Othello - quotes: Act 1

Question 1

“hast had my purse as if the strings were thine” - Roderigo

Answer 1

Alludes to the fact that Iago has been taking money from Roderigo, we do not yet know that this was supposed to be used to ‘woo’ Desdemona but of course it never serves this purpose, Iago essentially robs him in broad daylight.

Question 2

“I know my price, I am worth no worse a place” - Iago

Answer 2

We see Iago’s arrogance and jealousy here at the fact that Othello chose cassio for the Lieutenant role over him. We see how highly he thinks of himself.
- marxist critism: a society which puts prices on peoples worth
AO3: heirarchy in social status important in Venice as indicator of your worth

Question 3

“A fellow almost damned by a fair wife” - Iago

Answer 3

Perhaps the first looks at Iago’s sexist language, he says that Cassio is do weak that he could be beaten or damned by a woman.

Question 4

“I follow him to serve my turn upon him - Iago

Answer 4

Iago alludes to his duplicity, essentially hinting that he is only loyal to Othello so that he can seek his revenge.
he is cunning + machovelian

Question 5

“Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul” - Iago

Answer 5

Very deliberate use of language here, makes Brabantio question why he hasn’t noticed that Des is gone, makes it sound as if his life is over because his daughter has married Othello.

Question 6

“I am not what I am” - Iago

Answer 6

Shows Iago’s duplicity and deception, he suggests that he is not as he seems. Also from a religious POV, God says to Moses ‘I am that I am’ so in saying this, Iago is almost going against the Christian conventions expected of him. also highlights deception.

Question 7

“An old black ram is tupping your white ewe” - Iago

Answer 7

Iago makes a racist comment about Othello. Black has connotations of evil and white of innocence, as if Othello is harming Desdemona, inflicting evil upon her. Base sexual and animalistic imagery. + also emphasises Othello’s age - highlights d’s youth and innocence as if O has taken advantage of her

Question 8

“Thou art a villain” - Brabantio

Answer 8

Brabantio is the first character who sees Iago for what he really is, he says this as he doesn’t believe what Iago is saying at this point.

Question 9

“This is Venice” - Brabantio

Answer 9

Says it as if bad things can’t happen there, hints to the social elites warped view. Also alludes to how badly things change in Cyprus. Ironic because dark corrupt underbelly of Venice.

Question 10

“Though I do hate him as I hate hell pains” - Iago

Answer 10

Possibly one of the only points in the whole play where Iago tells the truth.

Question 11

“Is there not charms by which the property of youth and maidenhood may be abused?” - Brabantio

Answer 11

Brabantio doesn’t believe that Desdemona could have married Othello of her own accord, he thinks dark magic has had something to do with it.

Question 12

heaven is my judge - Iago

Answer 12

an excuse to get away with his crimes

Question 13

thieves, thieves, thieves

Answer 13

patriarchal objectification of Desdemona

Question 14

making the beast with two backs

Answer 14

sex described with animal imagery

Question 15

gross clasps of the lascivious Moor

Answer 15

racist, sexually driven. Shakespeare reflects the Renaissance stereotypes of black men as sexual predators.

Question 16

given her leave…gross revolt, tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes

Answer 16

• gross betrayal/ rebellion, men controlling women - feminist

Question 17

“My parts, my title and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly.”

Answer 17

Who: Othello
Significance: It can be taken as very self absorbed. He believes his title and actions will protect him as he believes he has done nothing wrong. It has both pride and a man defending his own honor. This idea that he calls himself perfect is vey self absorbed.
Link to the fact the name Othello means ‘he has the sound of God’ - he is perfect

Question 18

“Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.”

Answer 18

Who: Othello
Significance: We see here that Othello is an authoritative yet calm figure despite the threat of violence. His expert suppression of the street fight demonstrates that he is a highly skilled general. He is not one to completely resort to violence, thus going against the stereotypes of a dangerous menace set out in Elizabethan times

Question 19

“I love the gentle Desdemona”

Answer 19

Who: Othello
Significance: presents the purity of their relationship, and their love before it becomes affected by external poisons like war and Iago’s manipulation. He uses soft and gentle adjectives to describe Desdemona giving her an angelic description, thus reaffirming Desdemona as the ultimate chaste victim (a sacrifice). (women expected to be gentle in Jacobean period)

Question 20

“By Janus, I think no.”

Answer 20

Who: Iago
Significance: Janus is a two-faced Roman God, thus proving Iago to be the ultimate manipulator, able to present the facade of a trusting character in order to fulfill his ulterior motives. By swearing by this God it proves to show how he epitomises a ‘two-faced’ person, and relishes in it, giving him the title of a Satan like character.

Question 21

“So opposite to marriage that she shunned
The wealthy curled darlings of our nation”

Answer 21

Who: Brabantio
Significance: due to his prejudice views he cannot understand why Desdemona completely dismissed the socially and politically correct suitors that have been put forth to her. This proves Desdemona’s abilities to fight against the social norms for the sack of love. Through Brabantio saying this it reflects his priorities and hierarchy he sees within society.

Question 22

I fetch my life and being From men of royal siege

Answer 22

worked his way up; proud of his history; unlike description from Iago; he feels the ruling families of Venice - the signatory will value his military effort

Question 23

let him do his spite

Answer 23

Othello is calm and measured; that nothing will ruin marriage

Question 24

three several quests to search you out

Answer 24

othello urgently needed in venice; creates tension; will cause divide in relationship

Question 25

“enchanted her … in chains of magic” “foul charms” “abused her”

Answer 25

• brab alludes to magic implying Othello has acted against Christianity
• venitian society believed in witchcraft

Question 26

“the valient Moor”

Answer 26

the first senator’s description of the Moor, gives him height to fall from

Question 27

context of war “the Turkish fleet, are bearing up to Cyprus” “but the main article I do approve in a fearful sense”

Answer 27

• The wars of Cyprus fought between 1570 and 1573
• It’s likely the action of the play takes place during Ottoman-Venetian was Muslim vs christian conflict
• Othello ottoman/ muslim background; has denounced this and now christian - post colonial outlook - has had to abandon his identity to fit in with Venetian society
• theme of rumours causing panic - mirrors D and O
• O’s life is dominated by the war + so is scene
• trick to create diversion: political and personal echo each other
• venice christian - ottoman - muslim

Question 28

“the valiant Moor”

Answer 28

the first senator’s description of the Moor, gives him height to fall from
- however he is also labelled
- tensions in play both personal and political

Question 29

“my particular grief … engluts and swallows other sorrows”

Answer 29

brabantio concerned with himself
water, flooding emotions imagery overwhelming grief
comedic
greif like monster - internal rhyme scheme
dramatic

Question 30

witchcraft context

Answer 30

brab accuses O of witchcraft
witches could be sent to death
mirrors O’s fate
ironically O loses it and references devil
unnatural relationship: breaking natural order
venitian society believed in witchcraft

Question 31

“loved me for the dangers I had passed/ And I loved her that she did pity them”

Answer 31

Who: Othello
Significance: Desdemona was seduced by Othello’s story-telling powers, while the Moor was enchanted by the Venetian’s sympathetic response to his history.
There is their ardent sincerity, though whether each perhaps fell in love with an image or idea of the other.
Question how realistic Othello is about love. He professes that he has had little experience in matters of the heart. He is eloquent when describing his experiences as a soldier, but needed prompting to woo Desdemona and seems to expect to be able to continue his military duties without any distractions. He is firm and confident about this: love and war can be combined.
speaks poetically much more persuasive
makes positive image of himself - emphasises his bravery (valour) + virtue (honesty)
mutual love

Question 32

“battles, sieges, fortunes”

Answer 32

respected as a soldier; trying to win over audience

Question 33

“sold to slavery”

Answer 33

hard life - overcome this; worked his way up; creates sympathy; perhaps suggests insecurity

Question 34

“against all rules of nature”

Answer 34

Who: Brabantio
Significance: another racial slur against the purity and normality there is in an interracial marriage.

Question 35

“and with a greedy ear devour up my discourse”

Answer 35

Who: Othello
Significance: talks of how Desdemona came to love Othello, she fell in love with him through listening to his stories and hearing of his distant adventures as a brave soldier.
there is a sexual tone, showing the passion and desire that resonates in their relationship. This passion and desires appears primal and animistic.
Desdemona clearly has sexual desires highlighting the unrealistic expectations of chastity.

Question 36

“you are Lord of all my duty”

Answer 36

Who: Desdemona
Significance: She shows herself again to be of a submissive nature accepting that she is loyal and dutiful to her father.
Though later admits that her duty to Othello over rides this as she must now fulfill her role as a dutiful wife. - fem crit
however D also makes the choice to choose O over father

Question 37

“She has deceived her father and may decieve thee”

Answer 37

Who: Brabantio
- rhyming couplets
Significance: He perpetuates an unfair idea on woman. Reflects the sexist society of Elizabethan society, where one act within a woman’s live has grander impacts filtering through their life. The idea is that an unruly daughter will make an unruly and promiscuous wife.
It is an echoing line foreboding the later events of the play, and what Othello goes on to believe.
There is pure tragedy that Iago uses this to further persuade Othello she has had an affair.
forshadowing

Question 38

“my life upon her faith’

Answer 38

Who: Othello
Significance: he swears all his trust in Desdemona, and he would place this on his life. Reflects the stark change, which Othello goes through, and adds to the tragedy of the plays events. Questionable if his faith was ever so strong as it became so easily tarnished by the end of the play, as he would not listen to Desdemona, though does ask Iago for concrete evidence.

Question 39

honest iago

Answer 39

not honest

Question 40

“I will incontinently drown myself”

Answer 40

Who:
Significance: We begin to see the power Iago has over Roderigo and because of this Roderigo begins to appear weak and indecisive. This weakness derives from how desperate Roderigo is to be with Desdemona.
Roderigo’s Achilles’ heel is his love and desire to be with Desdemona
He is unable to act without thinking reflecting his immaturity.

Question 41

“free and open nature”

Answer 41

‘The Moor is of a…’ Iago acknowledges Othello’s good qualities and so how he will use them against him.
This is the greatest tool that Iago uses of manipulation as to reveal ones fatal flaw is to hold ultimate power over that person. Iago becomes in control - Iago acts as director of the play driving peoples actions by feeding them half truths, and allowing them make up their own assumptions (in doing this he appears blameless, and the ideas he is presenting are more believable.)

Question 42

“abuse Othello’s ear”

Answer 42

Who: Iago
Significance: Indicative of Iago’s method of taking existing beliefs and ideas and warping them for his own profit, Iago borrows Othello’s original imagery of “feeding” Desdemona’s ear with his stories. Othello won Desdemona by telling her stories, and Iago will “win” Othello by doing the same. This image also further extends Iago’s perverse motif of impregnation through abuse: “It is engender’d. Hell and night/Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.” His “wooing” of Othello culminates in Act III, the climax, wherein he and Othello make vows of revenge which, critics have noted, are meant to resemble wedding vows.

Question 43

“money in thy purse”

Answer 43

The litany of “put…” from Iago shows how he’s going to exploit Roderigo for his own benefit “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse”.
One of his motives among many others is to take as much money from Rodregio, and this reflects Iago’s utter greed and need for more.
Iago is never satisfied with the destruction he causes throughout the play always aiming to cause more chaos. Emphasis of him being a Satan like character who revels in the pain and destruction of others. - for now missing out Iago’s bit of the section because mock on O