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A02: Imagery (Animals and Insects ('Viper' to describe Iago links…
A02: Imagery
Animals and Insects
Lots of references to animals and insects, Iago uses it to describe his enemies. 'Plague with flies' in the first scene makes the audience picture death as the Plague was an epidemic in Jacobean England.
Iago uses crude animalistic imagery to talk about Desdemona and Othello 'old black ram/ tupping your white ewe'
Describing Othello as a 'Barbary horse' and the 'beast with two backs' isolates Othello due to race so it is easier for Iago to manipulate. The location of the 'Sagittarius Inn' links to the star sign which is a centaur, refers to calling Othello a horse, dehumanising. Pathos as he turns into the beast described by Act V
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Poisoning
Many images of poisoning which we associate with Iago. He wants to 'poison delight' so he can cause trouble. His words eat away at Othello like 'poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards' which Iago 'pours' into his 'ear'
Othello feels tortured by the emotion jealousy which acts as 'poison or fire or suffocating streams''
'Get me some poison Iago' Othello is planning to kill his wife. Revenge as Othello wishes to poison her in the place he thinks she poisoned their relationship, in their marriage bed.
Hell and the Devil
Subverts the negative stereotype of evil black men. Iago is also associated with the devil and hell as he says in his soliloquy 'hell and night' 'bring this monstrous birth to light'. He uses an oxymoron 'divinity of hell' which show he is delighted by evil.
The use of 'devil' is used to describe Othello as a racial slur as the devil was portrayed as black in the 17th cent. However Othello describes Desdemona 'O Devil' which is ironic as she is more symbolic towards the innocent virgin mary even though she is called DesDEMONa
Othello develops a train of thought that Desdemona must be killed or she will 'betray more men'. He wishes to 'put out the light' which suggest hell and darkness.
Military
In the first half of the play, despite Iago's best efforts there is lots of imagery about the noble Othello that suggests power and bravery. the 'battles, sieges and fortunes' remind us despite of Iago's rumours Othello appears noble and brave. Othello uses war terminology to describe his love for Desdemona his 'fair warrior' suggests there will be conflict in this relationship.
Black and White
Link to light and darkness and heaven and hell. Othello who is 'far more fair than black' who is noble and virtuous. Compared to the white Venetian Iago who is pure evil. Iago blackens Desdemona's reputation and in turn Othello talks about his own race in a negative light 'black as my own face'
Desdemona is associated with light, heaven and perfection. The final metaphor Othello uses to describe her is like a 'pearl' thrown away. He also claims 'put out the light!' several times before he kills her. Does Othello for fill his tragic fate when he puts the light out? Desdemona links to the virgin Mary. Claire Asquith.
The 'poisons sight' of Othello's bed at the end of the play suggests how infected Othello's mind is.
'Thou art a devil!' a 'blacker devil' Emilia turns to racist slurs when she finds out what Othello has done. She calls him worse than the devil. Yet when Iago is revealed as the true villain, he is called a 'hellish villain' and a 'demi devil'