Body Paragraph 1 (Discrimination and Prejudice)

Contextual influence and structural features

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright

Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being.

Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being. Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences

Iago’s autonomy and self-value is his conviction to reject morality in his soliloquy,  “Virtue! A fig”, stern in his belief that fictions like “love” or “honour” are constructs to be exploited

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being. Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences. Iago’s autonomy and self-value is his conviction to reject morality in his soliloquy,  “Virtue! A fig”, stern in his belief that fictions like “love” or “honour” are constructs to be exploited.

Cassio’s promotion fractures Iago’s narcissistic worldview, “Not I for love and duty”, emphasising Iago as the antithesis of loyalty through parataxis

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being. Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences. Iago’s autonomy and self-value is his conviction to reject morality in his soliloquy,  “Virtue! A fig”, stern in his belief that fictions like “love” or “honour” are constructs to be exploited. Cassio’s promotion fractures Iago’s narcissistic worldview, “Not I for love and duty”, emphasising Iago as the antithesis of loyalty through parataxis.

Iago’s prose dialogue, “I am not what I am” serves as the foil to Othello’s grandiose poetic diction, “Rude am I in my speech”

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being. Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences. Iago’s autonomy and self-value is his conviction to reject morality in his soliloquy,  “Virtue! A fig”, stern in his belief that fictions like “love” or “honour” are constructs to be exploited. Cassio’s promotion fractures Iago’s narcissistic worldview, “Not I for love and duty”, emphasising Iago as the antithesis of loyalty through parataxis. Iago’s prose dialogue, “I am not what I am” serves as the foil to Othello’s grandiose poetic diction, “Rude am I in my speech”

 Iago’s disdain for Othello facilitates the animalistic epithets, “old black ram”, evoking the reigning stereotype of the “Moor” on Elizabethan stage, connoting ugliness and the demonic

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being. Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences. Iago’s autonomy and self-value is his conviction to reject morality in his soliloquy,  “Virtue! A fig”, stern in his belief that fictions like “love” or “honour” are constructs to be exploited. Cassio’s promotion fractures Iago’s narcissistic worldview, “Not I for love and duty”, emphasising Iago as the antithesis of loyalty through parataxis. Iago’s prose dialogue, “I am not what I am” serves as the foil to Othello’s grandiose poetic diction, “Rude am I in my speech”. Iago’s disdain for Othello facilitates the animalistic epithets, “old black ram”, evoking the reigning stereotype of the “Moor” on Elizabethan stage, connoting ugliness and the demonic

Iago’s manipulation of plot extends to characterisation, moulding “brave Othello” as the stereotype he presents in Act 1

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being. Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences. Iago’s autonomy and self-value is his conviction to reject morality in his soliloquy,  “Virtue! A fig”, stern in his belief that fictions like “love” or “honour” are constructs to be exploited. Cassio’s promotion fractures Iago’s narcissistic worldview, “Not I for love and duty”, emphasising Iago as the antithesis of loyalty through parataxis. Iago’s prose dialogue, “I am not what I am” serves as the foil to Othello’s grandiose poetic diction, “Rude am I in my speech”. Iago’s disdain for Othello facilitates the animalistic epithets, “old black ram”, evoking the reigning stereotype of the “Moor” on Elizabethan stage, connoting ugliness and the demonic. Iago’s manipulation of plot extends to characterisation, moulding “brave Othello” as the stereotype he presents in Act 1.

Desdemona’s inclination of “the moor, my lord” instead of his name accentuates the impossibility of Othello’s complete assimilation, attempting to separate his humanity from his appearance, “I saw Othello’s visage in his mind”

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being. Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences. Iago’s autonomy and self-value is his conviction to reject morality in his soliloquy,  “Virtue! A fig”, stern in his belief that fictions like “love” or “honour” are constructs to be exploited. Cassio’s promotion fractures Iago’s narcissistic worldview, “Not I for love and duty”, emphasising Iago as the antithesis of loyalty through parataxis. Iago’s prose dialogue, “I am not what I am” serves as the foil to Othello’s grandiose poetic diction, “Rude am I in my speech”. Iago’s disdain for Othello facilitates the animalistic epithets, “old black ram”, evoking the reigning stereotype of the “Moor” on Elizabethan stage, connoting ugliness and the demonic. Iago’s manipulation of plot extends to characterisation, moulding “brave Othello” as the stereotype he presents in Act 1. Desdemona’s inclination of “the moor, my lord” instead of his name accentuates the impossibility of Othello’s complete assimilation, attempting to separate his humanity from his appearance, “I saw Othello’s visage in his mind”.

The tragic consequence of Othello’s racial alienation is not his estrangement from the Venetians, but rather his acceptance of the framework from which they define him, foreshadowing his jealousy of other characters who exist outside of mental constructs.

Iago functions as a surrogate dramatist, manipulating characters and plot that mirrors the role of the playwright. Emblematic of chivalric England, Iago contends that in promoting Cassio, Othello has betrayed traditional ideas of feudal order through the metaphor, “old gradation, where each second/Stood heir to the first”, encapsulating the ideals of the Great Chain of Being. Emanating Tudor morality by exposing the appetites of his gullible victims, Iago acts as both tempter and moralist, characterised by his ironic epithet, “Honest Iago”, revealed only to audiences. Iago’s autonomy and self-value is his conviction to reject morality in his soliloquy,  “Virtue! A fig”, stern in his belief that fictions like “love” or “honour” are constructs to be exploited. Cassio’s promotion fractures Iago’s narcissistic worldview, “Not I for love and duty”, emphasising Iago as the antithesis of loyalty through parataxis. Iago’s prose dialogue, “I am not what I am” serves as the foil to Othello’s grandiose poetic diction, “Rude am I in my speech”. Iago’s disdain for Othello facilitates the animalistic epithets, “old black ram”, evoking the reigning stereotype of the “Moor” on Elizabethan stage, connoting ugliness and the demonic. Iago’s manipulation of plot extends to characterisation, moulding “brave Othello” as the stereotype he presents in Act 1. Desdemona’s inclination of “the moor, my lord” instead of his name accentuates the impossibility of Othello’s complete assimilation, attempting to separate his humanity from his appearance, “I saw Othello’s visage in his mind”. The tragic consequence of Othello’s racial alienation is not his estrangement from the Venetians, but rather his acceptance of the framework from which they define him, foreshadowing his jealousy of other characters who exist outside of mental constructs.