Flashcards
OTHELLO QUOTES
Cards in this deck (19)
- 1OTHELLO 'Give me your hand. This hand is moist my lady'TRAGIC LINK: FALL FROM GRACE/ SENECAN TRAGEDY AS LINKS TO SUPERNATURAL
- Beginning of his interrogation of Desdemona.
- Othello see's the moistness of Desdemona's hand as proof of her infidelity.
- His palm reading can be linked with his pagan ancestry, revealing he is moving away from the Christian values he adopted. - 2OTHELLO 'My parts, my title and my perfect soul/shall manifest me tightly'TRAGIC LINK: HUBRIS
- Demonstrates his fall from grace. he viewed himself in one way at the beginning, this is different from the end.
- Some critics argue his downfall is caused partly by the sin of pride
- Positive imagery juxtaposes his description in his final speech 'base India', 'circumcised dog'. - 3OTHELLO 'My blood begins my safer guides to rule'TRAGIC LINK: PERIPETIA
Othello's loss of temper is a sign that he is no longer master of himself. Othello is now ruled by passion rather than judgement. - 4OTHELLO 'Poison, of fire, or suffocating streams' 'death and damnation' 'I'll tear her all to pieces'.TRAGIC LINK: FALL FROM GRACE
- Othello's words are increasingly violent, shows his degradation, he also grabs hold of Iago.
- This example of physical violence foreshadows the violence he will use against Desdemona.
- The violent images indicate that Iago is winning. His speeches begin to break down, signalling the disruption in his mind. - 5OTHELLO 'One that loved not wisely but too well.'TRAGIC LINK: ANAGNORISIS
- 6IAGO 'I'll pour this pestilence into his ear'TRAGIC LINK: MACHIEVELLIAN CHRACTERISTICS (MANIPULATIVE)
- His use of definite statement here shows Iago has confidence in his powers of verbal persuasion.
- The sentence structure makes it clear Othello is to be the passive recipient of his 'pestilence' and that Iago is in control.
- The alliteration, used in this line adds emphasis and intensity to Iago's plan, heightening the tension for the audience. - 7IAGO (ABOUT OTHELLO) 'boarded a land carrack'CONTEXT: MOORS ARE FOREIGNERS AND ARE SEEN AS OUTSIDERS
By using a metaphor of piracy, Iago is degrading Othello, and echoing Brabantios's accusation that he is a 'foul thief' - 8IAGO 'an old black ram tupping your white ewe' 'Barbary horse' 'the beast with two backs'LINK TO CONTEXT: BLACK MOORS WERE SEEN AS SEXUAL PREDATORS AND WERE SEEN AS A THREAT TO ORDER. SO CONTEMPORARY AUDIENCE MAY HAVE BELIEVED THIS STREOTYPE.
LITERARY LINK: IN TITUS ANDRONICUS AARON IS A MOOR AND FITS THE STEREOTYPE.
These references reinforce the idea that Desdemona has made an unnatural match and cast Othello in the repugnant role as lustful predator. - 9OTHELLO 'have you prayed tonight Desdemona?'The tragedy of Desdemona's death is heightened by references to light and religion.
Othello enters carrying a light and repeatedly references it. This ironically makes him seem like a priest.
When she wakes, Othello urges Desdemona to pray because he does not want to 'kill thy unprepared sprit'. Still obsessed with his masculine reputation, Othello wants to be 'an honourable murderer'. - 10DESDEMONA 'O, most lame and impotent conclusion!'CONTEXT: WOMENS SEXUAL DESIRED WERE SEEN AS SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE CONTROLLED BY THEIR HUSBANDS AND IT WAS FEARED.
An audience might feel uncomfortable about Desdemona participating in this exchange, but Shakespeare directly stresses her sexuality for several reasons.
Desdemona's sexuality it important to plot. - 11DESDEMONA 'By heaven, you do me wrong'TRAGIC LINK: DOOMED INNOCENT
The reference to heaven reinforces Desdemona's virtue. This is irony and foreshadowing; Othello will refer to heaven just before he murders Desdemona. - 12(ABOUT DESDEMONA) Iago 'sports for jove' 'full of game' Cassio 'fresh and delicate' 'modest'The consummation of marriage of Othello and Desdemona is interrupted and Othello has to leave his marriage bed to deal with the fight.
As a result the audience knows that the their love is not secure.
Iago makes disrespectful comments, focusing on her sexuality, while Cassio describes her attractions in a positive way. Shakespeare presents these two versions of Desdemona to foreshadow the choice Othello will have to make about her. - 13EMILIA 'Jealous souls.. are not ever jealous for the cause'TRAGIC LINK: HAMARTIA
These lines describe Iago's jealousy; he takes revenge on Cassio and Othello without a genuine 'cause'.
Shows Othello's jealousy is innate and a fatal flaw. - 14EMILIA 'Remove your thought it doth abuse your bothom'LITERAY CRITIC: FEMINISM (STRONG WOMAN)
Emilia's open defence of Desdemona prepares us for the role she will play in Act 5 when she reveals Othello's crime. Emilia's disapproval reminds us how far Othello has fallen. - 15EMILIA 'They are all but stomachs, and we all but food' 'eat us hungrily, and when they are full/belch us'CONTEXT: WOMEN WERE SEEN AS POSSESSTIONS OF MEN AND INFERIOR TO THEM
Emilia's food metaphor indirectly alludes to Desdemona's vulnerability.
These words remind us that the female characters are powerless, they are 'food' for men. Emilia's cynical comments undermine the romance of the marriage of Othello and Desdemona. - 16CASSIO 'O, I have lost my reputation, I have lost the immortal part of myself- and what remain is bestial'TRAGIC LINK: FALL FROM GRACE
Cassio's obsession with his reputation mirrors Othello's obsession.
Cassio's sorrow over losing his profession foreshadows Othello's misery when he thinks he has lost Desdemona's love.
The reference to being 'bestial' foreshadows Othello's downfall - 17Brabantio "Thou art a villian"Method: dramatic irony
Brabantio is unaware of the truth behind his words. - 18—
- 19—
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- A level English Flashcards on OTHELLO QUOTES, created by Jazmine Derwin on 20/12/2016.
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- Jazmine Derwin
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