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Othello - Coggle Diagram
Othello
Function
Dangers of reputation, male power dynamics.
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Shakespeare utilises Othello as a literary conduit to depict the entirely consuming nature of Jacobean societal conventions- they corrupt Othello and reduce him to this stereotypical 'Moor' which Iago describes in the first scene. Society endeavours to maintain these delineated ideas of identity, and anyone who deviates will be forced back into line- order will be restored.
Shakespeare suggests that the true tragedy lies in the need for people to deceive, sacrifice love and honour, in order to conform to the stringent ideals of society.
His downfall is simultaneously tragic and cathartic for a Jacobean audience. They find relief in his death as it serves as justice for his murder of Desdemona, but they implicitly understand that he too is a victim- manipulated by Iago, and susceptible to influence due to the importance placed upon reputation.
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Othello the Cuckold
Othello places unjust importance upon reputation and his masculine identity due to the social standards which prioritised these above all else. It is this which fuels his masculine rage, and his disproportionate reaction. He believes that his loss of control over Desdemona, and her supposed social transgressions, translates to the loss of his identity.
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"Thy bed, lust stained, shall with lust's blood be spotted."
The idea of the bed being 'stained' with lust denotes the permanence of Desdemona's perceived social transgressions. Women were seen as sexually devious, and any acts which confirmed this stereotype served to exacerbate their disempowerment, and their silencing within society.
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The idea of 'blood'- he will kill her for making him a cuckold. Blood is the life force of the human body so perhaps Othello is saying that women are primarily driven by sexual promiscuity, as he confirms the belittling stereotype he previously disregarded. He is no longer autonomous either, but a manifestation of society.
"Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men. Put out the light and put out the light."
The imperative 'must' denotes this male culture, and the homosocial bonds which exacerbate female disempowerment and strip women of their autonomy. Men are awarded unchecked power in a patriarchal system, and they bind together to reinforce masculine domination and female subjugation. A CULTURE.
"betray" depicts how cuckoldery was seen as the most abhorrent of crimes within society, with women demonsied. Men are the victims, not only of a betrayal of love, but of a reversal of power, fuelling their rage.
The motif of the light runs strong throughout the play and is often related to clarity, and the future. Othello is justifying ending her life by depicting her sexual promiscuity as an eventually of the continuation of her life. This is worthy of the greatest punishment- her life is brutally extinguished.
"O, curse of marriage! That we can call these delicate creatures ours, and not their appetites."
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"I had rather be a toad, and live upon the vapours of a dungeon, than keep a corner in the thing I love."
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Othello and Iago
Throughout the play, Othello comes to parrot Iago's language, and his attitudes towards women. In many ways he comes to mirror Iago- fuelled by deceit, jealousy, betrayal. This could perhaps convey the utterly expansive nature of deceit in society, as Shakespeare condemns the social institutions such as reputation which uphold this.
Othello and Iago's relationship depicts the importance of homosocial bonds within society. Othello's loyalty to Iago above Desdemona, his wife, demonstrates the male solidarity which Shakespeare endeavours to condemn. Their relationship is shown to uphold the unchecked and historic power afforded to men in a patriarchal system, resulting in womens inevitable disempowerment.
Othello is susceptible to Iago's betrayal because of his position within society, but also because of their militant bond. He constantly calls him "Honest Iago", which juxtaposes the audiences known view of Iago as a deceptive, rage-fuelled character who will betray everyone in the play in order to enact his revenge.
"Honest Iago, On thy love I charge thee."
"I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed."
Othello and Desdemona
His view of her as the perfect Venetian woman also accelerates their downfall, as Othello is shown to love Desdemona not for her true self, but as an accessory to enhance his social status.
"Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, and smooth as monumental alabaster."
"snow" is indicative of change, whilst "whiter" connotes purity. this is perhaps exemplative of the changing nature of women's importance in society. they are only viewed as human beings, and afforded any autonomy, when they are pure, innocent- virgins. this idea that the only situation in which Othello would be persuaded to not kill her would be if she was revealed to be pure.
"monumental alabaster" is this idea of her as the perfect venetian women, he only has this emotional turmoil about killing her because she supposedly represents everything he desires- conformity, purity, etc.
"O balmy breath, that does almost persuade justice to break her sword."
'balmy' is related to pleasure. this idea that she only deserves to live when she serves a purpose to him- providing him pleasure. women disempowered in society and othello as a representation of the expansive nature of this. even he, who seemed to treat Desdemona as an equal partner at the beginning of the play, is subject to these power dynamics and this male attitude.
he personifies 'justice', absolving himself of any responsibility for murdering Desdemona. he sees her death as a necessary outcome to her supposed adultery, and the unchecked power afforded to masculine domination allows him to remove himself from the situation. this lack of guilt accelerates the audiences anger, fuelling shakespeare's aim to invoke anger in the social institutions which simultaneously empowered men, and disempowered women.
"O, if she be false, then heaven mocks itself! I'll not believe it."
"heaven" divinity, he enshrines her in this idea of perfection and purity, thus his love stems from a place of admiration rather than of genuine connection.
it is the physical image of her which reminds him of his supposed love for her. he does not hold any true love for her but their connection is rooted in her status and symbolism as the perfect venetian women. he aims to use her to enhance his social status, so when she degrades it this fuels his masculine rage.
Originally, Othello's love for Desdemona is shown to surpass the boundaries of society, as they seemingly exist in a separate sphere that is not susceptible to outside influence. They are shown to truly love each other. However, this love is enshrined in hyperbole and excess, perhaps depicting it's supposed fragility.
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"If it were now to die, twere now to be most happy."
Othello himself foreshadows the downfall of their relationship, he acknowledges that in this moment he is the most happy he has ever been. This serves as a warning sign to the audience, who cannot ignore the fickle nature of their connection.
Othello's masculine insecurity and desire to conform inevitably usurp his love for Desdemona. He chooses male solidarity over love, believing her death a necessary punishment to ensure the continuance of male authority.
Their marriage is also shown to be fragile from the start due to the fact that we never see their union on stage, but only hear about it from the other characters. Shakespeare denies his audience the intimate experience of witnessing their union, signalling it's intangibility and innate fragility- he subverts the institutions of marriage and shows them to be an outlier. They did not conform to the marriage conventions, as Desdemona married Othello secretly, without the permission of her father. Thus their relationship is destined to fail as they cannot subvert society for too long- the natural order will be re-imposed.
Their relationship is shown to have so much outside influence that it will not survive, The handkerchief, the ocular proof of Desdemona's betrayal, passes through the hands of every character in the play. Perhaps Shakespeare is highlighting loves inevitable intangibility when society aims to control and restrict it.
"An old black ram is tupping your white ewe" "Covered with a barbary horse" "The beast with two backs"