Jealousy Flashcards
Iago: ‘I know my price, I am worth no worse a place…his Moorship’s ancient!’
Immediately establishes in scene 1 that his grievance against Othello is due to his failure to make Iago his liutenant.
Ancient = ensing/lower class role. Iago feels cheated, a victim of class difference
Iago: ‘poison his delight…plague him with flies’
This imagery of poison is used throughout the play. Old Testament biblical imagery - Iago associates himself with someone who brings about justice and vengeance.
Iago: ‘I hate the Moor’
Reflects the strength of his hatred - the fact that he says that he is willing to act on ‘suspicion…as if for surety’ suggests that there is an inherent evil nature to his character, and the motives he gives are purely incidental
Iago: ‘they met so near with their lips that their breaths embraced together’
here, he attempts to provoke Rodrigo’s jealousy. first example of Iago using jealousy as a tool of manipulation.
Iago: ‘doth like a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards’
Uses imagery of poison to describe his jealousy.
Iago: ‘she’s framed as fruitful’
Iago ives a sexually charged depiction of Desdemona, suggesting fertility/reproduction and a sexual appetite. Venice had a reputation as a place of seuxla promiscuity for women – iago draws on these stereotypes to promote jealousy
Iago: ‘I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear’
repeated poison imagery to describe jealousy - it is used not only in relation to his own jealousy, but it becomes like a disease which he spreads.
Repeated poison imagery – soliloquies establish him as a villain in control. Expolitin the intimate trusting vulnerability of Othello
Iago” ‘No, sure, I cannot think it that he would steal away so guilty-like seeing you coming’
He is attempting to provoke jealousy in Othello by promoting a false version of events which he gets Othello to believe was his own idea
Othello: ‘Zounds! What dost thou mean?’
Jealousy promotes anger and a lack of control - Swearing – language degrades – no longer in a position of power as he is being manipulated into thinking cassio is plotting against him. Jealousy as a tool to catalyse Othello’s downfall
Iago: ‘O beware my lord of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on’
Image of jealousy as self-devouring – all consuming, renders you insensible. Othello becomes this monster - ironic, as it is Iago who is originally jealous.
Iago: ‘that cuckhold lives in bliss’
Iago connects cuckoldry to jealousy - masculinity and reputation are at stake due for Othello
Othello: ‘her stolen hours of lust…he that is robbed’
Positions himself as the victim. Women as property – undermining suggested equality. He seems to be treating her increasingly less like an equal – doubting the sincerity of their love. he is jealous - but it isn’t necessarily about an emotional betrayal, but rather the threat this poses to his masculinity.
Othello: ‘I had been happy if the general camp..had tasted her sweet body;
Exaggerated – didn’t care if he didn’t know – links to cultural significance of cuckholdry and iago’s view of love as purely sexyal. Women as passive property to be enjoyed.
‘Othello: ‘Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore, be sure of it, give me the ocular proof’
Degrading, emotive tone. Link to seeing vs being, appearance v. reality and the importance of sight and proof. His insistence on evidence is testament to his honesty and nobility, but it also leaves him open to manipulation when Iago falsely produces evidence.
Othello: ‘I think my wife be honest, and think she is not, I think that thou art just, and think thou art not.’
Structure of the lines reflects his division and confusion - jealousy as a catalyst for madness
Iago ‘Behold her topped?’
Image of sex – crude, graphic - tries to provoke jealousy
Iago: ‘See Cassio wipe his beard with’
imperative ‘see’ - orders Othello, provoking a jealous reaction. Disrespectful, potentially intimate image – hancherchief
‘Arise black vengeance from the hollow hell… for ‘tis of aspics’ tongues’
Jealousy as a powerful force
Almost black magic image – palying into stereotype
Evil imagery of snakes and hell and darkness.
We begin to see the breakdown of othello’s mental state through his language – his anger is evident through his repeated exclamations – he loses control of his language just as he loses control of his temper
Othello: ‘within these three days let me hear thee say that Cassio’s not alive’
It is othello’s idea for killing Cassio – undercurrent of violent streak. Jealousy has a physical reaction
Othello: ‘Damn her, lewd minx: O damn her, damn her’
It is interesting that his jealousy is directed as anger towards her - the real betrayal is cuckoldry and social standards - superficiality of their relationship?
Othello’s language becomes progressively more offensive – sense of losing control – contrast with ‘sweet desdemon’
Desdemona: ‘but my Noble Moor is true of mind and made of no such baseness as jealous creatures are’
Ironiocally she isn’t worried about how he might react. Dramatic irony. Contrast between the ideal of him that she fell in love with – her trust is perhaps misgiven
This also serves to show just how far Othello has fallen- he is so different from his mild-mannered appearance at the start of the play
Othello: ‘Give me your hand. This hand is moist, my lady’
jealousy and paranoia. Demanding, commanding direct – moving into the militaristic zone. Begins his interrogation of her. A moist hand connoted promiscuity
The talk of hands is ironic as he eventually smothers her – she dies at his hands
Othello: ;This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart’
Aka generous…but his phrasing is deliberate – chooses to perceive in a certain way and then use it as evidence
I’ll tear her all to pieces’ Othello
jealousy and anger
