OTHELLO- Themes

OTHELLO- Themes

1. Jealousy

   • IAGO
     • of Cassio- Othello passed him over for the position of lieutenant
     • of Othello's successes- Othello is black but is more important than him in Venice - Racist
   • OTHELLO
     • possibly of Cassio- of his gentleness & courtesy "Rude am I in speech, and little blessed with the soft phrase of speech"
     • of Desdemona's supposed affair with Cassio-
   • "O beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on"

2. Love

   • Othello and Desdemona
     • "O my souls joy!"
     • "She loved me for the dangers I had pass'd, And I loved her that she did pity them."
   • False love between Iago and Othello, Iago and Roderigo
     • "My lord, you know I love you."

3. Race

   • "The Moor"
   • "old black ram"
   • "Barbary horse"
   • "thick-lips"
   • Brabantio's change in attitude towards Othello before and after his marriage to Desdemona
   • iago's racial epithets

4. Betrayal

   • Iago pretends to be Othello's friend and then destroys him
   • Desdemona confides in Iago who causes her death.
   • Emilia lying about the handkerchief
   • Iago using Roderigo for his money and then killing him