Othello Flashcards
What did the renaissance influence?
Shakespeare questioning the beliefs, assumptions and politics of Elizabethan society.
What was Cyprus known as?
a “warlike island”
What type of society governs the life of a woman?
A patriarchal society where assertive or argumentative women can be physically punished in public.
Who was Othello based off?
John Leo spoke about ‘his people’ and how they would “rather lose their lives than put up any disgrace in the behalf of their women.”
What is a Senecan tragedy?
A Senecan Tragedy follows the same tragic principles involving some revenge and violence with emphasis on long narrative accounts and long reflective soliloquies
How did the Protestant faith affect the play?
Protestantism encourages introspection
What is significant about the location?
Italianate settings usually suggested secret love affairs and revenge. Foreign courts usually stereotyped as being full of villainy and sexual perversion. Venice was renowned for sexual sin.
What are the religious consequences of blackness?
Descendants of Noah’s son, Ham, who was cursed by his father. The Africans were therefore seen as a cursed race.
What did the handkerchief represent?
They were symbols of status.
Iago’s first words
“S’blood” which is Iago’s first line demonstrates his desperation regarding perception. Killing his wife (hurting the unity and so himself) is another example of how lost he is from reality.
Iago’s struggles
“I am not what I am” suggesting that Iago feels misrepresented and lacks a proper identity yet contradicts himself with his deceptive perceptions.
Iago’s righteous ego
“Heaven is my judge” brings turmoil to the chain of being, showing that Iago is putting himself above what he is and it brings his confusion towards his true identity.
Iago’s racist agenda
“the devil will make a grandsire of you.” Despite being sinfully deceptive, his religious lexises give him a contrasting appearance. Leaving no room to argue when religion, thinking contextually, is involved.
Iago’s Machiavellian ability
“Marry to- Come, captain” the use of punctuation (hyphen) shows the speed of his changing face. It gives machiavellian connotations from this speed.
Iago’s purpose
“Thus do I ever make my fool my purse” summarises Iago well. This line, as well it showing his raison d’être, comes after Roderigo’s “Exit” further emphasising his deceptive nature. It aligns with the view that he is driven by “motiveless malignity” as coined by Coleridge.
Iago’s flaw and Othello’s flaw
“I never found a man that knew how to love himself” links towards Othello’s true hamartia and shows he is not satisfied with himself, contrasting his ego.
Iago’s view of women
“You rise to play and go to bed to work” shows Iago’s sexist attitudes towards women. Thus his understanding of the patriarchal society. Contrasts against his fuzzy perception of his true identity.
Iago’s delusion and web
“Web” “ensnare as great a fly” shows that he is in control. The oxymoron “great a fly” shows that his chain of being and ego is out of control (delusional). His “aside” takes over Othello as well. It shows his two-faced character.
Iago’s goal
“thank me, love me, reward me” in the order of what Iago prioritises.
Iago’s ‘introspection’
“Michael Cassio on the hip” shows his contempt for this character and the bloodlust in soliloquies.
Iago’s war on love
“is it not an alarum to love?” shows that Iago is playfully tempting Cassio by the lexis “alarum” to exploit the lack of combat and shift the focus.
Iago as the white rider
“I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear” with the lexis “pestilence” it can a reference to the white rider and foreshadowing the riders to come. (end of the world)
Iago’s exploitation of religion
“blackest sins” and “heavenly shows” is a link to the treachery of the most sinful to have existed. He is going to make a religious show to commit them.
Iago’s haste with reason
“Dull not device by coldness and delay.” shows that Iago foreshadowed the integral rashness behind the success of the plan.
Iago’s double meaning into action
“That he would steal away so guilty-like” Iago takes the “guilty-like” look from Cassio’s demotion and turns it into a case of sinful lust, fitting the religious context.
Iago’s offence
“Honest my lord?” ”Think my lord?” Iago is throwing the questions back for confusion and disrupt control. He is making Othello come to conclusions.
Iago’s side of the war
“My lord, you know I love you” to ascertain “friend”.
Iago’s defence
“seem” “I think Cassio’s an honest man” dealing with the theme of perception to make Othello question it.
Iago’s fatal seed
“cuckold” which is repeated by Othello (the seed) links into John Leo context. He warns Othello of this.
Iago’s manifestation of Othello’s suspicions
“green-eyed monster” which is a face given to the “monster” that Othello suspected. “eyed” shows that Iago is now in control with his use of “ocular proof”
Iago’s modest wisdom
“But riches fineless is as poor as winter” with Desdemona being objectified it depersonalises the situation whilst keeping a rational cool persona. Othello still doesn’t learn with his “pearl” anagnorisis
Iago’s deception and place
“In Venice they do let God see the pranks” links with what Venice was known for. Bringing “God” into things further legitimises their side of things.
Iago’s presence
“going” and “returning” shows that Iago hangs his presence over Othello to keep him suspect. It also shows his physical fixation to his false reality.
Iago’s irrationality
“Snatching it” shows another example of his fixation to the plan and his greed. Iago’s true identity. “motiveless malignity” -Coleridge
Iago’s awareness of religious exploitation
“As proofs of holy writ” link to Iago’s religious exploitation to give sacrilegious connotations.
Iago as an Antichrist-like figure
“grace” “heaven” “God bu’y you” presents the illusion that Iago is just. Exploitation in practice.
Iago and the sheep and goats
“prime as goats” “dream” shows his exploitation. “goats” from the sheep and goats and “dream” to suggest prophetic powers with no accountability. Also using Othello’s doubts against him.
