As students read, a storyboard can serve as a helpful character reference log. This log (also called a character map) allows students to recall relevant information about important characters. When reading a play, small attributes and details frequently become important as the plot progresses. With character mapping, students will record this information, helping them follow along and catch the subtleties which make reading more enjoyable!
Using a character map for Shakespeare is often even more beneficial because it also allows students to record the nuances of characteristics that create foil characters. The information that they record will help them to return and review personalities that contrast. The ability to visually see this with help bridge connections for students and make understanding the concept easier.
| Othello | A Venetian general sent to Cyprus to stop Turkish invaders. |
|---|---|
| Desdemona | Daughter of a Venetian senator. She married Othello secretly. |
| Iago | The villain, and Othello’s ensign. |
| Cassio | Michael Cassio is Othello’s Lieutenant. He is framed for an affair with Desdemona. |
| Roderigo | A rich Venetian who desperately wants to be with Desdemona. |
| Bianca | A prostitute whom Cassio frequently visits. |
| Emilia | Iago's wife. |
| Brabanzio | Desdemona's father. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a character map for the major characters.
Introduce the idea of foil characters first. Use meaningful examples from daily life to help students understand how disparities may draw attention to certain features, such as the divergent personalities of friends or family members. Teachers can begin by giving simple simple definitions and highlighting the significance of foil characters.
Help students analyze how the main character and their foil differ from one another. What qualities stand out? Are these characteristics good or bad? How do these contrasts affect the story's themes or the growth of the characters?
On the board, draw a Venn diagram or chart. List the characteristics of the foil character on one side and those of the main character on the other. Decide whether qualities are opposing or complimentary. Students may be better able to understand the subject after seeing it represented visually. Students can also carry out this activity by themselves.
Encourage students to speculate on what could occur if the foil switched places with the main character. How might the narrative be altered? What new information does this offer on the significance of foil characters?
Assign several texts or scenarios featuring foil characters to small groups of students. Ask them to discuss their research with the class, highlighting how the foil characters help readers comprehend the major characters and the plot as a whole.
The major figures from the play, including Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Cassio, Emilia, and Roderigo, are usually included on an "Othello" character map. It could also have ancillary figures like Brabantio, the Duke of Venice, and Montano, depending on how complicated the map is and what the students actually want to understand through this map.
Iago uses Roderigo's affection for Desdemona to further his own agenda. By offering to assist him in obtaining Desdemona's devotion, he persuades Roderigo to carry out his will. Iago, however, manipulates Roderigo's feelings and employs him as a pawn in a greater plan. Students can depict this complex relationship on the character map using different colors and symbols.
Character maps can indeed show a character's development or changes throughout the course of the play. The map can graphically illustrate how the character's interactions and motives change over time by incorporating significant occasions or choices that influence the character's growth.