Othello - Shakespeare - Drama Flashcards
Married Love: Othello’s soliloquy about the “curse” of being married, but not being able to control your wife and her desires. He uses very crude and vulgar language to describe how he feels about it.
“O curse of marriage / That we can call all these delicate creatures ours / And not their appetites. I had rather be a toad / And live upon the vapour of a dungeon / Than keep a corner in the thing I love / For others’ uses.”
Jealous Love: Iago to Othello warning him of the dangers of jealousy re Desdemona
“O beware, my lord, of jealousy! / It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock / The meat it feeds on.”
Iago and Roderigo telling Brabantio that his daughter has been stolen by the black Othello. He uses racist and sexual imagery.
“An old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe!”
“Your daughter / and the Moor making the beast with two backs.”
“To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor”
Voyeuristic Iago describes Othello as a pirate, stealing Desdemona’s love.
“He tonight hath boarded a land carrack”
Othello talks of his pure love for Desdemona, the only thing that he would give up his freedom for.
“For that I love the gentle Desdemona / I would not my unhoused free condition / Put into circumscription and confine / For the sea’s worth.”
Othello tells Duke and Senators about Desdemona, suggesting her sexual desires.
“With a greedy ear / Devour up my discourse.”
Desdemona being strong, speaking up for her and Othello’s relationship to her father, likening it to his and her mother’s relationship.
“My noble father, / I do perceive here a divided duty.”
Iago hides his misogynistic views behind light-hearted back-and-forth with Desdemona.
“You rise to play, and go to bed to work.”
Iago’s evil and devilish imagery juxtaposes with Othello’s religious and pure imagery.
“Hell and night”
“Amen to that, sweet powers!”
Desdemona: Ironic statement about their love remaining strong, when it fact it becomes weakened.
“The heavens forbid / But that our loves and comforts should increase.”
After Iago tries to persuade him that Desdemona is “full of game”, Cassio fails to be drawn, instead speaking of her in a very respectful way.
“She’s a most exquisite lady.”
“She is indeed perfection”
Othello becomes frustrated by Desdemona pestering him about Cassio, but he still speaks of his romantic love for her.
“Excellent wretch! perdition catch my soul / But I do love thee! and when I love thee not / Chaos is come again.”
Iago’s false love, his betrayal of Othello.
“My lord, you know I love you.”
Iago has released the monster from within Othello.
“Some monster in thy thought / Too hideous to be shown.”
Quote from Emilia showing her total submission to Iago - she is desperate for some affection.
“I nothing, but to please his fantasy.”
