Othello Flashcards
Othello quotes (Act 1 Scene 3)
‘Most potent, grave and reverend signiors, my very noble and approved good masters’ - his language is elevated and controlled, speaks in elevated blank verse + is polite and gracious towards the Senators whom he addresses
‘Rude am I in my speech’ - modest, humble, self-depreciating
Othello quotes (Act 4 Scene 1)
‘Handkerchief! confessions! handkerchief!’ - his verse has broken down and become fragmented and confused. Mental breakdown. Pauses + !s indicate his nervousness + lack of composure. This break down of language is tied to the play’s structure (track the rise + fall from grace)
Theme of Love and Jealousy
Othello and Desdemona- initially a genuine + reciprocal marriage of equals. He says that ‘she loved me for the dangers I had passed and I loved her that she did pity them’ (Act 1 Scene 3) The splitting of this sentence evenly across two lines of iambic pentameter indicates their reciprocal love, as their love is evenly shared + divided across the two lines.
Iago draws on Othello’s marital insecurities- he is married to a white Venetian woman whom her father disapproved of- to turn him against her.
Iago’s jealousy
Iago’s jealousy of Cassio’s promotion triggers the subsequent events.
Famous metaphor of jealousy- ‘the green-eyed monster which doth mock/the meat it feeds on’ (Act 3 scene 3) - image of characters who are helpless in the face of jealousy, it is a destructive and monstrous force.
Theme of Race
Racist stereotypes and assumptions are rife throughout. Iago uses derogatory and racist language to describe Othello. He dehumanises him as ‘an old black ram is tupping your white ewe’ - this vulgar and animalistic imagery characterises Othello as a mindless rutting animal who has spoiled the pure Desdemona with his lust. The stark contrast between the ‘black ram’ and ‘white ewe’ instantly brings one to believe that Othello is a dark entity that is harming the pure Desdemona’ . Within the Jacobean period, racism was abundant within society + this is reflected. But the devil was represented through the colour black. So Iago’s use of the adjective ‘black’ is because he regards Othello as the devil + that his actions towards Desdemona are that of malicious intent rather than love. But a modern reader.
Iago calls Othello ‘the spawn of the devil (to Brabantio ‘the devil will make a grandsire of you’ (Act 1 Scene1) Brabantio despises the match and does not believe Desdemona could have married him willingly ‘O thou foul thief, where hast thou stowed my daughter?’ (Act 1 Scene 2)
Critics + viewers argue that Shakespeare presents Othello as nothing more than a stereotype of a Moor. E.g. in Act 3 Scene 3 there are fewer than 400 lines between Othello declaring his love for Desdemona (‘perdition catch my soul but I do love thee’) + confessing his hatred and desire to murder her ‘I will withdraw to furnish me with some swift means of death for the fair devil’
In Act 1 Scene 3, Iago declares that ‘these Moors are changeable in their wills’ implying that Othello is more prone to jealousy + easily turns on his wife because he is African descent. Hugh Quarshie, who played Othello in the 2015 RSC production, discussed his initial reluctance at taking on the role for fear of reinforcing racist stereotypes and his worry that Othello quickly succumbs to Iago’s manipulations ‘because of the convention of the Moors being perceived to be prone to jealousy, to irrationally, to violence’. E.g. Aaron, a Moor in Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, is a caricature of violent and remorseless evil.
Theme of Truth and Deception
Iago is a character brimming with deception- ‘I am not what I am’ (Act 1 Scene 1)
Othello is a character striving for truth and honesty. He calls Iago ‘honest Iago’ four times in the play, and he refuses to doubt Desdemona without the ‘ocular proof’ of her infidelity, and Iago must ‘be sure thou prove my love a whore’ (Act 3 Scene 3)
Othello’s insistence on honesty and evidence speaks to his integrity as the play’s protagonist, but even this is turned against him when Iago feigns the evidence of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness with the handkerchief.
Context
The settings in Othello are integral to the plot. In the late 16th + early 17th centuries, Venice was famed for its wealth, cosmopolitan culture, and political stability. It was thought of as a place of female promiscuity and sexual freedom, and as a mixing pot filled with people of different races.
It was renowned for the freedom it offered its diverse range of citizens, many of whom (like Othello) were immigrants who had adopted Venetian values. It was both familiar and exotic, situated in Europe but with close trading ties to the Middle East + North Africa. Its geographical closeness but simultaneous otherworldliness make it an excellent location for Shakespeare to explore human relationships, especially interracial and intercultural ones.
Much of the play is also set as an outpost in Cyprus, in the Venetian-Ottoman wars throughout the late 16th century.
The further the action is removed from the perceived ‘civilisation’ of Europe and Venice, the more break-down of relationships and civility is witnessed.
The events of the script give proof to the old adage that ‘people change places, and places change people’
Cyprus is infinitely more barbarous, a bastion of male power (characterised by entrenched systems and attitudes that reinforce male power and control) where Desdemona, alone and isolated from her Venetian support system, is vulnerable to the machinations (secret and complicated plans) of a highly skilled manipulator like Iago.
Ironically, Cyprus is revered as the birthplace of Venus Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Inspired by this amorous deity, Cyprus provides the perfect location for Iago to convince Othello of his wife’s sexual infidelity.
Because of this geographical dichotomy between Venice and Cyprus, Othello + Desdemona move from an urbane, civilised, and somewhat depraved city-state to a barren military encampment whose claustrophobic confines intensify Iago’s unrelenting psychological assault.
Venice serves Shakespeare’s needs of a place where a non-European, and potentially non-Christian, man could both hold significant authority but still be distrusted
Othello’s character
A ‘Moor’ who converted to Christianity and became a military general in the Venetian army.
Beginning- composed, powerful figure but he easily falls prey to his own insecurities and Iago’s manipulations, and his love for his wife, Desdemona, is turned against him into an all-consuming jealous rage.
Desdemona’s character
The daughter of Venetian senator Brabantio, and wife of Othello.
Good + loyal wife
She has strong-willed moments. She attempts to persuade Othello to forgive Cassio in Act 3 Scene 3.
On her deathbed she is an image of virginal innocence, lying in her wedding sheets and still declaring ‘the loves I bear to Othello’ (Act 5 Scene 2)
Iago’s character
Othello’s ensign and the play’s antagonist. Considered as the most evil of Shakespeare’s villains. His motivations are never entirely clear. He is in-part jealous that Othello did not promote him, and in-part driven by racially-motivated hatred. He refuses to repent at the end of the play
Act 1 Scene 1 quotes
‘an old black ram is tupping your white ewe’
- The animalistic, vulgar and racist descriptions dehumanise Othello and puts Desdemona in a position of virginal innocence, but as a woman who is dominated by her animalistic husband: she is ‘white’ and is the grammatical object of the sentence (Othello is the subject)
The Great Chain of Being was a hierarchal Christian structure which ranked all beings. Animals were even lower than the lowliest of humans, and this quote therefore demonstrates Iago’s belief that ‘Moors’ (people of African descent) are lowlier than Europeans, and are even less than human.
‘Barbary horse’ and he and Desdemona having sex are ‘making the beast with two backs’ - engaging in sexual activity is akin to two animals mating, emphasising the primal nature of their relationship
Act 1 Scene 2 quotes
‘Damned as thou hast enchanted her’
- Brabantio cannot fathom why Desdemona would have married a ‘Moor’ unless she were enchanted by him (motif of witchcraft- gives him an air of otherworldliness and exoticism)
Magic is neither comprehended nor embraced within Christian Europe, so associating Othello with magic further alienates him form European society and exoticizes him as an ‘other’
Act 1 Scene 3 quotes
‘questioned me the story of my life’
She would ‘with a greedy ear devour my discourse’
Desdemona is captivated and intrigued by Othello’s past and adventures.
Othello is ‘devoured’ by the Venetian listeners, they consume his background so that they become a part of their society. This is indicative of a late 16th or early 17th fascination with ‘otherness’ and the unknown. This was a time of exciting exploration; in 1577-1580 Francis Drake completed his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition. As a result of this contemporary interest in the unknown, the audience would as well listen with a ‘greedy’ ear.
‘My pilgrimage’- indicates his assimilation into Christianity.
His words are ‘the only witchcraft I have used’.
‘did beguile her of her tears’ - emotional bond
‘she loved me for the dangers I had passed and I loved her that she did pity them’
‘here’s my husband’
‘the Moor my lord’
‘a man he is of honesty and trust’ ‘honest Iago’
‘my life upon her faith’ - I bet my life she will always be faithful
‘put money in thy purse’
‘These Moors are changeable in their wills’
Soliloquy (Iago) : end of the act
‘I hate the Moor’
‘He’s done my office’
- Clements a clear distinction between Othello + Iago, the former is insistent that he will not act against Desdemona without proof, but Iago will seek revenge on ‘the mere suspicion’- he is making up reasons without evidence to justify his actions to the audience
‘to abuse Othello’s ear’
‘The Moor is of free and open nature’
‘Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light’
Act 2 Scene 1 quotes
Beginning ‘our wars are done’- the external threat of war with Cyprus is dismissed and instead Shakespeare zooms in on the relationships and motivations
He sets up Iago’s ‘web’ of control and manipulation, by cutting off the external world, the intensity of the play and characters’ relationships increases
Cassio- ‘the divine Desdemona’
Misogyny:
Iago- ‘foul pranks’ to lure men in
‘with as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio’
- extensive animal imagery to describe Othello. Iago is the ‘spider’ as he spins a wide web of lies intended to ‘ensnare’ and trap characters- attributes to him a degree of authority over the plot
‘O my soul’s joy’ - to Desdemona
‘it is too much of joy’ - Othello is content with his marriage
Iago’s plan of Roderigo’s fight with Cassio:
‘he’s rash and very sudden in choler’ - Cassio has short temper
‘to provoke’
Iago’s Soliloquy 2: end of the act
‘Now I do love her too’
‘the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat’ - Iago’s sexual jealousy is prompted by the rumours
‘even to madness’ - make Othello insane
Act 2 Scene 3
Cassio about Desdemona:
‘a most exquisite lady’
Iago’s soliloquy 3:
‘He’ll be as full of quarrel and offence as my young mistress’ dog’
‘flowing cups’ - get people drunk
‘shamed forever’
‘but men are men, the best sometimes forget’ - sticking up for Cassio which makes Iago seem good (hero)
‘never more be officer of mine’ - Othello sacked Cassio
Cassio ‘reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation’
- Cassio is distraught at ruining his reputation, while Iago builds up his own false reputation of honesty
Iago- ‘reputation is an idle and most false imposition’
‘importune her help to put you in your place again’ - about Desdemona
‘honest Iago’ - Cassio
Iago’s soliloquy 4:
‘she’s framed as fruitful’
- this depiction of Desdemona is sexually charged: she is ‘fruitful’ suggesting fertility and productivity, and has an ‘appetite’ In the early 17th century Venice had a reputation as being a place of female promiscuity and prostitution- its liberality applied to sexuality. When Iago frames Desdemona as unfaithful, he draws on and utilises these stereotypes of Venetian women.
‘I’ll pour pestilence into his ear’
‘turn her virtue into pitch’ - The motif of black as evil. Desdemona’s innocence will be tainted by a dark black substance
‘out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all’
‘draw the Moor apart’- isolate
‘and bring him jump’ when he ‘may Cassio find soliciting his wife’ - physical reaction
