Othello Essay Topics and Transactionals

Othello Essay Topics: A. CHARACTER-FOCUSED ESSAY QUESTIONS 1. OTHELLO IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS BOTH A NOBLE HERO AND A TRAGIC VICTIM. DISCUSS THIS STATEMENT WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE PLAY. 2. TO WHAT EXTENT IS IAGO THE TRUE PROTAGONIST OF THE PLAY OTHELLO? SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WITH DETAILED REFERENCE TO HIS WORDS AND ACTIONS. 3. DESDEMONA IS FREQUENTLY SEEN AS PASSIVE AND OBEDIENT. CRITICALLY DISCUSS WHETHER THIS VIEW IS JUSTIFIED. 4. DISCUSS HOW EMILIA DEVELOPS AS A CHARACTER AND HOW HER DEVELOPMENT CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAGIC OUTCOME OF THE PLAY. 5. CASSIO IS PRESENTED AS BOTH HONOURABLE AND FLAWED. EXAMINE HOW THESE QUALITIES AFFECT THE COURSE OF EVENTS IN THE PLAY. B. THEMATIC ESSAY QUESTIONS 6. JEALOUSY IS THE CENTRAL DESTRUCTIVE FORCE IN OTHELLO. DISCUSS HOW SHAKESPEARE PRESENTS JEALOUSY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. 7. APPEARANCE VS REALITY IS A KEY THEME IN OTHELLO. DISCUSS HOW THIS THEME IS DEVELOPED THROUGH CHARACTER AND PLOT. 8. DISCUSS THE ROLE OF POWER AND CONTROL IN RELATIONSHIPS IN OTHELLO. 9. ‘TRUST, ONCE BROKEN, LEADS TO DESTRUCTION.’ DISCUSS THIS STATEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO OTHELLO. 10. RACE AND OTHERNESS PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OTHELLO’S DOWNFALL. TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE? C. LANGUAGE & ANALYSIS OF LINES (I think these are good for practice but very unlikely to appear as a proper question – too open ended) 11. WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO SHAKESPEARE’S USE OF LANGUAGE, DISCUSS HOW IAGO MANIPULATES OTHERS TO ACHIEVE HIS GOALS. 12. ANALYSE HOW SHAKESPEARE USES IMAGERY TO CONVEY THE THEME OF CORRUPTION IN OTHELLO. 13. DISCUSS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANIMAL AND DISEASE IMAGERY IN THE PLAY. HOW DOES IT SHAPE THE AUDIENCE’S RESPONSE TO CHARACTERS? 14. HOW DOES SHAKESPEARE USE SOLILOQUIES TO REVEAL CHARACTER AND ADVANCE THE PLOT IN OTHELLO? D. FORESHADOWING & DRAMATIC TECHNIQUE 15. DISCUSS HOW SHAKESPEARE USES FORESHADOWING TO PREPARE THE AUDIENCE FOR THE TRAGIC ENDING OF OTHELLO. 16. EXAMINE THE ROLE OF DRAMATIC IRONY IN INCREASING TENSION AND TRAGEDY IN THE PLAY. 17. HOW DOES THE STRUCTURE OF THE PLAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE RAPID UNRAVELLING OF OTHELLO’S CHARACTER? E. MORALITY, RESPONSIBILITY & TRAGEDY 18. TO WHAT EXTENT IS OTHELLO RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN DOWNFALL? DISCUSS WITH REFERENCE TO KEY EVENTS IN THE PLAY. 19. DISCUSS WHETHER OTHELLO CAN BE CONSIDERED A MORAL PLAY. 20. ‘EVIL TRIUMPHS WHEN GOOD MEN FAIL TO ACT.’ DISCUSS THIS STATEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO OTHELLO. F. STATEMENT-BASED ESSAY QUESTIONS 21. ‘IAGO IS EVIL WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION.’ DISCUSS THIS VIEW OF HIS CHARACTER. 22. ‘DESDEMONA IS A VICTIM OF BOTH SOCIETY AND THE MEN AROUND HER.’ DISCUSS. 23. ‘OTHELLO’S GREATEST WEAKNESS IS HIS INSECURITY.’ DISCUSS WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE PLAY. Transactional Writing: 1. FORMAL EMAIL YOU ARE A LEARNER AT A SCHOOL WHERE A BELOVED TEACHER IS LEAVING AT THE END OF THE YEAR. WRITE A FORMAL EMAIL TO THE PRINCIPAL PROPOSING A FAREWELL EVENT AND EXPLAIN WHY THIS TEACHER DESERVES SPECIAL RECOGNITION. 2. INFORMAL EMAIL YOU HAVE RECENTLY MOVED TO A NEW CITY AND ARE STRUGGLING TO SETTLE IN. WRITE AN EMAIL TO A CLOSE FRIEND DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND ASKING FOR ADVICE. 3. FRIENDLY LETTER WRITE A LETTER TO A YOUNGER COUSIN WHO IS ABOUT TO WRITE THEIR FIRST IMPORTANT EXAM. OFFER ADVICE, ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRACTICAL STUDY TIPS. 4. FRIENDLY LETTER (REFLECTIVE) WRITE A LETTER TO YOUR FUTURE SELF, TO BE OPENED IN TEN YEARS’ TIME, DESCRIBING YOUR CURRENT HOPES, FEARS AND EXPECTATIONS. 5. FORMAL LETTER OF COMPLAINT A LOCAL COMMUNITY PARK HAS FALLEN INTO DISREPAIR AND HAS BECOME UNSAFE. WRITE A FORMAL LETTER TO THE MUNICIPALITY COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SITUATION AND SUGGESTING SOLUTIONS. 6. FORMAL LETTER OF APPLICATION WRITE A LETTER APPLYING TO BE A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE AT YOUR SCHOOL. OUTLINE THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE YOU SUITABLE FOR THE POSITION. 7. PERSUASIVE SPEECH YOUR SCHOOL IS CONSIDERING BANNING CELL PHONES COMPLETELY. WRITE A SPEECH TO BE PRESENTED AT A SCHOOL ASSEMBLY EXPRESSING YOUR VIEW. 8. MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH WRITE A SPEECH TO MOTIVATE MATRIC LEARNERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR FINAL YEAR. 9. SPEECH FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DELIVER A SPEECH AT A COMMUNITY YOUTH AWARDS CEREMONY. CELEBRATE THE ROLE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN CREATING CHANGE. 10. EULOGY WRITE A EULOGY FOR A GRANDPARENT WHO PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN YOUR LIFE AND TAUGHT YOU IMPORTANT VALUES. 11. TRIBUTE WRITE A TRIBUTE TO A PERSON (REAL OR FICTIONAL) WHO HAS HAD A POWERFUL IMPACT ON YOUR GENERATION. 12. DIALOGUE WRITE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A PARENT AND A TEENAGER DISCUSSING A DIFFICULT DECISION THAT WILL AFFECT BOTH OF THEM. 13. DIALOGUE (CONFLICT-BASED) WRITE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN TWO FRIENDS AFTER A BETRAYAL HAS DAMAGED THEIR RELATIONSHIP. 14. INTERVIEW WRITE AN INTERVIEW BETWEEN A JOURNALIST AND A YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR WHO HAS STARTED A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS. 15. INTERVIEW (REFLECTIVE) WRITE AN INTERVIEW WITH YOURSELF IN WHICH YOU REFLECT ON A MAJOR TURNING POINT IN YOUR LIFE. 16. DIARY ENTRY WRITE A DIARY ENTRY ABOUT A DAY THAT CHANGED THE WAY YOU SEE THE WORLD. 17. DIARY ENTRY (EMOTIONAL) WRITE A DIARY ENTRY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO HAS JUST RECEIVED LIFE-CHANGING NEWS. 18. REPORT YOU WERE ASKED TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONLINE LEARNING AT YOUR SCHOOL. WRITE A REPORT PRESENTING YOUR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 19. ARTICLE WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR YOUR SCHOOL MAGAZINE ABOUT THE PRESSURES FACED BY MODERN TEENAGERS. 20. ARTICLE (OPINION) WRITE AN ARTICLE DISCUSSING WHETHER SOCIAL MEDIA HAS DONE MORE HARM THAN GOOD TAKEN FROM PAST PAPERS: 1) As one of the top achievers at your school, you have been invited to deliver a speech at an assembly of parents, staff, and students in which you express your views on the extent to which freedom of speech should be protected for writers. You may either argue in favour of writers’ freedom of speech or against it. Absurd censorship: Outrage sparks as passages are removed from Roald Dahl books 2) As a concerned matriculant, you wish to respond to the ideas regarding censorship of literature presented in the text entitled, ‘Absurd censorship: Outrage sparks as passages are removed from Roald Dahl books’. Write an impassioned open letter to the CEO of The Roald Dahl Story Company either supporting or criticising censorship of children’s stories. 3) Write a blog entry for an online school site that your school counsellor wishes to start to help teenagers face their challenges and find their own voices. Present an honest critique of your life. What personal challenge have you faced and to what extent have you been able to speak your truth? Please note: You should not recount all of your experiences but rather focus on ONE personal challenge that you have had to face and overcome. AFRIKAANS TRANSAKSIONELE SKYRFSTUKE: 1. FORMELE E-POS JY IS ’N LEERDER BY ’N SKOOL WAAR DIE BIBLIOTEEK AL MAANDE LANK GESLUIT IS. SKRYF ’N FORMELE E-POS AAN DIE SKOOLHOOF WAARIN JY JOU BEKOMMERNIS UITSPREEK EN MOONTLIKE OPLOSSINGS VOORSTEL. 2. INFORMELE E-POS JY HET ONLANGS VAN SKOOL VERANDER. SKRYF ’N E-POS AAN ’N VRIEND/VRIENDIN WAARIN JY JOU ERVARING BESKRYF EN VRA HOE OM AAN TE PAS. 3. VRIENDSKAPLIKE BRIEF SKRYF ’N BRIEF AAN ’N OUER FAMILIELID OM HULLE TE BEDANK VIR DIE ROL WAT HULLE IN JOU LEWE GESPEEL HET. 4. VRIENDSKAPLIKE BRIEF (REFLEKTIEF) SKRYF ’N BRIEF AAN JOUSELF IN DIE TOEKOMS WAARIN JY JOU DROME, DOELWITTE EN VRESE DEEL. 5. FORMELE KLAGTEBRIEF JOU DORP SE OPENBARE VERVOER IS ONBETROUBAAR. SKRYF ’N FORMELE BRIEF AAN DIE VERVOERDIENS WAARIN JY DIE PROBLEEM BESKRYF EN VERBETERINGS VOORSTEL. 6. FORMELE AANSOEKBRIEF SKRYF ’N BRIEF WAARIN JY AANSOEK DOEN OM ’N LEIERSKAPSPOS BY JOU SKOOL TE BEKLEE. 7. OORREDENDE TOESPRAAK SKRYF ’N TOESPRAAK WAT BY ’N SKOOLBYEENKOMS GELEWER SAL WORD OOR DIE BELANGRIKHEID VAN MENTALE GESONDHEID ONDER LEERDERS. 8. MOTIVERENDE TOESPRAAK SKRYF ’N TOESPRAAK OM GRAAD 12-LEERDERS AAN DIE BEGIN VAN DIE AKADEMIESE JAAR TE MOTIVEER. 9. GELEENTHEIDSTOESPRAAK JY IS GENOOI OM ’N TOESPRAAK TE LEWER BY ’N VRYWILLIGERSFUNKSIE IN JOU GEMEENSKAP. BEDANK DIE VRYWILLIGERS VIR HULLE BYDRAE. 10. LOFREDE SKRYF ’N LOFREDE VIR ’N ONDERWYSER WAT ’N GROOT INVLOED OP JOU LEWE GEHAD HET. 11. HULDEBLYK SKRYF ’N HULDEBLYK AAN ’N PERSOON (WERKLIK OF FIKTIEF) WAT ’N POSITIEWE VERSKIL IN JOU GEMEENSKAP GEMAAK HET. 12. DIALOOG SKRYF ’N DIALOOG TUSSEN TWEE LEERDERS WAT VERSKILLENDE MENINGS HET OOR ’N BELANGRIKE SKOOLBESLUIT. 13. DIALOOG (KONFLIK) SKRYF ’N DIALOOG TUSSEN ’N OUER EN ’N KIND NA ’N GROOT MISVERSTAND. 14. ONDERHOUD SKRYF ’N ONDERHOUD MET ’N JONG SPORTSPERSOON WAT SUKSES BEHAAL HET TEN SPYTE VAN UITDAGINGS. 15. ONDERHOUD (SELFREFLEKSIE) SKRYF ’N ONDERHOUD MET JOUSELF WAARIN JY TERUGKYK OP ’N BELANGRIKE BESLUIT IN JOU LEWE. 16. DAGBOEKINSKRYWING SKRYF ’N DAGBOEKINSKRYWING OOR ’N DAG WAT JOU LEWE VERANDER HET. 17. DAGBOEKINSKRYWING (EMOSIONEEL) SKRYF ’N DAGBOEKINSKRYWING NADAT JY NUUS ONTVANG HET WAT JOU TOEKOMS KAN BEÏNVLOED. 18. VERSLAG SKRYF ’N VERSLAG OOR DIE VEILIGHEID BY JOU SKOOL EN GEE AANBEVELINGS VIR VERBETERING. 19. ARTIKEL SKRYF ’N ARTIKEL VIR DIE SKOOLKOERANT OOR DIE UITDAGINGS WAT JONGMENSE VANDAG IN DIE GESIG STARE. 20. MENINGSARTIKEL SKRYF ’N ARTIKEL WAARIN JY JOU MENING GEE OOR DIE IMPAK VAN SOSIALE MEDIA OP JONGMENSE.