Iago - Tragic Villain Act 2 Flashcards
Act 2, Scene 1
STAGE DIRECTIONS: ‘Cassio taking Desdemona aside by the hand’
‘With a little web as this i will ensnare a great fly as Cassio’
-ASIDE, just to the audience - commenting on the narrative as it occurs creates the impression that Iago feels in control and is dictating the narrative and the fate of those around him showing that Iago is seemingly in control of the outcome - god like quality
-Iago’s intention to manipulate Cassio’s gentlemanly behaviour against him characterises him as a TRAGIC VILLAIN
-IMAGERY of Cassio falling to Iago’s web
Act 2, Scene 1
‘Oh, you are well tuned now, but i’ll set down the pegs that make this music as honest as i am’
-SARCASTIC TONE, exploits the fact that people view him as honest - TRAGIC VILLAIN
-MUSICAL METAPHOR - describes their relationship as harmonious and beautiful to observe
Act 2, Scene 1
‘Letchery, by this hand, an index and obscure prologue to this history of foul thoughts?’
-PERSUASIVE RHETORIC indicating that what they have just ‘witnessed’ is a glimpse into the lustful relationship between the pair despite in reality Desdemona is loyal - persuading by stating it is almost a fact written in stone
Act 2, Scene 1
Didst thou not see her paddle with the palm of his hand? Didst thou not mark that?’
RHETORICAL QUESTIONS
-foregrounding Iago’s ROLE AS A VILLAIN and his manipulation - Iago is taking the situation and reinterprets it for Roderigo to corner him into agreeing with him and alters what he has seen to manipulate those around him - MACHIAVELLIAN
Act 2, Scene 1
‘But partly led to diet my revenge’
SEMANTIC FIELD of food
Act 2, Scene 1
‘Nothing can or shall content my soul till I evened with him wife for wife’
-MOTIF OF SOUL → Iago and Othello are FOILS, Othello’s idea of contentment is to exist in a loving relationship and Iago’s idea of contentment is revenge - portrays them as the ANTITHESIS of each other
-The idea of Iago’s soul becoming content upon revenge would seem very paradoxical for a the Jacobean Christian CONTEMPORANEOUS AUDIENCE - Shakespeare characterises him as such a moral opposition to the norm in order to highlight his destructive, hateful and devilish character as a TRAGIC VILLAIN
-DIACOPE (wife—wife) makes his revenge sound measured and balanced which shows how skewed Iago’s perceptive is, as to the audience it seems blatantly disproportionate
Act 2, Scene 1
‘For i fear Cassio with my night-cap too’
insecure and thinks Cassio will sleep with him too
Act 2, Scene 1
‘Make the Moor thank ,me, love me, and reward me for making him egregiously an ass’
-TRIADIC STRUCTURE showing that Iago craves Othello’s attention and praise - JUXTAPOSED by the second half of the line where Iago’s intentions are portrayed as sadistic
Act 2, Scene 3
‘Tis evermore the prologue to his sleep’
-Iago manipulating Montano’s perception of Cassio, portraying him as somebody with a habit of drinking which contrasts his temperament in reality which we as an audience know, shows how the behaviour of Iago as a TRAGIC VILLAIN is impacting those around him
Act 2, Scene 3
‘But hark! What horse?’
-Iago is acting clueless to the shouting like he didn’t orchestrate the conflict, he wants others to focus on the fight and dramatise the situation
Act 2, Scene 3
‘I do not know’
-Iago putting on a performance pretending to be on Cassio’s side so nobody suspects his plan, careful and calculated in how he responds
Act 2, Scene 3
‘i had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offences to Michael Cassio’
-Iago consciously creating the perception that he has Cassio’s best interests and protection at heart
Act 2, Scene 3
‘Sir this gentleman’
not referring to Roderigo by name as if he is a stranger - manipulating those around him
Act 2, Scene 3
‘Myself the crying fellow tried to pursue‘
portraying himself as dutiful and eager to prevent confrontation
Act 2, Scene 3
‘Cassio high in oath’
makes it seem like Cassio is swearing and having an outburst
Act 2, Scene 3
‘I cannot report’
DRAMATIC IRONY, making it seem like a factual account despite carefully twisting the truth positioning himself as an onlooker with limited information rather than the instigator he is in reality - NARRATIVE GAPS in Iago’s story EQUIVOCATING avoiding the key moments of his involvement → this is to manipulate and mislead Othello into thinking Cassio’s behaviour is entirely independent
Act 2, Scene 3
‘But men are men’
-excusing the behaviour by using masculine stereotypes to make it seem like he isn’t involved and it was a natural fight
-DIACOPE persuasive, logical and hard to argue against
Act 2, Scene 3
‘Reputation is an idle and most false imposition!’
-Iago’s response is very dismissive
-portrays Iago as DIABOLICAL and not very moral/religious
Act 2, Scene 3
‘I think you think I love you’
-SYNTACTIC PARALLELISM we already know Iago doesn’t love Cassio
-Iago uses MITIGATING LANGUAGE to EQUIVOCATE his statement to avoid the truth and lead Cassio to go along with it
Act 2, Scene 3
‘confess yourself freely to her’
-IMPERATIVE encouraging Cassio to be unfettered, open and honest with Desdemona to create an intimate bond trying to make Cassio think it will be easy
Act 2, Scene 3
‘ill par this pestilence into his ear’
-MOTIF OF POSION as a METAPHOR for how he will corrupt Othello’s mind with the power of words
Act 2, Scene 3
‘Divinity of hell’
-PARADOXICAL BLASPHEMY makes Iago seem very diabolical and he would enjoy hell relishing in suffering and evil → SADISTIC
Act 2, Scene 3
‘he then says I play the villain, when this advice i give is free and honest’
-Iago’s SOLILOQUY → DRAMATIC IRONY + METATHEATRE (villain talking about his role as a villain)
-mocking/playful TONE heightens his villainy as he is aware of his own role, reinforces the constructed nature of the downfall
