Is Othello a Jacobean Revenge Tragedy?
Shakespeare’s Othello is one of the most powerful tragedies in the English literary canon. But what kind of tragedy is it? Students often encounter categories like Jacobean revenge tragedy, classical tragedy, or domestic tragedy, and Othello intriguingly draws from all three. So, is Othello a Jacobean revenge tragedy — or something more complex?
Othello: Tragic Conventions
If you’re revising Tragedy in Othello, this page is for you! It’s a quick-fire look at some of the most important tragic elements and conventions that relate to the play - including plot, character and theme.
Tragic Terminology for Othello
Understanding Othello’s genre is so important for being able analyse the text in detail - as well as looking at this list below, make sure you understand the way ‘Tragedy’ was perceived in the Jacobean era, including what audiences expected to see if they went to watch a tragedy being performed, and also what common themes and concerns tragedies were allowed to explore.
The 2023 Edexcel A Level Questions for ‘Othello’
These questions are from the 2023 Past Paper for Edexcel A Level Literature - for this question, you have to write a 35 mark essay that includes context and critical ideas in the right way.
Watch a Traditional Version of ‘Othello’
This is a link to Ian McKellen and Willard White’s brilliant 1990 version of the play - it’s so well acted that I’d really recommend this one as one of the main versions to watch!
A Modern Day Adaptation of ‘Othello’
Here’s a link to the film ‘Othello’, directed by Geoffrey Sax and written by Andrew Davis - a modern adaptation of the play that sets the play in the world of police detectives. It doesn’t use traditional Shakespearean language, but it’s a good fun way of getting used to the story and the way in which tension builds between the characters. Enjoy!
Othello: Is he to blame for his own downfall?
When we think of Shakespeare’s Othello, we often picture a powerful general brought to ruin by jealousy. But was Othello simply a victim of his own emotions, or was there more going on? The truth lies in the tension between personal responsibility and the insidious forces of the society around him.
10 Key Quotes from Act Two in ‘Othello’
Here are 10 key quotations of the main events in Act Two in Shakespeare’s Othello. When writing essays, be sure to think about the structure of the plot, and whether specific passages or events occur at the play's beginning, middle or end. Use this to make deeper points about the characters and themes in your analysis.
How Tragedy works in ‘Othello’
When you think of revenge, you might picture epic showdowns, twisted plots, and poetic justice. That’s basically the essence of Jacobean revenge tragedy, a dramatic genre that flourished in the early 17th century during the reign of James I.
Othello: Complete Summary of Act Two
Here’s a complete summary of the main events in Act Two in Shakespeare’s Othello. When writing essays, be sure to think about the structure of the plot, and whether specific passages or events occur at the play's beginning, middle or end.
The Themes of Gender and Race in ‘Othello’
Themes and ideas are the big concepts that underpin any narrative. They generally are described in terms of abstract nouns, which represent important and relevant topics that affect us, or the world around us - such as love, death, goodness, war or human nature.
The Theme of Jealousy in ‘Othello’
Below, you’ll find some thoughts and comments on one of the key themes and ideas in the play. These are intended as a starting point - you should also read essays on the topic, do your research and develop your own more personal and detailed beliefs about each theme before attempting to write essays!
Othello: Complete Summary of Act One
Here’s a summary of the main events in Shakespeare’s Othello. When writing essays, be sure to think about the structure of the plot, and whether specific passages or events occur at the play's beginning, middle or end. Use this to make deeper points about the characters and themes in your analysis.
Othello AQA Tragedy: How to do the Extract Question
For ‘Aspects of Tragedy’ A Level (AQA, 7717 English Literature B), you have to write two separate questions on Othello: An extract or passage-based question that focuses on close reading and linguistic analysis, and a wider reading general essay question that focuses more on themes and context. This post takes you through how to do the extract question.
Othello AQA Tragedy Grade Boundaries Explained
Firstly, it’s important to note that grade boundaries change a bit each year - so if you want to secure a specific grade, for example, an ‘A’, then I would recommend getting to a point where your writing is consistently at least 3-4 marks into an A standard, just in case the boundaries shift a bit on the year of your specific exam.