Appearance Vs Reality Flashcards
• The tragic plot goggles on the ability of iago to mislead other characters by encouraging them to misinterpret what they see. This is why iago can be merely seen as both “honest” and yet deceitful. That is all down to the audiences own interpretations but overall iago is clever through his use of language as he maintains some account of innocence.
• Within othello, shakespeare plays with the idea of reality. such as the language of the play, which consists of trances, false visions and dreams. shakespeare extends the metaphor by using the art of playwriting to construct iagos character who creates scenes within scenes. Iago allows othello to see how he wants.
“When my ________ action doth demonstrate the ______ act and ______ of my _____… i will wear my _______ ___ my sleeve for daws (birds) to peck at. I am ____ what __ ____”
outward
native
figure
heart
heart on
not
what i am
• Iago here assures audiences that he hates othello, while explaining that his outward behaviour does not depict his inner feelings towards the moor. saying how he feels he believes would make him vulnerable which becomes to be the truth as othello is in fact honest and yet rapidly deteriorates throughout the play. This element of trust being expressed as a weakness is consistent and it is iago who empowers it the most. Which, although his deception is morally wrong, this ideal comes to be proven true as othello gets lead through iagos manipulation and deceit of being “honest”. “I am not what i am” just proves iagos duplicity and how deep this goes.
“the _____ is of free and _____ nature that thinks men _______ that but seek to be so; and will as tenderly be lead by the _____ as _____ are”
moor
open
honest
nose
asses
• again, within his soliloquy, we see iagos duality. how he can come across as honest but deep down he has a true hatred for othello due to his race. iago recognises othello is too trusting and uses this to his advantage to bring about othellos downfall. iagos surface level of hatred is opted through the animalistic imagery as he will lead othello by the nose as easy as a donkey is. However, othellos “tragic and open nature” is ambiguous as it is contrasted with iagos duplicitous cunning.
“O heavy ______. Thoust _____ the best _______”
ignorance
praises
worst
• The fact that desdemona is at least mildly flirting with iago lends a hint of plausibility in iagos manipulation and also othellos paranoia about her possible infidelity. a further layer of tension emerges from desdemona accusation that iago “praises the worst best”. Although desdemona is referring to iagos humorous banter, she has unwittingly made an accurate of iagos fundamental personality. After all, iago is a machiavellian villian who values the worst qualities - selfishness, duplicity and ruthlessness - over moral attribute such as fairness and honesty which desdemona holds. that fact that iago can jokingly present himself in this way without desdemona catching onto his true nature demonstrates both desdemonas trusting innocence and iagos deceptive charisma.
“her ____ _____ ___ ____”
Must be fed
• Othello, desdemona and cassio have exited to start celebrating the victory over the turks, leaving roderigo and iago alone onstage - straight away reinforcing that what iago will now say is what he truly means, not this “honest” front as he is assured to be. However, within this scene iago assures roderigo that desdemonas feelings for othello will not last, proclaiming confidently that her “eye must be fed” - meaning she’ll want a more handsome lover soon - this assertion coveys the stereotype that women are fickle and shallow and emphasises that desdemona and othellos union isn’t viable, fundamentally due to his race. This comment therefore demonstrates the way in which strong racist and sexual prejudices affect othello and desdemona as individuals and as a couple.
“Excellent _____! _______ do catch my soul. But i do love thee! and when i ______ thee ____, _______ is come again”
wretch
perdition
love
not
chaos
• within this scene we see othello juxtapose himself due to the nature of ‘love’ and ‘chaos’ which foreshadows how their love will unfold into chaos. However, it is important to understand that othello is speaking to himself in this passage, seemingly unaware that iago can hear him. This moment thus pertinently represents the way that iago has successfully manipulated and weakened othello down without othello actually realising it. Hence why scholars can argue that iagos deception is the main factor which brings about othellos tragic downfall.
“O’ beware my _____ of jealousy! it is the ______ ______ __________ that doth mock the meat it feeds on”
lord
green eyed monster
• iagos words are technically correct and would conventionally be good advice. his warning directly prefigures the impact jealousy will have on othello and foreshadows his death and how jealousy will be the one that essentially kills i’m. Metaphorically the “green eyed monster” reflects iagos own role as he is the envious, monstrail influence who mocks othello even as he says. At the same time, iagos conventionally good advice, iago knows that telling othello not to be jealous will only increase his suspicion. Iago is also aware that telling othello to be “beware” he can hold an argument of innocence as he warned othello but knowing what would come of it.
“this _______ creature doubtless, Sees and knows more, ______ more, than he _________”
Honest
much
unfolds
• Othello here has requested that iago asks emilia if she will keep an eye on desdemona which already insinuates that othello does not trust desdemona on her infidelity. As iago leaves, othello says to himself that iago is “honest” which is ironic as audiences know that iago is far from honest as othello believes him to be. Othello says to himself that he believes iago knows more than he is letting on. Again, othello has made an accurate observation without realising its true meaning. Iago does know more than he says, however he he conceals it and misinterprets information in order to undermine othello. Which allows audiences to understand the ambiguous depth of iagos two faced character construction. Note that, othello thinks he is alone when he makes this statement, immediately after iago briefly. Depending on the production, iago is more than likely to be shown overhearing othello, a fact that adds further dramatic irony to othellos words.
“This fellows of _________ _________, and knows all qualities with a _________ spirit of human dealings”
Exceeding honesty
learned
• Othello, with iago gone, repeats that iago is “exceedingly honest”, with a strong insight into how people behave. Once more, othellos impression of iago holds an element of truth, yet is nonetheless fundamentally mistaken and taken out of context. It is correct that iago has a “learned spirit of human dealings”; his keen understanding of human psychology is what allows him to manipulate others so easily. Yet, while othello appears to think that iagos intelligent nature makes him honest and moral, in reality the opposite is true and iago uses his intelligence to his advantage to manipulate othello and bring about his downfall. The question of whether knowledge and ability makes a person morally trustworthy is a central question in the play and relates to a debate about the ethics and power that continues to this day. Both othello and iago are highly intelligent and skilled, and yet iago understands a sphere of human behaviour that othello cannot grasp. However, in many ways the audiences are encouraged to admire othellos moral goodness and faith in other people, although his misestimation is notably naive and proves fatal. Asking audiences whether othello or iago is the better leader.
“Be sure of it; give me ______ proof”
ocular
• Othello suddenly enters in a frantic, engaged state and demands that iago shows him “ocular proof” of desdemonas infidelity. The fact that othello behaves aggressively towards iago, whom he has praised multiples as honest and righteous. This shows that othello has already been driven by wild jealousy and is no longer capable of rational assessments of the situation which pertinently reflects the tragedy which will soon occur. During this interaction, iago is carrying the handkerchief to remind audiences that appearance can be just as misleading as rumours. As iago has now reduced othello down to a state of paranoid jealousy, it is much easier for iago to manipulate othellos visual reality to support his his false claim of desdemonas infidelity.
“Her ________ Is an essence that’s not ________; They have it very oft that have it not”
Honest
seen
• iago has told othello that he knows about desdemonas infidelity but pretends to still give her the benefit of the doubt. iago has repeatedly mentioned the handkerchief and how desdemona can give it to whoever she wants. Othello asks likewise, if she could give away her honour and iago replies that her honour is intangible and that many seem honest when they are not. Following othellos obsession of needing “ocular proof”, iago now fixates on the distinction between visible and invisible evidence, and stresses the unreliability of evaluating desdemonas “honour” because honour is not visible. Note that, iagos statement “they have it very oft that have it not” - meaning many people appear to be honourable but aren’t - which accurately depicts iagos character. The phrasing is reminiscent of iagos statement earlier in the play “i am not what i am”.
“A horned man’s a _______ and a _____”
Monster
Beast
• overcome with anguish about desdemona, othello has had an epileptic episode, during which time cassini briefly enters and advises iago how to revive othello. With cassio offstage again, othello has regained consciousness and immediately accuses iago of mocking him. this bewilders iago and says he hasn’t, to which othello responds with “a horned man’s a monster and a beast”. At the time, folklore held that a cuckold - a man whose wife was unfaithful - would grow horns, making him humiliated to society. This clearly is a fear of othellos. Not only would desdemonas infidelity ruin his reputation and as a manly husband, it would confirm the racists beliefs that society has constructed around foreigners. And as a moor, othello is more like an animal or supernatural creature than a human, being a “monster”.
“I told him what i _______, and told no more than what he ________ himself was apt and ______”
thought
found
true
• Emilia has discovered that othello has killed desdemona. she begins to understand that it was her “honest, honest” husband that fed othello the information of desdemonas infidelity. emilia informs montano and grazio of desdemonas death and demands that iago assures her he did not tell othello desdemona was unfaithful. Iago responds by insisting that he only told othello what he thought, which othello believed to be true. Although iago is obviously presenting a veneer of false innocence, his sly choice of words means what he is saying is arguably accurate.
Note that iago claims to have told othello only what he thought. However he fails to mention this was covered with othellos own suspicions and that he skilfully manipulated othello into believing these delusions. Again, iagos cunning influence over the characters’ thoughts and actions blur the distance between appearance and reality.
“Out of her own _________ make the _____ that enmesh them all”
Goodness
Net
• in this passage audiences are met with iago soliloquy after he has give iago advice on what to do after his drunken actions. The soliquay shows how iago comes across as “honest”, however swiftly dichotomises this towards the audience and how he plans to essentially create a web of manipulation which will catch them all. Roderigo enters the stage shortly after iagos soliloquy’s reinforcing the fine line between one’s appearance and their actual truth. Furtherly, this adds a sense of guilt to audiences as during his solilquays he speaks to the audience, inviting them in on his plan however audiences feel an element of helplessness as they cannot infer with the story - adding a deeper understanding of fate and inveitbaility as no matter what the audiences do, they cannot help desdemona nor enlighten othello on iagos cunning tricks.
