Othello: Themes, Characters and Context

Justice/The Ineffectiveness of Goodness/The Vulnerability of Virtue

The Power of Social Preferment

Duplicity/Appearance V Reality

The Ugliness of Racism

The Power of Reputation and Public Opinion

The Incompatibility of Military Achievement

The Inward Nature of Humanity

The Powerful Act of Suspicion

Public Verses Private Self

The Nature of Ambition

The Degradation of both Othello and Iago as "Tragic Hero"

Rhyming couplet concluding Act I in a soliloquy by Iago—"Hell and night/ Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light."—expresses Iago's inward motive for the downfall of Othello, a justice that is racially motivated.

"Yet she must die, else she betray more men."

At the end of Othello's 'soliloquy' he states "O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade Justice to break her sword." This quotes demonstrates that Othello is not killing Desdemona for revenge, but rather for the justice of society.

Divine Imagery, Soliloquy, Rhyming Couplet

Soliloquy, Apostrophe, Plosive Alliteration

Putting Justice above Selfishness as Portrayed through societal preferment.

Desdemona defies this trend of justice through her "guiltless death" where she states "nobody" has killed her, hindering compensation for her miscarriage of justice. This is an act of virtue, however, despite its nobility, it was ineffective in changing Othello's fate.

Caesura, emphasising each phrase.

Iago uses vulgar, sexual imagery to describe Othello and Desdemona's elope, "an old black ram/Is tupping your white ewe." This line embodies the prejudice stereotype of race, that those who are "black" are brutish, aggressive and lack social conduct.

Binary Constructs, Animal Imagery(Dehumanisation)

Despite this stereotypes, Othello is values as a military lieutenant. And due to his prowess on the battlefield and value of justice he is valued socially. In Act 1, Shakespeare posits a pun, "You son-in-law is far more fair than black." This utilises the dual of black from a race to meaning ugly, hence if virtue were beauty Othello would be "fair."

Pun, Against Social Norm

Similarly, there is an opposing stereotype asserted with Venetians, that being a nobility, worth and fairness associated with a lighter skin tone. This is often embodied by Desdemona's epithets of "fair", "divine" and "virtuous", however, after Othello's suspicions have been aroused, he describes his wife was a "fair devil."

Oxymoron, Epithet

Casual Use of Racial Slurs including, "thick-lips," "the moor," "the devil", which mimics the hegemonic society of the play, of the authorial context and contemporary society.

Textual Integrity

Due to social preferment, it is impertinent for Othello to maintain reputation, as well as other characters. Hence, as posited by F.R Leavis, "Othello, in his magnanimous way, is egotistic. He is really beyond any question, the nobly massive man of action, the captain of men, he sees himself as being... It is, at the best, the impressive manifestation of a noble egotism". However, Leavis continues, "self-centredness does not mean self-knowledge.' This is notion is evident by Othello in "my parts, my title and my perfect soul/ shall manifest me rightly."

But why should honor outlive honesty?

Anaphora

Demonstrates how honor can be deceptive as whiles deceived by Othello, his reputation for honour lasted longer that his characteristic of honour within himself. This is as with Desdemona dead and Emilia revealing the truth, Othello has attained self-knowledge too late.

Catharsis.

"in personal suit to make [Iago] his lieutenant," Iago was overlooked and Cassio who "knows more than a spinster" in battle, received the role.

Suspects that Emilia has been unfaithful with Othello—Othello has "'twixt my sheets."

Cleverly with Soliloquy and the exchange between verse and prose, the use of form is a primary medium of duplicity.

Jealousy