Larissa I. and Abbey H. Summary Response act1

Summary Response Outline

Summary:

Topic sentence: title, author, strong verb, main idea 

Othello by Shakespeare illustrates the improbable future of love between a biracial relationship in the 1500's.

Supporting ideas and explanations to prove main ideas

Othello and his love Desdemona go aganist the will of Desdomona's father, Brabantio, to continue their relationship. They unknowingly have to withstand the plot of revenge of Iago.

Concluding sentence: restate main idea

Othello and Desdemona have proven that even a war can't keep them apart. 

Response:

Topic sentence: title, author, strong verb, agree/disagree (correctly portrays/ incorrectly portrays) because ___________ .

Othello written by William Shakespear demonstrates how prejudice can affect somebody's opinion of another person's character and wits because they are blinded by what is on the outside instead of who the person really is.

Claim 1: Prejudice can blind how one sees and portrays another person by what they look like.

Set-up: Barbantio is convinced by Iago that Othello used "black" magic to win over his daughter, Desdemona, and tries to keep them from being with each other.

Evidence: Lead-in: Brabantio does not want to believe that Desdemona really loves Othello so he decides that Othello used magic to make her fall in love with him, “Judge me the world if 'tis not gross in sense that thou hast practiced on her with foul charms, abused her delicate outh with drugs or minerals that weakens motion.” (Othello, 1.2.74-77 ).

Explanation of quotation to prove claim: Brabantio accuses Othello of using charms and drugs to make Desdemona fall in love with him because she has turned down every other white suitor that her father approved. If Othello was white Brabantio wouldn't have had any problem with Othello marrying his daughter. Brabantio considers Othello inferior because he is black and thinks that his daughter could never fall in love with a black man.

Counterclaim 1: However, the Duke does not discriminate agaisnt Othello or Desdemona and always lets them speak their mind. 

Set-up: The Duke let everyone talk and fairly listened to whatever anybody had to say.

Evidence: Lead-in: He did not favor the Senator becasue he was a white male, he fairly heard both sides before making a decision. Niether Othello or Desdemona were ever cut off when they were revealing their side of the story and no one in the room ever tried to say that what either of them were saying was false. “'How I did thrive in this fair lady's love and she in mine.' 'Say it, Othello'” (Othello, 1.3.127-128)

Explanation of quotation to prove counterclaim: The Duke never cuts off Othello, instead he makes sure that Othello tells the entire story and encourages him the continue when Othello paused. He always makes sure that everyone's point is heard, and heard in a fair way with no favoritisim. 

What are the strengths/ flaws of this argument?

Although the Duke did hear out Othello and Desdemona that doesn't mean that discrimination is completely off the table. Other men could react in a completely different way and could've potentially changed the entire outcome of the play. 

Concluding sentence: Predjuice is something that can shield people from the truth of what is really going on.

Rebuttal Progression:

At first glance you would think that Othello is an equal world were it doesn't matter what your skin color is becasue ths is how the Duke acts. He treated each person as equally as the next and heard everyone out just the same. However Othello's world is stained with signs of discrimination.