YEAR 12 LESSON TWENTY-ONE [5th March 12]: Homework.

Students considered Act Five Scene Two of Othello and discussed a series of questions such as:

• What do we learn about being human through this play? To what extent does Othello reflect what we are?
• What is Shakespeare's aim? Why did he bother to create this play?
• What is the symbolic nature of the Bed?
• Is it possible for a 16/17 year old AS student to comprehend the dramatic intensity of a play that deals with mature emotional issues such as love and loss?

I though you lot were wonderful today. The quality of the oral response was outstanding; especially when I was deliberately goading you about the emotional intensity of the play being 'wasted' on AS students.

The second session looked at Othello's OBITUARY speech. Students were asked to consider a series of questions:

• What is the perception of Othello after this final speech?
• Is he really an 'honourable murderer'?
• Can a murderer ever be considered to have honour?
• What is Othello's perception of himself?
• How do you perceive the character of Othello at the end of the play?
• Does Iago experience justice? If not, what is Shakespeare's aim?

Again, class reaction was superb. Many thanks.

HOMEWORK: Next week we will be considering the Othello coursework titles and beginning to construct the first draft. Students need to revisit the previous blog entry, watch the Othello resources and consider the final scene of the play in the context of today's session.

Click on link below to access resources from previous blog entry:

http://becuriouslit.blogspot.com/2012/02/year12-lesson-twenty-27th-feb-11.html