Iago - Tragic Villain Act 1 Flashcards
Act 1, Scene 1
‘I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We can not all be masters, can not be truly followed’
- Dramatic irony, becomes clear that Iago is the villain and plotting to serve deceit Othello
-Use of Chiasmus to reverse his point and make the argument seem more logical to reinforce the idea that he is correct
Act 1, Scene 1
‘I am not what i am’
- Biblical allusion references what God said to Moses, ‘i am that i am’ which used simple language to convey the open and honest nature of the statement, but Shakespeare adds negation with the word ‘not’ to characterise Iago as diabolical
-Epanalepsis used starting and finishing with the same clause, which shows his hubris and self assured nature, highlights how he is aware of his own self centred nature
-Shows that he is performing to keep up a certain perception by other characters and doesn’t show them his authentic self, exciting for the audience building up a relationship with them,
-Dramatic irony, only Roderigo can hear this and he has already been characterised as the fool and wont take note of it
Act 1, Scene 1
‘Now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe!’
-EPIZEUXIS of repeating now emphasis that it is happening right now prompting immediate action, continuing to repeat it reinforce how grotesque, awful and constant the situation is
-Zoomorphism adding layers of vulgarity suggesting the relations are animalistic, making it a crude and immoral act
-Diacope of repeating now with very in the middle is emphatic, intensifies the urgency of the situation
Act 1, Scene 1
‘Thieves, thieves, thieves!’
-EPIZEUXIS repeating the same word immediately creating a sense of panic and disorder
-Idea of Desdemona being stolen reflections the transactional nature of marriage at the time
-Iago exploiting the social conventions of daughters being their fathers property to create panic and meddle with Brabantio
