Julian Girdham

Thinking, Writing, Reading, Teaching

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James Shapiro, America and Othello

June 15, 2025 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare

James Shapiro spoke with Fintan O’Toole at the Dalkey Book Festival on America’s connection with Shakespeare.

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June 15, 2025 /Julian Girdham
James Shapiro, Othello
Shakespeare
Comment

Webinar on teaching 'Othello'

April 27, 2025 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

A webinar introduction to teaching Othello, especially in the Leaving Certificate, on Wednesday 10th September 2025.

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April 27, 2025 /Julian Girdham
Othello, Leaving Certificate
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

Jason Allen-Paisant's 'Self-Portrait as Othello'

October 16, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Poetry

Jason Allen-Paisant’s Self-Portrait as Othello is a thought-provoking collection of poems.

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October 16, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Othello
Poetry
Comment

Thinking about the tragedies: 54 exercises

October 18, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

54 exercises to discuss key quotations when revising Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear and Othello, with the rationale behind them, and an example from a key scene in Macbeth.

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October 18, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet, Othello
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

Toni Morrison's 'Desdemona'

March 13, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

Toni Morrison’s play Desdemona gives voice to the silenced women from Shakespeare’s story.

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March 13, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Othello
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

Thinking about 'Othello'

February 03, 2022 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

10 revision exercises on quotations in Othello. They are designed for pair-work 15-minute sessions in class, but work perfectly well for individuals. The purpose is to generate ideas and debate about the play, and they should only be done once you know the play well, particularly as retrieval practice.

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February 03, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Othello
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

Kiernan Ryan on 'Othello'

January 27, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

Kiernan Ryan’s new overview of Shakespeare’s tragic oeuvre is magisterial and consistently interesting. Here are some notes on his chapter on Othello.

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January 27, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Othello
Shakespeare, English Teaching
3 Comments

'Othello' Quizlet - the whole play

November 09, 2021 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

There is a revision series using quotations from Othello, by Act: this set combines all those quotations into one Quizlet.

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November 09, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello Quizlet, Othello
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

'Othello' Quizlet - Act 5

November 09, 2021 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

The fifth in a revision series using quotations from Othello, by Act.

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November 09, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello, Othello Quizlet
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

'Othello' Quizlet - Act 4

November 08, 2021 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

The fourth in a revision series using quotations from Othello, by Act.

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November 08, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello Quizlet, Othello
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

'Othello's Secret: the Cyprus Problem' by R.M. Christofides

October 21, 2021 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

Othello’s Secret: the Cyprus Problem, by R.M. Christofides, is an unusual mixture of the academic and the personal, and a recommendation for anyone studying or teaching the play.

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October 21, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

'Othello' Quizlet 3

October 12, 2021 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

The third in a revision series using quotations from Othello, by Act.

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October 12, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello, Othello Quizlet
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

Othello: The Duke and the Turks in Act I scene iii

October 06, 2021 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

The short scene at the start of Act I scene iii, when the Duke and his advisors work out what to do about the Turkish fleet, prefigure significant issues in Othello: how to judge, how to weigh evidence, how to get to the truth.

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October 06, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

Othello: the opening scene (Knowing and Satisfaction)

October 03, 2021 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

An analysis of the opening scene of Othello, looking at how Shakespeare presents us with ideas of how we can or can not ‘know’ truths, and how we can or can not be ‘satisfied.’

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October 03, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

Graham Bradshaw on 'Othello'

September 30, 2021 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

Graham Bradshaw’s short commentary on Othello is provocative and thought-provoking.

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September 30, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

'Othello' Quizlet 2

September 28, 2021 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

The second in a revision series using quotations from Othello, by Act.

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September 28, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello Quizlet, Othello
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

'Othello: Language and Writing' by Laurie Maguire

September 20, 2021 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

Othello: Language and Writing by Laurie Maguire, Professor of English at Oxford University, is in the Student Skills series from Arden Shakespeare, but is also an excellent refresher for teachers.

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September 20, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

'Othello' Quizlet 1

September 10, 2021 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare

The first in a revision series using quotations from Othello, by Act.

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September 10, 2021 /Julian Girdham
Othello, Othello Quizlet
Shakespeare
Comment

Emma Smith on 'Othello'

October 26, 2020 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching, Books

Emma Smith’s This is Shakespeare is one of the best books of recent times to examine the plays (20 of them). This post looks at her chapter on Othello.

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October 26, 2020 /Julian Girdham
Othello
Shakespeare, English Teaching, Books
Comment

Patrick Page on Iago

October 10, 2020 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

Patrick Page goes deep into Iago’s character in this fascinating talk for Red Bull Theatre’s Chicago 2020 project.

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October 10, 2020 /Julian Girdham
Othello
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment
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