Animal Motifs In Othello

In the play, Othello, by William Shakespeare, the use of different sorts of animal motifs are used to differentiate between characters on or off the screen and to show mood.. To reference Othello, the use of beasts or gross animals are used to show the prejudice and racism throughout the play. In the beginning when Iago and Roderigo are talking to Brabantio they exclaim, "Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse" (I.i.123-125). He references Othello as a Barbary horse, immediately telling the audience who they are talking about without them even having to see them. Othello hasn't even been shown on the stage yet but it is made obvious that they are referencing a black man with this racial slur. Later in that same conversation they say, "I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs" (I.i.129-131). This time they bluntly call him a beast just because he is of color. They continue to make these comments and rely on motifs to depict another character that isn't present at the time.

In the final act, when Lodovico and Gratiano show up, Roderigo says, "O damned Iago! O inhuman dog." (V.i.74). Iago gets called a dog more than anything in the play, especially lieutenant, and that is exemplified in the final act. They are mad at him and they want to show it by offending him. In the second scene of the same act, Lodovico says, "O spartan dog." (V.ii.424). He is once again calling Iago a dog to let the audience know that he is mad at Iago in case they couldn't tell by his tone (if you are reading the play, you cannot). These are solely in the fifth and final act for Iago but as shown previously they can be used to reference any characters to reflect any tone or mood that Shakespeare wanted