Othello

Othello

1. Passion

   • Quotes

2. Marriage

3. Jealousy

   • Quotes
     • Iago
       • (Act ii, scene i) "But partly led to diet my revenge, for that I do suspect the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat, the thought whereof doth like a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards; and nothing can or shall content my soul till I am evened with him, wife for wife; or failing so, yet that I put the Moor at least into a jealousy so strong that judgement cannot cure."
       • (Act iii, scene iii) "O beware, my lord, of jealousy: / it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on"
       • (Act i, scene iii) "I hate the Moor, /And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets/ He's done my office. I know not if 't be true,/ Yet I, for mere suspicion in that kind,/ Will do as if for surety"
       • (Act i, scene iii) "Hell and night/ Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light"
       • (Acr iii, scene iii) "The Moor already changes with my poison; Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons, Which at the first are scarce found to distaste, But with a little act upon the blood Burn like the mines of Sulphur"
       • (Act iii, scene iii) "Trifles light as air Are to the jealous confirmations strong As proofs of holy writ. This may do something"
     • Emilia
       • (Act iii, scene iv) "But jealous souls will not be answer'd so. /There are not ever jealous for the cause, /But jealous for they're jealous. Tis a monster /Begot upon itself, born on itself"
     • Othello
       • (Act iii, scene iii) "O monsterous, monsterous... I'll tear her all to pieces"
       • (Act iii, scene iii) "No, Iago; I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove; And on the proof, there is no more but this: Away at once with love or jealousy"
       • (Act iii, scene iii) "Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt, For she had eyes, and chose me"
       • (Act v, scene ii) "Speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate, Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak Of one that loved not wisely, but too well; Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought, Perplexed in the extreme"
     • Desdemona
       • (Act iii, scene iv) "Who, he? I think the sun where he was born Drew all such humors from him"
       • (Act iii, scene iv) "Alas the day, I never gave him [Othello] cause"
   • Effects of jealousy
     • Iago
       • Jealousy causes Iago to seek revenge on other characters and eventually destroy their lives
       • Iago does not appear to be affected by jealousy of others, because he maintains a consistent demeanour -- however, the knowledge of others jealousy impacts his motives and allows him to construct different interactions to achieve the reaction he needs
       • It is implied that Iago is jealous of Othello because of the rumour that he slept with his wife Emilia
       • It is implied that Iago is jealous of Cassio because Cassio has a higher rank which he believes that he deserves
     • Othello
       • Jealousy begins to affect Othello's relationship with Desdemona as he is manipulated into beliving that she is having an affair with Cassio -- resulting in his desire to and actually killing her
       • Jealusy begins to affect Othello's relationship with Cassio as he is manipulated into beieving he is having an affair with his wife -- thus why he wants to kill Cassio
       • Jealousy impacts his relationship with Iago as he begins to trust Iago ore for information and companionship when plotting his revenge against his wife
   • How is jealousy portrayed in language and dramatic techniques
     • Metaphor
       • (Act iii, scene iii) "O beware, my lord, of jealousy: It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on"
     • Soliloquies and monologues
       • Soliloquies reveal the character's true intentions, feelings and thoughts. This is because soliloquies are moments which the characters are alone and have time to reflect on everything that has happened up until that point -- especially in relation to themselves and the effects it has on their situation, etc.
         • Not only do soliliquies reveal true intentions to the audience, but both soliloquies and monologues engage the audience and make them feel involved -- allowing the audience to know more information than the characters themselves.

4. Gender

5. Manipulation

   • (Act i, scene ii) "With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio"
     • Metaphor: the use of this metaphor demonstrates the control that Iago has over the situation.
     • Animal imagery: referring to Cassio as a fly that he will 'ensnare' emphasises Iago's manipulative control of the situation
   • (Act i, scene iii) "And [he] will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are"
     • Animal imagery: Calling Othello an 'ass' not only suggests that Othello is less than human, but implies that he is gulliable and stupid like a donkey which is willing to obey
     • 'tenderly led': a nicer way of saying that he will be manipulated slowly and systematically
       • Similarities to the phrase; "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"
         • For Iago, he is leading the 'ass' or the 'horse' to it's fate in which a decision will be made

6. Hate

   • In the plot
     • The conflict of the plot is driven by Othello's hatred
     • Hatred is portrayed as a self-propelling action and not a consequence of one particular action
     • Hatred is fueled by jealousy, preconcieved notions and racism
   • Hatred towards race
     • Iago
       • (Act i, scene iii) "I hate the moor"
       • (Act i, scene i) "Old black ram is tupping your white ewe"
       • (Act i, scene i) "Barbary horse"
     • Roderigo
       • (Act i, scene i) "thick-lips"
     • Othello
       • (Act iii, scene iii) " Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell!"
     • Emilia
       • (Act v, scene ii) "you the blacker devil"
   • Preconcieved notions
     • Iago's suspicions of adultery
       • (Act i, scene iii) "Yet I, for mere suspicion in that kind,/ will do it as if for surety"
       • (Act i, scene iii) "He's done my office"
   • Quotes
     • Iago
       • (Act i, scene i) "Though I do hate him as I do hell pains...I must show out a flag and sign of love"
       • "I hate the Moor"
       • (Act ii, scene i) "Nothing can or shall content my soul Till I am evened with him, wife for wife"
       • (Act ii, scene iii) "I'll pour pestilence into his ear"
       • (Act ii, scene iii) "So i'll turn her virtues into pitch, /And out of her own goodness make the net/ That shall emesh them all"
     • Othello
       • (Act iv, scene i) "Ay, let her rot, and perish and be damned tonight, for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to stone"
       • (Act iii, scene iii) "Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her, damn her!"
       • (Act iv, scene i): "Lie with her? Lie on her? We say lie on her when they belie her. Lie with her! Zounds
       • (Act iv, scene i) "Hang her"
       • (Act iv, scene i) "I will chop her into messes"
       • (Act iv, scene i) [he strikes her]
       • (Act iv, scene i) "Devil!"
       • (Act iv, scene ii) "This is a subte whore"
       • (Act iv, scene ii) "Desdemon, away, away, away!"
       • (Act iv, scene ii) "Imprudent strumpet"
       • (Act iv, scene ii) "I took you for that cunning whore of Venice"
       • (Act v, scene ii) "she must die, else she'll betray more men./ Put out the light and then put out the light"
       • (Act v, scene ii) [He smothers her]
       • (Act v, scene ii) "She's like a liar gone to burning hell:/ 'Twas I that kill'd her
       • (Act v, scene ii) "O villain! [Iago]
       • (Act v, scene ii) [He stabs himself]

7. Love

8. Worship

9. Identity

10. Obsession

11. Class

12. Other

    • Animal Imagery
      • When someone is compared to an animal, they become dehumanised. Often by dehumanising something, the burden of guilt is lessened in the eyes of the audience or (sometimes) the perpetrator. This desensitises the situation when something is done to the person who is compared to the animal.
      • Examples
        • Goat/sheep
          • Used as a derogatory term for an ignorant and mindless sexual deviant -- the comparison bewteen a goat and human indicates stupidity and distasteful sexual animosity
            • (Act iii, scene iii) "Exchange me for a goat when I shall turn the business of my soul"
            • (Act iii, scene iii) "Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, as salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross/as ignorance made drunk"
            • (Act 1, scene 1) "An old black ram is tupping your white ewe"
        • Donkey
          • By comparing a person to a donkey, the animal imagery represents the need to obey on command creating the illusion that a person acts without thought -- almost like a slave
            • (Act i, scene iii) "And [he] will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are"
            • (Act i, scene i) "doting on his own obsequious bondage, wears out his time, much like his master's ass"
        • Monkey
          • The monkey represents an animal that is asinine and promiscuous, by compaing a human to the monkey it is lecherous and bestial
            • (Act i, scene iii) "Ere I would say I would drown myself for the love of a guinea hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon"
            • (Act iv, scene i) "This is the monkey's own giving out"
        • Horse
          • comparing people to a horse makes people seem subhuman, repulsive and a thing to be hated, thus furthering the point to dehumanise someone
            • (Act i, scene i) "Barbary horse... you'll have your nephews neigh at you"
    • Motifs
      • Examples
        • Sight and blindness
        • Animals
        • Religion
        • Hell, demons and monsters