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Othello
Act 1 Scene 1
‘Horribly stuff’d with epithets of war’​ - Iago
- Always talking about his war stories
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‘I follow him to serve my turn upon him’​ - Iago
- Establishes Iago as a villain explicitly at the start of the play, thereby building tension as Iago is represented to be one who takes delight in his villainy and
is skilful with manipulation
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‘Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe’​ - Iago
- Represents Othello’s sexuality as animal-like
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By likening Othello to a black ram, it diminishes him to a beast, to a position below humanity, and that by describing Desdemona as ​‘white ewe’, ​a
contrast in colour is established, representing her as corrupted by a bestial figure
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- Shakespeare’s use of antithesis: ‘black ram’ against ‘white ewe’ expressing conflict, which is at the heart of all drama
‘Thieves! Thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!’
- The repeated use of possessive pronouns ​‘your’​ accentuates how these are all belongings of men
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This reflects how the daughter is perceived as property, such as bags and houses
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​ T
​ his demonstrates how women are not considered people with their own choices, but
rather, they have to be given permission by men to do things
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Blatant and intentional racist abuse in Iago and Roderigo’s dialogue

Balcony scene as a whole
- Visible representation of a conceptual metaphor
- Power dynamics: Iago acting as a puppet master in the shadows, whilst Roderigo was in the light and exposed, hence he was piggybacking off Roderigo’s
higher social status in Venetian society as a noble gentleman
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Act 1 Scene 2
‘My services which I have done the signiory shall out-tongue his complaints’​ - Othello
- Shakespeare represents Othello as one who is initially confident about his value to the Venetian state because he acknowledges the context of an ongoing
war against the Turks
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‘Good signior, you shall more command with years than with your weapons’ -​ Othello
- Demonstrates a sense of pride in his military prowess
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“I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition put into circumscription and confine for the sea’s worth
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Brabantio’s beliefs represent the ones of society at large during that era, informed by the prominent ideology of the Great Chain of Being
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Adding an adjective before a name of noun demonstrates that this is the characteristic
that defines the person, and in this case, Othello is seen as the brave soldier Venice needed to defeat the Turks
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‘For nature so preposterously to err… Sans witchcraft could not’​ - Brabantio
- Shakespeare represents Venetian society as highly stratified and imposes hierarchical views on individuals: Brabantio’s belief that the marriage disrupts
the Great Chain of Being and is against the very foundation of nature demonstrates how interactions between the hierarchies of individuals are seen as
intolerable and atrocious
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Shakespeare traditionally gave verses to
his high-status characters
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‘Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, my very noble and approv’d good masters’​ - Othello
- Hyper polite discourse: Othello is aware of the social conventions of the polite Venetian society and adheres to it
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This reflects how his speech indeed catered for his audience and for public consumption, thereby representing Othello as one who is self-conscious
and confident
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He is actually a sophisticated speaker - his speech is
refined, his choice of diction is sophisticated, yet he says this to gain trust and make people believe that he is a simple soldier
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He almost self-consciously buys into the
stereotypical expectations of his own race, reinforcing the stereotype by talking about war, power and venture, portraying himself in an orientalist light to
charm Venetian audience and establish his own unique position in society
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Othello’s 2nd Speech
‘Her father lov’d me, oft invited me, still question’d me the story of my life’​ - Othello
- Here, Shakespeare portrays deep-rooted racism through Othello’s narrative
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This reflects how although certain Venetian nobility display upfront prejudice and discrimination, beliefs of the Great Chain of Being was deeply
entrenched into their minds, possessing a philosophical objection against such interracial relationships
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Reflects how his speech was a structured and eloquent response to Brabantio’s accusations
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Using his tales of adventures to charm the contemporary audience, who are all traders
who never heard of such exotic tales before
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The lengthiness of both his speeches paint Othello as one who is
in control, confident and charismatic, using his stories and race to his advantage to gain public power
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’
- Such stories were also what made Desdemona fell in love with him
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I am hitherto your daughter
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She claims to have ​‘a divided duty,’​ but concludes that her allegiance has changed and
belongs to Othello now that she is married
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Hence, women can be seen as victimized here, as they are not considered people in their own right but exist in
relation to men, initially belonging to their fathers and then after marriage, by their husbands
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Indeed, women at the time must be controlled by a man due to
the patriarchy, but despite so, Desdemona ​chooses​ which man she wants to be controlled by
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‘If virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-in-law is far more fair than black’​ - Duke
‘Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceiv’d her father and may thee’​ - Brabantio
- Plants seed of doubt in Othello’s mind
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This establishes a sense of dramatic irony, as the audience know of Iago’s malevolent
intents, thereby creating tension in Iago’s deceitful public perception
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’
- Iago’s worldview: Pelagianism
Iago’s Manipulation of Roderigo
- Discourse analysis: Roderigo now speaks less → reflects the power dynamics, represents his diminishing status in the relationship
- Iago tells partial truths ​‘I have professed me thy friend’
- ‘Put money in thy purse’​ Repetition of this phrase for 8 times
- ‘Go to; Farewell
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’ ​Iago tests his manipulation skills on Roderigo and decides to move
onto the Moor, pinpointing his weakness of being trusting of others
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Allow the audience to truly see Iago’s craft, explaining his choices like a stage director would
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Othello is vulnerable to Iago’s manipulation as there is no longer anyone of a higher power to appeal to unlike in
hierarchical Venetian society
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Iago notices the disappearance of the rigid power hierarchy in
Cyprus, and utilizes the advantageous location of Cyprus to execute his plan of detuning and isolating Othello
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Othello can no longer appeal to the dukes and senators, who would
give him a chance to justify his actions or speak out about his complaints in civilized ways, and could take criticism from instead have to rely on his own
decision making
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‘The riches of the ship is come on shore’​ - Cassio
- Compares Desdemona to riches and treasures
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Misogyny
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’ ‘You rise to play and go to bed to work’ -​ Iago
‘He takes her by the palm… whisper… With as little a web as this I will ensnare as great a fly as Cassio’ ​- Iago
- Iago’s language is full of imagery of flies and traps and webs
- Cassio as a florentine is accustomed to an open, loving culture that shapes his interactions with women
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‘I do suspect the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat… For I fear Cassio with my night cap too’
- Displays how Iago suffers from the same issue of jealousy, in turn he wants to insinuate this in Othello
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His words reflects
great disrespect to the woman, there is no trust in this relationship
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Act 2 Scene 2
‘She’s a most exquisite lady’​ - Cassio, ​‘And I’ll warrant her full of game’​ - Iago

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Contrast in language
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Act 2 Scene 3
‘Away, I say, go out and cry a mutiny’ ​- Iago
After Cassio stirs a conflict with Roderigo and Montano staged by Iago, Iago asks Roderigo to ring the bell of Cyprus, creating a surge of confusion and chaos
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This is because Iago has a strong sense of self-awareness and ability to improvise - discord acts as a shield for
him because it matches with his chaotic personality
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He is able to assert his ascendency in this environment
whilst others are exposed by the loss of hierarchy
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Iago takes this step even further: He creates his own path to power by
generating situations in his favour, creating turmoil and commotion
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‘I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offence to Michael Cassio’ -​ Iago
- Appears to be loyal to Cassio but frames him
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The intensity of
speech in cutting out one’s tongue creates a sincere and trustworthy image, pretending to protect Cassio in front of authorities with the phrase​ ‘shall
nothing wrong [Cassio]
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This fulfils Iago’s purpose of manipulating his identity, as Othello and others now put faith in this ‘honest Iago’ image
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However,
with Iago’s manipulation of the context of this scene, he frames it as an event worthy of suspicion to Othello, framing it to him without basing it on factual
information or context but encouraging him to speculate through his vague use of language
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’​ - Emilia
- Initially assumes the best of her husband
Continuous reference to Iago as honest
- Othello has referred to Iago as honest for 12 times throughout the play, demonstrating the success his image receives, which Iago utilizes to the maximum
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Cassio, Desdemona and Othello all end up
follow Iago’s advice, putting faith in his words as they believe wholeheartedly in his image as an honest, loyal friend
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Creates dramatic irony as the audience knows of his malevolent intent of detuning and creating chaos, thereby establishing and maintaining tension
between the illusion of his honesty and the reality that he is insidious, manipulative and deceitful
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Through his particular use of language, he changes the power dynamics of the conversation, steering the
dialogue to his advantage, whilst also creating metamessages and framing certain situations in the way he wants
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‘Iago: Ha! I like not that
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’
Othello: Was that not Cassio parted from my wife
Iago: Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it that he would steal away so guilty-like seeing you coming’
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Iago sees the opportunity that Cassio is with Desdemona, and knowing Othello’s insecurities that his beautiful wife would not love a man of his race and
age, he frames Cassio’s image as negative and suspicious, using diction such as ‘steal away’ and ‘so guilty-like’, thereby planting a bad narrative in
Othello’s mind and encouraging his various suspicions and imagination
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Iago takes the initiative here, beginning the conversation and dominating it to implant the seed of doubt in
Othello’s mind
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The shift in power dynamics is
apparent: the suddenness of his comment and lack of explanation grabs hold of Othello’s attention and he falls into Iago’s trap
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Iago is now in control of information Othello lacks, giving him
control over Othello
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The word ‘want’ creates an illusion that
there is something between the two
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Here, Iago frames a normally harmless act (a friend seeking
another friend for help) in a way favorable to his narrative
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Ultimately, the withholding of information in conversation encourages Othello to use imagination to fill the gap
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Othello is predisposed to think the worse, becomes increasingly delusional
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This illustrates a shift from the traditional silence of women in the public
sphere
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I wonder in my soul, what you would ask me, that I should deny, or stand so mammering on’ -​ Desdemona
When Othello wouldn’t give her a definite answer about when Cassio’s position can be restored, Desdemona says,​ ‘Tell me, Othello
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’ ​She immediately points out Othello’s hesitant and mammering behaviour, his
avoidance of making promises, and expresses her dissatisfaction
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This demonstrates how she is unafraid to stand
up for her cause, proving that she is not meek and passive, but has steel in her
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Or sue to you to do a peculiar profit to your own
person
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Or sue to you to do a peculiar profit to your own person’ ​Despite getting what she asked for,
Desdemona tells Othello off for him treating this as a favor for her, claiming that she is the one who’s doing her husband a favor
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Whate’er you be, I am obedient’
However, at the same time, Desdemona remains generally obedient with regards to Othello’s commands
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She says ​‘Whate’er you
be, I am obedient’ ​as she leaves,​ ​asserting she will always be an obedient wife no matter how Othello acts

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