! This could be done on computer but would work as large posters.

Digital Roleplay

MISSION BRIEFING

In pairs focus on the following pairs of characters:

Desdemona and Othello

Iago and Emilia

Bianca and Cassio

Desdemona and Emilia

Prepare a digital roleplay - what conversation will they have. You will perform it live via the mind map function. Your tutor will select pairs to perform. You may use modern language - but you must communicate in character.

The rest of the group will then identify quotations the discussion was based on.

DIGITAL ROLEPLAY

This task develops the last activity.

Use this to have your learners take part in a different kind of roleplay!

Drawing on their own experience of social media, the pair should rehearse and then perform a roleplay as if the characters were communicating with each other.

The conversation could be based on a particular scene or be broader.

You will need to arrange the mind map bubbles in a coherent stream as they come in to emulate social media chat apps.

When finished drag all the bubbles to the bin and start with another pair.

You can allocate pairs or let them choose!

To what extent do you feel Shakespeare's depiction of female characters in Othello was ahead of his time? Be prepared to explain!

010

Feedback polls linked to the learning objectives.

Bianca is an unnecessary character.

Disagree

Partially agree

Agree

Feedback polls linked to the learning objectives.

Which critic's opinion from this lesson do you remember most clearly?

Marilyn French

Lisa Jardine

Ania Loomba

Carol Thomas Neely

Karen Newman

Dympna Callaghan

Emily Bartels

Factual recall of critics is important on some exam specifications. 

If it isn't for you this slide and the next are less important.

Which critic's opinion from this lesson do you remember least clearly?

Marilyn French

Lisa Jardine

Ania Loomba

Carol Thomas Neely

Karen Newman

Dympna Callaghan

Emily Bartels

Feedback polls linked to the learning objectives.

Use this slide to ask about anything you aren't sure about yet.

This is phase 1 of the plenary.

How confident do you feel discussing female characters in Othello?

010

Feedback polls linked to the learning objectives.

Thank you and hope you enjoyed this lesson!