Othello - Character Quotes Flashcards
How is Othello viewed by others?
“Valient Othello”
montano: “brave Othello”
Act 2: How Othello feels when he arrives from the ship and see’s D?
- pathetic fallacy; foreshadowing; irony
- “If after every tempest come such calms May the winds blow till they have wakened death”
“If it were now to die ‘Twere now to be most happy”
(nothing can beat this level of happiness)
–> passionate; storm literal and metaphorical; romantic; loving; euphoric; - repeated references to death and fate within this monologue
–> reference to gods in greek mythology
- theme of death and fate - foreshadowing; intense imagery
–> ironic because they don’t pass the storm to come
Reference to Othello’s passion Act 2 when he arrives to venice - pathetic fallacy
- “If after every tempest come such calms May the winds blow till they have wakened death”
othello saying he would die happy rn
“If it were now to die ‘Twere now to be most happy”
genuine affection and sense of equality
important Idea in Act 2 Scene 3? + quotation to support O to C after he has gotten drunk
Reputation: “What’s the matter / That you unlace your reputation thus”
What does Othello say when he realises something bad has happened/ commotion?
“Hold, for your lives!” - Othello in position of power here, It’s ominous that a fight has brought Othello from his marriage bed: Shakespeare suggests the marriage isn’t secure.
How does Othello respond to drunk cassio?
“Are we turned Turks?” “heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?” - barbaric/ uncivilised; racist; ironic because he himself is black and later goes crazy; he was muslim too; rhetorical question
“For Christian shame”
- importance of religion in Venetian society/ context of religious England
- Othello’s speech pattern and repetitions of questions - emphasise anger; however maintains blank verse
Othello’s question on Montana’s reputation?
“What’s the matter that you unlace your reputation” for “a night-brawler?”
- Othello is quick to judge
- part of his flaw as a character
- does this with Desdemona
- doesn’t know how to have fun perhaps - hierarchy in Venetian society
Othello has a long monologue explaining his anger about the incident (cassio drunk + fight) - quotes showing his anger
“My blood begins my safer guides to rule” “Zounds” “the best of you / Shall sink in my rebuke” - anger; blood boiling; negatively affected; cursing shows anger; warns no ones rep is safe; his judgement is harsh
Irony of Othello’s comment after Iago has explained Cassio’s drunken fight
“Thy honesty and love doth mince the matter / Making it light to Cassio” - repetition of reference to Iago’s honesty; he is downplaying it - blindsided - naive - gullibility - and harsh
Othello sacks Cassio
“Cassio, I love thee,”
“Enter Desdemona”
“But nevermore be officer of mine” “I’ll make thee an example”
Othello’s reference to his duty as a soldier after D enters the scene of him sacking Cassio
“‘tis the soldier’s life / To have their balmy slumbers waked with strife” - rhyming couplet; end of important section; highlights his role; a warning that their marriage won’t be easy
Othello rejects D’s request of calling back cassio
“Not now, sweet Desdemona. Some other time.”
- sense of division opening up in relationship especially following harmonious reunion and wedding night
Othello’s discussion with Desdemona about Cassio: will it be soon? -
“But shall ’t be shortly?”
“The sooner, sweet, for you.”
- D and O share these lines metrically, indicating co-operation, before his final refusal, where D is given a longer persuasive monologue after which Othello accepts her plea and closes the matter; interesting that O “shall not dine at home” - war getting in way of marriage
“I will deny thee nothing.” - statement repeated twice - indicating annoyance
Othello wants to be left alone
“leave me but a little to myself.” - Not only has he opened some doubt in D’s view of him, he now creates a physical space apart from her. Partly this is due to the conflict between Othello the general and Othello the husband, which Iago exploits
O’s reference to love for Desdemona again in Act 3 - (after she their chat about taking back cassio)
“Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul
/ But I do love thee!”
- O’s love for D is to the forefront again, though the reference to damnation foreshadows later events. (‘perdition’) - his soul will be damned if he stops loving her. For Othello love equals stability and order - without it, chaos ensues. - tragedy follows a movement from order to disorder (equilibrium to disequilibrium). In Act 3, this hangs in the balance.
What AO2 point is interesting about I and O’s interactions in Act 3: Scene 3?
Iago is echoing Othello - mess with his mine - O takes issue with this “thou echo’st me” - teasing him - drip feeding
Othello’s comment to Iago about monster in Act 3: Scene 3 (hella forshadowing)?
“As if there were some monster in thy thought
Too hideous to be shown.”
- Othello’s use of monster can be linked to ‘monstrous birth’ as well as later ‘green-eyed monster’ of jealousy. The images play on the idea of something evil or subhuman- something unnatural, which Othello has already been linked to through racist comments and the idea of the unnatural marriage. It also links to danger and violence, beginning a sense of threat and lack of control associated with O as he begins to degenerate as his jealousy grows
Othello just absolutely misinterpretating Iago’s “love” and manipulation - Act 3 Scene 3 - near start
“And for I know thou ‘rt full of love and honest”
“Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more.” - O incorrectly takes them as proof of I’s honesty but the opposite is true - they are ‘tricks of custom’. The audience may find it amusing how completely O misinterprets Iago’s behaviour, and is in his power! - switch to prose
Iago continues to drip-feed Othello suggesting something is wrong but not being explicit which quote does he say in reference to jealousy + O’s responce?
“Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on.”
othello replies “Oh, misery!” - Othello is reduced to exclamations. We will see his language degenerate quickly as his jealousy starts to take over
How does Othello initially respond to Iago’s warning of jealousy (at this point he doesn’t know about C and D)?
“suspicions? No!” - determined not to continue in an insecure situation but to take immediate practical action - perhaps reflecting on his physical prowess and leadership as a general
Strong sense of irony in Othello’s response to Iago’s initial warning of jealousy
“Exchange me for a goat
When I shall turn the business of my soul
To such … surmises,” - It is highly ironic that Othello states he will become an animal if he becomes jealous - he does become lacking in self control and brutal
How does Othello describe Desdemona in respond to Iago’s comments of jealousy?
“To say my wife …
Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances.
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous.” - qualities of Desdemona that Othello appreciates - though they are very sociable they are combined in her with virtue
- virtue - behaviour of high moral standard
theme of eyes in relation to D and O - choosing each other
“For she had eyes and chose me.” he feels secure that she ‘saw’ him for himself and chose him. Note emphasis on seeing as a way of understanding the truth
After Othello’s monologue about not being jealous because Desdemona “chose” him etc etc what happens?
- makes deal with devil?
- focus changes to Iago - he dominates the scene - leaving O questioning
- O says “I am bound to thee forever.” - ominous - Othello ties himself further to Iago, with ‘bound’ suggesting a contract (contract made with devil?)
How does Othello’s train of thought change during the scene with Iago - suggesting D is unfaithful - Iago interrupts him to poison him with doubt
comment about nature
OTHELLO
“I do not think but Desdemona’s honest.” - position of but - she is honest in his eyes
IAGO
“Long live she so. And long live you to think so.” - foreshadows ending - fatalistic tone
OTHELLO
“And yet how nature, erring from itself—”
- He picks up on the idea that she has gone against her nature to marry him - not a white Venetian? Someone not socially sanctioned?
Before he can develop his argument Iago interjects to keep Othello thinking of her going against her nature
Once Iago has left the scene: 3:3 - what is Othello’s aside - Qs his marriage
“Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless / Sees and knows more” - his aside reveals his first thought is to regret his marriage, implying he was already lacking in confidence as a husband to Desdemona? then Iago “returns” - creates sense he was perhaps listening
Iago exits - this time finally - and Othello has a soliloquy: quote about imagery of Desdemona - bird
“haggard … let her … prey at fortune.” “heartstrings”
metaphor - portrays Desdemona as a nobleman’s hunting bird that he has tamed, still wild - but will set her free to survive alone; imagery support the idea of women as commodified but also the birds restraints being ‘heartstrings’ shows the agony Othello will feel if she leaves; It is frightening to think of the vulnerable Desdemona, isolated from Venetian society having to ‘prey at fortune’ - survive by luck alone.
Iago exits - this time finally - and Othello has a soliloquy: Quote about his insecurities
“Haply, for I am black
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have, or for I am declined
Into the vale of years” - Othello considers his skin colour, his lack of sophisticated speech and his age as reasons for infidelity - but rejects them
Iago exits - this time finally - and Othello has a soliloquy: Othello seems to believe Iago quote
“She’s gone, I am abused, and my relief
Must be to loathe her.” - he appears to have made the decision to believe the suspicions planted in him by Iago; soliloquy - true thoughts
Iago exits - this time finally - and Othello has a soliloquy: bit of misogyny from Othello
“curse of marriage
That we can call these delicate creatures ours
And not their appetites!” - women’s appetites - context - belief that they were uncontrollable by men
Iago exits - this time finally - and Othello has a soliloquy: some more animal imagery
“rather be a toad …
Than keep a corner in the thing I love
For others’ uses.” - This image of the toad is below a goat! Note the imprisonment - O is now trapped ‘A corner’ has sexual connotations re Desdemona’s infidelity
Iago exits - this time finally - and Othello has a soliloquy: Othello deadass describes features of a tragedy - fate; happens to noble men
“’tis the plague to great ones,”
“‘Tis destiny unshunnable, like death”.
- Othello is very fatalistic here, suggesting that those of high staus are destined to be betrayed, and like death this cannot be averted; fatalism and superstition features of his character - fit well with idea of high status protagonists and influence of fate on tragedy
Moment when hankerchief is dropped - oH No
“I have a pain upon my forehead, here.” - ref to cuckhold’s horns
“Your napkin is too little”
“Her handkerchief drops”
- rejecting her kind gesture results in the loss of chief prop
Othello is confused - he hasn’t seen any evidence of D cheating - again her as an object
“I found not Cassio’s kisses on her lips.
He that is robbed, not wanting what is stol’n,
Let him not know’t” - robbery images again portray Desdemona as a possession and Othello as a victim of a crime
Repetition of farewell - O’s being a little dramatic
“Farewell the tranquil mind! Farewell content!” - etc
“Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!” - in this formal speech, Othello laments with high rhetoric and imagery his life as he has known it; war imagery; repetition of farewell
farewell - othello has lost his job
“Farewell! Othello’s occupation’s gone.” - third person - he is disconnected to himself; all of his military glory, his status and reputation will be lost due to this humiliation; love for the life of a man at war; “pride and pomp” - lost - very attached to status - example of hubris; feels reversal in fortunes; perhaps Othello giving up his identity and taking on that of a revenger (AO3 and 4 Revenge tragedy)
Othello wants proof - gets aggressive towards Iago
“Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore,”
“Give me the ocular proof” “catching hold of him” -
brutal monosyllables - here Othello is changed - language closer to Iago’s; he seeks visual evidence (handkerchief)
- physically on stage this is shocking for audience - caught off guard
“Thou hadst been better have been born a dog
Than answer my waked wrath!” -
- alliterative ‘w’ picks out his rising anger and passion line 410 - essentially threatens Iago
Othello compares Desdemona’s reputation to his race
“Her name, that was as fresh
As Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black
As mine own face.” - he conflates his blackness with her corruption - ideas of purity
Iago tells Othello that he hears Cassio talk about D in his sleep: O’s responce
“Oh, monstrous! Monstrous!” - again reduced to exclamations; repeated use - Iago dominates in speech yet again
few lines later: “I’ll tear her all to pieces!” - increasingly animalistic and violent imagery (no proof yet)
importance of handkerchief
“’twas my first gift.” - as a first gift in their courtship it symbolises their bond of love
Othello’s line after Iago mentions the handkerchief and how he seen cassio with it - hellish and heaven imagery
“All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven—’tis gone.
Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell!”
“Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,
For ’tis of aspics’ tongues!”
- simile - his hate as deadly as snake (devil + A+E) exclamations - Othello believes proof: hamartia of classical tragedy (cf Bradley’s fatal flaw)
- Othello takes on the role of the revenger from revenge tragedy
- duty now vengeance
(cf in Hamlet where Hamlet gives up everything to pursue revenge.)
blood…
Oh, blood, blood, blood! - tricolon of murderous intent!
Othello ensures to Iago that he will not change his mind on this matter - he is changed - revenger now
“Never, Iago. Like to the Pontic sea,
Whose icy current … Ne’er keeps retiring ebb” - this quality of determination and resolution, even if misguided, if a frequent feature of the tragic hero, admirable in an awful way.; compared to classical oceans - cold intent
