‘Othello’ quotations (non-chronological)

‘Making the beasts with two backs’ - Iago

• Euphemism for sexual intercourse, particularly in the missionary position where 2 people are united as if a single creature, with their backs to the outside

• Graphic image- Shakespeare creating the image to be as crude as possible to make it part of Iago’s characterisation

• Racist connotations

‘You are pictures out of doors…you rise to play and go to bed to work.’ -Iago

• Portraying women as deceitful

• Direct models of address- he isn’t afraid of their reaction (CONTEXT: frowned upon for women to have any social standing, thus having little room to react to men/their opinions)

• Sexualisation and the male gaze- Women are good for sex but bad for social status/a man’s appearance unless they are sexually alluring and weak

‘She is abused…corrupted by spells and medicine.’ -Brabantio

• Believes othello has used ‘witchcraft’ on Desdemona

• Implies that the absence of Desdemona is purely out of foul play and her actions of marriage are a resolute of an altered state of mind by magic and potions (CONTEXT: D should have feared black men as they were seen as ‘devilish’)

• Father and daughter relationship (CONTEXT: the father would have been the one to decide on a suitable groom) she is property to him

• Voices Venetian Racism & ignorance on what would have been a mainly white audience. he calls Othello ‘thing’

‘She has deceived her father, and may thee.’ -Brabantio

• prophetic yet ironic (warning Othello that she may not be as virtuous as she seems on the surface) - which O is later convinced

• conception of Venetian women being deceptive, subjective to loose behaviour

‘You’ll Have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse…nephews neigh to you…jennets for Germans.’ -Iago

• beastly vulgarity to describe the physicality of their interracial marriage

• metaphors of animal terminology coupled with Othello’s ethnicity to illustrate hostility towards his race (Barbary=an uncivilised foreigner)

• Crude insinuations that shock audience and shape iagos character

• Dehumanisation of Othello

‘But I love the gentle Desdemona.’ -Othello

• first sincere reference to love in the play- no sexual connotations

• his positive view of his relationship is in conflict with the way it is perceived by others (CONTEXT: and the audience’s reaction to the heroin as a black character/the interracial marriage

• ‘Gentle:’ pun meaning both kind-hearted and of noble birth. Shakespeare stressing she is ‘gentle’ reinforcing OR undermining our view of Othello as a deserving romantic hero?

• Attitude/language deteriorate throughout play under Iago’s influence- is the patriarchal context to blame?

‘O my fair warrior…souls joy’ -Othello

‘My dear Othello’- Desdemona

• equality in their relationship

• O regards D to be as strong as he is but is unable to separate his personal life with his military life (convergence of soldier&lover)- making love&war inextricably linked. Incompatibility of military heroism&love

• Yet, he is happiest when he has her by his side in the midst of military conflict

‘For she had eyes and chose me.’ → ‘O curse marriage.’ -Othello A3S3

• Confident in her reciprocated feelings and willing to have absolute trust

• Aware his race makes him susceptible to hatred&prejudice views (CONTEXT)- yet she loves him for who he is

• Further on in scene, it transforms into doubt- a signal of his emergent insecurity

• Begins the gradual transformation (loving husband&nobleman→furious&jealous figure)

‘Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth.’ -Iago

• ‘with foul and violent tempest’ -third gentleman: a ‘Deux ex machine’ (unrealistic plot device that resolves an issue) allows for play to focus on disintegration of O&D, instead of the war

• Diabolical/blasphemous language

• Refers to formation of his plan- twisting language of a new life (‘birth’) to talk about something deadly&villainous (metaphor for his Machiavellian nature)

• The storm comes after as dramatic symbolism- he has consumed all evil. The storm is destructive (destroys Turkish Fleet), just like his plan

• Hints towards Othello’s violent emotions, leading to his madness. Symbolises conflict&turmoil that will occur

• Prophetic that his scheming will construct the tragic nature of the play

‘She’s framed as fruitful As the free elements.’ -Iago

• Desdemona is reflected as generous as earth, fire, water & air (unpredictable) She’s ‘free’ for man to use as he sees fit

• Implies she is easily manipulated and will be a tool to his plan in ruining Othello

• Depiction of d being sexually charged- fertility. D’s innocence will be tainted by female prostitution (‘Cunning Whore of Venice’)- he utilises stereotypes to victimise her for his plan

• Fricative/alliteration- emphasises the idea D will be easily used by Iago

• CONTEXT: ‘motiveless malignancy’ - Coleridge

‘She’s a most fresh and delicate creature.’ -Cassio

• expresses his admiration for Desdemona’s beauty & innocence, contrasted to Iago’s manipulative and suggestive remarks about her

• Views her as an ideal woman- perceived purity- agrees she is attractive but refrains from drawing any conclusions about her sexual inclinations

‘I nothing but to please his fantasy.’ -Emilia

• reveals her submissive nature and perceived role as a pawn in her husbands schemes- she is unaware to the extent of the deceit

• She believes her actions are solely driven by the desire to satisfy Iago, whatever they may be. Desire for affection- she may gain from pleasing him

• Loyalty to Iago- even in the face of his increasingly cruel behaviour, she is blind to his true nature OR is she afraid to confront him?

• CONTEXT: patriarchal nature of the Venetian society depicted in play, women are subservient to their husbands

‘It is their husbands faults if wives do fall.’ -Emilia

• a powerful early feminist argument suggesting mens actions (eg infidelity, mistreatment) are the root cause of women’s perceived ‘falling’ or infidelity, rather than inherent female flaws

• She has cynical views on men and marriage- married to the villain of the play

• CONTEXT: patriarchal society where women are blamed for failings. Interpretation of the statement as a proto-feminist declaration, arguing for female equality and challenging the traditional blame placed on women for their husbands actions

‘I do love thee and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.’ -Othello

• He indicates the nature of his affection: either loves her intensely/is protective or else he feels scorned and succumbs to an emotional ‘chaos’

• The words are proleptic to his emotional decent into madness.

• Reveals intense love/devotion for Desdemona- highlights his emotional vulnerability; susceptible to jealousy/doubt, which Iago skilfully exploits

• The audience watches helplessly, incapable of stopping the inevitable (serves to speed up the plot)- dramatic irony

‘May the winds blow till they have wakened death.’ -Othello

• hyperbolic expression of his joy (reunited with D)- even if the storm brings death, he would be happy as long as D is by his side

• Highlights strength of their love and what it can withstand (ironic). Elevates their love to a spiritual level

• Proleptic to the destruction of their love and the death in the play

‘With as little a web…I will ensnare as great as fly as Cassio.’ -Iago

• spider imagery- we can visualise his role in the playas he spins a web of lies intended to ‘ensnare’ many. The comparison of his plotting to a spider spinning its web forms an extended metaphor throughout play. Highlights the intricate&deliberate nature of his scheming- weaving into all the characters minds

• The spider holds a degree of authority and control. Entrapment reflects power

• Uses Cassio’s courtesy to manipulate Othello. Fly connotations: a fly is free to choose where they’d like to go/do but Iago will take this freedom away.

• Structure of language: soliloquies reflect his playfulness and a return to his insidious & manipulative nature.

• Dehumanises his victims- regards the characters as his own to play with to achieve what he wants.

‘My parts, my title and my perfect soul.’ -Othello

• expresses the belief that his merits, status & conscience (particularly his military accomplishments) will reveal his true character of worth & integrity (ironic)

• Beliefs of his own innocence and openness- he has nothing to hide. He is very secure due to title of a General- holds identity

• As a foreigner, he would have been regarded as a natural enemy but is given high status- the army/state need him to create authority/disrupt stereotypes

• Foreshadows his later doubt of his ‘perfect soul’ and D’s fidelity

‘Round unvarnished tale.’ -Othello

• suggests he will not hide truths - ironic as the play is full of deception&manipulation

• A microcosm of the play’s themes of truth&deception

• His initial attempt to present himself as a man of integrity/directness, in attempt to deflect accusations of using ‘magic’

• Despite claiming to be ‘rude in my speech,’ he delivers an eloquent and compelling narrative- demonstrates his ability to persuade and connect with others.

• D is young/impressionable & O has little experience = creates a shaky foundation for their marriage.

‘Mere suspicion.’ & ‘Sport and profit.’ -Iago

• His soliloquies develop Machiavellian tendencies- revealing his motives. He finds justification for hating Othello, regardless of true reasons (military jealousy, believes O slept with his wife)

• Relishes conflict (duplicitous&ruthless nature) to exploit people for his entertainment

• ‘Profit’ - personal gain he expects to achieve. Reflects his cynical & calculating nature

‘Iago is most honest’ & ‘O brave Iago, honest and just.’ -Othello

• ‘most’- superlative shows how unaware O is to Iago’s malicious nature

• Dramatic irony- O is blinded by his own insecurities and the manipulation. The audience have witnessed I’s intentions in his soliloquies and knows his actions/words are far from ‘honest and just.’ It emphasises the irony of his reputation

• Ironic as I is a coward who does everything in the shadows (Bubb: I chooses silence)- even his silence his manipulative

‘She first loved the Moor, but for bragging and telling her fanatical lies.’ -Iago

• reveals I’s manipulative view of O&D’s relationship and his jealousy of O’s military accomplishments/status

• Presents D’s love for O as shallow and based on the stories (O: ‘dangers I had passed’). Suggests she was drawn to O’s heroism and her love was based on a false image

• A love based on hero worship?

‘Her eye must be fed.’ -Iago

• food imagery- verb ‘fed’ indicates that D s not being sexually satisfied by O because he is the ‘devil’ (CONTEXT: black people were seen as devilish)

• As part of his disturbing genius, he installs pornographic images in characters minds, often composed with misogyny. He lays out D’s attraction to O as a base desire; she will move to another man (fidelity) once satisfied- constant stimulation

• Reduces her to a sexual object, focusing on her physical appearance

• He demonises the feeling of desire as something dirty, she must be ‘fed’ through sexual acts that O may not account for

‘Your son in law is far more fair than black.’ -Duke

• a subtle, yet complex statement about race&virtue- O’s moral character outweigh any connotations associated with race

• can be seen as a way of dismissing race as irrelevant but also Interpreted as an attempt to counter the negative stereotypes/prejudice against people of colour

‘An old black ram is tupping your white ewe.’ -Iago

• Iago instilling a pornographic image to D’s father

• Encapsulates the racist & misogynist context of the play

• Animalistic imagery suggests the act of passion is beastial&uncontrolled. ‘Tupping’ implies D is a passive victim of brute force

• ‘Your’ - compounded pronoun to reveal patriarchal norms to which men adhere to- D is regarded as a possession

‘With a greedy ear devour up my discourse.’ -Othello

• highlights D’s active & enthusiastic engagement with his narratives. Conveys her voracious appetite for O’s tales

• She has an active role in their courtship, moving beyond the traditional passive expectations of women. she is not just a listener; she actively seeks out and intensively consumes his stories

• Contributes to O’s self-perception- her willingness to listen validates his character and reinforces his image as a noble hero (based on hero worship)?

‘I am not what I am.’ -Iago

• assertive statement is perhaps paradoxical- honestly admitting to his deceptive nature

• Blunt monosyllables&simplistic language (in contrast to the complexity and grammatical structures in the preceding speech) contribute to a sense of of sincerity

• ‘I am’- he’s at ease with his dual nature, he has no intention of changing

• Biblical allusion- exodus 3:14 Moses

‘They are all but stomachs and we are all but food…when they are full they belch us.’ -Emilia

• a powerful commentary on the patriarchal structures of the play/the way women are objectified

• Metaphor to highlight how men view women as objects to be consumed, with a woman’s worth tied to their ability to satisfy men’s desires.

• The ‘hungerly’ appetite of men and the ‘belching’ of women once satisfied- emphasises the cyclical nature of male dominance and female objectification in the play

• Men are driven by primal appetites, while women are reduced to roles of fulfilling those→discarded once need is satiated. Women are seen as tools, rather than individuals with their own agency&worth

• ‘Belch(ing)’ image- graphic, suggestive of the danger D is in- she will be physically destroyed.

• E demonstrates her willingness to risk censure to speak truth- she does not idolise a man’s power.

• Negative depiction of men- ‘stomach’ isn’t complimentary, implies a man will exhibit behaviours that seem arbitrary to women

‘The wine she drinks is made of grapes. If she had been blessed, she never would have loved the Moor.’ -Iago

• D drinks the same wine that they all do and is not extravagant/perfect- if she was perfect, she would not have married Othello

• Illustrates his cynical view of D&women in general. Despite appearances, D is not inherently virtuous and is an ordinary woman who, like all, indulges in pleasure-even if seen as immoral.

‘Valiant Moor’ (Senator)→ ‘Lascivious Moor’ (Roderigo)

• contrasts courage/determination to an overt sexual interest/desire

• ‘V’- describes his military prowess&high reputation

• ‘L’- considered crude and offensive- assumption that Othello’s behaviour is driven by sex

• Shows how O’s positive characterisation is gradually undermined as he falls into I’s manipulation

The Willow Scene

• D believes O intends to reconcile with her. (CONTEXT: wedding sheets traditionally represent a bond of eternity, a promise of infidelity→the bed actually symbolises the marital promise of fidelity O believes D broke)

• D’s subconscious seems to understand her impending doom- she cannot get the song, “Willow” out her mind (a song symbolising a forsaken woman’s sorrow&impending death). Just like ‘Barbary,’ D will die soon after the mournful ballad’s words fall from her lips

• The song: symbolises sadness&mourning. About a woman lamenting the cruelty of her lover despite unyielding loyalty. O&D’s love has been discontented too, at the fate of Iago→it foreshadows D’s death

• CONTEXT: in Western Culture, a Willow tree is symbolic of immortality&rebirth. Associated with love&family, despite death

‘Beware of jealousy; it is the green eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.’ -Iago

• The ‘monster’ being a metaphor for jealousy, personifying it as a dangerous&all-consuming force. A warning to O about the destructive nature of jealousy = corruption

• I’s famous line is a poetic truth spoken to the audience- a narrative element in moving the plot forward by manipulating O&many others. It is ironic- the true statement is delivered under false pretences, thus highlighting the dramatic irony.

• All audience doubts of I’s schemes are dropped here, at this point in the play its clear that he is the manipulator of all

• ‘Green’- often associated with envy/jealousy CONTEXT: colour first used by Shakespeare to personify jealousy with destructive language- although origin of the phrase is unclear. Likely would have been linked to physical illness, when someone’s complexation turns green, implying envy is an illness of its own. 18th century- green colour pigments were highly poisonous. Audiences were also suffering from epidemics and were aware of he tragedy it could create. Now, the phrase as a whole has become a popular idiom to represent jealousy and its destructive potential

‘The world’s a huge thing; it is a great price for a small vice.’ -Emilia

• expresses a woman might cheat on her husband to gain something significant, even if the act of infidelity itself is considered a minor transgression- it may outweigh the perceived moral cost of the act.

• E’s logic&calmness make O&I’s reactions to fidelity seem more hysterical&nonsensical.

• ‘Small vice’- the scandal/shame surrounding it is a male invention- chosen as the ultimate sin due to their wounded pride

• ‘Great price…all the world’- subtle reference to prostitution (feared by patriarchal society- it undermines male ownership of women’s bodies and empowering them by giving them a place in the economic market) → E is suggesting that women are entitled to use their bodies as they wish

• Highlights E’s more pragmatic and less idealistic view of relationships compared to D. However, E’s perspective is likely influenced by her relationship with Iago, who constantly portrays women as fickle&unreliable

• Shows E as a judge of social standing- a departure from traditional values/hierarchy

‘Farewell the tranquil mind.’ -Othello

• marks a turning point where O begins to lose his composure&sanity (his identity). Crucial for the plays structure

• Repetition of ‘farewell’ highlights the loss of identity- a significant departure from a once ‘noble’ man. He is surprisingly self-aware.

• Stage Directions: shows him pacing the stage=stress&confusion but also a new raging anger→building tension

• Highlights hamartia of quick temper, jumping to conclusions & jealousy

‘Arise black vengeance…O blood blood blood.’ -Othello

• A powerful&emotionally charged declaration- signifies he moment O falls into a frenzy of jealousy&rage. A dark, destructive force is taking hold of him.

• Categorises himself as ‘black’- reveals the extent of the identity loss. O begins to internalise the idea of his race as a mark of inferiority&a reason why D could be unfaithful. He initially views his race as a source of pride&strength, but under I’s influence, it becomes a source of self-doubt and ultimately fuels his downfall

• ‘Blood’- D will be a victim of tyrannical violence. Repitition emphasises the brutality associated with his emotional descent- a cry of anguish and a foreshadowing of the bloody events to come. Connotations of his military tactics being used- he still does not part from his military pride and identity as a General.

• Broken speech adds a dramatic effect as his confusion and anger vibrates around the stage.

‘How she got out? O treason of the blood!’ -Brabantio

• Reflects his outrage and disbelief that his daughter would marry without his consent, essentially escaping the bounds of his control (CONTEXT: more so about the violation of the patriarchal social order where fathers had authority over their daughter’s lives)

• Her actions are seen as a betrayal of her family/bloodline, as if her marriage to O has tainted their family reputation, and a future of mixed raced children

• Later dies from grief from emotional distress of Desdemona’s actions of marrying Othello

‘A doth the raven o’er the infected houses.’ -Othello

• simile to describe I’s accusations about D’s infidelity are affecting him/intruding into his mind- emphasises the destructive nature of I’s words and the impending doom O faces

• CONTEXT: Ravens=symbols of ill omen/death (particularly during times of the plague) and are known to scavenge and be present near sites of death

• ‘Infected houses’- represents O’s mind being poisoned by I’s lies/suspicions. Just as the plague spreads rapidly. O’s mind is being consumed by I’s manipulation.

• Sentence structure shows O’s descent into madness, his mind is acted on rather than thinking- loss of control

‘Let her rot and perish and be damned tonight’ -Othello

• illustrates O’s change and impulsiveness (breaks from him previous love/trust)

• Shows the manipulation of I’s word- reveals true depth of O’s descent into jealousy&radical shift in attitude towards D

• Underscores the destruction of their love&erosion of trust between them- his inability now to reconcile his love with the imagined infidelity

• Stark&visceral language- his emotional state&moral decay

‘I’ll tear her to pieces’ → ‘I will chop her into messes! Cuckold me!’ -Othello

• a savage&visceral threat signalling his descent into barbarity & his twisted perception of D as a threat to his honour and own identity

• Brutal&hideous ruminations of how he will kill her

• ‘Tear’→ ‘chop’ - shows escalation. Its now a more graphic and deliberate actions

‘Yet I’ll not shed her blood nor scar that whiter skin of hers as snow…she must die!’ -Othello

• before killing her, he momentarily acknowledges her physical beauty- highlights the irony of his impending act- he admires her beauty just before physically destroying her life (a deep seated conflict within O)

• Struggles to bring himself to mark her beauty and wont physical mark her appearance- preservation of beauty (CONTEXT: a woman has a typical ideal to always look perfect- now for D it is even in death)

• Refusal to shed blood as a parallel to virginal purity- (CONTEXT- a woman bleeding on her wedding night was proof she was a virgin/pure) Not shedding her blood allows her to remain in a premarital/innocent state- which is how he wishes to remember he

• ‘Whiter than snow’- reflects the Renaissance ideal of female beauty- associated whiteness/smoothness with virtue&beauty (CONTEXT: Queen Elizabeth I was known for wearing white makeup, but was toxic and could lead to poisoning- foreshadowing D’s death with the poison of I’s words)

• O fails to recognise D’s true character, fixating on the idea of her being a ‘whore’ and her perceived appearance

• Modal verb ‘must’ highlights strength of his convictions

‘My wife, my wife! What wife? I have no wife.’ -Othello

• A moment of profound grief an confusion after murdering D

• Repetition of ‘my wife’ shows the deep psychological turmoil- grappling with the loss of D and the realisation he no longer has her

• Doesn’t explicitly confess his guilt-in a state of panic and high emotions. Perhaps a desperate plea and for others to see her how he saw through his warped perception of jealousy

‘I have not deserved this.’ -Desdemona

• a direct affirmation of her innocence & denial of any wrongdoing that would warrant such treatment- raw, authentic emotion

• Painful for an audience- they know her true and devoting nature. A powerful expression of her innocence and injustice faced

• Contrasts with O’s increasing violent&accusatory language

• CONTEXT: critics take response with her being too meek/embarrassed to face humiliation (A.C Bradley: ‘helplessly passive) BUT her response can also be argued as dignified- she preserves herself and not speaking out against her husband (patriarchal society would have frowned upon speaking up)

‘That death’s unnatural that kills for loving.’ -Desdemona

• highlights the paradoxical nature of O’s actions/the corrupting influence of I’s manipulations. A stark contrast to romantic ideals of love- love should bring life; not death

• Reveals her innocence&inability to understand the twisted reasoning that leads to her death. She is a victim of manipulative forces that the patriarchy enforces upon men

• Her words reveal O’s self-deception/manipulative influence of I, who has twisted O’s perception of love&loyalty→believing that D betrayed him and is deserving of punishment

• Underscores plays duality; appearances her deceiving. O’s love for D & his violent actions are juxtaposed- demonstrates darkness can exist within even the most loving relationships

‘That Demi-devil why he hath thus ensnared my soul and body?’ -Othello

• words reveal the extent of I’s manipulation, successfully twisting O’s mind into a full sense of corruption. O’s growing awareness and recognition of deception & his own role in the tragedy. No longer the confident&honourable soldier as he once was

• ‘Demi-devil:’ a figure of evil&deception- I possessing demonic characteristics while remaining in the physical body of a human

• ‘Ensnared my soul and body:’ emphasises persuasive nature of I- he has not only corrupted his emotions but also his moral compass (of which he once described as his ‘perfect soul.’)- his whole being has been consumed

‘The more angel she, and you the blacker death’ -Emilia

• words reflect E’s disillusionment with O and the horror created by D’s death- now sees him as a force of evil

• ‘Angel’&’devil:’ religious imagery is central to the meaning- D is pure/innocent, while O has been consumed by wickedness → presents the dichotomy with roles of villain&victim

• Racial connotations- O’s ‘blackness’ is contrasted to D’s whiteness, reinforces the theme of ‘othering’(ostracism) and society prejudice against O&his skin colour

• presents the fear on race in society- O has enacted upon the racial stereotype that everyone would have feared

• Line serves as a final&heartbreaking commentary on the tragic nature of the play- emphasising the loss of innocence, the consequences of unchecked emotions and the devastation wrought by prejudice and manipulation

‘O cursèd, cursèd slave! Whip me, ye devils’ -Othello

• Shakespeare begins to ‘redeem’ O- his desire to be punished (rather than an attempted escape like I) works in his favour- O now feels like he is deserving of torture & a cleansing of his soul (suffer the torments of hell for killing D)

• CONTEXT: Some critics see this as O knowing he is damned and a foreshadowing of events- his belief of being with the ‘devils’ in hell suggest an act that will take him there: death

• Calls himself a ‘cursed slave’ demonstrating his profound sense of self-degradation&moral decay; he has lost honour&virtue and is now a sinful&fallen man

‘She was heavenly true!’ -Emilia

• highlights D’s perceived innocence/purity contrasting to O’s distorted&violent perception of her

• Highlights E’s unwavering loyalty to D- she is not afraid to challenge O, even at the risk of her own safety, demonstrating the strength of their bond (CONTEXT: women meant to be subservient and not rise above or against a man)

• ‘Heavenly true:’ evokes religious imagery, D is not just pure but also spiritually innocent- reinforces idea of her being an angel and O as a ‘devil’

‘An honourable murder.’ -Othello

• spoken in reference to killing D- complex&paradoxical statement

• Reflects O’s internal conflict and warped sense of justice- he believed he was fulfilling a duty to uphold male honour&reputation

• Stems from a deep sense of shame and perception of D’s infidelity- her death was a nesessary act to preserve his reputation and prevent others from being ‘cuckholded’ (CONTEXT: a concept that was deeply damaging to a man’s standing in the 16th century)

• His belief in an ‘honourable murder’ is a catalyst for the play’s tragic climax- underscores destructive power of jealousy and consequences of blindly adhering to societal expectations

‘I will speak as liberal as the north.’ -Emilia

• signifies E’s determination to speak freely and openly even in the face of danger-an act of rebellion against societal norms that seek to silence women → no longer a passive observer

• ‘Liberal:’ unrestrained and without consent of her husband or the patriarchy. Shows her newfound confidence/courage and understanding of the situation

• ‘The North:’ understood as the north wind; a powerful&unstoppable force. A metaphor for the forceful and unyielding nature of her truth telling- she intends for her words to have such affect

• CONTEXT: highlights themes of gender and the suppression of women- E’s initial struggle to speak out against injustice is present throughout, until it comes to the death of D (shows power of women relationships). Sad that she is now only just able to find her voice as she could have prevented D’s murder?

‘I am bound to speak.’ -Emilia

• Rhetorical device- implies a strong sense of moral obligation and duty to express herself in honour of D and female empowerment; she is committed to speaking the truth even in the face of danger

• Highlights her strength&loyalty under contrasted against the weakness&manipulative nature of I and the patriarchal system

• E’s words underscores the themes of truth&deception and the power of female agency in the play- making her a tragic hero?

‘He lies down to his heart.’ -Emilia

• signifies the devasting impact of I’s lies on O’s soul and the ensuing tragic consequences for all involved- I’s deception penetrates the core of O’s being

• Sowing seeds of doubt to achieve what HE wants- using a subtly deeming O’s insecurities&desires

• ‘Heart:’ refers to the seat of one’s emotions, desires, true feelings- E highlights how I’s web of lies have fundamentally corrupted O and everyone else

‘Speak of me as I am…one that loved not wisely but too well.’ -Othello

• It is not until the end of a tragedy that the hero discovers the error of his ways- by which time it is often too late to save those around and himself.

• fixates on how he will be remembered- a return to the idea of reputation. He is aware that the events will be relayed far&wide and doesnt want to be remembered as an evil murderer. (Reflects his belated understanding of his own flaws)

• O loved D so much that he couldn’t bear her perceived betrayal- he sees the murder as an act of love to save D from herself

• He recognises that he could have acted with more wisdom and not been driven to wild jealousy