ACT 1 SCENE 1 QUOTES Flashcards
“S’blood” (damn it)
Iagos first word in the play is a curse - foreshadowing his Machiavellian character tropes.
“ I know my price, I am worth no worse a place.” “One Michael Cassio a Florentine”
Early signs of Iago’s hubris, he criticises Cassio for where he’s from (Florence).
“Damned in a fair wife” “division of battle knows more than a spinster - unless the bookish theoric”
New historicism- The patriarchy in the Jacobean era is evident as Iago expects Cassio to control his wife.
Shows the expectations of gender, focus on strength and violence for men, Iago criticises Cassio for not being affluent in battle despite his supposed knowledge as a “great arithmetician.”
“And, i bless the mark, his Moorship’s ancient.”
Comical to a Jacobean audience with systematic racism. Iago is upset that he has to comply to and take orders from Othello, a person of colour.
“I follow him to serve my turn upon him” “those fellows have some soul”
Iago outwardly exclaims his intentions of betrayal, he suggests that it’s a righteous act to have a facade of loyalty.
Othello was once a slave who got freedom and climbed up the social ladder, Iago is actually commending Othello for his achievement (irony).
Iago is actively supporting the disruption of the natural order by suggesting that slaves can become leaders and masters.
“Were I the moor I would not be Iago”
This shows Iagos jealousy to Othello position of power, he cannot stand being a lower class servant if a moor is above him. Inferiority complex.
“Heaven is my judge” “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve” “I AM NOT WHAT I AM”
Iagos duplicitous nature and moral incompetence is evident here as he makes it clear how he truly doesn’t see anything wrong about his actions.
“Thick lips” “by heaven i rather would have been his hangman”
Rodrigo has been corrupted by Iagos actions to recycle the oppression and malice catered to marginalised groups in society.
Juxtaposition between heaven and hangman - alliteration to make link clearer, subversion of the state, systematic racism has demeaned the character of members in society
“Plague him with flies” “Poison his delight”
Iago uses more animal imagery to demonstrate how he plans to deconstruct Othello happiness
Iago actively seeks to harm Barbantio to get what he wants
“An old black ram is tupping your white ewe” “the devil will make a grandsire of you”
Animal imagery, sheep. Women and people of colour are less than the white man. Reference to devil - shows the values that underpinned the era.
“This is Venice, my house is not a grange”
Barbantio makes clear that Venice is a place of civilisation unlike Cyprus which is a representation of wilderness. Beginning of the locations as symbols, Barbantio believes he can’t be robbed as the conflict in Cyprus is impossible in Venice.
“You’ll have Your daughter covered with a Barbary horse” “you’ll have your nephews neigh to you”
“You’ll have coursers for cousins and gennets for Germans
Beast imagery - anaphora shows the severity of the situation , if Barbantio doesn’t intervene, he will have a family of horses
“Your daughter and the more are now making the beast with two backs”
More animal imagery to show that love making between a moor and Desdémona is bestial, barbaric, repulsive and unnatural.
“Thou art a villain” “your are a senator”
Iago equates being a senator to villainy. Iago is in fact dangerous as he is conniving and comical as this line had the audience laughing in modern re-imaginings of the play.
“Lascivious moor”
Roderigo has emulated Iagos behaviour and has conformed to the stereotype of black people being lustful.
His utterance even increased in length, he
