Animal Imagery in Othello

Animal Imagery in Othello
Most often, such imagery is utilized in a grotesque manner, common to Iago’s speech, in order to further distress the listener. These metaphors also become increasingly prevalent in Othello’s speech as Iago more and more manipulates him.
We talked a lot about Iago's constant use of sexual imagery. We also discussed his use of beasts and animal imagery to describe people and his consistent desire to reduce men and their actions to that of beasts. 

 

"Ere I would say I would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen, 

I would change my humanity with a baboon." (1.3.312-3) - Iago uses the derisory "guinea-hen", a euphemism for a prostitute. 

"drown cats and blind puppies" (Iago 1.3.332-3) 

"[Othello] will be as tenderly led by the nose / As asses are." (Iago 

1.3.395-6) 

"with as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as 

Cassio" (Iago 2.1.165-6) 

"indeed my invention / Comes from my pate as birdlime does from 

frize" (Iago 2.1.124-5). Lime was put on the branches of trees where
it would stick to birds' feet and so trap them. 

Iago uses an image of hunting dogs weighed down to prevent them 

moving too fast to describe the way he manipulates Roderigo "this 

poor trash of Venice" (2.1.294) 

"Or keep it in a cistern (septic tank) for foul toads / To know and 

gender in!" - an image of toads all tumbled together, copulating

(Othello 4.2.60-1) 

"as summer flies are in the shambles, / That quicken even with 

blowing" (Othello 4.2.65-6) - an image of flies breeding rapidly 

around butcher's shops 

There are references to goats, monkeys - allegedly lascivious 

creatures 

There are references to dogs and worms and a snake: 


Roderigo calls Iago "O inhuman dog!" (5.1.62) 

Lodovico calls Iago "O, Spartan dog" (5.2.357) - Spartan dogs 

were notoriously fierce.
 Lodovico calls Iago a "viper" (5.2.282)

"The worms were hallowed that did breed the silk" (Othello 3.4.73)

Othello talks about Desdemona crying crocodile (ie false) tears 
(4.1.245) 

Cassio mentions a Hydra - a monstrous snake whose many heads grew again as fast as they were cut off. (2.3.295) 


What images do these references to animals evoke? Do they suggest hot countries? Are they ugly images? 


In the Venetian imagination, Othello's power resides in his sexual difference from white males. Iago uses powerful and shocking imagery to suggest that, because he is black, Othello is lascivious and sexually deviant. He describes Othello, as a "beast", a "black ram", a "Barbary horse". The early scenes of the play in particular are full of images and anxieties of a black man (Othello)'s libido strikingly contrasted with a Venetian woman's virginity but Othello is not a lecher - he loves and reveres Desdemona. 

In Act 1 scene 2, Iago equates Othello's ethnicity with bestiality: 

"an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe" (1.1.89-90) 

"you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll 
have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have coursers for cousins and jennets for germans" (1.1.111-4) 

The Barbary coast was famous for horse breeding. 'Coursers' refers either to powerful horses used in battle or to racehorses. A 'jennet' is a small Spanish horse. The word 'Germans' means close blood relatives. 

"your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two 

backs" (1.1.117-8) 

 

Why does Iago deny Othello his humanity and use animal imagery to describe the General? 

What does Iago's choice of words tell us about him? 

Iago introduces Othello in the play. What impression does the 

audience form of Othello before his first entrance? 

What mood is created at the start of play? 

 

"He echoes me / As if there were some monster in his thought" (Othello 3.3.105-6) 

"O, beware, my lord of jealousy! /It is the green eyed monster, which doth mock /The meat it feeds on." (Iago to Othello 3.3.164-6) 

"a hornèd man's a monster and a beast" (Othello 4.1.62) 

"Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind" (Desdemona 3.4.159)