Othello (AQA A-Level Lit B) - Key Quotes and Analysis

‘I am worth no worse a place’ - Iago about Cassio’s promotion (A1, S1)

‘A great arithmetician \[...\] mere prattle without practice is all his soldiership’ - Iago about Cassio’s promotion (A1, S1)

==**Jealousy/Motive/Villains**== - Monologue, speech, prose - Iago is jealous of Cassio’s promotion, claiming that Othello promoted him due to his relationship with him. This could be the catalyst of all calamity further in the play; Iago is motivated to ‘enmesh them all’ for not getting his way. The use of prose highlights Iago as a Machiavellian villain, as he has clear passion for this subject, and will now stop at nothing to see Othello and the surrounding characters suffer.

'I am not what I am' - Iago (A1 S1)

‘By Janus, I think no’ - Iago (A1, S2)

==**Manipulation/Villains**== - Openly talks about his deceit, link to jealousy of Cassio (maybe Othello and Desdemona). Will blossom into something more dangerous and evil.

Roman mythology allusion - Janus (two-faced God), signifies Iago’s deceitfulness and manipulation. In addition, highlights his ego-tistic nature, sees himself as highly and in control, which is a contrast to his military rank.

‘I follow him to serve my turn upon him’ - Iago about Othello (A1, S1)

**AO4:**

Manipulation, Jealousy, Villains, Victims, Vengeance

**AO2:**

Monologue, Monopolisation/Domination of scene/dialogue. Already set a plot/plan to take revenge.

**AO3:**

Machiavellian villain, Aristotle.

**AO5:**

‘Motiveless Malignity’ - S.T Coleridge

‘Plague him with flies’ - Iago about Brabantio (A1 S1)

**AO4:**

Villains, Victims, Manipulation

**AO2:**

Biblical allusion - Belzebub (lord of the flies/flying). Emphasises the motif of ‘corruption’, infecting and damning Brabantio by giving crucial information and detail about his daughter’s relationship with Othello. Signifies Iago’s role as a devious malicious villain.

**AO3:**

Christian context (Christianity vs Islam)

**AO5:**

Modern Feminist and Race critics may argue that the ‘plaguing with flies’ encourages sin within Brabantio → i.e. Racism and Misogyny.

‘An old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe.’ - Iago about Othello and Desdemona’s relationship (A1 S1)

**AO4:**

Racism, Treatment of Women, Victims, Villains, Manipulation, Misery/Hate

**AO2:**

Animal Imagery - links to sexual rampance (i.e. Racist connotations). Good vs Evil.

‘Ram’ - Diabolical Imagery, associated with the devil, emphasises the idea of Black people being hostile and evil.

‘Ewe’ - Angel, Innocence. Treatment of Women, must have chivalric protection away from the ‘harsh impact’ of Black people (immigration). Also the idea of Christianity vs Islam. Othello = Muslim, Desdemona = Christian.

**AO3:**

Christianity vs Islam

**AO5:**

Race Theorist

Feminism

'Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her' and 'Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals' - Brabantio to Othello (A1 S2)

==**Treatment of Women/Supernatural**== - Blames Othello for seducing Desdemona using supernatural/witchcraft. Emphasises racial differences and racial language towards Othello. Black people around 1600s were seen as witches/sorcerers. Also undermines Desdemona's agency. Due to the informal and hastey way of marrying (as well as race), Brabantio grows suspicious of if Desdemona truly wanted to marry Othello.

‘She loved me for the dangers I had passed, / And I loved her that she did pity them’ - Othello about Desdemona (A1, S3)

**AO4:**

\
**AO2:**

\
**AO3:**

\
**AO5:**

\

‘Let her have your voice’ - Othello to Brabantio (A1, S3)

**AO4:**

\
**AO2:**

\
**AO3:**

\
**AO5:**

\

‘Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our / wills are gardeners’ - Iago to Roderigo (A1 S3)

**AO4:**

\
**AO2:**

Metaphor

Hierarchy of Iago over Othello despite military rank.

Like God, he has the ‘right’ to plant the seed that ultimately destroys Othello.

**AO3:**

\
**AO5:**

\

'Put money in thy purse' - Iago to Roderigo (A1 S3)

==**Manipulation/Deceit/Villains/Victims**== - Imperative, telling Rodrigo to give up his material possessions. Emphasises role of villain. Repetition links to how Iago gets in people's heads in order to get what he wants. Rodrigo ends up giving in (tragic inevitability)

‘I hate the Moor’ - Iago about Othello (A1, S3)

**AO4:**

\
**AO2:**

\
**AO3:**

\
**AO5:**

\

'to abuse Othello's ear' - Iago (A1 S3)

==**Manipulation/Villains/Victims**== - Beginning of plan/plotting, will evolve into something larger. Symbolism of the ear represents imbalance and disorder. Iago's manipulation WILL cause destruction and pain - which will as a whole disturb the order of Cyprus.

Cf. 'I'll pour pestilence into his ear' - link to Hamlet

'[Aside] He takes her by the palm. Ay well said, whisper. With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio' - Iago about Cassio (A2 S1)

==**Manipulation/Deceit/Villains/Victims**== - Metaphor - prey vs predator, comparing himself to a spider (predator) who will set up traps/webs in order to catch his fly (prey). Emphasises his role as a manipulative villain, and Cassio's role as an innocent tragic victim. Now his plan is beginning to come to life.
Cf. venom imagery - paralysis/helplessness.
Also links to idiom 'web of lies' where Iago will set out lies in order to 'catch Cassio in his trap'

'Come lieutenant, I have a stoup of wine' - Iago to Cassio (A2 S3)
...
'I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking' - Cassio to Iago (A2 S3)

==**Manipulation/Villains/Victims**== - Trying to get Cassio to make a bad impression on Othello, in order to get him deranked. Ends up working; Cassio is a drunk, and begins a fight with Rodrigo and Montano.

'I'll pour pestilence into his ear' - Iago about Othello (A2 S3)

==**Manipulation/Villains/Victims**== - cf. 'to abuse Othello's ear' - links to imbalance and disorder. In addition, the theme of disease and corruption is repeated throughout play. Emphasises cathartic results of Iago's manipulation.

'So will I turn her virtue into pitch' - Iago about Desdemona (A2 S3)

==**Manipulation/Deceit/Villains/Victims**== - Will turn Desdemona's good qualities (kindness and generosity) into something wrong. (Cassio taking Desdemona's hand turns into Cassio and Desdemona having an affair). Pitch - tar-like dark substance. Corruption - stickiness emphasises how destructive it is.

'Honest' - About Iago

==**Manipulation/Deceit/Blindness/Villains**== - This epithet is repeated throughout the play when used to describe Iago - dramatic irony - audience knows (is in fact informed by Iago) that he is the villain of the story, and everything that he says to other characters are mostly lies; he is not honest. Cf. Othello's blindness (hamartia)

'I won his daughter' - Othello to Brabantio (A1 S3)

==**Treatment of Women/Victims**== - Emphasises gender expectations and stereotypes. Women were seen as possessions or prizes, meant to be handed down by their father to their husband; a transfer of control. Slight contrast/oxymoron - attempting to convince Brabantio that Desdemona chose to be with him, yet describing her as a prize. Did Desdemona truly have any agency?

'You are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlours' - Iago to Desdemona and Emilia (A2 S1)

==**Treatment of Women/Victims**== - Blatant sexism - pretty when seen publicly - cf. context - 1600s women characters played by men actors.

‘That shall enmesh them all.’ - Iago (A2, S3)

**AO4:**

\
**AO2:**

\
**AO3:**

\
**AO5:**

\

‘Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul / But I do love thee! And when I love thee not, / Chaos is come again.’ - Othello about Desdemona (A3, S3)

**AO4:**

\
**AO2:**

\
**AO3:**

\
**AO5:**

\

'It is a common thing' ... ' To have a foolish wife' - Iago to Emilia (A3 S3)

==**Treatment of Women/Victims/Villainy**== - Euphemism/Innuendo (sexual) - phallic imagery. Insults wife, emphasises Emilia's role as a tragic victim.

‘Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio’ - Iago to Othello (A3, S3)

**AO4:**

\
**AO2:**

\
**AO3:**

\
**AO5:**

\

'Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her, damn her' - Othello about Desdemona (A3 S3)

==**Treatment of Women/Victims/Vengeance/Jealousy/Hamartia/Peripeteia**== - Animal imagery (cf. white ewe - innocent creature, possibly virgin), link to 'as salt as wolves in pride' and 'hot as monkeys' - sexual animal imagery. Degrading - sexism. Big contrast to 'O my fair warrior' - turning point of behaviour for Othello. Iago's manipulation has now caused Othello to HATE Desdemona.

'O, are you come, Iago? You have done well...' Emilia to Iago (A5 S2)

‘I will not charm my tongue. I am bound to speak.’ - Emilia to Iago (A5, S2)

==**Treatment of Women/Victims**== - Emilia is now defiant - cf. nag's bridle - used to shame women for speaking out towards husbands. Emphasises how only in her final minutes is she able to finally collect her speech - emphasises role as tragic victim. Cf. historical context.

Metaphor - Emilia fights back and takes a stance (possibly motivated by Desdemona’s earlier defense for her) - she is then punished for this as Iago murders her.

'O beware my lord of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.' - Iago to Othello (A3 S3)

==**Jealousy/Manipulation/Villainy/Victims**== - Iago is using a metaphor to compare jealousy to a monster. He uses the traits of a monster to describe jealousy (a monster is destructive, frightening, powerful)
Develops Iago's character - very manipulative; pretends to warn Othello not to be a jealous man, yet inputs the thoughts that Desdemona is cheating with Cassio into Iago's mind. Contrast - Iago himself is jealous, yet advising Othello not to be jealous.

'O, blood, blood, blood' - Othello about Desdemona (?) -

==**Victims/Deceit/Jealousy/Vengeance/Peripeteia/Hamartia**== - Turning point of Othello, now has hatred for Desdemona. Manipulated by Iago, now fuelled and blinded by jealousy. Cf. racial context + gender. Repetition of violent imagery may link to racial context - Iago forcing Othello into harmful stereotype.

'A guiltless death I die' - Desdemona to Emilia (A5 S2)

'Nobody. I myself. Farewell... [dies]' - Desdemona to Emilia (A5 S2)

==**Victims/Treatment of Women/Jealousy/Manipulation**== - Desdemona in her last breath screams her innocence before being blinded (by love?) that she is guilty. Her victim blaming (?) emphasises role of tragic victim. Cf. gender context.