Othello QUOTES Flashcards
Othello to the Duke + Senators
“Rude am I in my speech and little blest with the soft phrase of peace”
Othello is needlessly modest as he is in fact a skilled and eloquent speaker
Ironic to his true violent ways revealed later
Flawed and Corrupt hero - acts as a contradiction to who he is
Confidently speaking in verse - structured and rhythmical
Iago about Othello
“Old Black Ram”
Zoomorphism - Animal imagery
Animalistic insult towards othello - iago shows his true hatred of othello through provocative language
Demonstrates belief within venetian society of race superiority
Black connotes - feisty, impulsive, darkness, evil
Plays on elizabethan notions that black men have an animal-like hypersexuality
Geared at manipulating brabantio’s fears of miscegenation (when a couple mixes race through marriage/sex)
Iago to Othello
“Thick Lips”
- Racist terminology
- Could be calling him loud mouthed
- More abrasive and agressive than he actually is
Term Othello is referred to
“The Moor”
- Distasteful to not label him by his name
- Black people of the time historically referred to as “Moors”
Duke to Othello
“Valliant Othello”
- Respectful nature of the Duke
- Contrasts with “Valliant Moor - no longer defined by race
- Duke is fairer and less prejudiced
Brabancio about Desdemona
O! My daughter!”
- Elongated vowel of “O”
- Demonstrates agony and emotional pain
- Racist traits of Brabancio disliking Othello for marrying his daughter
Othello about his relationship w/ Desdemona
“What drugs, what charms, what mighty magic?”
“I won his daughter”
Repettion of “what” - confusion because it’s obvious
Didn’t need to use witchcraft as Desdemona FELL IN LOVE with him on her own regard
Belief in her own freedom of choice - Act 1
Contradicts himself by objectifiying her
Like a prize / trophy
Foreshadows his controlling masculine nature later
Othello about Desdemona
“…for she had eyes and chose me”
Othello reasons with himself that Desdemona exercised free will in choosing him as her husband
Foreshadows his controlling masculine nature later
Iago’s ironic way of being described
“Honest Iago”
/
“..full of love and honesty.”
/
“Iago is most honest”
/
“O brave Iago, honest and just”
- “I am not what I am” > admission himself
Dramatic irony + Theme of Deception + Treachery
/
Appearance vs Reality
- Manipulates, deceives, and schemes to achieve his own selfish goals, often at the expense of others
- Othello repeatedly refer to him as “honest,” > stark contrast between his outward appearance and his true intentions
- Uses other’s perceptions to his advantage to gain trust
- Audience awareness > watching characters fall victim while being powerless
- Othello totally blind to the way Iago is tricking and manipulating him > believes Iago is actually incapable of lying (2)
Othello to Iago
“I am bound to thee forever”
Tragic Flaw + Hamartia
- Othello “foolish” and naieve
- Trust and bond with Iago
- Unaware of what Iago truly has planned
Othello’s wrong assumptions about Iago
“This fellow is exccedingly honest”
“Knows all qualities…”
“…of human dealings”
Othello wrongly believes that Iago is honest and compassionate.
Although the villian understands some of human dealings allowing him to manipulate characters in the play
His limitation lies in the fact that he does not understand love
Othello about his mentality
“Farewell the tranquil mind”
Acknowledges his loss of rational thinking and descent into jealous madness
Tipping the scales of what was sane and now being driven insane
Othello about Desdemona
“Tear her all to pieces”
Zoomorphism
Othello giving into animalistic and violent traits (Act 3. Scene 3)
Contrasts earlier character
Conforms to the racist stereotypes of the time
“Savage” / “Monster”
Agressive like an animal - primal urges
Iago about Desdemona to Brabancio
“Tupping your white ewe”
- Demonstrates belief within venetian society of race superiority
- White connotes - sign of purity and innocence
- Use of ‘your’ showing the possessive nature - how desdemona belongs to brabantio
- Geared at manipulating brabantio’s fears of miscegenation (when a couple mixes race through marriage/sex)
Motif of Devil :
“the devil will make a grandsire of you”
