Iago

- Iago's motivations are utterly unintelligible, utter malcontent- manipulates through language- understands other people's natures and uses that against them

‘And it is thought abroad..’

• ‘And it is thought abroad, that ‘twixt my sheets
  He has done my office:’

• act 1 sc3 line 387

→ uses professional diction to describe a domestic identity, the implication here is that Iago sees his marriage in similar terms as he does his occupation: both are competitions in which he can’t bear to see himself lose – especially not to a racial outsider

‘I know my price..’

• ‘I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:’

• act 1 sc1 line11

→The mercenary diction of “my price” and “worth” suggests that Iago sees professional relationships as mere commercial exchanges, which foreshadows the unemotional, ruthless approach he’ll go on to execute his plot of poisoning Othello’s mind.

Iago

‘If I would time expend with such..’

• ‘If I would time expend with such a snipe, but for my sport and profit’

• act 1 sc 3 line 383

→ solloquial tone: he casual phrasing shows Iago’s cynicism and lack of moral restraint. He openly admits he's using others for selfish entertainment and gain.

‘I never will.

• Iago

• 5.2

‘I never will speak word.’

→declarative: he excerises his authority one last time, choosing not to explain his actions

→ he is never killed so somewhat gets away with his crimes

‘be judge…’

• ‘be judge yourself’ [to roderigo]

• act 1 sc1

→imperitatuve: This gives the illusion of autonomy, making Roderigo feel in control — when in reality, he’s being manipulated by Iago, appeal to logic

‘I am..’

• ‘I am for you.’

• act1 sc2 line57

• pantomiming going to kill roderigo out of loyalty for othello

‘I lack..’

• ‘I lack iniquity’

• act1 sc2 line3

• dramatic irony: //;;not evil enough, manipulation technique

‘Nothing my lord;’

• ‘Nothing my lord; or if- I know not what’

• act 3 sc3 line 37

→ aposiopesis, starts saying something to plant a seed of doubt in Othello’s mind, but doesn’t follow through

‘No, sure, I cannot..’

• ‘No, sure, I cannot think it, that he would sneak away so guilty-like’

• act 3 sc3 line40

→paralipsis: deliberately broken off and left unfinished, the ending to be supplied by the imagination

‘the devil will make a grand sire of you’

• ‘the devil will make a grand sire of you’

• act 1 sc1 line 91

→ Iago plays off of both aspects of Brabantio’s fear: his racially motivated fear and his fear of losing control of his daughter

‘I will ensnare as..’

• ‘I will ensnare as great a fly as Cassio […] I will gyve thee in thine own courtship.’

• act 2 sc 1 line 165

→ plans to use Cassio’s politeness against him in his evil scheme