Manhood and honour

Question 1

Act 1, Scene 1

IAGO: ‘Thieves, thieves, thieves!’

Answer 1

-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 CONVENTION of daughters being their fathers property to create panic and meddle with Brabantio

Question 2

Act 1, Scene 3

OTHELLO: ‘I won his daughter’

Answer 2

-not referring to her by name, misogyny in the undertones, possible objectification of her as trophy, sense of HUBRIS

Question 3

Act 2, Scene 1

IAGO: ‘Players in your housewifery and hussies in your beds’

Answer 3

-illustrates Iago’s discriminatory undercurrents surfacing, holding prejudice attitudes towards race, gender, class - MACHIAVELLIAN

-suggests Iago think Emilia is not fulfilling her domestic duties to his standards

-introduces a sense of jealousy towards Othello and the real love and affection in his relationship

-DUAL MEANING of housewife to mean whore, suggests that Iago views Emilia and women in general as false and deceptive playing a facade. This creates a disconnect between men and women. Sense of dramatic irony as we know Iago is extremely deceptive and false himself

Question 4

Act 2, Scene 1

IAGO: ‘For i fear Cassio with my night-cap too’

Answer 4

insecure and thinks Cassio will sleep with him too

Question 5

Act 2, Scene 3

IAGO: ‘But men are men’

Answer 5

-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

Question 6

Act 2, Scene 3

IAGO: ‘Reputation is an idle and most false imposition!’

Answer 6

-Iago’s response is very dismissive

-portrays Iago as DIABOLICAL and not very moral/religious

Question 7

Act 2, Scene 3

OTHELLO: ‘The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue, the profits yet to come ‘tween me and you’

Answer 7

CONTRACTUAL METAPHOR of a transactional marriage - Othello treats his relationship in a militant way, not very romantic and portrays it as a duty to fulfil → typical of men in Jacobean society

Question 8

Act 2, Scene 3

OTHELLO: ‘I’ll make an example of thee’

Answer 8

-Othello needs to reinstate his authority in front of everybody to show that he can restore order

Question 9

Act 4, Scene 1

CASSIO: ‘what, i marry her? a customer’

Answer 9

-MASCULINE BRAVADO, Cassio doesn’t want to admit any affection towards Bianca due to her status as potentially a prostitute