cassio Flashcards
iago:
‘a great arithmetician, one michael cassio, a florentine’
duplicitous
from florence
studied war from books, rather than actual battle. iago is mocking him
machiavelli was considered the archetypal florentine. by calling cassio a florentine, iago is comparing him to machiavelli, who was considered manipulative and devilish.
demonstrates iago’s awareness of outsiders and foreigners, ironic due to the spanish heritage of his own name. jacobean audiences would’ve been aware of the venetian practice of employing mercenary officers, and might have identified iago as a spaniard, particularly as his name recalls spain’s patron saint,
identifies Iago as a foreigner when, as the end, he has him return to his country
effeminate
‘she’s a most exquisite lady’
iago and cassio share slightly different opinion on desdemona’s character
cassio views desdemona with admiration and respect, referring to her as ‘exquisite, ‘fresh and delicate’.
without disagreeing, iago adds a sexual tone, calling desdemona provocative and ‘full of game’
iago’s goal is to compel cassio to make advances on desdemona.
‘do not think gentlemen, i am drunk: this is my ancient, this is my right hand, and this is my left. i am not drunk now; i can stand well enough, and i speak well enough’
humorous exchange - cassio drunkenly attempts to convince the party of his sobriety
he stumbles into a hilarious but poetic moment.
these lines are often stages so that cassio reaches for iago - his ‘right-hand man’ - with his right hand as he utters ‘this is my ancient, this is my right hand’; he then flourishes with his left hand
‘reputation, reputation, reputation! o, i have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial’
upset that he’s lost his reputation
just an animal - chain of being
part of identity
‘i never knew a florentine more kind and honest’
cassio compares iago to his fellow florentines, finding the man just as kind and honest.
this reiterates one of the play’s central sources of irony: despite his intentions, iago is consistently praised for his upright moral character
devilish
‘i am very ill at ease, unfit for my own purposes’
has to leave
embarrassed about his drunk behaviour
reputation ruined
emphasises the importance of reputation for tudor men
iago:
‘cry o’ sweet creature! and kiss me hard’
gay
talk in their dreams about what they’ve done in the day
wangh - homosexuality is repressed
‘tis but a little way i can bring you, for i attend here; but i’ll see you soon’
embarassed by bianca
not the cassio we know
appearance vs reality
can’t trust men
‘what do you mean by this haunting of me?’
demanding
similar to how iago treats emilia
don’t see people’s true colours until after a year or two
is this how all men treat women?
bianca:
‘a likely piece of work that you found it in your chamber and and not know who left it there!’
cassio is a cheat - frowned upon at the time
makes iago’s case stronger
immoral
irene dash - the play is a net of circumstance
othello and desdemona destined to fail
