Quotations and analysis Flashcards
(26 cards)
“honest…
Iago” 2.3 dramatic irony+ repetition of this phrase across scenes and characters exemplifies to incredible extent of Iago’s deception
“not ever jealous for the cause…
but jealous for they are jealous.” observation of Iago, Emilia expresses how jealousy is a male trait, she attempts to educate the more naïve Desdemona.
“Think…
my Lord?” exemplifies Iago’s power even in short rhetorical, despite his usual long ellipticals these have the same manipulative effect.
“I do perceive here…
a divided duty” 1.3 Shows Desdemona’s thoughtfulness and bravery, she uses her societal expectations to get what she needs. she is outspoken.
“Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted…
/thy bed, lust-stained shall with lust’s blood be spotted.” the rhyme scheme shows fall to villainy, rhyming couplets are often used for villains. Shakespeare uses stagecrafting in the form of an aside to present Othello’s fall from his noble position, he now hides away from other characters and even the audience.
“Oh, the more angel she…
and you the blacker devil” 5.2 racial imagery, divides good and bad, even in Desdemona’s death Emilia cannot help but associate Othello’s race to the action, shows her internalised racism. Parallelism imagery.
“Then you must speak…
/of one that loved not wisely, but too well” 5.2 request his integrity be restored. Othello’s final monologue reverts back to his original speech patterns; controlled monologue, enjambment transcends all uncertainty, reclaiming of his hero status. re-establishes him as a tragic hero, obsessed with his high status which he has fallen from. In line with Bradley’s (sympathetic) statement, goes against Leavis (stupid).
“They are all but stomachs, and we…
all but food; To eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us.” Emilia (3.4)
Metaphor of stomachs and food, Shakespeare presents Emilia’s view on the treatment of women in Jacobean society, that they are treated as prey for the male appetite, this visceral imagery draws upon the reality of patriarchal values.
“I am not…
what i am” 1.1 epanalepsis + paradoxical language exemplifies Iago’s deceptive nature. biblical allusion, by transforming god’s words into negative formulation, Iago indicates his identity as a villainous figure
“I..
myself” 5. Her courage does not follow her in death, she instead remains as the perfect Jacobean woman- solidifying Faucit’s viewpoint.
“My parts, my title, and my…
perfect soul/ shall manifest me rightly” 1.2 repetition evokes the assurance Othello has of his own identity at this point in the narrative, he feels no need to hide himself, has full confidence.
“She loved me for the dangers I had passed,…
and I loved her that she did pity them.” Othello (1.3)
Parallelism is used by Shakespeare to emphasise how their love is reciprocal “She loved me… I loved her.”
Plosives are assertive, d’s and p’s.
“Reputation…
reputation, reputation!… I have lost the immortal part of myself.” Cassio (2.3)
Repetition, reflects how honour was one of the most important traits in Jacobean England.
Possible foreshadowing of the wrongful accusations against Desdemona that tarnishes her honour.
Hyperbolic contrast against “immortal” and “bestial”
Dramatic irony: Whilst Cassio frets he is completely unaware that Iago is the true ‘bestial’ character.
“Rude am I…
in my speech”
- Untrue, Othello speaks these lines in iambic pentameter, shows his humble nature. Could also perhaps relate to his need to act inferior because of racial prejudice.
“I had rather be a toad / And live upon the…
vapor of a dungeon / Than keep a corner in the thing I love / For others”
(3.3) portrays his inner struggle, juxtaposition between the putrid ‘toad’ and ‘love’ shows how much he wants to trust Desdemona.
- Jacobeans were encouraged to be introspective, meaning they must appeal to their own conscience, Othello is outwardly appealing to his emotions. Also relates to the stereotype that African men and inherently jealous.
“were they as prime as goats…
as hot as monkeys” reflected in Othello’s statement “goats and monkeys!”
animalistic
“A horned mans…
a monster and a beast.” - Othello (4.1) Apples animalistic language to himself naturally. Relates to Jacobean + religious beliefs that cuckholded men would grow horns, related to his Christian stance on Desdemona’s death.
“I will chop her into…
messes” (4), “I will tear her all to pieces” (3.3), adjectives create a sense of animalism, completely different to how he actually kills her. “[he smothers her]”, would visually be much more calm and clean than the messy death he describes.
“Alas, why do you gnaw…
at your nether lip? Some bloody passion shakes your very frame.” Animalistic + predatory, becomes the caricature described by Iago in Act 1. Inner behaviour has surfaced, Jacobean inner self beliefs. Inadvertent stage direction from Shakespeare.
“Yet I’ll not shed…
her blood/ Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow” Views himself as an agent of justice, making himself believe that his actions are acceptable. Metaphor shows a deep appreciation for her beauty despite his state, adds to Jacobean Christian standards, reminder that he is killing a ‘pure’ woman.
“Yet she must die…
else she’ll betray more men.” The calm + measured speech evokes that this is a true thought, reveals the gender disparity throughout the play. Gender war takes away his individual act of killing also.
“I shall not…
charm my tongue.” Emilia refuses to play into the Jacobean desire for a submissive wife, the symbol of defiance that Wendel describes.
“It is my nature’s plague…
To spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy/ Shapes faults that are not-“ (3.3) Iago outwardly admits his own jealously here, in turn making Othello feel less alone in his irrational jealously, only spurring him on further.
“tell me, Emilia -
That there be women do abuse their husbands/ In such gross kind?” Desdemona reveals her extreme innocence here, expresses her distaste for women who do such things.
