Othello
QUOTE BANK - THEMES
Prejudice/Injustice/Cultural references
“Michael Cassio, a Florentine… Iago regarding Cassio. Show’s
spinster” awareness of outsiders/foreigners.
“Spinster” shows Iago is questioning
Cassio’s manhood, while also implying
that just as real men know how to
fight, real women know how to have
sex. A spinster is an unmarried
woman who has no experience of sex,
just as the military theorist Cassio has
no experience of battle. Also prejudice
against foreigners: Othello, a
foreigner, choses another foreigner
“thick lips” (Roderigo) racial slur which proclaims
Othello as different to the other men
due to his colour
“an old black ram is tupping your (Iago) alludes to witchcraft through
white ewe.” association to a witch’s indicative of
lust and sexual deviance
“O, the more angel she, and you the (Emilia) Othello’s aggressive
blacker devil” behaviour suggests that he’s living up
to the expectations Elizabethans had
of black people. Black has
connotations of devilish, sinful
behaviour, which was what was
expected of someone like Othello
"Like the base Indians threw a pearl Indians is a cultural reference - in
away/richer than all his pride" Elizabethan England they would have
been known as 'savages'. Therefore,
Othello, in his treatment of
Desdemona, would be comparing
himself to the savage who throws
away a precious stone because he
cannot realise its worth.
HOWEVER - in the First Folio, "Indian"
is spelt "Judean" - if Shakespeare
intended this word, then Othello is
likely comparing himself to Judas
Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus. It was
also common in Shakespeare's day to
refer to one's soul as his a jewel, and
"pearl" in this case could mean
Othello's soul. Thus Othello, like Judas,
not only murdered his beloved, but
also lost his own soul.
"To fall in love with what she feared to Within the speech, you get the
look on!...against all rules of nature" impression that Brabantio doesn't
know his daughter at all. He claims
that she's "never bold" and suggests
she could never fall in love with a
black person
"To the gross clasps of a lascivious (Roderigo) Sibilance suggests snake
Moor" sounds, also sounds like whispering
, Othello
QUOTE BANK - THEMES
which links to the idea of deceit and
manipulation
Lustful also suggests that Othello fits
the stereotype of young men
"Your son in law is far more fair than Colour symbolism in Elizabethan
black" morality - white is honour, black is
wickedness; white is innocence and
black is guilt. However, because he is
black, it can also be interpreted as a
backhanded compliment; Othello is
more fair (just, gentlemanly) than
those of his race. Here, black also has
a dual meaning, referring to Othello's
race and ugliness. At face value, the
Duke says that if virtue can be
beautiful, then Othello is indeed "fair"
and he possesses goodness
"my mother had a maid called Links to the comparison of Othello as
Barbary" a Barbary horse. Links the subservient
idea of white citizens being superior to
blacks
(Heard in Desdemona’s explanation of
the Willow song)
"O treason of the blood!" Brabantio's exclamation plays on
several sense of blood. Desdemona's
elopement is a violation of her noble
nature and lineage (blood); a betrayal
of duty to her family (blood). Tragic as
can't live her own life
"chains of magic" (Brabantio) believes Othello could not
have won Desdemona's love as it had
to be through magic
"Dead?" (Sen.) "Ay, to me/She is Brabantio rejecting her daughter due
abused, stol'n from me, and to her love for the Moor
corrupted/By spells and medicines
bought of mountebanks" (Brab.)
Manipulation
“Tush, never tell me!” Roderigo to Iago. Mild expletive and
advertises themes of innocence vs
sin. Also foreshadows end of the play
– Iago never in fact “tells” Rodergio or
any other character about his true
incentives
“Lie with her? Lie on her...Pish! Noses, Shows the downfall of Othello.
ears and lips. Is't possible? Confess? Disjunct, dislocated writing imitates
Handkerchief? O devil!” the chaos
“I follow him to serve my turn upon Iago about Othello. Suggests a
him.” planned attack from the beginning.
“Serve” suggests he’s destined to do
it
“Whip me such honest knaves!” (Iago) Oxymoron prefiguring “Honest
Iago” and connoting him as knave/
QUOTE BANK - THEMES
Prejudice/Injustice/Cultural references
“Michael Cassio, a Florentine… Iago regarding Cassio. Show’s
spinster” awareness of outsiders/foreigners.
“Spinster” shows Iago is questioning
Cassio’s manhood, while also implying
that just as real men know how to
fight, real women know how to have
sex. A spinster is an unmarried
woman who has no experience of sex,
just as the military theorist Cassio has
no experience of battle. Also prejudice
against foreigners: Othello, a
foreigner, choses another foreigner
“thick lips” (Roderigo) racial slur which proclaims
Othello as different to the other men
due to his colour
“an old black ram is tupping your (Iago) alludes to witchcraft through
white ewe.” association to a witch’s indicative of
lust and sexual deviance
“O, the more angel she, and you the (Emilia) Othello’s aggressive
blacker devil” behaviour suggests that he’s living up
to the expectations Elizabethans had
of black people. Black has
connotations of devilish, sinful
behaviour, which was what was
expected of someone like Othello
"Like the base Indians threw a pearl Indians is a cultural reference - in
away/richer than all his pride" Elizabethan England they would have
been known as 'savages'. Therefore,
Othello, in his treatment of
Desdemona, would be comparing
himself to the savage who throws
away a precious stone because he
cannot realise its worth.
HOWEVER - in the First Folio, "Indian"
is spelt "Judean" - if Shakespeare
intended this word, then Othello is
likely comparing himself to Judas
Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus. It was
also common in Shakespeare's day to
refer to one's soul as his a jewel, and
"pearl" in this case could mean
Othello's soul. Thus Othello, like Judas,
not only murdered his beloved, but
also lost his own soul.
"To fall in love with what she feared to Within the speech, you get the
look on!...against all rules of nature" impression that Brabantio doesn't
know his daughter at all. He claims
that she's "never bold" and suggests
she could never fall in love with a
black person
"To the gross clasps of a lascivious (Roderigo) Sibilance suggests snake
Moor" sounds, also sounds like whispering
, Othello
QUOTE BANK - THEMES
which links to the idea of deceit and
manipulation
Lustful also suggests that Othello fits
the stereotype of young men
"Your son in law is far more fair than Colour symbolism in Elizabethan
black" morality - white is honour, black is
wickedness; white is innocence and
black is guilt. However, because he is
black, it can also be interpreted as a
backhanded compliment; Othello is
more fair (just, gentlemanly) than
those of his race. Here, black also has
a dual meaning, referring to Othello's
race and ugliness. At face value, the
Duke says that if virtue can be
beautiful, then Othello is indeed "fair"
and he possesses goodness
"my mother had a maid called Links to the comparison of Othello as
Barbary" a Barbary horse. Links the subservient
idea of white citizens being superior to
blacks
(Heard in Desdemona’s explanation of
the Willow song)
"O treason of the blood!" Brabantio's exclamation plays on
several sense of blood. Desdemona's
elopement is a violation of her noble
nature and lineage (blood); a betrayal
of duty to her family (blood). Tragic as
can't live her own life
"chains of magic" (Brabantio) believes Othello could not
have won Desdemona's love as it had
to be through magic
"Dead?" (Sen.) "Ay, to me/She is Brabantio rejecting her daughter due
abused, stol'n from me, and to her love for the Moor
corrupted/By spells and medicines
bought of mountebanks" (Brab.)
Manipulation
“Tush, never tell me!” Roderigo to Iago. Mild expletive and
advertises themes of innocence vs
sin. Also foreshadows end of the play
– Iago never in fact “tells” Rodergio or
any other character about his true
incentives
“Lie with her? Lie on her...Pish! Noses, Shows the downfall of Othello.
ears and lips. Is't possible? Confess? Disjunct, dislocated writing imitates
Handkerchief? O devil!” the chaos
“I follow him to serve my turn upon Iago about Othello. Suggests a
him.” planned attack from the beginning.
“Serve” suggests he’s destined to do
it
“Whip me such honest knaves!” (Iago) Oxymoron prefiguring “Honest
Iago” and connoting him as knave/
