ACT 1 SCENE 3 QUOTES Flashcards
“Valiant Moor” “Valiant Othello”
Juxtaposition between how the first senator refers to Othello. He uplifts him by labelling him as valiant and then segregates him with the derogatory noun - moor.
When Othello enters he calls him ‘valiant Othello’ instead demonstrating how they actively seek to exploit his abilities for their gain.
“The bloody book of law you yourself read in bitter letter” (all) - “we are very sorry for it”
Dramatic shift inn how willing they are to punish who either “charmed” Desdémona but once they figure its Othello who they need to exploit, their hostility seems to decrease.
“My very noble and approved good masters.”
“Rude i am in my speech and little blessed with the soft phrase of peace.”
Othello almost has to manipulate and flatter his superiors to operate in the society, he actively demeans himself to help legitimise his marriage.
“I won his daughter”
Othello validates and measures his worth throw Desdémona, he sees her not as a real romantic partner but as a trophy to showcase to society that he has value. Hence if he is accepted by Barbantio, not only will he have peace, but he will gain intrinsic value.
“Of spirit so still and quiet that her motion blushed at herself”
Barbantio Commending Desdémona for conforming to he gender roles prior to Othello.
“Her father loved me, oft invited me… i ran it through”
Othello makes Barbantios contradictions clear as he was fond of Othello yet labels him as someone to fear. Othello “ran it through” he was aware he was being exploited for entertainment but had to comply if he wanted to continue to operate in his position.
“Sold to slavery” “the anthropophagi”
Call back to Iago’s opinion on slaves who stay under their masters in comparison to those who break free. The anthropophagi refers to the supernatural cannibals Othello had seen in his journeys.
“With a greedy ear devour up my discourse”
Reference to consumption after talk of “Cannibals that each others eat” perhaps gives insight into the parasitic relationship of Desdémona and Othello.
The imagery is almost gruesome as Shakespeare perhaps is suggesting that the relationship is constructed under a foundation that forces them to exploit one another for their gain, it is cannibalism not love (due to society).
“She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and i lover her that she did pity them”
Evidence of the parasitic relationship between the two.
“To you I am bound for life and education” “the moor”
Shows the disparity in privilege between men and women in Jacobean society, education was a privilege for women.
Desdémona still labels Othello as the moor, she has been indoctrinated to continue to purport and recycle oppression on marginalised groups to operate in the era.
“I am glad at soul I have no other child. for thy escape would teach my tyranny”
Brabantio believes Desdemona’s actions are so heinous that its deterred him from the natural order - the creation of life. If he had another child he would maltreat them and be tyrannical because of Desdemona.
“when remedies are past, the griefs are ended by seeing worst which late on hopes depended”
The Duke is depicted as wise and is a mouthpiece to the proverbs and parables Shakespeare wants his audience to take on with them. He tells Brabantio that being upset for events that have pasts wont remedy the bad news.
“So let the Turk of Cyprus us beguile, we lose it not, so long as we can smile”
Brabantio exemplifies the contradiction in the Dukes words, who only suggest Brabantio should let go of his troubles so they can exploit Othello for military power.
Brabantio equates his domestic issues to the severity of the political sphere, he truly believes that his daughters biracial relationship is a crime to humanity.
” I saw Othello’s visage in his mind.”
Desdemona is the only one to see Othello’s true, unadulterated self, not discriminating or judging his character based on his appearance alone.
More evidence of Desdemona’s and Othello’s relationship only functioning off a foundation in which they try to validate each others existences.
” vouch with me, heaven, I therefore beg it not to please the palate of my appetite”
Tragic that Othello has to public deny that he intends to have sexual intimacy with his wife in order to legitimise their relationship.
