Othello

Introduction layout

Context, signpost then contention

3 forms of Prejudice

Racial, gender, and social

Racial Prejudice

Othello is positioned as an outsider because of his race

Gender Prejudice

Women are judged according to expectations, obedience, sexuality, loyalty.

Social Prejudice

Bias based off class, status, reputation, and appearance. e.g. Cassio

ram, ewe (quote)

“an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” Iago

love, fear (qoute)

"To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on!” Brabantio

gross bosom (quote)

“Run to the gross bosom of such a thing as thou” Brabantio

fair, black (quote)

“your son in law is more fair than black” Duke of Venice

angel, devil (quote)

“the more angel she, and you the blacker devil” Emilia

Iago putting women down (quote)

“you are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens” Iago

3 Jealousy points

Insecurity/manipulation, distorted perception, and possession

Insecurity and manipulation

Jealousy stems from deep personal insecurities and fragile pride, leaving individuals easily exploited by manipulators

Distorted perception

It replaces logic with paranoia, forcing characters to misinterpret innocent behavior as definitive proof of betrayal.

Possession

It twists love into destructive ownership and spreads rapidly to ruin entire social environments.

Jealousy is green (quote)

“beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on” Iago

jealous, cause, brings a monster (quote)

“They are not ever jealous for the cause, but jealous for they are jealous. 'Tis a monster begot upon itself, born on itself.” Emilia

handkerchief, stone heat (quote)

“By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in his hand! O perjured woman, thou dost stone my heart” Othello

deceived father, may

“Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceived her father, and may thee.” Brabantio

Othello — Military Heroism vs. Insecurity

Combines military worth with marital fidelity; fear of cuckoldry shatters his composure and sense of manhood.

Cassio — Reputation & Social Status

Proves male identity relies entirely on public rank; losing his position feels like losing his humanity.

Iago — Master of Male Anxiety

Weaponizes fragile male egos, cuckoldry fears, and pride to manipulate and destroy others.

Brabantio — Patriarchal Authority

Represents traditional paternal control; views his daughter's autonomous marriage as stolen honour.

Roderigo — Failed Masculinity

Lacks power, status, and courage; driven by entitlement and easily exploited through his insecurities.

misses war, ambition, occupation (quote)

“Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars that make ambition virtue! O, farewell!...Othello’s occupation’s gone” Othello

horned man, beast (Othello feels like he is reduced to an animal due to his perceived betrayal) (quote)

“A horned man’s a monster and a beast” Othello

reputation oft without merit (quote)

“Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving” Iago

lost rep, immortal (quote)

“I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself” Cassio

Appearance verse reality

Manipulated perception overrides factual truth, as deceptive appearances are created to dismantle trust, reputation, and life

A v R Iago

Iago hides malicious motives behind his ‘honest Iago’ persona to gain complete trust while created false situations for others.

A v R Othello

Othello accepts constructed appearances without question, allowing paranoid assumptions to replace factual evidence.

A v R Desdemona

She demonstrates how pure, genuine goodness can be reframed in guilt when placed into a manipulated context.

A v R Cassio

Shows how authentic loyalty and honour can be turned into dishonour through staged events.

A v R Emilia

Emilia speaks the truth and destroy Iago’s lies and exposes him.

i am (quote)

“I am not what I am” Iago

men be what they are (quote) (means: Iago advocates for honesty while deceiving Othello)

“Men should be what they seem; or those that be not, would they might seem none!” Iago

abused, stolen, corrupted (quote)

“She is abused, stolen from me, and corrupted by spells” Brabantio

virtue into pitch, net to catch (quote)

“So will I turn her virtue into pitch, and out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all” Iago

lie (quote)

“You told a lie, an odious, damnèd lie! Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie” Emilia

Symbol Handkerchief

Serves as the central symbol of A v R, originally a sign or love, turned into proof of infidelity

Motif Sight/seeing

Links seeing with knowing, Othello demands “ocular proof” but accepts staged and false interpretations

Motif The eyes vs underatanding

Physical sight does not mean understanding, observed through Othello seeing physical events but misinterpreting them

Motif manipulation of language

Iago uses suggesting language to lead Othello to form misleading conclusions

faith (quote)

“My life upon her faith”

fake follower (quote)

“I follow him to serve my turn upon him.” Iago

love from pity, pity from love (quote)

“I loved her that she did pity them, and she loved me that I did pity them.”