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Othello Rhetoric Analysis

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Rhetoric is an incredibly powerful tool capable of seducing even the most obdurate of people. As one of the most illustrious playwrights ever, Shakespeare was no stranger to the power of rhetoric. Rhetoric served as the fountainhead of Shakespearian allure. We watch the dramatic works of Shakespeare because we enjoy having our emotions manipulated; we enjoy the catharsis and self-reflection that accompanies a trip to the theater. Shakespeare truly was a master manipulator, but his manipulation was generally beneficial. While Shakespeare uses rhetoric to create art, Iago uses it to cause destruction and pain. Shakespeare’s Othello can be used as a means of exploring the dangerous power of rhetoric and gaining insight into the ethical role it …show more content…

As soon as he leaves Venice, Othello can no longer rely on the Venetian senators to provide order and reason. Instead he assumes all roles, becoming judge, jury, prosecutor, and executioner. Though Othello tries to remain a Venetian, his character prevents him from doing so. To put it in Machiavellian terms, true Venetians, like the senators and Iago, are foxes while Othello is a lion. Acting as a lion, Othello is impulsive and obsessive and acts with force rather than careful reason. With the laws of Venice miles behind them, the characters of Othello seem to have entered a Hobbesian state of nature where anything is permissible so long as it furthers the individual interest. Indeed, upon arriving in Cyprus, the majority of the characters have lives that are “poor, nasty, brutish, and short” (Hobbes 76). Othello is the perfect illustration of the dangers of rhetoric. Iago exemplified the type of rhetoric that made the Greek demagogues threatening. He was able to pervert all of Othello’s positive attributes simply by playing to his insecurities. At the same time, Iago was able to manipulate Roderigo in a similar fashion by baiting him with false

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Rhetoric is the building block of all things said, written, or conveyed, people use it every day – look at any piece of written text whether it be from the last century or the modern day, you’ll find rhetoric featured in at least in one way, shape, or form. To properly understand this, it is useful to look back on popular pieces of media or speeches, for example, the legendary “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”, a speech given by Patrick Henry on March 23rd, 1775 to form a volunteer cavalry to fight in the revolutionary war, which was effective in completing that task. Patrick Henry made his speech so effective through the use of his formal diction, ethics questioning pathos, and his use of ethos to express the exigency of forming the cavalry

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Rhetoric is the art of persuasion through the use of compelling writing or speaking. In Plato’s “Gorgias”, famed philosopher Socrates argues the truth and how rhetoric can influence a conversation. He claims that rhetoric is a false knowledge; knowledge that is detracted from reality. False knowledge that is only to be used to manipulate people. However, Gorgias, a rhetorician, argues that rhetoric should be used to effectively control people through speaking only.

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The sympathy felt for a character often remains through character revelation. In spite of the change in personality and morals the first impression of the character is not forgotten. Othello who commits violent acts throughout the play ends his life with honour, reminding us he was originally introduced as a respected man of high position. A person can be manipulated by others to act outside of their character, and their emotions can blind them from making good decisions. In the end a person’s true character is reflected upon the way they react to the results of their wrong doing.

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439 Words | 2 Pages

Othello is the General of the Cyprus army with honest Iago by his side. During this time racism was happening and Othello was a part of it. Othello tried his best for everybody to like him; people would talk behind his back, call him names, and would eventually ruin his life. Iago was an ensign in the army, and his “good” friend, who would put lies into Othello's head, which eventually, he took control of Othello. In this essay Othello will display cultural criticism and how it displays him as a person in the story.

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565 Words | 3 Pages

William Shakespeare’s “Othello” was a great example to showcase sacrifices made by characters to accomplish revenge or obtain power. Shakespeare told the story of Othello, a tragic hero, who was manipulated by Iago, which motivated him to kill his own wife. From this story, Shakespeare’s main goal was to portray characters making sacrifices for their ambitions. From this play, Shakespeare puts forth the idea of sacrifice through pointing out the importance of reputation and how sacrifices must be made to silence the truth.

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530 Words | 3 Pages

Rhetorical appeals reveal the hidden message the character is trying to convey. The rhetoric also highlights the character’s emotions, feelings and the significance of the text. It allows readers to gain a better understanding of the characters. Arthur Miler, the author of The Crucible, highlights the importance of mass hysteria through rhetorical appeals. John Proctor, the tragic hero is a loyal, honest, and kind-hearted individual.

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846 Words | 4 Pages

Deception always has many perspectives; the truth, the fabrication, and how it is interpreted. An individual’s ability to deceive defines their effectiveness as a perpetrator. Within Julia Alvarez’s In the Time of the Butterflies and William Shakespeare’s Othello, the antagonists of each convey themselves as divine, therefore attempting to distract from their misconduct and represent themselves sincerely.

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When the play begins, the reader discovers that Othello and Desdemona have eloped. Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, does not approve of her marriage to Othello. Learning about the secret and unapproved marriage, he angrily declares that Desdemona “is abused, stol’n from me, and corrupted by spells…” In this outburst of passion, Shakespeare uses diction to subtly comment on the sorcerous power of love. Brabantio’s claim evokes negative connotations associated with witchcraft and black magic.

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770 Words | 4 Pages

Most teens need a good role model in their life and a trusted adult to talk to about important situations. Just like in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo gets to have Friar Lawrence there for him in important situations. Romeo does not feel comfortable talking to his family about serious things, so he goes to a trusted adult to talk to. Through the use of repetition of allusion, foreshadowing to the end of Romeo’s life, and personification of Romeo’s feelings, Shakespeare shows that Romeo and Friar Lawrence have a relationship full of love, friendship, and trust.

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750 Words | 3 Pages

In the play Othello, William Shakespeare creates an elaborate tragedy with various in depth characters, enhancing the story with powerful characterization. Iago, the main antagonist of Othello, exemplifies Shakespeare’s use of characterization to create in depth and complex characters. Using his manipulative nature, intellectual mind, egotistical attitude, and dishonesty, Iago controls the other characters in order to achieve his goal, leading Othello to succumb to an overwhelming jealousy causing his downfall. In order for Iago to gain control of the characters in the play, he manipulates Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, and more to believe false information and turn on one another.

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617 Words | 3 Pages

Sydney Stone Mrs. Paul English 10A 16 October 2017 Rhetorical Analysis Essay William Shakespeare, a very famous writer, tells the story of Julius Caesar. In his play, Marc Antony delivers a powerful speech that uses many different rhetorical devices, appeals, and different styles of writing. Some of these include repetition, rhetorical questions, pathos, logos, ethos, and diction. These help enhance Marc Antony’s speech by persuading the audience towards considering that Caesar was a good man.

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931 Words | 4 Pages

The common aim of playwrights of any time or location is to capture and hold the attention of their audience; this is what Shakespeare has clearly done. The tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, is one of Shakespeare 's most renowned plays. Through construction of intriguing characters, exploration of universal themes, use of comic relief and a well-written script featuring a compelling plot, Shakespeare ensured the tragedy of Othello would hold the interest of the audience; despite being over four centuries old. It possesses so many conditions that can be accentuated to hit nerves with both a Shakespearean and modern audience. The entire plot of Othello is very much like the attitudes and methods of our modern day society.

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425 Words | 2 Pages

Iago’s Mastery of Manipulation in Shakespeare’s Othello Most people will experience manipulation at some point in their life; it may not be noticeable at the instant as it is hidden very well. An individual who encounters manipulation will be forced to question their beliefs and feelings about things. These indirect tactics are harmful to the victims.

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918 Words | 4 Pages

In the play Othello, written by William Shakespeare, Iago appears to be a clever and manipulative character from the beginning. He attempts, and succeeds, to sabotage the Othello’s, relationship with his wife Desdemona. Throughout the play, he conceals his true character and as a result, other characters see him as honest, reliable, and trustworthy. He gains Othello’s lieutenant Cassio’s trust, then backstabs him. He also uses Roderigo, a Venetian, as a piece in his puzzle to ultimately take down Othello.

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982 Words | 4 Pages

Iago’s powerfully disruptive insinuations torment Othello to fall precipitously into his intricate trap, believing in the prospect of Cassio and Desdemona’s fictitious affair. Through the use of linguistic techniques such as elliptical speech, subservient vocative choices and a hesitant tone, Iago is able to construct artful innuendoes to deceive and manipulate Othello. Supplementary to linguistic techniques, dramatic techniques such as dramatic irony reinforces Iago’s role as a two-faced villain, who is making a pretence of being Othello’s loyal ensign. Eventually, Iago’s villainy nature sows a seed of doubt in Othello that germinates into the murder of Desdemona. Through the characterisation of Iago as a notorious villain, Shakespeare is able to hold Iago’s actions accountable for the play’s tragic downfall, establishing a sense of powerlessness amongst the

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