appearance vs reality

thesis

several characters have a shallow understanding of reality as they choose to believe what they want to see based on appearance. iago understands this weakness and is able to exploit it, having tragic consequences

people are blind due to their shallow perception of reality (often based on appearance/what they want to believe)

• brabantio believes his daughter is perfect, innocent and subservient and refuses to believe she’d deceive him→ he becomes estranged from her

• othello judges iago as a capable enseign with a good reputation thus believs he can trust him

‘a maid so..’

• Brabantio

• 1.2

‘a maid so tender, fair and happy’

→ delicate adjectives show his misunderstanding of her true nature in contrast to her appearance

→ triadic structure: gives the line a rhythmic, poetic quality and emphasizes Desdemona’s supposed perfection in Brabantio’s eyes

→ diction: infantilising, highlights his possessiveness of her

‘I know, Iago, thy love…’

• Othello

• 2.3

‘I know, Iago, thy love and honesty doth mince this matter.’

→ dramatic irony: we know that Iago is the antithesis of loving and honesty, which escalates the feelings of pathos and the audience watches Othello place faith in the man who is orchestrating his downfall.

Iago is able to exploit this weakness and uses it to cause chaos

• iago plays the part of the loyal friend to othello, the co conspiritor to roderigo

• his understanding of appearance and reality is evident in his speech

"the Moor is of a free and open…’

"the Moor is of a free and open nature/ That thinks men honest that but seem to be so; and will as tenderly be led by th' nose/ As asses are"

2.1

→ Simile comparing Othello's blinded trust to that of an obedient mule, animalistic imagery is derogatory of Othello's race.

• ‘No, sure, I cannot think it, that..’

• ‘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

• Iago's feigned reluctance to judge makes his lie more believable.

failing to recognise this distinction has tragic consequences

• othello lets his reality be dictated by his appearance

‘My friend, thy husband..’

‘My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago.’

5.2

• Repetition here can also suggest a kind of self-reassurance or internal struggle, Othello might be trying to convince himself as much as others

‘For I am black and have not those…’

‘for I am black and have not those soft parts of conversation that chamberers have;or, for I am declined into the vale of years’

→repetition of ’for I am’,reflects his low self esteem and self hatred

→juxtaposes the renaissance man with himself,

conclusion

• shakespeare utilises the theme of appearance vs reality to warn his audience about who you trust and how you trust