honour Flashcards
(11 cards)
why was honour/reputation so strongly associated with higher classes
because it was intertwined strongly with morality, and controlled by the higher classes who viewed themselves as more moral
iago about his evil little plan
“with as little a web as this will i ensnare”
need nothing more than accusation and a good reputation yourself to ruin someone elses life; shakespeare questioning the importance of such a delicate system
“web” spider webs are notoriously unqiue and impossible to replicate, being too strong for how delicate they are, as well as constantly building upon themselves to catch prey
cassio after drunken night out
“reputation, reputation, reputation!… i have lost the immortal part of myself… what remains is bestial.”
reputation as a destructive force, he is so detroyed by this loss he loses the ability of his usual charm and lyricism, broken down reflected through repetition to emphasise the importance
humanism explored intertwined with reputation, cassio no longer feels human now that he has lost his role and reputation (role tied with morality in eyes of god)
intertwining of reputation and your own identity
iago to othello
“name in man and woman, dear my lord,
is the immediate jewel of their souls”
comic through irony as he manages to give good, moral advice despite his inability to follow any of it, he gives good advice to appear moral and is fully capable of following it, but chooses to not which makes him a more scary villain, he chooses to have the glory of honour without any of the burden
despite how respectful his tone is, he is completely corrupting and disobeying the hierarchical system, shakespeare calling out its hypocracy
emilia to desdemona (night of death)
“i have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed”
desdemonas duty to consumate the marriage, yet instead emilia has made her death bed (reflecting emilias earlier loyalty to iago with the napkin)
also relfects both womens comitment to being the role of the ‘wife’ like the men are ‘committed’ to their role of ‘soldier’
scene before the willow scene
“othello; what art thou?
desdemona; your wife, my lord; your true and loyal wife”
female reductivity
her role in the play (othello and iago as protaginist/antagonist)
whereas her role is of the ‘tragic victim’ / the wife
her not being married at the beginning of the play reflects her change in personality after her change in character and identity (woman into wife)
she also owns her role as the wife, without knowing it causes her tragic ending/death
tragic victim
an individual who suffers misfortune due to uncontrollable circumstances, leading to sadness and evoking sympathy
othello interrogation of desdemona
“othello; are you not a strumpet?
desdemona; no, as i am a christian.”
strumpet word for prostitute
escalation of his accusations reflecting the absurdity of these claims
opposition of female sexuality and christianity
desdemona in othellos interrogation of her
“no, as i am a christian
if to preserve this vessel for my lord”
imagery of the vessel
role and duty for women
to give birth and to have sex with
and ideas of womens role to remain chaste
othello to iago
“glorious war!”
cannot reconcile his personal sorrows and private duties
consumption of his identity (of a soldier)
causing increased violence and destruction
othello about desdemona to iago
“villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore;”
iagos language of “whore” being used by othello reflecting the shared male vocabulary and perspectives on women
“love // whore” reflecting that he does not love her as a person, but her as an idea - as a saint versus whore
