ipl-logo

Othello Soliloquy Analysis

979 Words4 Pages

During the Elizabethan Era, drama began to flourish in Western Europe. Plays have become more violent and dramatic as well as new ways of driving a performance. William Shakespeare’s Othello involves a man named Iago who wants to get revenge on Othello who is known as ‘the Moor of Venice’. Iago is able to get Othello to fully trust him and manipulates Othello to believe in false claims which eventually brings both of them to their downfall. A soliloquy acts as an aid to the audience in order to understand a character’s internal thoughts. Shakespeare utilizes this technique frequently throughout the performance especially for the antagonist for the play, Iago. The soliloquies enhance Iago’s villainous characteristics by giving him moments to …show more content…

Although the audience is well aware of his hatred for Othello at this point, this soliloquy begins to delve into the mind of Iago. For example, Iago states “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse;/ For I mine own gained knowledge should profane/ If I would time expend with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit” (1.3.375-8). Because Roderigo is in love with Othello’s wife Desdemona, Iago is just using him in order to achieve his goal. While Iago continues with discussing his thoughts, he brings up many reasons behind why he is planning to get revenge. First, he uses derogatory terms to describe Othello such as a moor. Because of these, the audience may suspect that his motive is due to him being black and in a high position. In addition, he suspected his wife Emilia to be having an affair with Othello which, to the audience, may be another reason why revenge is desired. Thirdly, Iago mentions his motive to try to get Cassio out of the lieutenant position. As the audience receives more information about his hatred for Othello, it is still vague on how and why exactly Iago wants to destroy him. Because of the lack of clarity, it creates a spark of interest to hear more of Iago’s …show more content…

Because Cassio is distraught from the sequences that occurred earlier, he confides to Iago for advice. After recommending him to talk to Desdemona and Cassio leaving, he finally figures out his plan to destroy Othello. He first starts off with realizing his irony of helping Cassio while trying to be evil at the same time. It has been so easy for Iago to mold the other characters into his plan that it is hilarious to him. At this point, it is questioning to the audience of the continuation of his plot. The job is complete in terms of getting Cassio relieved, but he continues to strategize. “For whiles this honest fool/ Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune, / And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor, / I’ll pour this pestilence in his ear” (2.3.341-4). Iago has set the trap for Cassio to ask Desdemona to possibly try to change Othello’s mind which will lead to Othello believing that they are having an affair. From this point on, the ultimate plan has begun and the pace speeds up. The audience would watch and see how everything will unravel. Shakespeare utilizes soliloquies to help aid the audience in terms of understanding what is going on internally between characters. Iago’s characterization is enhanced with soliloquies due to these moments showing his honest self and allowing the audience

Show More
Related
1837 Words | 8 Pages

Iago contributes to the tragic downfall of Othello, playing him like a fiddle. The human nature of Iago manipulates the trust

Read More
565 Words | 3 Pages

In the beginning of the novel, Shakespeare describes Iago as a mastermind of manipulating others. Iago holds a grudge and resentment towards the Moor, Othello, because another soldier, lieutenant Cassio, has been promoted

Read More
1095 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More
670 Words | 3 Pages

Othello is one of Shakespeare’s bittersweet tragedies. The character that is unforgettable is the one and only Iago, who not only manipulate Othello, but his audience as well into thinking he is not to blame for the cause of Othello’s death. Iago’s character shows so many emotions in Act 1, Scene 3. The additions to the scenes have a great impact, but the things that were left out also have meaning. In the video clips, we see Iago played in three different ways; although, he is portraited differently there are many similarities that shows his manipulation and thirst for revenge on Othello.

Read More
593 Words | 3 Pages

Not to mention that removing Iago’s “conjunctive revenge” plot makes Iago a passive character rather than active because he no longer poses as a threat to Othello as he does in the play. In other words, in the play, Iago is meant to be an antagonist while Othello is the protagonist, but in the film, these two positions are reversed. In fact, the audience is supposed to take sides with Othello because Iago’s revenge is for “sport” and “pleasure.” This is one of the subplots that progressed the play forward because it introduced complications that made the play have multiple themes of love, war, and

Read More
499 Words | 2 Pages

In this soliloquy he questions his decision to kill Desdemona, finally justifying it with the belief that it will prevent her from betraying more men with her wiles. Although his reasoning is fatally flawed, the soliloquy enables the audience to see into the agony of his soul. In his misdirected rage at Cassio for allegedly cuckolding him, he said “Had all his hairs been lives my great revenge had stomach for them all.” Othello marks the beginning of his revenge, he says that ‘honest Iago’ has already planned the killing of Desdemona’s accused lover, Cassio. Othello was so consumed in hatred for both, Cassio and Desdemona, that he did not think once before killing them.

Read More
923 Words | 4 Pages

Iago uses very clever methods of persuasion and manipulation aimed to use Othello’s hamartia against him, pointing out that “ “She (Desdemona) did deceive her father, marrying you,” so much so that Brabantio “thought ’twas witchcraft”. Through this, Iago is subtly raising the issues of Othello’s cultural differences with Desdemona; a root cause behind Othello’s insecurities with his wife – along with inadequacy due to race, degree of sophistication and age. As Iago prompts Othello to think the worst, his utterances are short and uneasy, revealing the beginning to his downfall, whilst Iago’s dialogue is at length highlighting his growing power of

Read More
1097 Words | 5 Pages

He expresses his jealousy for Cassio when he says that Othello “already chose [his] officer” who he calls “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine” who “never set a squadron in the field.” Iago believes he should have gotten the promotion because he had more military experience and training. After he gets Cassio drunk and dismissed from service, he devises a plan to manipulate Othello into believing he is cheating with Desdemona in order that Cassio never gets his position again or even killed. Iago also hears a rumor that Othello slept with his

Read More
1272 Words | 6 Pages

Discuss Shakespeare 's Use of Imagery in Othello to Reveal Character A lack of empathy makes for a true villain. In Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello, the nature of Iago’s character is revealed through the use of animal, plant, and devil imagery. Iago is revealed to view others as less than him, manipulating them with a lack of conscience, and having a desire for the destruction of others.

Read More
901 Words | 4 Pages

Iago tells Roderigo to pack up all his things and go to Cyprus because Desdemona will son lose feelings for Othello and she will go to Roderigo, he says “i could never better stead thee than now. Put money in thy purse. Follow thou the wars, defeat thy favor with an usurped beard. I say, put money in thy purse.

Read More
532 Words | 3 Pages

Shakespeare’s “Othello” is named after the main character, Othello, the moor of Venice, who was a general of the Venetian army. Othello would have remained the innocent, noble man if Iago would have not interfered. Iago hates Othello because he promotes Cassio as a lieutenant instead of him. Another reason Iago mentions in his asides, is the rumors spread that Othello did sleep with his wife Emila. Even though Iago was not sure whether his wife was unfaithful to him or not, the doubt alone was sufficient for him to plan the revenge.

Read More
970 Words | 4 Pages

It is clear from the first scene that Roderigo is bitter towards Othello because Othello and Desdemona got married, because he also loves her and his jealousy is his motive throughout the entire play. After he saw that Othello and Desdemona were truly married, in a conversation with Iago, he stated "I will incontinently drown

Read More
611 Words | 3 Pages

Othello, the main character, is a general in the Venetian Army who makes the decision to give the position to a man by the name of Cassio. After learning of this news, Iago becomes quite jealous and angered that he wasn’t the one chose. Trying to get back at Othello, Iago and Roderigo make a visit to see Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, about Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. In the end however, nothing came out of Iago’s quest to affect Othello as the Duke decided that no trickery was

Read More
962 Words | 4 Pages

In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, he uses duality and paradoxes to reveal parts of human nature that people wish to ignore. Othello is about a man named Othello who marries above his station and wrestles with his insecurities as the antagonist, Iago, uses them and his own reputation for candor as mean to enact his revenge for Othello’s alleged affair with his wife, Emelia. Iago embodies the paradox of a truthful man who uses his honesty to manipulate people, which contradicts a core human idea that honest people are the most righteous or virtuous. Iago earns his reputation for trustworthiness by being honest in the face of consequences and when it suits his own gain.

Read More
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

Read More

More about Othello Soliloquy Analysis

Open Document