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In Othello, Iago says of Cassio: "He hath a daily beauty in his life, / That makes me ugly." How could I critically discuss how the play...

You should, firstly, consider beginning your essay with a strong thesis statement which incorporates the question and clearly indicates the direction your essay will take.


Once this is done, you need to construct paragraphs which will obviously deal with the topic and follow on your thesis statement. You need to remember that your discussion requires a critical approach which means that you have to consider using apt references from the text and then make a case for these as evidence in support of your thesis statement.


Each of your paragraphs should deal with one aspect or point in support of your statement and should, therefore, each have a topic sentence with supporting quotes and evidence.


Ensure that you use connectives to join paragraphs. There must be a logical sequence or flow from one paragraph to the other. If you fail to do this, your essay may seem disjointed and poorly constructed.


Finally, your essay should provide an adequate conclusion. The conclusion, in essence, is a brief summary of your purpose for the essay and ties in with, but is not a repetition of, your thesis statement.


Points to consider in this particular essay:


  • Iago's feelings of inferiority towards Othello expressed as prejudice

  • Roderigo's similar sentiments in this regard

  • Emilia's feelings with regard to Desdemona: Is her stealing her mistress' napkin and lying about its disappearance later an act of comeuppance in some way?

  • Othello's feelings of inferiority born out of his being an outsider, not understanding Venetian customs, being much older than Desdemona, etc.

  • Bianca's sentiments and her anger at Cassio for treating her like a servant

  • Cassio's feelings of inferiority and feeling forced to be 'one of the boys' when Iago coerces him into drinking 

I hope my suggestions have given you enough food for thought. All the best with the essay!

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