Power and control Flashcards
Iago: ‘I know my price, I am worth no worse a place’
Immediately establishes his grievance against Othello for his failure to make Iago lieutenant. Ensign, lower status role – establishes importance of jealousy. He feels cheated – a victim of class difference. Establishes Iago’s motive - attempting to regain a sense of power which he feels should be afforded to him
‘I am not what I am’ Iago
Establishes deception as an integral part of his character. Iago is conscious that he is playing a role, and the audience is forced to question appearance vs reality from the very beginning of the play.
The contradiction of this statement establishes Iago’s duplicity and the demonic nature of his character – his outward appearance is merely to conceal his true self
at this point he even has power over the audience as his intentions are unclear.
Even now, now, very now, and old black ram is tupping your white ewe’
Iago has power here as he is able to control how Othello is perceived - presenting him as a sexually threatening black man. uses threatening animalistic imagery, tied to racism in an attempt to provoke. Plays on his paternal instincts, creating an image of Desdemona dominated by her animalistic husband
‘the devil will make a grandsire of you’
Iago’s power over narrative control.
Devils were thought to be black. Iago positions Othello within the narrative as evil. Audience becomes aware of Iago as masterful.
Enter Brabantio in his night-gown’
Vulnerable state – vulnerable authority to iago’s manipulation
Othello ‘Most potent, grave and reverend signiors’
‘That I have ta’en away this old man’s daughter it is most true; true, I have married her’
Othello is initially shown to be powerful, calm and collected. Calm and measured speech contrasts with Brabantio’s lack of control/
Reclaims and redefines the stereotypes he is charged with
Frames this as an almost pure act despite the fact it is a transgression
Othello: ‘and little of this great world can I speak more than pertains to feats of broil and battle’
Positions himself as a military man – foreshadowing his violence. Foreshadowing the tension between military and domestic. It is ironic that despite Othello’s military power he is shown to be vulnerable to iaog’s manipulations
Her father loved me, oft invited me, still questioned me the story of my life’
Othello is presented as noble and powerful - wasteful control. Noble, heroic qualities expressed.
Desdemona: ‘I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband’
Othello has power over Desdemona - she is utterly devoted to him, and that is her downfall.
Desdemona: ‘my heart’s subdued even to the very quality of my lord’
Despite overturning conventions with her father she submits to Othello – goves her agency and allegiance to him – he has power over her heard
‘And to his honours and his valiant parts did I my should and fortunes consecrate’
she is in love with his existence as a powerful and intriguing military man
Iago: ‘I hate the Moor’
The power of his hatred - the fact he says he is willing to act on ‘suspicion…as if for surety’ suggests that there is an inherent evil nature to his character snd the motives he gives are purely incidental – ironically this is what he is able to do to Othello – change from being a man who judges by what he sees, to judging on what he hears
Iago and desdemona’s exchange of insults
He degrades her and she treats him as a verbal equal. It shows how Iago wins an ascendancy over others, his improvising skills, and that Desdemona understands sexual innuendo. He quick-witted and funny exchange endears her to a modern audience. Desdemona is disobedient in merely just having this conversation
Iago: ‘with little a web as this I will ensnare as great a fly as Cassio’
the power of Iago’s manipulation
- predatory image, using Cassio’s courteous strength against him.
Allows audience to visualise his role in the play – and also this image of him as a spider attributes to him a degree of authority over the plot – he has the power to make decisions that affect other characters
Othello: ‘If after every tempest come such calms may the winds blow till they have wakened death’
Storm imagery is a metaphor for their overwhelming feelings. Foresdhawoing – tempts fate. His love overshadows his professional life
Iago: ‘O, you are well-tuned now: but I’ll set down the pegs that make this music’
imagery of a musical instrument descibes their rhythm and harmony together suggesting he will interrupt this harmony,
Iago: ‘they met so near with their lips that their breaths embraced togehter’
attempting to provoke Rodrigo’s jealousy, power of his manipulation
Iago: ‘I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear’
repeated poison imagery - power of his manipulation
