Themes in Othello

Iago is a very interesting character in the play Othello, by William Shakespeare. Iago is the antagonist in the play and he uses many different techniques to deceive and manipulate his victims. The use of imagery and metaphors and Iagos’s use of language are his tools that he uses to manipulate and fool people. In this essay I will be talking about how Iago uses animal imagery to describe the relationship between Othello and his wife Desdemona and the image of poison and how he uses both of the images in his language as his primary weapon into manipulating Othello.

Animal Imagery is used throughout the play especially in Act 1. Iago makes almost all of the imageries. He uses this imagery to make himself feel better and to also downgrade people he hates. In Act 1 where he is talking to Desdemona’s father he describes the relationship between his daughter and Othello as animals having sex. This is used to provoke the father and make him angry, Iago tells him "daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs."(Act 1 scene 1). Iago is determined to expose Othello for the beast that he is by saying "bringing this monstrous birth to light"(Act 1 scene 3) and this use of imagery is the starting point of Iago’s evil plan to overthrow Othello. As we see later on Othello even starts using animal imagery himself.

Another reoccurring imagery is poison. Poison is very appropriate to describe Iago because his actions and character is exactly like poison. Iago is the way he is because he thinks Cassio and Othello had sex with his wife but it was never proven. Also because of the differences of class in society made him feel inferior and the obvious racial differences. This all summed up is what fuels Iago and his need for revenge where he says "doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw [his] inwards." (Act 2 scene 1). He uses his language and manipulation like poison by "pour[ing] this pestilence into his ear", Iago uses this poison his language on Othello to also corrupt him. This technique Iago uses is very effective as we see later on in the play.

Othello thru the manipulation of Iago started to sort of talking like him also. We see this with the use of animal imagery, which Iago uses to describe the relationship between Othello and his wife. In one scene Iago convinces Othello that his wife is having an affair. Othello loses himself and says "goats and monkeys!" (Act 4 scene 1) which is going back to what Iago said to Othello about the affair his wife was having, how he cant catch them in the act of sex and the animal imagery he uses is “ where they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys” (Act 3 scene 3). By this we see that Iago’s animal imagery has taken over Othello’s mind. Another moment where Othello starts to act and talk like Iago is when Othello makes up his mind to kill his wife. As I mention earlier Iago is like poison and whomever he talks too he infects them with this poison. The moment where Iago has got Othello and totally convinced him that his wife was having an affair the first method of killing his wife ironically is poison but Iago tells him to strangle her. With these two imageries and metaphors we see how Othello changes from the beginning of the play to very similar characteristics of Iago.

To conclude the use of imagery and metaphors in the play made by Shakespeare gives a more in-depth look and impact of the characters. It also creates a better understanding of the play and what’s going on. It brings out the different themes in the play like race and of course jealousy.