Customer Reviews
Brilliant! - By: Ms. S. E. Baker, 18 Aug 2006 
This study guide weas invaluable to me when I was Doing Othello for my A.S levels as my techer was rubbish. thanks to this book though, it really clarified every aspect of the play for me. I definately would have been lost without it. So if you find Shakespeare a bit difficult to understand, getting this study guide (and those of the other plays) would deffinately be a great help to you.
The best study notes around - By: Budge Burgess, 22 Nov 2005 Designed for 'A' level students within the UK, these York Notes begin with a brief, but vital piece of advice on how to study a play - what to look for & why. A short introduction to 'Othello' is followed by extensive notes on the play, scene by scene, with further extended commentaries on problematic scenes. There is extensive character analysis of the leading actors, notes on the play's language, imagery, & themes, & a short biography of Shakespeare & exploration of his world. Altogether this is an excellent package.
York Notes provide the best available study guide - sophisticated commentary & analysis, yet accessible & readily comprehensible. However, don't assume it's going to give you pre-packaged answers you can reproduce under exam conditions and, especially, assume that reading the notes will obviate the need to study the playin detail. Read the play thoroughly, read it often, & try to watch a live or recorded production of 'Othello'.
A good study guide stimulates your understanding & makes the play easier to comprehend. It's worth collaborating with your fellow students - buy two or three different sets of study notes between you, share them around, & use them to get a broader perspective (have a look at, say Letts, & Spark Notes). Use the notes dynamically, don't just passively try to memorise them.
York Notes on Shakespeare's "Othello" - By: N. Wilson, 04 Jun 2005 A Level English Literiture isn't quite the walkover expected, & although it was plain sailing through the modern texts such as "The Handmaids Tale" & "The Worlds Wife", I came to abrupt block when I was given any texts featuring words such as "thee", "thy" "thence" & "how now"... otherwise known as pre-20th Century texts.
And so when Shakespeare landed on my desk last September, I cannot be blamed for breaking out into a cold sweat & feeling a big ball of dreadin my gut & we opened up the play to Act 1, Scene 1.
But there was a light at the end of this dark tunnel. York Notes. I don't rate revision guides much, but York Notes saved me from failer for this module. It's clear & conscice, which is an immediate improvement on my Lit Teacher, & it is also organised into clear sections so you know what you are learning. The scene synopsis' were essential for mein learning to understand the play, & the analysis of LSFin later chapters was the perfect accompanyment to successful revsion.
What I also found a blessing was the guide highlighted key quotes, which made my revision ten-times simpler, & it also pre-analysed my quotes for me, so I didn't have to do the gruling task myself, all I had to do is memorize them!
And the Notes helped, I failed my mocks for this exam, & then after some good hard work on revision, I walked away from my exam with a happy A!
YORK NOTES ARE ESSENTIAL READING FOR LITERITURE STUDENTS!
10/10 - & york notes are avalible to accompany most books at GCSE & As/A2 Level, so have a bit of a search for other titles, they are not always simple to find on here, so try going to Waterstones where they sit together on the shelf!
Must have - By: , 27 Jun 2004 This book help me greatlyin my a level revision it gave excellent idea's & opinions which i had not heard of before & gave me a new perspetive on the play
Best Revision Guide - By: , 08 Apr 2004 All I can say is that if you're studying A-level Othello, this is the book to have. Its informative, detailed, & brings up many good points which you'd otherwise not think of. A definate buy for those who wish to succeedin their exams.
