Extract 14 (act 5, scene 2)

Extract 14 (act 5, scene 2)

1. Introduction

   • "This extract portrays the internal struggle within Othello where his morals and beliefs crash to fixate on the problem at hand, which is the rumour that his wife has been unfaithful to him. Therefore, we experience the soliloquy whilst Desdemona is asleep and get to understand what Othello is feeling and thinking about the situation."

2. Innocence/Death

   • Sleep is a symbol for innocence in Shakespeare
     • "Let me not name it to you" as he is warning her in advance
       • "Whiter skin of hers than snow" connotates a lexical field of purity which is ironic as she is portrayed to be unfaitful
         • "snow" and "flaming" coldness vs. heat - further emphasized as alive and dead
         • "smooth as monumental alabaster"
           • "Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men" self justification
             • "Put out the light, and then put out the light" is a dual meaning (literal and metaphorical)- put out her life or physical love He contradicts himself by doubting his actions, the finality of the flame being extinguished contrasts the temporariness of extinguishing Desdemona’s soul.
               • Metaphor and symbol of light
     • "one more, one more" emphasis of his reassurance
     • When she wakes up, this innocence dissapears
       • "Balmy breath" Plosive sounds of "b", juxtaposition about his conflicting emotions and his love for Desdemonda. The essence of her breath is metaphorically soathing to him.

3. Religion

   • "Promethean heat" Self flagellating, even though is needed to be done – to punish themselves for the greater good. This is an allusion , mythical imagery
   • "Thou flaming minister"
     • Objectifies and personifies the candle to create the sense that he is able to put out the light but will not be able to bring Desdemona back to life. Candle brings the irony of the minister, guilt and repedansce "if" still shows uncertainness
   • "Have you pray'd tonight, Desdemona"Idea of religion, which is ironic as he believes that she has sinned (dramatic irony)
   • "Not kill thy unprepared spirit" Spirit and soul: soul is more personal, link it back to religion- father son and the holy ghost
   • "Sorrows heavenly" Juxtaposition between sorrow and heavenly, the idea of religion and going to heaven, where you go when you have no sins. He almost feels the pain of god when god selfsacrifices the world for his child, which links back to Promethean. Religion and mythological references paragraph (sins)

4. Love

   • "It strikes where it doth love"
     • Heart
       • Heart is a symbol of love, metaphorically meaning that the heart is a form of endearment
   • "So sweet was never so fatal" Desdemona's kiss is his weakness but the context shows that his reputation needs to be sustained due to Desdemona's infedility. Juxtaposition between sweetness and lethal kiss.

5. Light vs. Darkness

   • Light of the candle vs. the darkness
     • "Put out the light and then put out the light"
       • Metaphorical light

6. Atavism/Morals

   • "Justice" But the deed has to be done so that justice is the internal battle within himself or the amphamorfic representation of Desdemona.
     • Taken the blame of himself, atavistic again because hes representing himself as a soldier with the "sword"
       • Determination that he has to do it, repetition shows his determination and his change in mind-set of being sceptical about Iago’s suspicions Emphatic repetition, which is mantra like “Cause” could be her infidelity, but could also be referring to Desdemona as it is a dual meaning- either her infidelity. If it Desdemona, the ‘it’ is objectifying her- or his emotions towards her (hamartia)
         • Every character has a hamartia in Othello, their fatal flaws
     • Punctuation creates fragmented thoughts, as to illustrate his there is feelings of determination Commas show the constant thoughts
       • Lots of personal pronouns, blaming himself for letting the infidelity occur
         • "I would not kill thy soul" "will" Kill and will is a defined realization of what he is going to do, no more metaphorical connotations, now its just facts.