Othello and Iago

1. According to Adrian Lester, how long has Othello been fighting for?
Othello has been fighting since the age of seven years old.


2. According to Adrian Lester, Othello is not born into a 'sense of nobility', like those around him.    How does Adrian Lester say this impacts the character?
Because Othello is not born into a 'sense of nobility', he is very aware of how he looks to the other characters so he is very much focused on his appearance.


3. What increases Othello's status in Venice?
Othello's status is increased in Venice when he marries Desdemona, the daughter of the wealthiest senator in Venice. This means that Othello will inherit a lot of money, which makes him seen to be a very powerful character in a money based society, as your worth was based on how many possessions you obtained.


4. Why does Rory Kinnear say Iago is disgruntled with Othello?
 Iago is disgruntled with Othello because he gave the role of lieutenancy to Cassio, a more sophisticated character. Iago really wanted this job and it is argued that Iago was expecting to be given the job as him and Othello had battled together and been through a lot. It should be noted that Othello didn't give Iago the role of being Lieutenant because he didn't want to give the role away to someone who is equal to him.


5. What do Othello and Iago have in common, according to Rory Kinnear?
Othello and Iago became friends from when they both first joined the army. As they have been through the same battles together and both started at the bottom of the ranks, this could be deemed as something they have in common.


6. Around 4.20, Rory Kinnear lists some of the ways Iago aims to bring down Othello and Cassio. What are they?
Iago uses Othello's weaknesses in an attempt to ruin Othello's reputation and to bring him down to Iago's level. This is because Iago has been unable to get to the same level as Othello, despite their same attempts in the army from the beginning.