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Shakespeare often uses humor NOT ONLY to offer a bit of comic relief BUT ALSO to underscore a certain key idea.  How does he use humor in Othello to highlight a key message of the play?  (DO NOT merely comment on the "comic relief" aspect of the humor -- these responses will not count for credit)

The Horror! The Horror!

What is the nature of the evil that pervades the story of Othello? What is the central motivating factor for Iago?  Is he aware of his own monstrosity?  Why is Iago often characterized as THE most chilling and evil villain ever?

The Moor

How is the character of Othello more "modern" and believable than Hamlet, King Lear, or Macbeth?  If you'd prefer (and haven't read the above works), consider Othello's character in light of Beowulf, Sir Gawain, and other ancient/medieval protagonists.  How does Othello depart from the older heroes of literature?

Geography in Othello

How does (do) the physical setting(s) of this play highlight and mirror the inner conflilcts at work in the characters?  To think about this from another angle, why would Shakespeare move the action to Cyprus after just the 1st Act?

On a scale of 1 to 10 . . .

Given our examination of villainy and monsters that lurk in the dark shadows, how do you rate the Green Knight?  We've seen the earliest type of monster, in Beowulf, who is the easy -- if mysterious -- personification of pure evil; we've jumped ahead to take a look at a very modern, and very human monster, who agonizes over many of the same things we do in his misguided approach to meaning and purpose.  Where does the Green Knight fall in this spectrum?  How has this monster evolved since the days of early Grendel, and how is he still not "modern?"

It's all a matter of perception . . .

As you know, writers depend on their readers' history and background knowledge in order to construct meaning.  With this in mind, what are you noticing that is ODD about this story?  Do you see evidence of the Round Table's renowned chivalry?  What sorts of things in this story are being CONTRASTED in order to emphasize tensions and possible meanings?

Re-imaging Beowulf

If you were to prepare a new version of Beowulf -- for either text or cinema -- what would you change about it?  If your purpose was to stay faithful to the original theme and intent of the original, how could you tweak a character, scene, or major episode in order to BETTER deliver the message?  The makers of the recent animated movie version of Beowulf did just this, changing the story after line 1888 to deliver the same message with a more deliberate stroke.  What would your contribution be to this story?

Monsters in our Midst

Why do monsters exist in these stories?  Are they (...were they) realistic?  What types of monsters exist in our modern-day literature/stories?  Why do we continue to need monsters in our cultural tales?  What is the perfect monster?
In a similar vein, how would you describe the heroes in these Anglo-Saxon texts?  Are they different from the heroes you've read about before?  How has our definition of "hero" changed in the modern day?  Do we still need heroes?  What purpose did they serve and do they now serve in our democratic world?  Where have all the archetypal heroes gone?

Now British, once Picts, Celts, Angles, Jutes, and Frisians . . . .

What has your preliminary research revealed about ancient Anglo-Saxon England? What surprised you? How might these cultural, political, scientific factoids manifest themselves in the literature of the period? (E.g., What would you expect to see as a result of this Anglo-Saxon mindset?)

Initial Impressions

What are your general impressions of Beowulf -- either the Old English reading or Heaney's translation?
What are your thoughts as you pick up one of the oldest surviving stories in the English language?
What associations, ideas, feelings, and initial patterns and stylistics does the text offer?
What predictions or questions do you have?